Grand Cayman Trip review 7/4-7/10/10
 

My husband and I just returned from a great vacation on Grand Cayman. We stayed at the Westin which we were pleasantly pleased with our stay.

Here are some highlights:

Cimboco for breakfast - was our favorite! Much better then Eats

The Cracked Conch was very good and sat outside.

Kaibo Beach BBQ - enjoyed the band but the food was just okay. Be sure to bring bug spray - as soon as the sun went down the mosquitos came out.

The Red Sail Sports free cat to Rum Point Restaurant - this was a great sail and had a wonderful dinner at the restaurant. Great service!

Other restaurants that we enjoyed: The Reef Grill, Sunshine Grill (loved the mahi mahi tacos), and Calypso Grill.

For the Stingray City tour we went with Captain Dexter. Great tour! He was very knowledgeable and easy going. I would definitely go out with him again.

We rented a car at the airport through Avis and returned it the day before we left and took a taxi back to the airport. Just be sure when you drive, stay left and yield to the right at the round abouts.

Also we noticed that the airport definitely needs to expand. When we arrived we had to wait over 30 min. just to get through customs! Not a great way to start your vacation.

If you have any questions, i will be happy to respond! - Susan

Here are some pics:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/578154775QWtGlI

Well, the pics were great. You are a great couple. I'm so glad you liked GC. My hubby and I honeymooned there 20 years ago-yes, that makes me 44 in August. It was one of the best places we've ever been. It's a secret, but check out Anguilla for a future trip. We went to GC six years in a row, but then fell head over heals for Anguilla. You never know...

Glad you enjoyed GC!

We loved the snorkeling there.

Trish

I'm interested to know how happy you were with the Westin. We're heading to GC with 3 kids in 2 weeks and I've seen many negative reviews about the rooms, many noted musty smells in the rooms and that overall the hotel was not clean. Also, can you tell me what the $20 per day fee covers? do they provide free snorkeling gear, fitness rooms, etc. Was the beach crowded? Did you eat in any of the Westin's restaurants? How good was the food and how expensive was it?

Did you go to the Marriott Resort down the beach? its rooms and cleanliness have received better reviews than the Westin's, but it seems the beach is narrower, but is the beach crowded? Thanks.

Hi Yazlin, we were very happy with the Westin. We felt the service was better then our previous experiences at the Westin in St. John. Our room was on the 3rd floor and overlooked the pool and beach area. If you prefer a quieter room, I would suggest the rooms on the end towards their Casa Havana restaurant. Our room was clean and had no problems - we had maid service everyday and turn down service every night. I believe the $20 per day covers really just the towels. You do have to rent and pay for snorkeling equipment. There is a Red Sail Sports that is located on the premises.

I would suggest either going across the street to Eat's for breakfast and/or if you have a rental car go to Cimboco's which is closer to the Marriot for breakfast. Eat's Cafe was always very crowded so we would drive to Cimboco's and felt the food was much better. Much more reasonable then the Westin breakfast. We didn't eat at any of the restaurants except the morning we left for breakfast which was a halfway decent breakfast buffet.

The Westin beach is quite large and never made it down by the Marriot. If you go on the beach, bring a soft sided cooler and fill it with water bottles and ice. This was key for us. There is beach service by the Westin, but the cost of drinks can really add up. If you walk over towards the Governor's House on the beach (facing the water walk to your right) you can find an area that's really not crowded. We felt that a lot of people preferred to stay around the pool area vs. the beach which always blows my mine.

Across the street from the Westin, there is the Sunshine Suites. If you walk down the road they have their own restaurant Sunshine Grill. GREAT fish tacos and other reasonable food. This was one of our favorite places to eat. Also if you want to save money, do not use any of the sodas, water, beer, etc. provided in the fridge in your room. Go across the street and there is a liquor store where you can buy bottled water, beer, soda, etc.

You will have a great time!