Just back from Caymans!
 

We spent a great week on Grand Cayman. Here's my abridged report:<BR><BR>Took direct flight from Newark on Continental and arrived in Grand Cayman on time at 2 p.m. Fifteen minute ride to the Westin Casuarina, but our room was not ready!! We changed and went straight to the beach, which is gorgeous! The pool area at hte hotel is absolutely beautiful, very bustling and fun. WE got our room around 5 p.m. and i was very disappointed. The rooms are soooo expensive at the Westin. I paid for an oceanview and really had to crane my neck to see water. I saw the adjacent rooftop and the room was really plainly decorated, with old carpetting, and smelled like must. The room could have been in any country, it had no island feeling. The halls are also very dark and closed in, like a city hotel, not a beach resort.. Bottomline is that I would stay at the Hyatt's new beachfront area next time around..<BR><BR>Best part of trip were the dinnners.<BR>1. Reef Grill: awesome. went there first and last nights<BR>2. Smuggler's Cove: Very romantic and great food<BR>3. BED -- just OK<BR>4. The Wharf -- too touristy, food was lame<BR>5. Hemingway's at the Hyatt -- great all around<BR><BR>Overall: the island is beautiful, the weather was perfect.. BUT, it was tooo Americanized for my taste. I feel like I could have been in Florida b/c of all the chain restaurants and all the Americans everywhere... Had a very relaxing time, but don't think I'll return.. too many other places to try..<BR>Don't hesitate to e-mail me.. Melody

We have been planning a trip to Grand Cayman and have been going back and forth between staying at the Hyatt and at the Westin. This is the 2nd time I've seen reports of a musty room. Did you go over to the Hyatt and look at the ocean front rooms? I have heard that the rooms in the main part of the Hyatt are worn. If it weren't for the diving, I'd look elsewhere. My husband and I loved the diving there 8 years ago and he is really looking forward to an island with great diving for this trip. I am looking for a lovely beach my daughter and I can sit on. Should we still go to GC or do you have other suggestions?

Scott, you mention your "husband". If you are a gay couple you might want to reconsider since GC is not gay friendly. Great scuba diving, though!

Sorry, We are not a gay couple my husband starting typing this and then went to play with our daughter in mid sentence and I (Debbie)finished.

Debbie and Scott,<BR>I wouldn't jump to any conclusions after a couple of reports of musty rooms - after all, you can find dozens of positive reviews of those same hotels on this web site alone!! You might also want to try a condo which is a popular way to go on GC.<BR><BR>Cayman is one of the best dive locations, but you might consider some others as well:<BR><BR>http://www.scubadiving.com/feature/specials/top10001/destinations.shtml<BR>

But anyone with half a brain can quite clearly see that the Westin's rooms are not that great at all and are way overpriced!!

Allan,<BR>what's it like to have half a brain?

Sorry about your bad luck with the room. Sometimes the more you pay, the less you get. We, also, just returned from Grand Cayman. We stayed at the Holiday Inn for $150 per night with an ocean view-no neck strain involved. (Get a priority card for the free upgrade). The rooms there are practically brand new--no musty smell whatsoever. It did not have a lot of "frills", but it was clean, safe, friendly, cheap, on a nice strip of 7 mile beach, and on the bus route. If you are at all budget minded, I would check out the HI next time.

Catherine,<BR><BR>We are considering staying at the Holiday Inn the first week in April. I have a few questions. I have heard that the pool is shaded most of the day is this true? Does the Holiday Inn have beach chairs on the beach? Did you order any thing from the beach bar? I believe there is a Gecko bar and Sea Grape Cafe. Are these two places in front of the Holiday Inn? Are they reasonable as far as vacation prices go? <BR><BR>Thanks<BR><BR> <BR><BR>