Grand Caymanian Resort Review – Cayman Islands

In July, our family of four stayed at the Grand Caymanian Resort in the Cayman Islands. The property is situated on the North Sound of Grand Cayman about 15 minutes from the airport. The resort’s location was serene and removed from tourist congestion.

Transportation
Taxi service to the resort cost $40 for our family. The resort didn’t offer airport pick-up service for its guests, something that took us by surprise. The resort does offer a shuttle to different attractions and transportation to the local market, however you’re on someone else’s time. Management politely suggests that guests rent a vehicle if interested in touring the island fully.

Amenities:
A scuba shop
A c-store
24-hour access gym
An onsite restaurant
Two pools, including a kiddy pool
Tennis court
Water sports
Private beach access complete with hammocks, beach chairs, and a pier

The Villa
We stayed in two connecting villas that had a lock-off option. We put our boys in the larger villa and stayed in the one-bedroom villa, keeping the doors open in between the two. The larger-sized villa included a full kitchen complete with a refrigerator, microwave and stove; a washer and dryer unit; a 6-person dining table, couch and love seat, an entertainment unit, a double-entry balcony over looking the pool, restaurant, and beach, as well as a large double-vanity bathroom. Our smaller villa offered a kitchenette, a desk, small couch, and a private balcony as well.

One of the things I loved about having the connecting villas was the separation of space and the extra room for the kids to run around and explore. The other pluses that worked well for my family were the in-suite washer and dryer and the full-size kitchen.

Criticisms of the Grand Caymanian:

In my opinion, here are some things I think the Grand Caymanian needs in order to count itself as a true 4 star resort:

• A proper gym complete with free weights, a television, towels, and in general, more state of the art exercise equipment

• Personalized activities for kids

• Updates/Modernization to the decor of its older villas

• An expanded concessions store

• Airport shuttle service for guests or some equivalent

Most importantly, wi-fi service in all rooms. Using the business office or lugging my laptop down to the lobby to use the service was a grand inconvenience. When I’m on vacation, most of my computer time is done late at night when everyone is asleep – leaving my villa in the dark to get internet service is not an option and a deal breaker for me when deciding to be a repeat vacationer at a resort. Hopefully the new owner will see the value in providing this service for their (mainly) American guests in the near future.

Wrap-up
There are plenty of things that the Grand Caymanian does right for its size: its hospitality and offering on-site water sport amenities. Guest activities like the free coconut-picking demonstration and paid in-pool scuba diving training can keep guests entertained for a spell but for the most part, you will need to go off-site if you’re looking for more action. Notwithstanding mom’s critical eye, my little family had a great time at the resort swimming, relaxing, and soaking in the Caymanian sun.