The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa

June 29, 2013
 

(Stayed June 17-June 22, 2013)

 
Just a 10-15 minute ride from the airport, The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort and Spa is located in the heart of Seven Mile Beach. This little slice of heaven is centrally located to other hotels, the Camana Bay mall and Georgetown, in addition to Hell and Rum Point.
 
We stayed in an island view room to save a little money, but we were still minutes from the white sand beach and perfectly turquoise sea. The room was perfect size with a king-sized bed, table and chairs, a balcony with two chairs and a hidden refrigerator. The bathroom was huge and the robes were complimentary, as was the smaller water bottles in the fridge. However, the larger bottles were $6.50 Cayman dollars, so steer clear of those if you want to save some cash, which you probably will as the exchange rate is $1 Cayman, $1.25 U.S. And the safe fits a laptop, which is perfect. Included in the ‘resort fee,’ is WiFi, parking, the smaller water bottles, turndown service each day, towels, umbrellas/chairs on the beach and access to the gym and spa.
 
On site of the hotel is three restaurants, three bars, a deli, a spa and a Red Sail Sports stand right on the beach. In addition, there is a jewelry shop, a beachwear shop and a bathing suit shop. There is also an Avis car rental office right in the lobby, which is very convenient if you decide you want to take a day trip on your own. On the beach, there are small cabanas, as well as larger cabanas, including two by the pool with beds. The poolside service extends to the beach to anyone, not just those spending the extra money on cabanas, which is a great convenience.
 
The Westin is one of the few resorts that sit actually on the beach and have a swim-up pool bar, two things I always look for in a Caribbean resort. Though there was an ‘all-inclusive’ option, we didn’t partake, as I felt it wasn’t worth the extra $2,000. The all-inclusive option did include all drinks, but only included meals at the pool bar, Tortuga, and the ‘main’ dining hall, Ferdinand’s. What it didn’t include was Casa Havana and room service. I didn’t think it was worth it, as I didn’t really want to be tied down to just eating at the hotel when I knew how much it was. And I’m glad we didn’t choose that option, as we got to explore more restaurants this way.
 
The Hibiscus Spa is just beautiful. The prices are comparable to most resort spas with a Swedish massage in the $120 range. However, if you just want to make use of a hot tub and sauna, that is included in the resort fee. Just beware that there are male and female saunas, so you can’t go in as a couple. If you do want a spa treatment with your honey, they do have couple massages and such. I did indulge in a food massage that was just lovely.
 
The gym had about 10 machines, including bikes, treadmills and ellipticals, as well as free weights, kettlebells and medicine balls. There was also a weight machine. I think the gym was the perfect size to keep your workout regimen. Also, to keep you comfortable, there were fresh towels, water and earbuds.
 
For the kids, there was a kids club and activities, though I can’t really assess those.
 
The pool was also great with a swim-up bar and two hot tubs on the outside. The waitress bring you drinks and food to your chair or right in the water, if you like.
 
Since we went during the off season, we really didn’t have any trouble getting a chair either on the beach or by the pool. There were plenty of towels and despite poor reviews about a lack of umbrellas, there was always one available, if needed. And the staff is more than willing to set up your chairs, tables and umbrellas on the beach for you. The water was warm, but a bit salty. If you like to stay in the water, I recommend bring down a pair of goggles (and even a snorkel) so you can save your eyes from burning while you try to see the fish swimming around your feet.
 
Having the Red Sail Sports stand right on the beach and in the lobby is very convenient with its offerings of paddleboards, wave runners and day trips to go snorkeling or to Sting Ray City. However, be ready to shell out some cash, as they don’t come cheap. Just to rent a float for the beach is about $15 a day.
 
The hotel did offer a free shuttle to Georgetown a few days a week. On a tip from a bartender, we were told to stay away from the downtown area on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the days that the cruise ships dock. If you’re ever unsure though, just look to the left when on the beach at the Westin and you can see the ships docked.
 
Across the street from the hotel was a little strip mall with a few restaurants and a liquor store. My recommendation? Since the drinks will run you about $6 Cayman for a beer and $12 for a frozen drink, head to the liquor store by a six-pack of Caybrew (the local beer) for $10, fill a bag with ice, stick it in your beach bag and bring it to the beach.
 
We tried each restaurant on site. The $20 breakfast buffet at Ferdinand’s is worth it, with hot oatmeal, various breakfast items, a homemade omelets station and fresh waffles. Another recommendation? Eat a hearty late breakfast at the buffet, then stick it out and have a big dinner. Two meals a day will save you some money. Dinner at Ferdinand’s was also really tasty and reasonably priced. Casa Havana is the pricier of the two big restaurants. It features small plates from Chef Michael Farrell, along with a huge wine selection. If you do decide to indulge in the fancy dinner at Casa Havana, do not miss the crab cake. I’m not even a huge seafood person, but it was by far the best crab cake I’ve ever tasted. The Tortuga beach bar is just regular bar fare with burgers, chicken fingers and sandwiches.
 
If you do venture off site, head across the street to Eats Café, a diner-like restaurant that includes all the comforts of home. Or take a walk along the beach, go through the Marriott and head to Coconut Joe’s across the street on West Bay Road. I recommend the rasta pasta with chicken, though we heard the ribs were the best on the island. A couple other recommendations we got were Decker’s and Aqua, which are both along West Bay Road and closer to the Westin. About a mile from the Westin is Camana Bay, which is a bunch of shops, a couple restaurants, a movie theater and some water fountains for the kids. Head to Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink for some nibbles and wine, then get some fro-yo at Ginger Lily. If you’re bored, head to the theater, but beware, it was $27.50 US for two tickets.
 
Georgetown is a great little area with a bunch of shops and restaurants. There’s also a submarine you can take, but get there early. In addition, there’s a pirate ship party boat and snorkeling and such. But beware, everything shuts down at 5 p.m. on the dot, so if you do head over, go early. (*Note: the bus the Westin leaves the hotel at 2:30pm and brings you back at 5:15pm)
 
There is a bus system, but it’s not like a big city bus system. The buses are little vans that run along different routes. There are stops, but you can flag them down as they pass. You know them as they are the vans that honk as they go by. You can just let them know when you want to get off. It will run you about $2 a person a ride. That’s a pretty good deal, as a cab ride will cost you about $9 for a half mile to 1 mile ride.
 
All in all, I highly recommend the Cayman Islands for a relaxing vacation. And I recommend the Westin as the resort to stay at. Between it’s amenities and central location, you really get your money’s worth. The staff is friendly, the food is good and the service is fantastic.