By Marissa Millman
The soft white sand and clear blue ocean of Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach is a breathtakingly gorgeous sight. There is no better place to experience that beauty than at Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. This luxury beachfront resort appeals to guests of all ages. We have been escaping the northeast winters with visits there for years, beginning when my now-7 year old was just 2. Below is our Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman review.
The Resort
As adults, we love the resort’s aesthetic beauty, its incredibly friendly hands-on service, and its delicious dining options (don’t skip the fish sandwich or piña colada at the beachside Bar Jack!). The resort perfectly encapsulates what a “beach resort” should be. Though it is a large property, Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman offers the kind of personal service you would expect at a smaller boutique hotel. There is a state-of-the-art fitness center and the luxurious La Prairie Spa onsite. If you really want to treat yourself, book a table at famed NYC Chef Eric Ripert’s Blue, the Caribbean’s only AAA Five Diamond restaurant. It’s also the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman’s signature restaurant.
While there are many upscale beach resorts in the Caribbean, we keep coming back to the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman because the resort offers children’s activities that are just as impressive as their luxury offerings. Consider Starfish Cay, a large water playground with waterslides, water sprayers and a zero-entry splash pad for the smallest guests. It’s my girls’ absolute favorite hotel amenity! Another cherished amenity at the Ritz Grand Cayman is their kid-friendly complimentary pool snacks — from popsicles to cotton candy; it is a blast anticipating what will be served that day by the pool!
Resort Activities
Parents with infants will love that the resort’s two pools each have a wide rim of shallow water surrounding them, where their baby can splash around while the parents relax nearby in the pool itself. Older kids will love the resort’s basketball and tennis courts, the water sports included in your resort fee, and the WAVE Gave Room, which features XBox, PlayStation 4 and many non-electronic games. If that’s not enough excitement, each night just outside the resort’s Italian restaurant, Andiamo, there are interactive fish feedings. Later in the evening, a children’s movie is played on the beach nearby. Be sure to also hit Andiamo’s gelato counter before bed!
The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman also offers a beautiful kids club for ages 4 and up. Called Ambassadors of the Environment, it is in partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau. The club, housed in a charming island cottage called Heritage House, “introduces guests to the natural wonders and rich cultural traditions of the Cayman Islands.” Even if your child is too young for the drop-off kids club, the Heritage House is still worth a visit, including its adorable baby splash pool out front.
The Beach
The wonder of Seven Mile Beach is just outside your hotel room at the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. This proximity allows guests to easily bounce between the beach and the resort’s beachfront pool. Food and drink service and beach toys are all available on the white sand of Seven Mile. Water sports, including kayaks, standing paddle boards, water tricycles, floating rafts, paddle boats, and water hammocks, are also there to entertain guests in the calm blue ocean. On our last visit, my husband and older daughter had a blast taking a glass bottom boat out on the water.
So?
Grand Cayman is a gorgeous Caribbean island destination and the Ritz Carlton makes for a perfect family vacation. We will forever cherish the memories we make on our visits there and hope this Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman review was helpful for your family.
