Grand Cayman Ritz Carlton

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We have gone to Cayman's pretty much every year since 1995 or so with the exception of a few years right after the hurricane.

November of 2011 was our third visit to the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. This resort has become one of our favorites in all of the Caribbean for both accomodations and food.

Our first visit was a deal we got the last minute when we had to cancel the Four Seasons Emerald Bay due to a mosquito illness outbreak of some sort. We stayed on the club level at a resonable price for this resort approximately 5000.00 for the week. However, you really did not need to go out to eat as the club level at the Ritz is five servings a day that pretty much run into each other.

Note: The Caymans club served so much food you could eat here and not eat out if you so desire. Not the thing to do as the Caymans is know for gourmet dinning. The only Ritz Club levels we found subpar so far is the one at Beaver Creek, just ok, nothing to write home about and the one in Boston, once again just ok, you had to keep asking them for things like a glass of wine, a bottle of water it was if they were saving it all in the back room just in case you did not ask.

Anyway back to the Ritz Grand Caymans - this resort is by far superior to any other resort on the island and I mean by far. We are part of the formr Hyatt crowd that moved to the Ritz when the Hyatt closed and the Ritz opened. Grounds are beautiful, pool is spectacular and there is a quite pool on the resort room side that is very nice as well. Beach is great, ocean is fabulous. Food is wonderful here, however, it is pricy so be forwarned. On our second trip which was November 2010, our bill was 2500.00 which inlcuded a 700.00 diner at Blue by Eric Rippert.

Low down on resort resturants:

Periwinkle - go here for lunch as it cost the same thing as Bar Jack at the pool only everything is gourmet. The pasta dishes are wonderful and the pizza is actually very good. Big compliment coming from someone on the east coast.

7 is good, however, there are resturants Caymana Bay Shopping Plaza that rival it and are less expensive or more fun with better scenary. We ate here for Thanksgiving in 2010 and it was very good and about 100.00 per person. My husband wanted to go to Lonestar bar and grill next to where the Hyatt used to be as they were offering traditional Thanksgiving for 23.99 or so. This year we had the Sunday Brunch which runs about 85.00 per person and includes so many options you won't be able to choose.

So we also ate at Blue in November 2010 and followed it up in February of 2011 with dinner at Le Bernadin in New York, both bills were basically in the 700.00 to 800.00 range. Blue and Le Bernadin are very good and if it was a 300.00 dinner it would be spectacular, however, for 800.00 not worth it at all. So many other choices for five star dinning without being so so so overpriced.

How to dine on the cheap in the Caymans if you want:

Breakfast, lunch and dinner - across from the Ritz and up the street near the Westin is a strip mall with three resturants, EATS, Legends and a sushi place. All have very good food at cheap prices so this is how a family survies. Breakfast is about 8.00 per person versus 30.00 per person at the Ritz. The Ritz does have a cafe where you could get a bagel with salmon and cream cheese topped wih tomatoes and capers that will cost you a cheap 12.00 for a superior big meal - great deal. Now back to the strip mall anyone of these resturants all owned by same owner are good deals for lunch and dinner for families or those wanting to save some $. The sushi is just as good as at the Ritz if you can believe that for half price.

This year we had reservations at Blue, that were cancelled because Tony Blair showed up and they gave us a 400.00 gift card to use at any Ritz. This only took minor complaining. Very generous, for a minor goof.

Great, hotel no complants. Food and drink very expensive, however, you can do some money saving by hitting other resturants. Will go back year after year.

Money saving tips - book complete air package with USAIR Vacations or other airlines or AMEX because you will get cancel or change for any reason trip insurance for a small fee. This means if the price gets better you are able to change and you are able to cancel for any reason up until the day of departure in most cases - read insurance well. Once I cancelled an entire trip and rebooked and still saved 1000.00.

If you are a repeat customer they will upgrade you most likely - email the hotel ahead of time and book a dinner reservation and tell them you are a repeat customer. If you are celebrating anyting they will acknowledge it with strawberries, wine or a gift of some sort.

Stay on the club level if is up to 1500.00 more as you will pay at least that in melas and drinks which are also free on the club level.

Eat across the street at the cheap but good resturants for breakfast and or lunch. Go to Caymana Bay Resturants for dinner a few nights, still not cheap but reasonable.

Have a hamburger one night or fajitas at the LoneStart bar and grill to save some $$$.

I always look on the COSTCO site as well and have booked with them many times - for 50.00 year you could save hundreds in vacations compared to other sites.

Oh did I mention celebrities we have seen at this resort? Tony Blair, Jennifer Capriati, Murphy something (tennis player), Randy from say yes to the dress, Sylvia from Wienstocks Bakery New York. We always say we are going to the Cayman Cookout to see Anthony Bourdain but have not made it yet, will have to catch up with Tony eventually. LOL

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