Cayman Islands Recap
This trip was the breath of fresh air that I desperately needed after a long semester. My family (of 6) spent 8 whole days in the Cayman Islands which is known for its iconic Seven Mile Beach and its top notch Caribbean cuisine. Follow along to hear about my favorite restaurants, hotels, excursions as well as other travel tips that may be useful when planning your trip to the Cayman Islands!
Where To Stay
Palm Heights: This boutique hotel is unlike anything I have ever seen before. We stopped by for brunch our first morning on the island and ended up venturing back to the beach at Palm Heights everyday. This hotel is definitely on the higher end but the view, restaurants, boutique, and spa make it worth it.
The Westin: I never went inside the actual hotel but based on its reviews and photos it looks like a great place to stay. I did sneak into their pool which was beautiful! When planning the trip I looked into booking a spa day and all of my research pointed to the Hibiscus Spa which is in The Westin Hotel. They have reasonable prices and offer access to steam and sauna rooms after your treatment.
The Ritz-Carlton: All of the Ritz-Carlton hotels are known for being luxurious (and expensive) however, I was let down by this hotel. When planning this vacation I was amazed by the design of this hotel but after visiting I decided that this would not be my top choice. This hotel was PACKED unlike any other hotel all week long. All SIX rows of the beach chairs were reserved first thing in the morning and the pool was definitely at max capacity. If I am spending good money on a hotel I would like to be directly in front of the water and able to relax in the pool without being on top of random people haha!
The Kimpton: I never went inside the Kimpton Hotel but from looking at the photos it appears to have a very modern, coastal chic interior. I love to explore other hotels and pools but Kimpton is very stingy about having non-hotel guests on-site. This was not an issue with any other hotels.
Sea Dreams #5: *** This is where my family stayed *** My family was truly amazed by this brand new, boutique hotel. It was very open and modern with multiple windows and a balcony overlooking the clear waters. We spent most of our days relaxing on the spacious balcony or in the pool (and hot tub) which has a panoramic view of the ocean and most of our nights watching UNC games and movies on the sectional couch. This condo has three bedrooms, one with a king, one with a queen, and one with two twin beds which was perfect for a family of 6. Each room has its own bathroom which makes getting ready for dinner so much faster! They also offer one three-hour cleaning per stay which was very helpful. The only negative to this condo was its location. It is located in West Bay which is a 15 minute drive from Seven Mile beach. My mom loves to read on the beach so we drove to Palm Heights most days to sit on the beach but I actually preferred to sit by our pool because it was secluded and still on the water!
Things To Do
Work out
ENERGY Pilates: Reformer and Group Mat Classes
The Rec Room: Updated gym that offers a visitor rate (for one week)
Yoga
Bliss Yoga: Bliss Yoga: I ended up buying the unlimited visitor pass which was $100 USD per week… I thought that I was going to use this membership a lot more than I actually did haha! I ended up taking one HOT26&2 class (which I HATED) and one Core + Power class (which I loved).
Starfish Beach
Stingray City
This was unlike anything I have ever seen before… You have to do a boat excursion/island tour to get here but I promise you IT’S WORTH IT. Apparently Stingray City is the only place in the world where stingrays voluntarily come and interact with people. I kept my distance (and stayed on the boat) but my sisters had the best time playing with these freaky creatures haha.
Snorkeling
After swimming with the stingrays, the captain of our private boat excursion took us to a reef to snorkel. This is another activity that I did not participate in because it was extremely rough the day we did our excursion however, I usually love to snorkel and highly recommend planning your boat excursion on a day that is not too windy!
Where To Eat
Mykonos
What we ordered
Starters
Sashimi Yellowfin Tuna, Not Too Spicy Tuna roll, Horiatiki Salad, Tzatziki, Feta Spread
Main
Margherita pizza, Finest Sushi-Grade Tuna Filet, Wild Atlantic Salmon Filet
Dessert
We walked next door to BIRD bakery (which is owned by Mykanos)... Everything is made from scratch and YOU CAN TELL. We got a carrot cake cupcake, chocolate chip cookie, and 3 scoops of their homemade ice cream!
Tillies
What we ordered
Starters
Bread, Tillies Conch Fritters, 6 East Coast Oysters, 6 West Coast Oysters, Creamed Corn, Tuna Tartare
Main
Steak Diane, Tillies Prime Steak Burger, Louie Salad, Scallops Thermidor
Dessert
New York Cheesecake, Assortment of mini desserts (complementary), Caramel Crunch Brownie with Icecream
Morgans
What we ordered
Starters
Bread, Arugula and Beet Salad, Authentic Greek Salad, Tuna Tartare
Main
Lobster Mac Cheese, Lobster Ravioli, Surf & Turf
Dessert
Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream, Key Lime Pie, Bread Pudding
Sant June
What we ordered
Starters
Signature nachos
Main
West of Cayman Salad, Chicken Caesar Wrap
Calypso Grill
What we ordered
Starters
Oysters, Cracked Conch, Tuna Sashimi, Roasted Carrot & white miso hummus, Lobster Bisque, Wahoo Escovitch
Main
Crab Cakes, Cobb Salad, Catch of the day: Grouper, Catch of the day: Tuna
Dessert
Calypso Sticky Toffee Pudding x2 ****
Bacaro
What we ordered
Starters
Mad Deviled Eggs
Grilled asparagus, parmesan foam, truffle oil, crispy egg yolk, polenta chip
Sautéed Brussel sprouts, turmeric, raisins, pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano
Main
Bigoli all’ Anatra: homemade fresh spaghetti with roasted duck ragout
Beetroot potato gnocchi, green peas, braised leek, shaved pecorino
Daily catch, lobster lemongrass bisque, braised callaloo, puffed barley
Grigliata Mista: grilled lobster, scallop, shrimp, and calamari (serves two)
What I Wore
INSPO
