My scuba diving buddy and I stayed here for a week in Feb. 2008, and I had stayed here with family 15 years ago for almost 3 weeks. Both times I was delighted with the place. This may be the best kept secret on the Island. This is like having your own cottage. All the amenities meant that breakfast and lunch were up to us to handle (restaurants are too good at night not to eat out), and there are a number of regular grocery stores around the Island that sell fresh food, lots of booze stores. We usually started out the day with some fresh grind Blue Mountain coffee, out on the patio, watching the cruise ships come in and listening to the soft swish of the waves off the iron shore 60 feet from where we were sitting, that provides some great snorkeling.
There is a wreck a few feet off shore in about 15 feet of water, maximum, and home to what has to be about a 500 lb. grouper, and a number of other schools of fish.
The rooms were spotless, lots of TV channels, and above all, the place was QUIET. This is the way to enjoy the Caribbean. Laid back, no hassle, pool to oneself, and other guests, if you ran into them, are quiet folks too. This is 300 feet maybe down the shore from Seven Mile Beach.
Cayman is not cheap, which keeps the less desirables away. With beaches and everywhere else closely patrolled, not once did I see anyone approach me or anyone else to sell drugs, their sister, watches or anything else. The whole place seems more like a safe suburb of a well-ordered, prosperous city. Low crime rates and the cleanliness and litter-free atmosphere adds to the place.
The 98 degree heat and 95% humidity make it imperative that you travel around the island with your water bottle at hand.
Also the bottom units - perfect for washing out and drying your scuba gear, are right next to the air conditioners for the upstairs tenants, and even though I like the windows open for whatever breezes blow through, if you have some insular sealed up patron upstairs, the noise from the A/C will bug you at first. I got used to it, but took a few days.
Lots of stores close by.
DIVING: Being an experienced diver, I want a small fast boat operation with 2 or 3 other divers maximum, so I can get to different dive sites quickly, diving with people who won't be dropping weights on my head. I want to hit the water and be into the dive NOW. So I dove with Ollen Miller's Sun Divers. Ollen does not dive anymore, but the guys he hires are great guys to hang out with, and they are fast, efficient, and know the area. Wouldn't dive with anyone else.
The other big secret about Cayman - you can do excellent dives from shore. Try by Ollen Miller's dive shack beyond the Turtle Farm, where there is a bsr right where you dive from. Great looking girls at the bar, water is terrific, and there is a very safe 55 foot wall for a check-out first dive, without renting a boat, and Ollen's got tanks right there.
