Where to stay when you leave.
6/13/2006 at 9:00 AM
Tags: Hotel Restaurants
While the Westin Casuarina didn't measure up to one guest's expectations, the Ritz Carlton's Blue Restaurant nabbed a mention in Travel + Leisure's top six hotel restaurants to check out.
What makes this restaurant so good is that the hotel uses 20 local fisherman to catch its seafood. The chef, Eric Ripert, also handpicks the staff, who will cook any of your catches from your deep-sea fishing adventures.
The food is French Caribbean and T+L recommends the bouillabaise which "becomes rich lobster safron fumet lapping at an aioli crabcake. The hotel also has four other restaurants, including 7 which our tipster says has a Make-your-own caesar salad bar and a specialty pasta bar, but terrible service--"as though it was the waiters' first dsay which is unacceptable for those prices."
Related Stories:
· Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Best new hotel restaurants [T+L]
· Nothing to Do at the Westin Casuarina [HotelChatter]
by juliana
6/12/2006 at 1:26 PM
Tags: Hotel Hell
[Ed. Note: This pretty sun-soaked scene of the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa in the Grand Caymans isn't always guaranteed. A faithful Starwood Preferred Guest member headed there for some fun relaxation in the sun. However, the steady rain made that impossible and since the Westin didn't offer Pay-Per-View movies, our tipster was left with little to do.]
The beach was beautiful, crystal clear and calm, and the pool was nice, with two hot tubs. But, It rained almost the whole time we were there, so we were forced to find alternate forms of entertainment.
The lobby had some nice seating areas, and the pool bar and lobby bars were fun with great service.They have a business center, where they charge A dollar a minute for internet access.
They don't give you an actual paper, just a photocopy of headines. Plus, I asked for it to be delivered each day and it only came once.
Housekeeping is fine, they give you rum cakes on your pillow each night with turn down service. But our room was across the hall from the housekeeping maintenance room, and they were so loud singing and screaming/talking at each other each morning, that they woke us up.
Front desk was particularly unhelpful, while concierge was mediocre at best.
They don't have Pay-Per-View. So with all the rain we wanted to watch a movie. I had brought some dvds, and we wanted to watch one, and they had no suggestions on how we could watch it. I suggested attaching something in our room, or rolling in a TV they use for conferences, or even using a conference room, but the answer they have me was just "no". That's not ok when its rained 5 days in a row.
Rooms we're somewhat small, but nicely renovated from the hurricane 2 years ago. They didn't smell musty, like some other reviews I had read. The bathrooms were great, with french doors opening in, and a seperate room for the toilet. Bathrobes were nice to have since we were lounging in.
Overall a nice stay, but service was not to my Starwood standards.
Related Stories:
· Westin Casaurina Resort & Spa [TripAdvisor]
by juliana
2/06/2006 at 9:35 AM
Tags: Hotels
Sunday's NY Times' featured hotel is new and not cheap.
The Grand Cayman's Ritz Carlton doesn't skimp. Firstly, there are cookies and punch upon arrival. We wonder if this happens everyday, or only when the NY Times travel writer is coming to visit.
Rooms come with all the Ritz classics-- 600 thread count sheets, views, and rattan. The bathrooms come with the usual amenities and a Siamese fighting fish. We like this aquarium touch. Apparently fish are the new leopard print.
A La Prairie spa graces the property, as does a golf course designed by Greg Norman, and a world-class tennis instructor Nick Bollettieri who coached Andre Agassi and Monica Seles. (Well, at least his name appears on the tennis program).
During high season, now through May, rooms will set you back $699 for the less amazing view, and $929 for the more amazing view. One can even drop as much as $5,000 for a suite that over looks the sea (2,400-square-foot total space ).
Needing a cost effective alternative? Check out the Westin, same beach, half the price.
Related Stories:
· Cayman Islands: Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman [NY Times]
· Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman reviews [TripAdvisor]
by GEM0330
1/11/2006 at 1:19 PM
Tags: Celebrity Scoop
Tony Bennett was giving a concert for the gala opening of the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman when a screaming baby (actually the daughter of model Kylie Bax) put him in a foul mood. But the diva 'tude didn't stop there.
The New York Post has the detes of Bennett's other behavior while at the hotel:
Hotel moles also report that Bennett, who loves to paint in his spare time, insisted that concert organizers indulge his favorite hobby. "He demanded a two-room suite - one room for him to sleep and another for him to paint," tattled our spy.
However the more pressing question is, what the heck was he painting?
Related Stories:
·Baby Irks Tony [NY Post]
·Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman Reviews [TripAdvisor]
by juliana
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