The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

First, the good. The staff here is simply the best we have ever experienced. I want to give a special shout-out to Kizzie Ann, who worked so hard to make our visit perfect. Beyond her, everyone we met was pleasant, outgoing, and helpful. Even the housekeeping staff was personable and pleasantly outgoing. The food in the pool side restaurant was notably great and no bar failed to make perfect cocktails, no coaching needed. Next, the mediocre. As a result of some back and forth, we ended up with the presidential suite, moving from an oceanfront king room. Both rooms were adequately, but not sumptuously, furnished. I found this odd for the presidential suite. In addition, that 1800 square foot suite had no powder room! Now, the bad. The room that we originally booked was an “oceanfront” room. What we got was an “ocean view” room, being back some 200 yards from the ocean and being able to see it only if we stood in the right spot. This was a $1500 per night room! When I complained, we were offered an upgrade to the presidential suite, but for a $3000 per night additional. (I was told that this was a $10,000 room.) I really don’t feel that a solution where the hotel received $3000 per night for an otherwise unoccupied room was much of a concession, under the circumstances. We also had a problem with the commodes in both rooms. Apparently, these were not changed out in the renovation. They were not “comfort height” and lacked soft close lids. Beyond these notable shortcomings, both commodes stopped up within one day of our occupation of the rooms. In the big suite, they came and changed the commode for a modern one after we reported an issue. Finally, there was the issue of the water. I have never smelled water in a hotel that even approached the problem here. The water smelled like a burnt match, recently extinguished. This was true in both rooms, but not at the condo next door that our friends were staying in, so the municipal system wasn’t the issue. Ugh. We drank bottled water. In summary, this was an expensive, but disappointing experience. Given the extraordinary efforts of the staff, I couldn’t grade this down as much as I ordinarily would have. However, removing that favor, I would give this 3 stars, at best and maybe even two, given that the price and the fact that we started out with a misrepresentation concerning our accommodations.

If there could be a 10 (or more) ⭐️ rating, I would. From the moment you arrive on premises (whether staying in the hotel or as we did, the Deckhouse properties), the courtesy, attention, greeting and smiles you receive at every turn, is truly genuine. Beautifully detailed, family friendly and fun, and, the restaurants are superb.

The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman is undeniably a stunning resort, with beautiful views, immaculate grounds, and luxurious amenities. From the pristine beaches to the exquisite rooms and world-class restaurants, the property is designed to offer guests an unforgettable experience. However, while the setting is perfect, the service left much to be desired in certain instances, which unfortunately overshadowed much of the positive aspects of the resort. I want to highlight a few exceptional staff members who went above and beyond during our stay. Shevi at Seven for breakfast was fantastic—always attentive, friendly, and genuinely kind. Irene and Rushi were also outstanding, providing the kind of warmth and professionalism that made us feel at home. Dinesh truly stood out for his hospitality, treating us like family and even going the extra mile to wish us farewell when we departed. Their exceptional service is what kept us from completely losing faith in the resort’s potential. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for others, particularly Hamza. His attitude was beyond disappointing—he was rude, unhelpful, and completely unwilling to accommodate even the simplest of requests. When we approached him for assistance, he refused to budge on anything, making us feel as though our needs were not important. His response to our requests was dismissive at best, and when we asked for support, he went so far as to say, “You can call whoever you want, even Marc won’t help you.” This response was not only unprofessional but also entirely inappropriate, especially coming from someone in a position of responsibility. It was an outright insult to the hospitality that Ritz-Carlton supposedly stands for. Also troubling was Fabiola from Guest Relations. When we asked for something as basic as wrapping paper for a Christmas gift, she completely ignored our request. She made no effort to help or even follow up with us. This level of indifference was shocking and left us feeling completely dismissed. It’s incredibly disappointing to see such a stark contrast in the quality of service between certain staff members and the rest of the team. While Shevi, Irene, Rushi, and Dinesh made us feel valued, Hamza and Fabiola completely undermined the experience. Given the incredible reputation of the Ritz-Carlton brand, the service from individuals like Hamza and Fabiola is inexcusable. I sincerely hope the hotel addresses these issues, as the quality of the overall experience could be truly exceptional with the right staff in place.

Had an amazing time on the mangrove tour. Ambassadors of the environment really knew their stuff and Juliet and Bev were great guides. Learned about the trees and plants, got to look up close at urchins, jellyfish, and nudibranches. Would definitely go again!

Beautiful hotel. Fantastic service. Food on all levels is top notch. Rooms are lovely. Location is perfect. But. The place is overrun with children. You will find fewer loud obnoxious screaming children at Disney world. The hotel caters to children more than adults. That’s all fine if they would at least offer an adults only pool. Section of the beach for adults only. A restaurant that doesn’t specialize in grilled cheese and chicken strips. If you want a nice quiet couples Caribbean getaway. This isn’t the place.