Grand Cayman Review - Marriot Hotel and Red Sail Diving

A couple weeks ago my wife and I went to Grand Cayman for 5 days for a little get away. Here is my obligatory in depth review of the trip so I can write it off ;)

We had an amazing time. It was 80 degrees, sunny most of the time, and the people were really awesome. We went to Globo Surf, and got some snorkeling gear and went snorkeling so we could go out to the lake and snorkel. When we first got there one of the things that I found amusing and kind of shocking is the amount of chickens running around... yes chickens. I would swear you would think its their state bird or something. Chickens are EVERYWHERE.

Also another really neat thing was the HUGE amount of rum they produce in the Caymans.

And the hilarious one is the one called "Big Black Dick". Seriously:

The Diving:

Everyone told us that if we are going to pick a spot to dive, especially for our first time, that Grand Cayman was the spot.

I had never been diving before in my life. We went on 2 resort dives that allowed us to go down as deep as 50 feet. I was instantly addicted.

We used a service called Red Sail and they were really great. We did a 4 hour prep course in the pool then went out to do a dive at a ship wreck.

I took a underwater camera but the pictures came out really crappy. In the future I am going to either get a camera made for underwater photography or a case for one of my DSLR cameras to get some sweet pics.

The 2nd dive we did was even better than the first cause our dive master put more weight on me and used the BCD (buoyancy control device) to keep me neutral buoyant. In the first dive they did not put enough weight on me so I had to keep taking short breaths to stay down low in the water. I didn't know this was a big deal and just thought it was something I had to get used to. I also was told on the first dive they want to error on the side of caution and not overweight you incase of an emergency you can get up to the top without getting off your weight belt.

The water was SUPER warm. Many people dove without any wet suits.

I can't say enough about the diving experience. I don't think I will ever snorkel again. My wife and I are already going through the process to get certified.

The Hotel:

We stayed at a 4 star hotel called the Marriott Grand Cayman.

From places I have stayed around the world I would give this about a 2 star rating.

Negatives:

There literally were small tears in our sheets.
The water was absolutely scalding on medium hot. Like hotter than fresh coffee. It would badly burn anyone who just jumped in and put the setting in the middle.
Our sliding glass door to the balcony was pretty busted. It took a lot of effort everytime we wanted to open or close it.
There is no Pay Per View on the TV. Not that that is a huge deal but I am one of those people who love to get room service at night and take in a movie and just relax. I think those who have kids can relate ;).
While we were there they were doing a remodel of the place and draining the moats surrounding it. This lead to a pretty bad smell from the waterless canals.

Positives:

The hotel was VERY inexpensive... as is pretty every hotel in on the Island. Our ENTIRE Bill was less than $1,000 for the 5 days we stayed their. We paid for the cheapest room but cause of the Centurian Card (Black Amex) we were upgraded to the "nicest" room they had available for no extra charge. The $1,000 also applied to all of our diving expenses and lots of other stuff we charged to the room.
The staff was over the top nice and helpful.
No time share pitches or even attempts. This is a HUGE pet peeve I have whenever I travel to tropical places. People try to act like they are your transportation to suck you into their scams.
In closing on the Hotel situation - We toured every hotel on the beach of Grand Cayman. We were not impressed by any of them. Even the Ritz Carlton looked pretty crappy.
But also keep in mind its a diving destination. Not a luxury resort. We met a lot of people who owned condos in the area that looked amazing. I think in the future when we come back we will look for a condo for rent.

Little History Of the Islands

I did not know this but the Cayman islands were originally populated by Jamaican exiles, pirates, and people who were ship wrecked.
There is no corporate income tax or income tax at all.
All imported goods have a 29% to 100% "import tax" with a maximum of $20,000.00 per item imported. The higher percentage mostly applies to cars. A BMW X5 same as what I drive was priced at 140k new. More than twice what I paid.
On all food and items you purchase instead of a tax they charge a flat 15% "service fee". When we first got there and got room service I assumed this was a fee to deliver our food. Later I discovered this was the flat tax in essence throughout the island without calling it a tax.
The Cayman Islands are the only British Colony that does not have to pay a duty to the Queen. The story is that King George the 3rd's son was shipwrecked off the shore and the natives rescued him. For that the king said he would never tax the Cayman people. The local's say this is hogwash. Who knows.

All in all it was a awesome trip. I can't wait to dive again. For those of you that dive where are your favorite spots?