The Reef Resort - Cayman Islands

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We came back for our one-year aniversary. Visited: September 2007 Posted by denaandsmitty When we wanted to get married, we called The Reef Resort's wedding consultant, Linda, and told her we wanted to get married on her dock. We requested a very, very informal wedding, with no family, and no flowers. Linda and Sandra honored our wishes to the tee. We said our vows on 9/29/06 with Rev. Meghoo, after which we "took the plunged" into the ocean, swam to shore and toasted our day at Castro's. It was our perfect day! Last year, we had to return for our first anniversary. We have been to many different tropical islands, and all were wonderful experiences. But to come back to The Reef Resort is absolutely Heaven on earth! This year, we cannot wait for our second anniversary, so we are returning for a week in May. As all the other reviews have reflected, this place is for total relaxation and restoration. Alaos, the people who work at The Reef have to be some of the nicest people you will ever meet! 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We are going back this weekend. Visited: September 2007 Posted by wchandler01 We, like others, return every year for as long as we can! This year we're looking forward to watching the coral spawn. The protected snorkeling with plenty of depth and life inside the reef makes this an ideal location for those who just view the rest of their life as a surface interval. For those who prefer glitzy shopping, and making sure the right people see them having 'fun', I suspect this may be a disappointment. For those who wish to stay dry, absorb the local culture and history, or impose their spoiled children on others, this is definitely not the perfect spot. If you wish to enjoy the peace and quiet of the sand and surf without fear of crime and solicitors on the streets, the east end is the place to go. If you want to still retain the comforts of civilization without being pampered by tip-seeking hustlers, come to the Reef. I have even posted a few negative comments on this site, back when I lacked the maturity to recognize a good thing when I have it in hand. 14 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Reef was a great resort! Visited: August 2007 Posted by thesilverfalcon What a great resort. The water was amazingly clear, and the people were incredibly nice. Jet ski rentals were just down the beach, if you want to give up your beach chair by the sea. Stingray City, a tour organized by the resort, is something you don't want to miss, with massive but sweet rays jostling your legs as you try to feed them squid. The resort itself may not have stingrays. However, in the ocean by the hotel there is an astounding amount of fish - easy to see from the pier or from a quick snorkeling trip. This is a hotel and a vacation not to be missed! 10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a week of pure bliss! Visited: June 2007 Posted by susanceline This is perfect for you, if you like bright, smiling, lovely staff, always willing to make your stay as perfect and stress-free as possible. The Reef offers all oceanfront balconies on patios so close to the ocean you can’t even believe it. The beach bar is fun, and there are as many activities as you can think of. Cayman’s own Barefoot Man plays here twice a week, too. When you snorkel, you'll see more fish under the dock than most snorkel spots. Also, the convenience of the Thirsty Surfer and little Foster’s is great. There is no better place—and those palapas are wonderful! 11 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The secret's out - The Reef is great! Visited: May 2007 Posted by beachbumgcm This was the second stay for my husband and me. Upon arrival, it felt as if we had just left a short time ago, even though it had been a year since our last visit. It was great to be back. The resort was just as great as the first visit. This time we stayed in a one-bedroom. It had all the amenities we needed. A grocery store was right across the street to stock up the kitchen. If you don’t want to cook, Castro’s Hideaway and Castro’s Beach Bar are both good. Portofino’s (Italian), just down the road, is another good place to eat. The beach and pool area were always kept clean. There were great ocean views from every room. The Reef Resort is a great place to stay if you want to be away from the busy Seven Mile Beach area. It was close to Rum Point, which is a must. Car rental is also a must, as the resort is quite a way from the airport. However, you get to see the sights of the island as well. We enjoyed both visits very much, and are looking forward to our stay again next year! 5/24-5/31/2007 10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I can't wait to return. Visited: May 2007 Posted by dottie_oleary We stay at the Reef every year for two weeks, and it's not enough! The staff here have become like family who we love to visit. This is our "home" in the Caymans. The rooms are so great. We cook out on the beach a few times a week. We make our yearly visit to Sting Ray city with the crew here. Most days we just snorkel in front of our room. We see lobsters, squid, tarpon, and barracuda.. just to name a few of the fish we encounter. We can't wait to go back! 10 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Reef is a great place. Visited: April 2007 Posted by wineman58 This was a nice place away from all the hustle and bustle. Ethel and Leona were extremely helpful in suggesting things to see and do. Doris was an excellent bartender who always kept our spirits in check. We can't wait to go back! 6 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I can't wait to return! Visited: March 2007 Posted by mecl0276 I stayed for a weekend at The Reef Resort. It was a great place to vacation with our family, and I can't wait to return. The staff and management were great! 3 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Reef was nothing special - with very poor service! Visited: March 2007 Posted by beachgirl The service at the hotel was very poor. The front desk staff, the majority of the waitstaff and dive shop staff, along with the concierge were all basically useless. The food was completely overpriced, and was not good at all. There were also hardly any tours available from the hotel. The beach was decent, and the room was basically clean. However, this hotel has a long way to go. We won't be back, and we have already discouraged many people from going. 6 users found this review helpful. 18 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We'll be back. Visited: February 2007 Posted by kem12n Our first trip to The Reef happened when our in-town hotel didn’t open after Hurricane Ivan. We’ve been so happy at the Reef Resort that we keep coming back. The hotel is beautifully kept, and the beach is wonderful. It’s quiet and private; but there are plenty of activities available, if you want them. We can’t wait to come back next year. 5 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We'll definitely try to return to the Reef! Visited: February 2007 Posted by joh_pam We enjoyed the peace and quiet here. All the staff was friendly and helpful - especially Linda at the front desk, and the maids. W also enjoyed the relaxed feeling. It was a little pricy, but so was everything in Grand Cayman. We came to get away from the cold and enjoy warm weather and sunshine. This vacation was everything we expected and more. 6 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was an excellent choice. Visited: February 2007 Posted by greeneye1984 I'm one of five college couples from the 80's who travel every winter together. This year we choose the Reef. We relied totally on reviews for our choice, which turned out to be an excellent one. The resort was very clean, and the staff was extra friendly and helpful. We loved the beach not being crowded, and it was away from the Seven Mile Beach hoards. There was a small grocery store across the street from the resort where we bought hotdogs to grill on the beach during the day. Rent a car from Marshall's at the airport, the resort was a beautiful 45-minute drive from town, and 20 minutes from Rum Point Beach where you must visit for a day to get Jimmy and Sophie (Red Sail Sports) to take you snorkeling with the sting rays. We will definitely go again next year. Linda, Leona, and Ethel were extremely helpful with any request we had at the resort. Even the cleaning staff was a pleasure to meet on balconies. Thanks again for the memories. 10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We enjoyed our summer escape in the winter. Visited: January 2007 Posted by gregg We just got back yesterday, and I am already missing it. The view, the water, and the people were great. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. The rooms were clean, and the water was good. The drinks were not bad, either. Also, it was not crowded, and was out of the way. I suggest you rent a car. It was 45 minutes from airport. Dream away the days here, and pretend you don't have kids. My wife and I will go back. 10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was Grand Cayman heaven! Visited: December 2006 Posted by laa23 My boyfriend gave me (us) this trip for my birthday/Christmas gift. We arrived on December 21st and sadly left on December 26th. When we arrived, we were both just so excited to be on the island. The drive from the airport to the East Side was entertaining, to say the least, since they drive on the opposite side of the road. Checking in at The Reef Resort was a breeze and when we went into our room and opened the drapes to expose the beautiful view, we both knew we were going to have a great vacation. Every single meal we ate at the resort was wonderful! From the candlelight dinner for two they offer every Friday night to the snack food at the bar - it all was terrific. We snorkeled for hours, and I don't even swim in the ocean! The water was so crystal clear, who could be afraid? I do agree with one of the other reviews that you can hear your neighbors - especially if there are kids. However, don't let that scare you away. I do feel that The Reef Resort is not a great resort for kids anyway. There is not too much for them to do. Probably the only thing that I would change at The Reef was the stationary volley ball net across one of the pools. I never saw anyone play, and the pool was virtually unusable with it strung across 24/7. I think they should set it up upon guest request to want to play. To sum up our trip, we decided to purchase a two-unit Villa with them. We are so excited to return next year, and the next year! Also, I highly recommend a horseback ride on the beach. We used Coral Stone Stables. 12 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Reef Resort was amazing! Visited: October 2006 Posted by jbernett We have just completed a one-month stay at The Reef. Everything about our stay was top-notch. We didn’t have a single complaint. The management and staff were exceptionally professional and attentive to even the smallest of details. The facilities and amenities were high-end and clean, and the views from every single unit were unsurpassed- we were literally right on the sea. If you are looking for an island escape with all of the modern conveniences such as WIFI and even granite countertops, look no further than The Reef and Castaways Cove. "Bravo!" to all involved for providing such a perfect getaway from our hectic lives! 11 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I loved the Reef Resort. Visited: October 2006 Posted by jkirkey The rooms were very spacious and clean. The concierge service was great. Anything we needed, we just had to ask and it was there for us. The food at the resteraunt and tiki bar was very good. The weather was very nice (in the high 80s). Also, the staff was very friendly and accommodating to our needs. They had security onsite, not that we needed it. If you are looking for peace and quiet, this is your place to be. Town is a little far - about 30 minutes or so - but I didn't mind the drive. I would go back to The Reef again. 8 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We thought it was perfect for us. Visited: October 2006 Posted by kzeiser We just got back from a visit to the Reef Resort, and we were more than pleased at what we found as guests here for a week. The resort was not special because it was the most luxurious we have ever been to. Rather, because it was so perfect for a truly relaxing vacation. Everything we needed was right there at the resort, and short day outings provided all the distractions we could need. We chose to spend several days just enjoying the beach, the beachside bar for lunch, and dinner and just forgeting about our "real" lives at home. The biggest surprise was how nice everyone was, at the resort and on the island as well. They were such gentle, beautiful people. Thank you for a great week! 6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We enjoyed it! Visited: September 2006 Posted by pookiesa My husband and I decided on the Reef Resort at which to spend our one-year anniversary vacation. Other than staying with family on the island, we wanted some alone time. At the Reef, we got the seclusion and rest we longed for. The staff was wonderful and always willing to help. While visiting, we recommend Spa Tortuga. It was a delightful experience! We did not eat at the restaurant (based on online reviews we had read and what some of the guests we met at the resort had said). Also, upon checking in, we were charged a $500 security hold/deposit on our credit card. While booking, that fee was never mentioned...so just be aware of the charge. The pools were gorgeous. We did not snorkel, but we did take in the assortments of tropical fish at the waters of the beach. We enjoyted great scenic views and photo opportunities. We really enjoyed our stay. 6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I can't wait for my return! Visited: August 2006 Posted by sarahgilb I've been to the Reef twice before, and will be returning in April '07. I have always found the staff to be very helpful and more friendly than any other place I've been. Grand Cayman has a very low crime rate, so it's a safe place to take your family vacation. Snorkeling is great, and I've heard the diving is spectacular. I hope you enjoy your trip here as much as I've enjoyed all of mine. 5 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Thank you Michelle! Visited: August 2006 Posted by bklyndollxo We escaped Hurricane Ernesto, with not even a drop of rain. I feel like I could write a book about our experience. My daughter and I stayed here for five beautiful days. I could not have picked a better place to do nothing! The photos on the site were exactly what we saw when we stayed here. The bartender, Michelle, was awesome! She took the time to speak to us, and treated us with great kindness. The food was very good. I don't see how it was more expensive than anywhere else. Friends of mine stayed next door at the other resort, but liked The Reef better! They ended up spending most of their time with me. The room was very clean - as were the grounds. Maid service was only twice a week, but if we needed towels, they were always available at the front desk. There is only one caution...bring water shoes. The shore was very rocky, and you can't go into the water without them! Visit Rum Point for an amazing snorkel experience. For the most part, the island people weren't really that overly friendly. Also, the only thing I agreed with from any of the reviews posted here was the fact that the overall morale of the staff could use a bit of an up-beat sense. All in all, though, it was money well spent. I suggest you stay at The Reef for an amazing, laid-back vacation. I felt a million miles away from reality. We had a great time, and I would definitely go back! I am hoping to see our friend Michelle again. 8 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?