Cayman hotels' Turtle Nest Inn: affordable beachfront apartments on Grand Cayman (Page E3)

Cayman's Turtle Nest Inn: unique among Grand Cayman beachfront hotels

Turtle Nest Inn: Cayman's exotic but affordable beachfront hotel.

Is Turtle Nest Inn for you?

Whether you book a stay or not, we sincerely appreciate your interest in our Inn. And, while the Internet has certainly helped, choosing the right hotel for that much-needed vacation is still a daunting task. You simply can't take a short ride to check each one out and compare beforehand. Advice from friends and relatives is helpful too, but everyone differs in their needs, tastes, whims, wishes and budget.

The Inn is virtually booked all year round, with "regulars" returning once and twice a year, and many stays reserved well over a year in advance. But is the Inn for everyone? We wish we could say "yes", but the popular adage that "you can't satsify everyone all the time" applies equally to the tourist industry. And, frankly, we don't believe that any hotel in the world will satisfy what everyone is looking for. As a very small, independently owned and managed beachfront hotel on Grand Cayman, Turtle Nest Inn certainly can't aspire to do this either. But, what we can do, is help you make a considered and judicial choice, based on an honest description of what the Inn is, and what it isn't.

Who will the Inn appeal to?

Turtle Nest Inn is designed to appeal more to the "traveller" than to the "tourist", to those eager to explore the island, meet its people, and get a taste of the local culture. Of course, many of our guests have been quite happy simply lounging around the pool, sunning on our sandy beach, and snorkelling in the reef-protected waters just off our beach. But, one thing our guests have in common, is a spirit of adventure and a desire to be independent and "do their own thing", rather than participating in any sort of "organised group trip" or "guided tour".

And, we give you the tools to be on your own, and to "run your own show", including a fully-equipped apartment with complete kitchen, a rental car, the perfect location to discover all of the island, and whatever information, advice or suggestions you feel you need. But, we won't "hold your hand", organise your activities, try and sell you anything, start chatting unless invited to do so, or intrude on your privacy in any way. Our housekeeping team is top-notch, our staff is available at the reception counter or by phone if needed, but "you're on your own". We have neither the resources nor the desire to offer a concierge service to book all of your activities and each of your restaurant outings.

Where is the Inn located?

Turtle Nest Inn is "off the beaten track" on the beach in Bodden Town, the original capital of the Cayman Islands -- a charming and quaint village right at the geographical centre of Grand Cayman, the largest of the three islands that make up the country. We're about eleven miles from Seven Mile Beach and away from the tourist crowds. You won't be surrounded by other hotels and condo complexes, or by the same people you left at home, but rather by islanders in their own milieu, and local fishermen throwing out their lines along the beach.

Of course, the island is only 24 miles long, so you're never very far from anything, especially since you'll have the luxury of being able to avoid the short morning and evening rush hour which clogs George Town and the SMB area. You'll also won't be caught up in the hordes from the cruiseships which often double George Town's population. The crowds are there if you're in the mood, but you'll appreciate the respite of retiring to the Inn at the end of your day. While staying at the Inn, you can "take the crowds or leave them"!

In Bodden Town, the Inn is located at 166 Bodden Town Road, set back about 55' from the road itself, which continues in both directions as the main artery around the island. Although traffic jams like those that plague George Town and the SMB area are never seen here, the front of the Inn is subject to the same sights and sounds experienced by the villagers -- the odd horn honked during morning traffic, occasional dog barks and, at times, the early-morning roosters crowing. Of the two apartments directly facing the road, one seems to be slightly more exposed to the noise but, as one of the most spacious and attractively laid-out units, it steadfastly remains the favourite of several Inn "regulars". And, the Cayman Islands government has recently committed itself to developing a bypass road to detour through-traffic, while clamping down on speeding and needless horn honking within the village.

What's the beach like at the Inn?

Turtle Nest Inn is on 100' of sandy beach in the Caribbean Sea, with a coral reef about 200' from shore, and a freshwater pool about 75' from the water's edge. It's a uniquely tranquil and natural beach, again away from the "tourist strip", but it isn't the beautifully groomed Seven Mile Beach, one of the Caribbean's outstanding beaches. Fortunately, like all beaches in the Cayman Islands, SMB is public, and accessible to those choosing to not lodge there. And, along with Rum Point -- probably the best beach for small children -- and Smith Cove, they're certainly worth at least a good part of a day's visit.

But, our beach in Bodden Town has its own merits. The few small rocks and turtle grass just off the shore may make entering the water a bit less easy, but they've kept our beach intact, and immune to the type of erosion that has decimated many sections of SMB. In fact, we have more sandy beach than a number of SMB resorts, including the Marriott. We can also boast of one of the best snorkelling spots on Grand Cayman not requiring a boat -- and it's right here at your doorstep, and much better than anything along SMB. The beach here is also much more intimate, with never any hotel or cruiseship crowds -- and, considerably less costly.

Once past the few feet of turtle grass, the bottom is all fine sand and coral, and the swimming is great. There's a very impressive array of coral and fish, including lobster, squid, tarpin, parrotfish, barracuda, blue tang, and even turtle and stingray. The depth inside the reef is no more than six feet, making it very accessible to even non-swimmers. And, on the beach itself, you can stroll for about a mile in either direction, making for an enjoyable four-mile long walk along the Caribbean.

What services are offered at the Inn?

We try and make up for the lack of a concierge, of room service, and a restaurant on the premises, by offering you a number of things not readily found elsewhere, not the least of which is the fully-equipped kitchen, your own balcony or patio, and our rental car booking service with the car or jeep waiting for you right at the airport. And, the services we do offer, don't involve spending more money. In fact, they'll save you a bundle -- especially the kitchen, even if you go out for dinner, and use it only for breakfast, lunch and cocktails.

Both of the island's daily newspapers are delivered to your door every morning, along with a weekly TV guide. The guide is particularly handy given the 72 channels plus 40 music channels available, all at no extra charge. And, if there isn't enough variety on TV, each unit at the Inn is equipped with a CD/VHS/DVD-player, and you can borrow as many films as you like from the 250-odd titles available from the Inn's lending library. There's no charge for the films, and no charge for borrowing a book from the lobby bookcase, or a board game, or an ice cooler for an afternoon picnic. You can also borrow snorkel gear (including a snorkel vest) and the Inn's kayak, and freely use the excellent Weber gas grill near the pool, with propane and cooking tools supplied..

And, if you can't get away without your laptop, you have free access to the Inn's hi-speed wireless network, with a signal strong enough to log on to from the outdoor terrace and around the pool. If your computer isn't equipped with a wireless network card, you can rent a network adaptor for a modest fixed fee allowing you to plug the laptop into a wall outlet. No laptop, but you can't avoid "getting connected"? No problem -- for only CI$25 for an entire week, you have access to an Inn computer day or night.

Full housekeeping is done meticulously every day, five days a week, and the dedicated team will make sure that you have fresh linen and a full array of towels (including kitchen towels and premium, large-size beach towels), soap, shampoo, bubblebath, facial tissues, kichen wipes, coffee filters, salt and pepper. For the kids, we have available a booster chair and a "fold-a-crib/playpen", films, and a poolhouse full of beach toys and floaters.

Will you get good value at the Inn?

For a beachfront hotel in the Cayman Islands, our rates are unbeatable, and even more so when you factor in the cooking facilities and the excellent rental car rates. We've also negociated discounts for our guests at many of the island's restaurants. Of the 42 hotels selected as a "Fodor's Choice" on the 36 Caribbean islands reviewed, Turtle Nest Inn is the least expensive of all -- and, the only "Fodor's Choice" in the Cayman Islands.

Nevertheless, we try and make a living by lodging our guests, and not by selling them the "frills". We do have an extensive wine and drink list available (during office hours) at better prices than any other hotel and restaurant, but we're not in the food and beverage business, we're not in the business of giving you ten mediocre TV channels, and charging you for watching anything entertaining, and we don't make any money from you accessing the Internet.

Instead of a mini-bar packed with a poor variety of high-priced snacks and drinks, you'll have a full fridge to stock with whatever you like from the supermarket. No need for any pricey laundry service either -- and worrying about getting your clothes back in time and in good condition. You'll have all-day and all-night access to a coin-operated washer and dryer, and there's an iron and ironing board you can use in your apartment. And, with the rental car we book for you, there's no need for pricey taxis. You'll have easy access to the supermarkets and to a number of more reasonably-priced dining spots located around the island.

While most hotels in the world count on phone usage -- especially long-distance calls -- as an important profit centre, we offer you the exclusive "World Phone" service. For a fixed weekly rate of CI$25, you can call anywhere in the USA and Canada as much as you like, day or night. It's also available on a daily basis, and for calling Europe or anywhere else in the world, the additional per-minute charge is as low as 10¢ (for London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Sydney, etc.). But, if you only have a couple of calls to make, you can still count on regular local and long-distance rates that are among the lowest on the island.

"Different strokes for different folks"

Since building and opening the Inn in February 1999, we've proven to thousands of visitors that a very comfortable and enjoyable Grand Cayman vacation does not have to be expensive. But, are we trying to claim that the Inn is the best hotel on Grand Cayman, or better than a SMB hotel? Not at all. However, we do believe that the Inn has, in a very modest way, extended the range of available lodging options, by offering an intimate and affordable beachfront alternative in a genuine island setting, away from the crowds. We do believe that the Inn is an excellent base for exploring the entire island and all of its beaches and attractions -- well-located but away from the hustle-and-bustle, and furnished with all the amenities of home. In fact, we know that our hotel is not everyone's "cup of tea" and we do our very best to "tell it like it is". The Inn is simply too small to hide from a dissatisfied guest! And, we're not out for a "one-night stand". We sincerely want you back for a second stay -- we want you as an Inn "regular".

Cayman's exotic but affordable beachfront hotel.