Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman/Chris Molina
The Cayman Islands has been a sophisticated global financial hub for decades, but discerning beach buffs are probably better acquainted with the archipelago’s postcard-perfect sugary white sand and warm turquoise waters. Famed for its vibrant coral reefs, visitors can also find some of the world’s best scuba diving and snorkeling here. Of its three islands, Little Cayman is the smallest, followed by Cayman Brac, with the largest and most well-known being Grand Cayman. Capital Georgetown is brimming with restaurants, historical sites, and duty-free shops for the cruise-ship crowd, but the island’s biggest draw is Seven Mile Beach. Frequently ranked among the best beaches in the world, it’s also home to most of the island’s luxury resorts and hotels, including its newest: Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman.
Developed by IHG Hotels & Resorts and Dart, this hotly anticipated lifestyle concept is the first Caribbean location for the Indigo Hotels brand and officially opened in May. It sits a conch shell’s toss from sister property the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa (which earned a “50 Best” nod for its cocktail bar Library by the Sea) and mere steps from Seven Mile Beach, exceptional sunrise and sunset ocean views are just two of many attributes at this seaside sanctuary. “We are incredibly excited to share Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman with the world. From the initial planning stages to opening, it has been an incredible journey — and now, the real adventure begins, as our first guests arrive to experience our version of paradise,” Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman’s General Manager, Steven Andre, stated via an official release.
Visit Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman-Inspired Art & Interiors
Architecture and interior design practice Farouki Farouki looked to the Cayman Islands’ lush topography when creating their vision for Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman, whose pastel-hued Caribbean color palette, including a pretty seashell pink exterior, provides a serene backdrop to guest rooms and public spaces. But it’s the commissioned art collection paying thoughtful tribute to Caribbean culture and history which truly sets the hotel apart. Emerging and established talent from across the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean were selected to create a gallery-worthy collection that spans photography, ceramics, and collages to fiber art.
A triptych depicting a Barbados street scene by Jessica Wittingham hangs behind the concierge desk while portraits of Cayman Airways’ first female pilots by Cera-Tan Kenniard grace the Catalina Bar & Lounge. Especially poignant is the photographic series called ‘Breadfruit Heart and Soul’ by Gina Powell, which honors how this unusual-looking tropical fruit native to Polynesia became an essential part of the diet and island culture in the Caribbean. Art isn’t reserved for the toniest suites and public spaces, though – pieces from the collection grace unexpected areas around the hotel, including its underground elevator bank adjoining the guest parking garage and entrance to the sparkling 24-hour fitness center.
Coastal Chic Rooms & Suites
Refined but homelike would be one way to describe the hotel’s 250 guest rooms and 38 suites, which feature several different views (take your pick from the swimming pool, oceanfront, or Grand Cayman’s North Sound). Modern and bright with tropical accents and artwork, the standard rooms feel as high-touch as the premium category. Minibars in each come stocked with a good selection of wine, spirits, and soft drinks; there’s everything you’ll need to make tea and coffee, too––should popping down to Alula feel like too much of a stretch for that first cup in the morning. To which, furnished outdoor balconies are a civilized spot to greet the day or enjoy a glass of wine while getting ready for dinner. Traveling with kids? The spacious Family Suites feature a mix of king beds, bunk beds, living and dining areas, two bathrooms, private balconies and a sofa bed, but for the ultimate splurge, look no further than the Presidential Suite. It boasts a dedicated bedroom, living area, powder room, standalone bath, walk-in shower, and an outdoor living space with stunning Caribbean Sea views.
Caymanian Meets Latin Cuisine
An impressive five standalone dining outlets feature at Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman – six if you count elevated grab-and-go concept Café Alula in the lobby, where you order craft coffee drinks, fresh-pressed juices, baked goods, and healthy snacks. Award-winning executive chef Massimo De Francesca drew from his 20-plus years of culinary scene experience to create unique dishes inspired by local traditions and the freshest island ingredients across menus at Catalina Bar & Lounge, all-day dining room Catalina (where the menu skews a bit more Latin American) and Asian-influenced sushi counter Milkberry, whose small plates, innovative sushi rolls and sake list hits the spot perfectly at lunchtime.
At exhibition kitchen Rasa globally-inspired curated tasting menus and a wine pairing program will rotate each month but the jewel in the crown here has to be Grand Cayman’s newest rooftop lounge, Pom Pom. Named after a species of orchid tree prevalent in the Caribbean, aperitivo sunset happy hours paired with South American-inspired small plates and stellar sea views soundtracked by DJ sets draw locals and hotel guests alike to this stunning see-and-be-seen 10th-floor perch.
Beachside Service and Beyond
Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman might not sit directly on Seven Mile Beach, but you can still enjoy a seamless beachside experience. Beach day essentials (think: beach towels, chairs, and umbrellas) are included in the resort fee, while a partnership with the neighborhood Beach Club provides food and beverage service directly to beach beds. Back at the hotel, there are plenty of umbrella-shaded lounge chairs around the two infinity swimming pools— separated by a waterfall and fringed by palm trees, one is for adults, the other for families. Servers from the adjacent Bata Bar regularly stop by loungers to check on guests and place orders for Caribbean-influenced cocktails and coastal California-inspired small plates (as required) while roving pool attendants provide a lovely extra-touch sunglass polishing service. The hotel’s fitness center makes it easy to maintain wellness routines on vacation, but outdoor yoga classes are also offered thrice weekly. Rounding out the amenities list is a kid’s club and retail boutique.
Visit Cayman Islands
Beyond the idyllic beaches, stellar scuba diving (it’s where the underwater sport was invented), and gourmet beach shack cuisine, the Caymans and Grand Cayman in particular, also boast a budding art scene (The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is home to a growing collection of significant works by Caymanian artists), rum distilleries, and heritage sites like the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park (where you’ll spy the island’s famous blue iguanas and national bird the Grand Cayman Parrot). Swimming with stingrays in the crystal-clear waters of Stingray City is the island’s number one tourist attraction, closely followed by visits to Rum Point (kick back in a hammock, perhaps with a rum-infused mudslide cocktail in hand) and Starfish Point, a secluded beach on the northern side of Rum Point where starfish congregate in the knee-deep water. Back at the hotel, borrowing one of the cruiser bikes and cycling around Seven Mile Beach is a great way to get a feel for the neighborhood – or perhaps popping over to Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa for a literature-inspired cocktail at Library By the Sea.
When and How to Visit
With average highs holding steady in the 80s, the Cayman Islands are warm year-round, with the dry season running from November to April––however, their western Caribbean location shields them from being hit too hard by the annual Atlantic hurricane season that runs between June and November. Easily accessible for North American travelers, numerous airlines, including United, American and JetBlue, operate flights from major US airports (some, such as LAX and JFK, are direct but expect to connect via hubs like Atlanta and Denver) to Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman. For onward inter-island hops, Cayman Airways operates multiple daily flights.
Cayman Airways
Visit grandcayman.hotelindigo.com for more information. All images courtesy Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman/Chris Molina unless noted.
