This spectacular resort opened with 21 rooms in 1993, a month after the Provo Golf Club across the road. Originally occupying 230 ft of beachfront, today it stretches 1,100 ft. This resort long dominated the luxury hotel market relatively undisturbed.
Today, Grace Bay is booming, and although condo-hotels have sprouted all around like mushrooms on a damp log, only in the past two years has Grace Bay's position as top dog been challenged. Little wonder, really, as Swiss owner Klaus Kreis originally conceived it as his ultimate refuge when the Caymans got too commercial for his taste.
The hotel has not sat on its laurels, however, and a recent remodel has enhanced this gem, which now welcomes families in a snazzy extension.
Grace Bay Club suggests a small Spanish village in stucco the color of the late-afternoon sun. Red-tile roofs at staggered levels, terra-cotta floors, stone balustrades, wrought-iron balconies, canvas awnings and shaded terraces are interlaced with lush courtyards, splashing fountains and arched pathways seductively cloaked in bougainvillea. Elaborate landscaping enhances the graceful setting, with hundreds of palms and hidden corners heady with exotic fragrances.
Guests are served tropical punch during check-in formalities at the huge Brazilian desk in the informal, airy reception lounge. Ceiling fans twirl above the open-air sitting area with wicker furniture and a large glass table supported by three intricately carved wooden horse heads. A well-stocked boutique flanks the lobby. Complimentary Internet access is available.
Facing the white-sand beach
is the brilliantly designed Anacaona restaurant, where diners are drawn not only by superb Euro-Caribbean fare and excellent wines, but also by the magical ambience of its new seating pods where guests can dine on the sands almost with thier feet in the water. Seating is theatrically arranged on four levels, so diners on each have front-row views of the floodlit palm trees and flaming torches lining the shore at night.
The grill palapa also serves as a conference room with a view for those who simply must do business. Dinner in the evening is a formal affair, while daytime meals are more casual. Of course, guests are not forgotten while lounging on the sandy shores as servers traverse the stretch to take orders and dole out complimentary sorbets.
The new open-air Grill Lounge, at the Villas, caters to families. Recently arrived Canadian Chef Joel Rheaume, ably assisted by fellow newcomer Chef de Cuisine Jamaican-born Eion Laird, formerly of Sandals, delivers superlative fusion dishes that add up to the finest culinary treats on the island.
A highlight of the exciting new look here is the Infiniti Bar, a one of a kind marble-topped bar that extends ruler-straight for 90 ft to overhang the turquoise ocean. Drawing sophistication from around the isle, the decidedly hip lounge is considered the place to be seen sipping martinis and listening to classy music. Infiniti serves full meals and the Lounge offers Caribbean-infused tapas.
Upstairs, the Amani Spa offers a wide range of health and beauty treatments, including six types of massage. The new spa area at the villas adds recreational options and is open to all guests.
Activities at the resort are plentiful, with a clover-shaped freshwater pool, a whirlpool and two lighted soft-surface tennis courts. The hotel also offers most watersports, including snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing and the use of Sunfish and Hobie Cats. Exercise facilities are available at a nearby health club. A small library is stocked with books, videos and games. Airport transfers are included.
Accommodations at the adults-only hotel range from 63-sq-m studios to a 153-sq-m two-bedroom penthouse, some with lofts and roof terraces. No two units are alike, and little seems square or symmetrical, although sophisticated white, beige and chocolate color schemes and contemporary decor are standard. All are self-contained hideaways with waterfront terraces or patios, refrigerators with icemakers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, and washers and dryers (detergent thoughtfully provided).
Amenities throughout include air-conditioning and ceiling fans, phones, fresh flowers, flat-screen TVs , CD/DVD players, iPod docking stations, high-speed Internet access (both wired and wireless) and VCRs. The entirely distinctive decor includes furniture in rattan and wicker from Thailand and the Philippines, handcrafted wooden armoires, tables and mirrors from Mexico and Guatemala, carpets from Turkey and Spain, sumptuously comfortable feather mattresses and Egyptian linens, and objets d'art from Haiti, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand. Fax machines are available on request, and The New York Times fax service arrives daily.
One-bedroom suites contain two baths, and two-bedroom suites have three, all done up in decorative Mexican tile. Master baths are replete with dual vanities, marble Roman tubs, WCs, magnifying mirrors, luxurious toiletries, and his and hers Egyptian cotton robes.
The hotel has added 38 new villas set amid a charming landscape of gardens and four Mediterranean-style buildings, which are perfect for families or couples looking for extra space to spread out. Each of the new villas are topped by a gleaming new penthouse suite and are together served by an extended spa area, steam rooms and a fitness center.
A dedicated oceanfront swimming pool and bar and grill handles the extra capacity, including catering to families with children. Families are especially pleased by the resort's new children's program, which rivals that of the all-inclusive Beaches down the road. And the latest addition, The Estate, to one end of the complex, features 22 even more sumptuous custom residences in two six-story buildings with state-of-the-art entertainment systems, private pool cabanas, and dedicated concierges and chefs.
Ground-floor units boast patios with private solariums and paths leading through greenery to the beach, all hidden from view in a fragrant feat of tropical landscaping. The most extraordinary suites are the vast, pie-shaped units with wraparound views to die for. Housekeeping is twice daily, with romantic evening turndown that includes dimly lit oil lamps. Room service is available. Fresh fruit and flowers await guests in their rooms upon arrival.
Management can be meticulously attentive. Room service delivers during regular hours. The hotel closes for most of September, and a 10-night minimum is required at Christmas. Children younger than 12 are not permitted at the hotel (nor are pets), but families are welcomed at the villas.
