Sip some rum at Silver Palm.
Whereas the Cayman Islands closed for worldwide vacationers throughout a lot of the pandemic, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman took the chance to spend these two years renovating throughout its sprawling 144 acres.
This marks a big replace for the resort and the model — the one Forbes Journey Information 5-Star winner within the Cayman Islands is without doubt one of the marquee properties in The Ritz-Carlton’s portfolio.
“Within the final 17 years that it’s been opened, it has change into one of many iconic Ritz-Carltons,” stated Chris Gabaldon, senior vice chairman of luxurious manufacturers for mum or dad firm Marriott Worldwide, in regards to the Grand Cayman resort. “Of 112 stunning resorts, there are a couple of that stand out as icons.” Gabaldon stated it ranks among the many elite Ritz-Carltons, like these in Naples, Laguna Niguel and Tokyo. “It’s fantastic to look at the evolution of an icon.”
Designed by New York Metropolis-based Champalimaud (which did the interiors of grand resorts like Raffles Hotel Singapore and The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York), The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman’s new look takes inspiration from the island’s tropical panorama and wealthy heritage. Visitors often plant themselves alongside the aquamarine waters of Seven Mile Seaside in the course of the day however, as soon as the solar units, the revamped Silver Palm Lounge turns into the scorching gathering spot. The foyer lounge is saturated in a brilliant pale inexperienced, the colour that’s on the underside of the silver thatch palm. Distinctive to the Cayman Islands, silver thatch is the nationwide tree and was the spine of the nation’s financial system till the Nineteen Sixties. Within the middle of the lounge, above white round seating, a cluster of spherical lighting fixtures remembers the thatching patterns of domestically woven baskets.
Chill out within the lounge subsequent to Silver Palm.
The all-over inexperienced not solely makes Silver Palm eminently Instagrammable, however provides vitality to the house and the adjoining ethereal white lounge. Including to its convivial vibe, Silver Palm retains a group of uncommon rums (strive Seven Fathoms, which is aged two to 4 years in white oak bourbon casks anchored 42 ft, or seven fathoms, underwater) tucked away in a custom-made hardwood cupboard. Silver Palm pairs rum with chocolate made out of regional cacao, it doles out hand-rolled Caribbean cigars and serves an inviting afternoon tea (together with a particular model for teenagers).
The silver thatch motif will be discovered all through the Grand Cayman resort. Navy shadows of thatch fronds line the grey hallway rugs resulting in the deep-blue room doorways. Contained in the lodging’s lobby, overlapping grey palms cowl the wallpaper and a big rope basket waits to carry your moist seashore and pool towels and gadgets — thatch rope was one of many nation’s high exports.
The visitor rooms obtained a makeover.
The bed room pulls colours from Grand Cayman’s deep-blue night skies and the smooth cream of its sand whereas mixing modern coastal (just like the navy and ivory striped rug) with midcentury British Caribbean touches (the four-poster mattress in some rooms was thought of a luxurious throughout that interval). The thatch palm sample pops up once more within the black screens framing the glass doorways to your balcony. To make it really feel extra homelike, the desk beforehand within the room was changed with a spherical eating desk, banquette and brown-leather-strap chair. The impartial décor will get a jolt of shade from Jan Barwick’s vivid artwork depicting ching chings, an area time period for Higher Antillean grackles, a chook with two endemic subspecies recognized for its distinctive tune and wily antics.
Artwork is a trademark on the resort — it has the most important and longest-running gallery on the island. The resort gallery strategically joins the 2 resort towers so as to browse the items of assorted locals as you trek from one facet to the opposite. Artworks are also dotted all through the property — on the elevator banks, admire Cayman artist John Reno Jackson’s evocative summary works. As you retain your eyes peeled for artwork, make sure you look down — the carpeting options silver thatch palms, banana orchids and different native vegetation.
Even the carpeting has an area contact.
Though a lot has modified within the 369-room resort, lots of its prized facilities stay. The Ritz-Carlton retains its standing as a culinary vacation spot with its Blue by Eric Ripert restaurant. The resort additionally hosts the genial chef’s Cayman Cookout, an annual meals competition. The 2023 cookout lineup, set for January 12 to 16, consists of luminaries from the foods and drinks world like José Andrés, Antonio Bachour, Daniel Boulud, Jennifer Carroll, Adrienne Cheatham, Tom Colicchio, Dominique Crenn, Kristen Kish, Emeril Lagasse, Aldo Sohm and Andrew Zimmern.
Blue will get high epicurean billing, however the resort’s Taikun sushi restaurant is to not be missed and continues to be a favourite for regulars. Order some sake and the omakase to savor indulgent bites like miso-brown-butter-baked scallops, wagyu nigiri with wasabi mayo and a garlic chip, and salmon foie nigiri topped with tobiko.
One other draw at The Ritz-Carlton is the 4-Star La Prairie Spa, a futuristic sanctuary the place you will be pampered with very good remedies from the famed Swiss skincare model. Heading outdoors, you’ll be able to tee off on the Greg Norman-designed nine-hole golf course or soak up actions like mangrove kayaking or reef snorkeling by way of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Atmosphere, an immersive program that teaches a higher respect for nature. Ambassadors of the Atmosphere was first launched on the property and has since expanded to a handful of different Ritz-Carltons.
The brand new makeover provides to the longstanding favorites to revive this iconic vacation spot. Marc Langevin, the resort’s normal supervisor stated, “We’re again within the recreation.”
