Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in

Cayman Islands

New and Coming Soon to the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism recently announced 10 new developments that will enhance the destination's ability to serve a wider array of groups. Following is a list of new hotels and more.

• Kailani, Grand Cayman, a Curio by Hilton, an 80-room hotel on North Church Street in Grand Cayman scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2022.
• Vida Cayman, a resort that will offer 18 unique bungalows in the heart of West Bay; opening and is slated to open in 2023.
• Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences, a 350-room property on Pageant Beach scheduled to debut in late 2023.
• The 300-room Hotel Indigo is scheduled to open in West Bay in 2024.
• Other developments in the works include the 177-room One Hotel in George Town; the Mandarin Oriental Grand Cayman, which will have 100 guestrooms and 89 residences; the 89-cottage Eco-Resort at Barefoot Beach, located on the East End; and Revive, which will have 28 bungalows on Prospect Shoreline Cliff. Also under way are the Cayman Enterprise City Zone, located in South Sound, and the Hotel and Canal District Planned Area Development, located in West Bay. Further details for these new developments will be posted here as soon as they are announced.

• The Cayman Islands eclipsed its tourism projections for 2022, due to a surge in travel the second half  of the year. The boost is attributed to the government's elimination of Covid testing, vaccination and registration requirements for inbound and departing visitors.

• Getting to the Cayman Islands from the western United States has gotten a lot easier, thanks to the launch of new nonstop service between Los Angeles and Grand Cayman. Operated by Cayman Airways, the new service began on November 5, 2022. 

More Cayman Islands Meeting & Event Venues

• The 264-room Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa offers 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including a penthouse with postcard-perfect views and a 7,076-square-foot ballroom with a/v technology. The property also has three beachfront bungalows that house a total of six suites. For dining, the hotel’s signature Avecita restaurant provides a semi-private space with large tables, while the main restaurant, Ave, overlooks Seven Mile Beach and offers a sophisticated and customizable menu for groups. The resort recently appointed Christian Gonzalez Ponce as executive sous chef, promoted Andre Wilson to banquet chef and Abhimanyu “Abhi” Ghuliani to chef de partie. Chilean-born Gonzalez Ponce, who played an instrumental role in helping chef Ferran Adria’s El Bulli restaurant in Spain earn its third Michelin star, will support all of the Kimpton Seafire’s culinary programming.
• The 343-room Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa has 11,427 square feet of event space, including six event rooms and seven breakout areas that can accommodate meetings of up to 400 attendees. Picturesque outdoor settings include the Governor's Lawn and Beach South.
• Also located on Seven Mile Beach is the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, which has 4,901 square feet of event space, including four event rooms. The property is home to Botanika Union spa. Farm-to-table menus are among the draws here, with locally sourced products used to create a globally inspired menu for private events as well as at venues including the Anchor Bar & Lounge, which is known for its sushi and oysters. and restaurants that serve fresh island cuisine and other specialties.
• Groups can indulge in upscale experiences at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, which offers more than 13,000-square-feet of meeting space, including the renovated 9,000-square-foot Cayman Islands Royal Ballroom.
  Three outdoor event venues provide myriad opportunities to wow groups with outdoor events, while the culinary studio accommodates group cooking classes and the hotel's restaurants, including the Caribbean's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant, offer private dining options.

• It's no surprise that the Cayman Islands have received so many awards as one of the best overall dive spots in the Caribbean and Atlantic. The destination is home to some of the world's most celebrated diving locations, and each of the three islands — Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman — has something to offer divers of every skill level. With its calm, clear waters, the region is naturally graced with excellent visibility for snorkeling and other underwater activities.
  * The reefs around Grand Cayman offer myriad opportunities for enchanting encounters with marine life. Divers can witness the beauty of silvery tarpon, French angelfish, huge barrel sponges and hard corals in the region's unspoiled waters. Among the top dive and snorkel spots is Kittiwake, a former submarine rescue ship that was sunk off the coast of Seven Mile Beach, providing excellent conditions for viewing groupers, squirrelfish and other species.
  * The island of Cayman Brac offers easy access to multiple dive sites as well as the promise of viewing a rich array of fish, corals and other marine life. The waters off of Cayman Brac are also home to the only dive-worthy Russian warship in the Western Hemisphere, the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts. Sunk in 1996 to create an artificial reef, it's a favored spot for divers of various levels of experience.
  * Little Cayman is an especially rewarding destination for divers as well, thanks to attractions like Bloody Bay Marine Park, one of the world's most legendary dive sites. The big draw: a sheer coral wall that begins at 20 feet and plunges to 6,000 feet, making it one of the most dramatic drop-offs that can be visited in the entire Caribbean.
• Meeting and incentive groups will appreciate the Cayman Islands’ sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Single-use plastic items are being phased out, organically grown food and beverages are encouraged, and coral nurseries and lionfish patrols that aim to improve the balance in the warm waters off the coast are being implemented. The islands offer eco-friendly group volunteer/CSR opportunities through the National Trust for the Cayman Islands.
• Planners can infuse their programs with glamour at the Silver Palm, an atmospheric dining venue at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. The space, named after the national tree of the Cayman Islands, features stylish décor, original artwork and a custom-built cabinet filled with rare local and regional rums, cigars and cacao-based indulgences. In addition to providing a memorable backdrop for private events, the Silver Palm hosts a free coffee and tea service for guests every morning, live entertainment on Friday and Saturday night and afternoon tea from Friday through Sunday
• Groups can explore the history of diving, at the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, which has been honoring dive industry pioneers since its debut.
• Treat groups to a view of the destination’s subterranean splendor at Crystal Caves, Expert guides explain the history of the strikingly beautiful stalactite and stalagmite crystal structures, as well as the region’s vibrant flora and fauna.
• More than 200 dining venues provide tasty fare ranging from fresh-caught seafood and authentic Caymanian dishes to sophisticated international creations that include Indian, Italian, Asian and American favorites. Renowned chefs like Eric Ripert and Dean Max are among those leading the way on the dining scene. It’s no wonder that tourism officials often call the Cayman Islands the “culinary capital of the Caribbean.”
• The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park offers guided and self-guided tours of its colorful floral garden, woodland trail and orchid boardwalk. The park is also home to the Blue Iguana Recovery Program, which is dedicated to preserving the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana and offers "safari" tours that can be customized for groups.
• Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy the Cayman Turtle Centre: Island Wildlife Encounter, which welcomes more than 200,000 visitors every year, with turtle adventure tours and turtle safaris among the activities available for groups.
• One of the newest nature-based attractions in Grand Cayman is Cayman Crystal Caves, which offers 1.5-hour walking tours of caves with magnificent stalactite and stalagmite crystal structures. Included in the tour is a guided walk through a lush tropical forest, where attendees can view strangler balsam trees, air plants, parrots and bats.
• Camana Bay, a "new urbanist" town in the heart of Seven Mile Beach, is a hub for dining, shopping and entertainment, with a variety of international stores and restaurants, as well as public events that include live music concerts.
• For a truly relaxed, Caribbean beach vibe, groups can head to Rum Point, where silky sands beckon and visitors can make use of changing rooms, showers, huts and hammocks. Local water sport operators provide plenty of options for those who want to head out onto the water.
• Attendees can enjoy stand-up paddleboarding adventures with the Cayman Islands Stand Up Paddle Company, an operator that offers introductory lessons,  rentals and a variety of excursions.
• The Cayman Islands National Museum, set inside the historic, 19th-century Old Courts Building, showcases the destination’s cultural and natural history. The venue includes a gallery celebrating the history of national carrier Cayman Airways.