Seven Mile Beach Hotels: Not Just for the Tourist

I can only imagine how tourists must feel when they check into one of the hotels along Seven Mile Beach. The blue Caribbean Sea, so flat and gentle; the white sand beaches, perfect for long walks or relaxing in the sun; and endless foodie experiences with an excellent view of SMB's beautiful sunsets. It really is the perfect recipe for a vacation in paradise. 

But why should the tourists have all the fun?

Sometimes we locals have to play tourist for a day or two.

During the 4th of July long weekend here in Cayman, we decided to do just that and take advantage of the hotels that are located almost squarely in our backyard. First up was a birthday brunch at the Marriott - a hotel property I cannot get enough of since their major remodel last year.

I love the stingray wall that greets visitors upon entry - a gorgeous representation of the creatures that helped convince me that Cayman needed to be my home.

This birthday brunch was for David, who arrived in style while Nate acted as impromptu paparazzi.

Google Auto Awesome'd this for me.

The hotel staff were good enough to take over camera duties for a group shot by the stingrays. My guess is that there are a lot of visitors that ask for a photo against this backdrop.

Brunch started at noon, and since we were early, the Marriott staff provided cocktails to get us started.

Anchor & Den's Sunday brunch is a terrific mix of clean, modern styling, classic breakfast offerings, and creative weekly themes that keep the food selections fresh and varied.

I never know quite where to start with these large brunch displays - my problem is that I honestly like nearly every kind of quality food! I tried to get a good sampling on my first plate, and I ended up with everything from French toast to sushi!

Random things that all made my mouth water.

The next plate was no less random - a little bit of Greek salad, American grilled corn on the cob, Eggs Benedict, and that darn French toast again. It was that good.

The Marriott's brunch includes an amazing made-to-order crêpe station. Nate got a banana Nutella combo, of course, while I opted for lemon curd and fresh berries.

No photo at this point in the experience. My stomach had taken over all operations.

Since this brunch was over the 4th of July weekend, there was an American theme throughout the food selections, including this version of a flag cake, which is much fancier than any of the flag cakes I've attempted.

I'll admit that the desserts were a tad disappointing - they were all very pretty, but I didn't try anything that blew me away. But hey, the rest of the food was so tasty and filling that I didn't really have room for the last course. No big loss.

Anchor & Den's brunch has quickly become a favorite place for a Sunday feast on SMB, and it certainly lived up to expectations. I'd say it's the best brunch I've been to thus far.

The boys looking dapper.

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Later that evening, Nate and I checked into the Ritz Carlton for a one-night staycation in one of SMB's finest spots.

View from our balcony

We had the opportunity to do this a couple years ago, and it was such a relaxing, enjoyable experience that we jumped at the chance for a repeat.

Vacation highlights not captured in photo form:

- The incredibly kind, friendly, patient Ritz staff. Their customer service is unparalleled and makes every Ritz experience so positive.

- Yoga class outside on the lawn. Outdoor yoga just makes sense to me.

- One incredibly lazy afternoon by the pool. David and Kelly joined Nate and I as we plunked ourselves down on the comfortable loungers and proceeded to barely move a muscle for the rest of the afternoon. We got into the pool, we got out of the pool, and we refilled our drinks. Other than that, we did basically nothing. It was glorious.

A breakfast sandwich from Paperman's is a treat in and of itself.
With this view? Divine.

While nothing beats a new adventure that transports us away from all that's familiar and mundane, I'm thankful that when we don't have the time to catch a flight, we can escape reality right across the street. 

Seven Mile Beach will always feel like a vacation to me.