Qnape
Contributor
My wife, daughter (16) and I spent 8 nights at LCBR in mid-August, and in short the resort met or exceeded every expectation! That is saying a lot, as the consistently great reviews the place gets had us expecting quite a bit. We stayed in oceanfront rooms, on the full (3) meal plan.
Traveling to LCBR went without a hitch, with the hop on the twin otter adding to the fun. We arrived on a Saturday and left on a Sunday, and learned that it is perhaps wisest to travel to/from the resort on any day other than Saturday. One of our bags was delayed at Grand Cayman until a flight later that day - no big inconvenience but if we had arrived on a later flight (with the bag delayed until the next day) ... Many of the folks we got to know that week left on Saturday, and were requested to send a bag to Grand Cayman a day early; we were told that this is only for Saturday departures and did not apply to us.
The beachfront rooms are large, very comfortably furnished, and had everything we needed. Counter space, a desk area and chair, and a table gave me plenty of room to lay out diving and camera gear, etc. The king sized beds were comfortable, and the electronics in the room (flatscreen TV, DVD player, and ipod dock and small refrigerator) all worked well and were put to good use. We brought some DVDs and they were also available to rent there. The a/cs in the rooms are more than adequate and we had to turn ours way down to find a comfort point - easy to accomplish. Ceiling fans and a nice but not luxuriously appointed bath with good quality bath product completed the rooms. The quality of the towels could be better, and for divers there can never be enough but this was not a problem.
The food at LCBR is often praised, and with extremely good reason. The quality is high, and the variety is excellent. Fresh salads were available for lunch and dinner, the soups were all excellent, and with 3 entree choices or more for lunch and dinner there was indeed something for everyone. Rack of lamb? Jumbo shrimp scampi? Not typical dive resort buffet fare, and full plates and big smiles were the rule at every table. Breakfasts also featured lots of choices, including an omelet station. A very minor complaint; sometime the coffee / tea could have been a bit hotter. Desserts are typically the high point of reviews we have read and we cannot argue. My wife and daughter fretted about what they should have that would not make them feel too terribly guilty, and for me, not a dessert eater, some fresh and delicious berries on several nights served just fine. All meals feature a relaxed and casual atmosphere - save weight when packing as shorts, sandals and a dive t-shirt are just fine.
My wife is a non-diver, and met a few others at the pool during our stay. She enjoyed services at the spa across the street, walks on the beach, and relaxing in and around the pool. LCBR certainly caters to divers, but staff also came to talk with the non-divers at the pool to ensure that they were happy. One request was common; the exercise room needs more attention, and in particular a treadmill would be great. Dont be surprised to see one there in the future; the staff member showed interest in the suggestion.
Socially, the Beach Nuts bar is the only real option. You dont come here for night clubs, so belly up to the bar and talk with the other guests, dive staff, and the bartenders. We found the music to be well chosen, the company to be good, conversations animated, and drinks strong enough. The bar was quiet on several evenings, but it was August after all - the resort was not full, and there were enough mosquitos to require a few squirts of high % deet repellant. Be sure to attend the welcome reception at the bar where the staff are all introduced, nice snacks are served, and free t-shirts given out to all returning guests (perhaps 60% of guests during our stay were returning, with some there for 5 to 8 times!).
(continued below)
Traveling to LCBR went without a hitch, with the hop on the twin otter adding to the fun. We arrived on a Saturday and left on a Sunday, and learned that it is perhaps wisest to travel to/from the resort on any day other than Saturday. One of our bags was delayed at Grand Cayman until a flight later that day - no big inconvenience but if we had arrived on a later flight (with the bag delayed until the next day) ... Many of the folks we got to know that week left on Saturday, and were requested to send a bag to Grand Cayman a day early; we were told that this is only for Saturday departures and did not apply to us.
The beachfront rooms are large, very comfortably furnished, and had everything we needed. Counter space, a desk area and chair, and a table gave me plenty of room to lay out diving and camera gear, etc. The king sized beds were comfortable, and the electronics in the room (flatscreen TV, DVD player, and ipod dock and small refrigerator) all worked well and were put to good use. We brought some DVDs and they were also available to rent there. The a/cs in the rooms are more than adequate and we had to turn ours way down to find a comfort point - easy to accomplish. Ceiling fans and a nice but not luxuriously appointed bath with good quality bath product completed the rooms. The quality of the towels could be better, and for divers there can never be enough but this was not a problem.
The food at LCBR is often praised, and with extremely good reason. The quality is high, and the variety is excellent. Fresh salads were available for lunch and dinner, the soups were all excellent, and with 3 entree choices or more for lunch and dinner there was indeed something for everyone. Rack of lamb? Jumbo shrimp scampi? Not typical dive resort buffet fare, and full plates and big smiles were the rule at every table. Breakfasts also featured lots of choices, including an omelet station. A very minor complaint; sometime the coffee / tea could have been a bit hotter. Desserts are typically the high point of reviews we have read and we cannot argue. My wife and daughter fretted about what they should have that would not make them feel too terribly guilty, and for me, not a dessert eater, some fresh and delicious berries on several nights served just fine. All meals feature a relaxed and casual atmosphere - save weight when packing as shorts, sandals and a dive t-shirt are just fine.
My wife is a non-diver, and met a few others at the pool during our stay. She enjoyed services at the spa across the street, walks on the beach, and relaxing in and around the pool. LCBR certainly caters to divers, but staff also came to talk with the non-divers at the pool to ensure that they were happy. One request was common; the exercise room needs more attention, and in particular a treadmill would be great. Dont be surprised to see one there in the future; the staff member showed interest in the suggestion.
Socially, the Beach Nuts bar is the only real option. You dont come here for night clubs, so belly up to the bar and talk with the other guests, dive staff, and the bartenders. We found the music to be well chosen, the company to be good, conversations animated, and drinks strong enough. The bar was quiet on several evenings, but it was August after all - the resort was not full, and there were enough mosquitos to require a few squirts of high % deet repellant. Be sure to attend the welcome reception at the bar where the staff are all introduced, nice snacks are served, and free t-shirts given out to all returning guests (perhaps 60% of guests during our stay were returning, with some there for 5 to 8 times!).
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