Top 11 Gay Friendly Hotels In Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are undeniably cosmopolitan but with a rich local culture at the same time. This three-island archipelago has pristine beaches, mysterious caves, diverse bird and animal life, and lush forests. It might sound surprising to many, but the Cayman Islands aren’t exactly what you’d call gay-friendly. While gay marriage was legalized in 2019, the islands remain largely conservative. So much so that it doesn’t have any gay scene, and the LGBTQ community congregates privately. Despite that, many gay hotels in Cayman Islands have a warm and friendly staff ready to welcome LGBTQ travelers. Whether you’re looking for low-key romance or all-inclusive resorts with pre-planned itineraries, the hotels in Cayman have them all.

Located just an hour’s flight from Miami, the Cayman Islands have a lot more going for them. There are so many Top Things To Do In Cayman Islands, with unique experiences at turtle farms and the famed Stingray City. The islands are also full of culture, whether it’s the capital Georgetown or the town famously named “Go To Hell!” And, of course, there are miles of hiking trails and pristine white-sand beaches such as Seven Mile Beach, its crown jewel. So, for gay travelers who don’t mind the absence of a gay scene but are looking for a well-rounded Caribbean adventure, Cayman Islands are the place for them. To that end, here are the top 11 gay friendly hotels in Cayman Islands.

The Westin Grand Cayman

11

Located on Seven Mile Beach, The Westin Grand Cayman is one of the most lavish gay hotels in Cayman Islands. Positioned on one of the widest stretched of the beach, the resort is all about the ocean. A sea-inspired color palette greets you as you walk into the lobby, which has floor-to-ceiling windows with sparkling views of the ocean. Rooms and suites are much the same, with the ground-floor rooms featuring patios and upper-level ones having balconies with superb sea or island views. Since the ocean-view ones offer unobstructed views of the Caribbean, it’s worth upgrading to the ocean-view rooms. Besides coffeemakers and locally-brewed coffee, all rooms boast spacious bathrooms with vanity mirrors and bathtubs.

Service is superb, with a concierge on hand to book everything from watersports and excursions to dinner reservations. The sprawling pool with cabanas and sunbeds directly faces the beach and is a great place to relax and unwind. Aside from the pool, the beach, and watersports, there’s also a fitness center and a spa. Six drinking and dining destinations, including a pool bar, wrap up the amenities here.

The Locale Hotel Grand Cayman

10

Gay fans of minimalism will love The Locale Hotel Grand Cayman, which sits right in the heart of Georgetown. The location is perfect for exploring the delights of Georgetown, with Seven Mile Beach located less than a 10-minute walk away. Rooms and suites are soundproof, thus ensuring a good night’s sleep to prepare you for the next day. Moreover, the rooms are sleek with wooden floors, chic light fixtures, plush beds, and modern bathrooms. The rest of the hotel is equally impressive, especially the outdoor swimming pool and picnic area. Plus, the on-site restaurant serves all meals, including a hearty breakfast. Finally, the hotel also offers a wide variety of activities off-site, such as fishing, canoeing, diving, and snorkeling.

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

9

Beachfront paradise is the only thing that comes to mind when you see the Ritz-Carlton, one of the most luxurious gay hotels in Cayman Islands. Located right at the heart of Seven Mile Beach, the hotel boasts a towering colonial Caribbean façade with arched windows. As you step in, you’ll be spellbound by the plush rugs, wainscot walls and ceilings, and creamy polished marble in the lobby. Rooms and suites have a sand tone and light blue palette with pops of citrus adding to the vibe. What’s more, there’s even a sexy silk-paneled accent wall right behind the bed that’s flush with a bursting orchids motif. The bathrooms are like luxury dens with double marble vanities with silver-framed mirrors and huge glass-enclosed showers for two. If you want a memorable experience, get a room with a balcony facing the Caribbean Sea.

You can expect the highest level of service here, including a concierge to book everything from watersports to restaurant reservations. There are so many tempting facilities that you might not feel like leaving. Think a nine-hole golf course, a small marina, and two oceanfront swimming pools with cabanas and poolside service. After all is said and done, head to the glittering La Prairie Spa, which has the most dramatic crystal entryway with crushed silver drapery. It feels like you’re entering some spa in the Swiss Alps! With five drink and food venues, you’re split for choices when it comes to food.

Palm Heights

8

Gay travelers love Palm Heights for more reasons than one. First, it’s a fancy five-star hotel with top-notch service. Secondly, it sits right on Seven Mile Beach and offers a slew of ocean-facing suites. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s also one of the hosts of Cayman Islands Pride! In fact, the after-parties are held at this hotel itself. Choose rooms and suites on higher floors, which feature a terrace or balcony that overlooks the ocean. What’s more, they also feature a host of mod-cons, including minibars and coffee machines.

As with all great Cayman resorts, Palm Heights has an outdoor pool in a sea-facing pool terrace with a hot tub. The gardens are great for a walk, while the beach area is right out front and has scores of water activities on offer. When hunger pangs come calling, enjoy meals at the restaurant, which also has live music performances and happy hour.

Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort

7

The Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort is one of the grandest gay hotels in Cayman Islands. Starry-eyed LGBTQ couples who’re ready to fly and flop will love this resort that sits bang on the beach, complete with a sunbed-strewn poolside and outdoor entertainment. All 295 rooms and suites boast private balconies, although splurging on an oceanfront room is totally and completely worth every penny. Moreover, rooms and suites are very spacious and exude tropical verve, with sea-inspired color schemes and a slew of amenities. Plush beds and sleek bathrooms make up the rest of the place.

A patio with a rock pool and lofty palms leads to the seafront terrace, which is upbeat, upscale, and bling in ambiance. Moreover, the resort is full of crowd-pleasing facilities, such as ordering cocktails to your poolside perch, morning yoga, and a host of watersports. In fact, the resort even has free bike rentals and made-to-order picnic baskets for travelers who love exploring. Skip in the indoor gym and head to the spa for an invigorating sea salt scrub instead. Evenings are a lively schedule of film screenings under the stars, beach bonfires, and acoustic music. Three restaurants and bars serve the most delicious drinks and meals.

Sunshine Suites Resort

6

For gay travelers looking for something different, Sunshine Suites Resort sits across the street from Seven Mile Beach. Unlike the many resorts that lie right on Seven Mile Beach, this is a far more relaxing and affordable enclave. It’s what makes it one of the Best Hotels in Cayman Islands. Rooms, or rather suites, lie in two-storeyed white-and-yellow buildings that sit around a large pool. Full kitchens, plush carpets, and free Wi-Fi are great additions, but most people spend time outdoors. It’s no surprise since the hotel sits amidst Bermuda grass lawns studded with hammocks and tall palm trees. The pool is a great place to relax, while the beach is great to sunbathe, dive, and snorkel. Finally, the restaurant serves all meals, besides an excellent list of wines too.

Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa

5

Kimpton makes a foray into the Caribbean market is the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, one of the plushest boutique gay hotels in Cayman Islands. The stunning, design-forward resort lies on the sublime sands of Seven Mile Beach and boasts a most dramatic lobby. Think 20-foot ceilings, sweeping views of the beachscape, traditional wooden Cayman catboat suspended from the ceiling, and a library with a subtle nautical motif. In a palette of punchy fuchsia and dark slate, rooms and suites are inviting. Backlit cutouts of abstract floral designs on the ceiling and white acrylic headboards add to the vibe. However, the bathrooms are the sexiest feature, with glass-enclosed rainfall showers peering into the bedroom. Oh, and most rooms feature oceanfront balconies.

The labyrinthine turquoise pool is sprinkled with fire-engine-red sun loungers beneath white umbrellas. Upon arrival, you’re greeted with a glass of sparkling rosé, after which you can head to the grounds with fire pits and seating areas. There’s even an AstroTurf lawn with a paved pedestrian walk sprinkled with hammocks, daybeds, and lounge chairs. However, it’s the spa that’s unmissable, complete with a soaking tub and hammam. Rounding up the facilities are the three signature restaurants, apart from the grab-and-go cafe and pool bar.

Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman

4

Gay travelers on a budget will love the affordable beachfront Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman. This hotel is also great for golf lovers since it sits right next to an 18-hole golf course. You have the choice of a host of rooms and suites. But no matter what you choose, you’ll get a private balcony with views of the gardens, the golf course, the pool, or the ocean. Moreover, the hotel has lush tropical gardens, making it a great base to enjoy some much-needed tranquillity on your vacation. Besides that, the hotel also has a superb outdoor pool with a sun terrace where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and a lounge. In fact, there are even barbeque facilities available if requested. And for drinking and dining, the on-site restaurant, Blue Iguana Grill, and Lounge is perfect.

Hampton by Hilton Grand Cayman

3

The Georgetown-located Hampton by Hilton Grand Cayman is one of the chicest gay hotels in Cayman Islands. This traditional beachfront hotel features spacious and modern rooms, of which the suites even come with full kitchens and seating areas. That’s why there’s even a mini-market on the property in case you want to whip up meals in the comfort of your suite. Furthermore, the hotel even has a hot tub and a glistening outdoor pool, which is all you need for a relaxing vacation. Plus, you won’t even have to leave the property for meals since there’s also an excellent on-site restaurant. It serves a variety of international dishes and a hearty buffet breakfast, and even room service.

Wyndham Reef Resort, Grand Cayman

2

Offering both suites and apartments, Wyndham Reef Resort Grand Cayman is easily one of the islands’ best beachside hotels. Even the standard rooms feature swanky additions such as coffee machines and spa baths. Meanwhile, the apartments also add kitchenettes and seating, and dining areas. Nevertheless, all units feature balconies or terraces, depending on the floor. Entertainment and amenity-wise, there’s a lot going at Wyndham. There are a host of water sports on offer at the beach, as well as plush sunbeds under umbrellas for lounging. Besides a fitness center, there are also live music performances and evening entertainment. Wrapping up the amenities is the on-site coffee shop and restaurant serving even homemade pastries and gourmet coffees and teas.

Ocean Paradise

1

Topping the list of the best gay hotels in Cayman Islands is Ocean Paradise. The beachfront hotel in Brinkleys on the northern side of the island features gorgeous views of the Caribbean. Apartments and suites boast mod-cons such as flatscreen TVs, DVD players, and free Wi-Fi. Moreover, they even have kitchens with fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers, while bathrooms feature bespoke toiletries. If that wasn’t enough, some of the accommodations lie right on the beach! Set amidst lush gardens, the hotel has a nice terrace with a swimming pool, deck chairs, and hammocks. Finally, the hotel even offers bike and kayak rentals, excursions, and food shopping services.

Best Gay Neighborhoods in Cayman Islands

Since the Cayman Islands are not LGBTQ-friendly, the islands don’t really have a gay neighborhood to speak of. So, how about we tell you about the coolest places to stay for a memorable beach vacation? If you’re visiting the islands for the first time, then Georgetown is where you should stay. The capital lies on the western coast of the largest island, Grand Cayman. It’s also where Obar, which is frequented by the LGBTQ community, lies. Next up is the area around Seven Mile Beach, just north of the capital Georgetown. Besides a superb beach, it’s where the country’s first Pride parade took place. It’s also where the Palm Heights hotel, one of the most gay friendly hotels in Cayman Islands, lies. Finally, there’s Bodden Town sitting on a natural harbor and coral reef in south Grand Cayman. Gay travelers who’re water babies will absolutely love this place.

Best Gay Bars / Clubs in Cayman Islands

Since Cayman is deeply religious, there are no gay bars. Here, we’re listing the best bars to party at on the island.

• OBar: Attracting a gay clientele sometimes, O Bar Nightclub is the the hippest hippest nightclub on Grand Cayman. The perfect antidote to a lazy and calm day at the beach, the bar is all about thrilling juggling displays with flaming bottles and DJs spinning pumping tracks. Oh, and did we mention the delicious drinks? Yep.
• My Bar: Thought not a gay bar, My Bar at the Sunset House is one of the most popular bars on the island. It not only serves all meals including breakfasts, but even has an Indian menu!

Best Gay Saunas in Cayman Islands

Just like there are no gay bars in the Cayman Islands, there are no gay saunas either. In fact, there aren’t even any gay beaches. Here’s to hoping that this is change one day in the future.

Best Gay Events/Shows/Tours in Islands

• Gay Pride Parade: 31st July, 2021 was a historic day for Cayman Islands’ LGBTQ community. It was the day when the very first Pride parade was held on the island. Beginning at Seven Mile Public Beach in the afternoon, the parade ended at the Palm Heights hotel, which is where the after-parties began! What’s more, Palm Heights was where the Pride flag was raised for the very first time in Cayman.