From S.S. April 2008

From A.O. February 2006
I opened the door and walked in to the condo. In front of me was a vista of sparkling turquoise Caribbean Sea. Wow!
The condo was at The Retreat at Rum Point on Grand Cayman. Many travelers to the Caymans will never have heard of this quiet and beautiful spot. They stay on SevenMileBeach and only venture away to go to StingrayCity. And they don’t know that they are missing the best part of Grand Cayman!
We always seek a great place that is undiscovered and want to get there before the crowds. Seven MileBeach is changing dramatically with the new laws that allow buildings to be 7 storeys high. Leading the way is the gigantic new Ritz Carlton. Other 7 storey developments are also being built and some 3 storey buildings are being knocked down and rebuilt as seven storey buildings.
After going to the Caymans for over a decade and staying on SevenMileBeach I had decided the time had come to find a less developed island.
But then I discovered The Retreat!The journey to the Retreat takes about 45 minutes from Georgetown, the capital of Grand Cayman, and slightly less from the airport.
The Retreat itself has just 23 units, of which about half are available to rent, and sits on 7 acres of beachfront property. The units are extremely well built and spacious and the whole complex was completely refurbished in 2006. Units range from 1,000 sq ft 1 bedroom units to 2880 sq ft 3 bedroom 3 ½ bathroom units.
All 23 units are either beachfront or oceanfront. The complex has a pool, a tennis court and a racquetball court, although there is talk that this latter may be converted into a gym.
The Retreat is well named. It is an oasis of peace and tranquility. But it is not truly remote as most units have wireless internet service. On my recent visit I enjoyed sitting by the pool and responding to emails! I could also have replied from my unit but somehow it seemed more fun to sit by the pool – in the shade to protect me from the 85 degree plus sun – and send emails to friends back in the cold North East!
Back to the beginning of this article. I was staying in one of the 2 bedroom deluxe units (these are the ground floor ones at the front facing the main beach). As I walked in I was faced with the view through 18 feet of glass, including sliding doors on to the 40 foot covered porch, and out to the sparkling Caribbean Sea beyond!  The covered porch runs along both the master bedroom and living room.
Unit 23 is the only two bed unit in the rental pool with both bedrooms on the beach. The master bedroom even has views to two sides of the beach.
Next door to The Retreat is the Rum Point complex, managed by Hyatt. While the Rum Point restaurant is currently closed for repairs, the Wreck Bar is open daily from 10 am – 5 pm and serves lunch. There is also a gift shop and a Red Sail sports centre, offering a whole range of water activities.
A short way away is the Kaibo Beach Bar & Grill (www.kaibo.ky) offering a mixture of food, all excellent, while up the road is the Driftwood Sports Bar, famed for its Sunday BBQ. Several other restaurants are within a 20 minute drive.
So how do you stock your condo? Well, after picking up your car from the airport (try www.andys.ky) the best way is to stop at Hurley’s grocery store on your way from the airport. Don’t be surprised to see people who were on the plane with you! Next door to Hurley’s is Blackbeard liquor store, so you can arrive well stocked.
Remember to pick up the information books at the airport after you clear immigration as they contain a coupon for Blackbeard amongst others. Five minutes’ past Hurley’s is Fosters, which has a pretty good selection but is not as big as Hurley’s.
For basic supplies while you are at The Retreat there is a small grocery store, Chisholm’s, some 5 minutes or so down the road. I quickly found that the drive to Foster’s or  Hurley’s, while it took 25- 30 minutes, was well worth it. The drive goes past the Botanical Gardens, which are well worth a visit. Staying on SevenMileBeach, I rarely rented a car so missed out on other Cayman features such as the Botanical Gardens, the Blowholes, East End and many others.
A holiday at The Retreat is different from one on SevenMileBeach. There are no clubs, few – but excellent restaurants – just quiet, sand, clear water, stingrays, beautiful sunsets – I want to go back! (I did - and bought condo!)