The Reef Beach Resort
The Reef Beach Resort occupies a genuine niche: it is the only hotel on Grand Cayman offering an all-inclusive plan, on an island where nearly every other property sells rooms only. That draws a specific traveler, someone who wants a predictable food and drink budget alongside the diving and snorkeling Grand Cayman is famous for. Formerly the Wyndham Reef Resort, it left the brand on 6 April 2026 and now runs independently as a family-owned property again. It sits on 1,600 feet of beachfront on the quiet East End, and that remoteness is either its best feature or its biggest limitation depending on what you came for.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +The only hotel on Grand Cayman offering an all-inclusive plan, on an island where almost everything else is room-only, and it is an optional add-on so you can choose either way
- +1,600 feet of beachfront on the quiet East End, with every unit facing the beach and none of the crowds of Seven Mile Beach
- +Ocean Frontiers runs the on-site dive shop, with one-, two- and three-tank East End boat dives, night dives, PADI courses and trips to the USS Kittiwake wreck
- +Snorkeling straight off the beach and dock over Cayman's coral reef, and kayaks, paddleboards and snorkel gear are part of the all-inclusive plan
- +The one- and two-bedroom condos have fully equipped kitchens and two twin Murphy beds in the living room, sleeping four or six at 700 to 1,300 square feet
- +Back home as an independent, family-owned resort under Thompson Resorts since leaving Wyndham on 6 April 2026, and the staff draw consistent praise for being friendly and genuine
- +Three pools and a hot tub, a fitness center, a tennis and pickleball court, a spa open 8am to 4pm daily, and nightly entertainment such as live music, karaoke and bingo
Cons
- −The East End is a 40-minute drive from George Town and Seven Mile Beach and about 45 minutes from the airport, and guests report taxis are expensive and buses thin, so most people rent a car
- −The beach is soft and pretty up top, but at the waterline it is slanted, eroded and rocky with some seaweed, so bring water shoes and expect to swim out to the sandbar rather than take long beach walks
- −The all-inclusive is a metered plan rather than unlimited: one appetizer, entree and dessert per person at lunch and dinner (or a Subway foot-long combo at lunch), house-brand spirits only, and one hour of non-motorized water sports a day
- −The plan's limited menu excludes prime beef cuts, lobster, baked seafood, seafood platters, salmon and lamb, and it requires a four-night minimum
- −Dining is a short list: Tides Restaurant & Beach Bar, Coffee Corner and a Subway, plus weekly theme buffets like the Caribbean Dinner Night and Seafood Buffet, so a week here can feel repetitive
- −This is a limited-service condo resort: ordinary guests get a full housekeeping clean once a week, with daily light service reserved for timeshare members and exchange guests
- −There is no kids club or advertised babysitting, and cribs are allowed only in the condos, never the studios
- −Grand Cayman is an expensive island however you book it, and the resort's money buys a quiet beach and good diving rather than the restaurant variety of a Jamaica or Mexico all-inclusive
The experience is comfortable and deliberately low-key. The studios have a kitchenette with a mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker, while the one- and two-bedroom condos add a full kitchen and Murphy beds, which is what makes the resort work for families. The all-inclusive is an add-on of $151 per adult per day from April 11 to December 18 2026 and $189 from December 19 2026 to April 2 2027, with children under 4 free and ages 4 to 17 at $80, and it is metered: one appetizer, entree and dessert per meal, house-brand spirits, and an hour of kayaks or paddleboards a day. Food comes from Tides Restaurant & Beach Bar, Coffee Corner, a Subway and the weekly theme buffets. Ocean Frontiers on site is the real star, and the reef is close enough to snorkel from the dock, though the waterline itself is rocky and eroded enough that guests recommend water shoes.
Grand Cayman is not a cheap destination however you package it, and the resort competes more with dive-focused stays in Cozumel or Roatan than with big Jamaica or Mexico all-inclusives. Diving families, couples who want an uncrowded beach and travelers who have already done Seven Mile Beach get the most from it. The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, the Mastic Trail and the Cayman Crystal Caves are all close, Stingray City tours can be booked through the resort, and a small grocery and liquor store sit across the street for stocking the condo kitchen.
Common Questions
Is this really the only all-inclusive on Grand Cayman?
How good is the diving and snorkeling?
Is the East End location a problem for getting around?
Is The Reef Beach Resort good for families with young children?
Do all rooms have a full kitchen?
Restaurants (1)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| International & fusion | Tides Restaurant & Bar |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Rum Point30 min drive · 13 mi
Wreck of the Ten Sail Park7 min drive · 2.8 mi
East End Lighthouse Park10 min drive · 3.7 mi
Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park20 min drive · 8.6 mi
Pedro St. James35 min drive · 19 mi
More things to do (16)
- Seven Mile Beach · beach55 min drive · 28 mi
- Bioluminescent Bay night kayak · excursion30 min drive · 13 mi
- Starfish Point · beach35 min drive · 14 mi
- Colliers Beach · beach3 min drive · 1.1 mi
- Barefoot Beach · beach5 min drive · 2.5 mi
- Cayman Crystal Caves · nature10 min drive · 6.0 mi
- Blow Holes · viewpoint14 min drive · 5.5 mi
- Mastic Trail · nature20 min drive · 9.1 mi
- Heritage Beach · beach20 min drive · 11 mi
- Stingray City sandbar trip · excursion30 min drive · 13 mi
- Snorkel trip to Starfish Point and the North Sound · excursion30 min drive · 13 mi
- Bodden Town · town30 min drive · 15 mi
- Spotts Beach · beach35 min drive · 19 mi
- Cayman Islands National Museum · museum50 min drive · 24 mi
- George Town · town50 min drive · 24 mi
- Smith Barcadere · beach50 min drive · 25 mi
