4 Best Hotels in Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands

These neighboring, beachfront sister complexes offer condos with one to four bedrooms, all individually owned and decorated. Brac Caribbean overlooks the sea; Carib Sands overlooks the water across an extensive pool area. The nattily nautical Captain's Table restaurant and poolside bar at Brac Caribbean is a popular hangout; Carib Sands now offers in-room or beachfront spa services, as well as rock climbing and yoga packages. The Sands grounds are particularly pretty, with buttonwood and ficus "fences" and fragrant oleander bushes buzzing with butterflies. The units here tend to be more vivid though often configured in unconventional ways with occasionally narrow or boxy rooms. Many have nice touches such as French doors opening to the beach, hand-painted mirrors, and walk-in closets. Numbers 111 and 114 are particularly stylish digs with splendid views. Brac Caribbean units (most reserved for long-term rentals) feature a more flowing layout but more generic decor.

Popular with divers, this well-run eco-friendly resort features a beautiful sandy beach shaded by sea-grape trees slung with hammocks and a sizable free-form pool. The dock is illuminated at night, attracting stingrays, tarpon, and other creatures to entertain you on your after-dinner stroll. The motel-style rooms are simple but spotless, with handsome hardwood furnishings, striking cast-iron accents, and granite-clad baths. The second-floor and end units (Nos. 118–121 and 219–221) offer the best views; 10 stylish junior suites include microwave, dual showerheads, leather recliners, and flat-screen TV. There's a day spa and library with video games and board games for use in bad weather. Even the buffet-style food is surprisingly good. The friendly crowd tends to be older, with a handful of honeymooners and a few small meetings and vacationing families in summer.

This attractive, pink-brick, colonnaded condo development sitting between the Bluff and the southeast coastal ironshore caters to climbers, who scale the Bluff's sheer face, as well as divers, who appreciate the good shore diving right off the property. Spacious two-bedroom units favor soft seashell colors, beach photos, and frilly touches (Aubusson-style rugs, shell-embedded mirrors, painted wooden fish) and have full open kitchens including a dishwasher, as well as a sleeper sofa and washer/dryer. Units 104 and 106 have particularly fine views. A private shore-dive entrance with a shower and rinse tank is at the cabana/pool area, slung with hammocks and offering breathtaking views of the Bluff and beach. There's a three-night minimum. You can rent from a variety of websites, including Expedia and Trivago, but the resort itself has no website.

With its lush grounds and a rugged coastline as a backdrop, Le Soleil d'Or calls itself as "a Caribbean Farm Inn," and that's exactly what it is. Surrounding the two main buildings, which house eight rooms oozing Caribbean charm, are 20 acres of botanical gardens. The beachside farm-to-table destination prides itself on its fresh, home-grown ingredients in the meals served in the on-site restaurant and sublime seaside views.