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When it comes to vacations, there are the city-hopping kinds of trips with packed itineraries, and then there are the trips where you fly to the beach with little else in mind beyond relaxing in the sun. The latter is affectionately referred to as the “fly-and-flop” vacation, and there’s a real art to getting them right.
When the goal is to chill as much as possible, the place you choose to stay really matters because you probably won’t be leaving much. For my fly-and-flop vacations, I go for hotels on the smaller side in favor of a more intimate experience. I also look for properties that excite my design sensibilities and–most crucially–I want the hardest decision of my day to be whether I’m relaxing at the spa, the beach, or at the (adults only!) pool.
While there’s no shortage of beach hotels that tick these boxes, I have yet to find one that does it better than Palm Heights, Grand Cayman’s first boutique hotel. I was lucky enough to stay for a week and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.
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When The Hotel Is The Destination
Palm Heights is an all-suite, boutique hotel on Grand Cayman that was founded by creative director and designer Gabriella Khalil. Located on Seven Mile Beach–named one of the best beaches in the world–you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more stylish hotel, cooler guests, or a more considered experience. Every angle of Palm Heights is photo-worthy, with artistic landscape design and retro-chic furnishings from the ‘60s and ‘70s taking center stage. While you’re here, you’ll likely rub elbows with some interesting company–the resort has attracted the likes of Bella Hadid, Chloë Sevigny, and Emily Ratajkowski, to name a few.
Palm Heights isn’t just a place to sleep–it’s a destination in its own right. The resort has taken great care to create a space with everything you could ever possibly want or need and it shows, making it the perfect home base for my ultimate fly-and-flop vacation. While you’re a guest, every whim is satisfied with amenities like a curated library boasting an impressive collection of rare books, a 60,000 square-foot wellness center that’s equal parts spa, athletic complex, and bathhouse, or one of four different restaurants serving a satisfying variety of cuisine.
Indelible Moments From My Guest Experience
- The food: During my stay, I did venture off-property a couple of times to see what the rest of Seven Mile Beach had to offer in the way of food, but nowhere else impressed me as much as Palm Heights’ four restaurant concepts. The standout, though, was Tillie’s, which offers seaside, Caribbean-inspired fare. My first time dining there, I ordered the Fish Milanaise dish–which was served with cucumber, avocado, and yuzu koshō–and immediately christened it one of the best things I had ever tasted. I loved it so much that, when I ate at Tillie’s again a few nights later, I didn’t think twice about ordering the exact same dish.
- The service: The resort only has 52 rooms, making for a highly personal and attentive guest experience. From the moment I checked in at Palm Heights, I was met with the smiling faces of staff who already knew my name and could intuit my needs before I knew I had them. As an introvert, I’m prone to keeping to myself, but I found it impossible not to connect with the people responsible for making Palm Heights the tropical nirvana that it is.
- The design: Indulging the senses beyond the food and activities on offer at Palm Heights is its stunning design. The considered landscaping, architecture, and vintage furnishings work together to create beautiful vignettes begging to become framed photos or at least their own Instagram grid posts. As a designer myself, I was so inspired by the environment that the spark of imagination lasted long after I landed back in New York.
A Sublime Concept Shop With Design In Mind
Other luxury boutique hotels might have aesthetics just as enviable, but Palm Heights’ commitment to design really shines in its concept shop, Dolores. Inside, you’ll find souvenirs to epitomize your stay, but this is no ordinary gift shop. Beyond the usual suspects like branded raffia totes and sandals, there’s also specialty merchandise sporting the look & feel of some of Palm Heights’ distinctive properties like sportswear for their athletic program, Palm Heights Athletics, and hammam towels for their wellness complex, Garden Club. For more discerning guests looking for something truly special to take home, Palm Heights has partnered with exceptional brands to create capsule collections, limited edition merchandise, and exclusive curations. My favorite Palm Heights collaboration so far has been with Gohar World on an 11-piece tableware collection, which includes a swan-shaped mother of pearl spoon and a lemon squeezer in the shape of a fish.
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Itinerary For The Perfect Day
Here’s how I’d recommend spending a day at Palm Heights: First, wake up early to secure a front-row beach chair for unobstructed views of the Caribbean's impossibly blue waters. Rotate between the beach and the ocean, bringing along some snorkeling gear to swim with. Afterward, head across the street to the Garden Club for an outdoor workout or a reformer pilates class. For recovery, enjoy a few cycles of sauna and cold plunge. Or, go for a leisurely swim in one of the pools. You’re probably starving by now, so grab ceviche for lunch at the Coconut Club beach bar or get some takeaway Paradise Pizza to enjoy in your room. At this point, you’ll probably want to shower and take a nap from all that time in the sun. Once you’re feeling rested, head downstairs for dinner at Tillie’s. Try to get a table on the beach for front-row views of the island’s spectacular sunsets. I'd tell you to snap some photos, but they won't come anywhere close to doing the scene justice–trust me.
