feb-2018c

56 57 tors, other than our incredible associates.” Regarding the competition, Valldejuli ad- mits that in terms of product and services, most nearby hotels are, in fact, similar. “You get a room, you get food, you get beverages, you have retail, and you have merchandis- ing,” he avers. “They all have great rooms and a great product, but we have the greatest people and that’s our differentiator. So, what we try to do here is create an experience that goes with the product we serve; we strive to take advantage of the beach by providing services that no other hotel does. For ex- ample, we have beach ambassadors at your beck and call on the beach; we have cocktail servers that will take your beverage into the AT A GLANCE THE WESTIN GRAND CAYMAN RESORT AND SPA WHAT: Resort hotel managed by the Pyramid Hotel Group WHERE: Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman WEBSITE: www.westingrandcayman.com THEWESTIN GRAND CAYMAN RESORT AND SPA added lanai patios to any rooms on the first floor facing the pool or the ocean.We also renovated our hot tubs, and all furniture and equipment was completely replaced. In Phase Two, in 2017, we will renovate all the guest rooms - all 343 of them.” According to Valldejuli, about 80 percent of the hotel’s guests come from the United States, while the other 20 percent come from Europe, Canada, and elsewhere. It stays open all year, and all sea- sons. “What makes this hotel very popular is that it happens to be on the best stretch of beach of the Seven Mile Beach,” Valldejuli states, “and Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman is one of the top beaches in the world. That’s how we sell the property and that’s how we garner our reputation. It’s our biggest and most precious advantage against our competi-