A panoramic view of the beach and reef at Turtle Nest Inn, captured by Donna and Roger Smith.
Farewell notes from our Guest Register (July/2000)
"I've just spent my first week on the east end of Cayman - the Turtle Nest Inn is the friendliest and most hospitable of any resorts in the Caribbean! Despite a week of diving the beautiful reefs, I most looked forward to enjoying the pool and ocean view! The staff made sure we had a stressfree and enjoyable stay! It is truly a home away from home - Blackie and Tramp included. I look forward to returning! Thank you!" L.J., Elburn, Illinois, USA (July 30, 2000)
"Marleine & Alain: Thank you so much for a glorious honeymoon & birthday trip! My only regret is not discovering Marleine's café au lait until the last day! Thank you for making us feel that we were staying at the home of close friends. We loved floating in the pool, petting the dogs & combing the beach for sea glass. Absolutely do not miss the home-made sangria -- Olé! Indian Night - fabulous! We will be back! Our best to you..." R.C.&R.C., Belmont, California, USA (July 28, 2000)
"Marleine & Alain: Our vacation was GREAT! We felt as though we were part of your extended family. You even had the dog & let us borrow him as well! We congratulate you on your accomplishments with the facility & hope to see you in the future." M.B.,T.B.&K.B., Lexington, Kentucky, USA (July 28, 2000)
A panoramic view of the beach and reef at Turtle Nest Inn, captured by Donna and Roger Smith.
"The Turtle Nest was the most wonderful place for us to spend our 20th anniversary. With the constant hustle of day to day life, the Turtle Nest was everything we had hoped for. It was a wonderful place to get lost for a week to enjoy the tropical paradise. What wonderful innkeepers - they had wonderful insight and run a very top-notch place. This is kind of like the place you would want to keep a secret to protect its unspoiled beauty and comfort." K.C.&L.C., Glendale, Arizona, USA (July 27, 2000)
"What a warm and friendly place...but if you're reading this, you already know. How can we keep this place a secret? But to do so would deny others the wander of this little piece of heaven. Great beach, awesome food, delightful hosts. What more could anyone ask for? We haven't even left, and we're already planning our return. When we arrived at the airport, the Customs Agent said 'Welcome Home!' How prophetic!!!" N.P.&D.S., Falls Church, Virginia, USA (July 23, 2000)
"Alain and Marleine: Thank you for such a wonderful experience. Staying in your inn is more than just a beautiful vacation or, relaxing place. It is a true experience in every sense of the word. Charm, atmosphere, beauty, friendly people, interesting dogs, and a real Cayman feeling. I will never forget it, will send more people and come back myself as often as possible - it could not be better. The dinners are always great! Watching the moon come up over the water, what else can I say to describe perfection! P.S. Tramp - behave!!" M.P., Sarasota, Florida, USA (July 23, 2000)
"Raffinement, confort et qualité en toute simplicité!!! Très beau séjour, reçus par 2 Hôtes formidables!!! Bravo et Merci!" P.L., Montréal, Québec, Canada (le 23 juillet, 2000)
(Translated from the French, above): "Simplicity, with refinement, comfort and quality!!! Beautiful stay, welcomed by two great hosts!!! Bravo, and Thanks!" P.L., Montréal, Québec, Canada (July 23, 2000)
A panoramic shot of the vegetation and beach at the Inn, by Donna and Roger Smith.
"Marleine & Alain, Merci! Turtle Nest, c'est comme la maison la plus chaude et confortable du paradis. Et, aux portes de cet Eden, on a été accueillis par deux anges qui parlaient FRANÇAIS! Incroyable! Ces anges ont fait en sorte que notre séjour soit paradisiaque; tout ici est qualité et beauté. Merci infiniment. Quand nous serons deux vieux édentés, Pierre et moi, vos noms, Marleine et Alain, feront encore parti de notre mémoire." A.R., Montréal, Québec, Canada (le 23 juillet, 2000)
(Translated from the French, above): "Marleine & Alain, Thanks! Turtle Nest is like the warmest and most comfortable home in paradise. And, at the entrance to this Eden, we were welcomed by two angels who spoke FRENCH! Unbelievable! These angels helped make our stay heavenly; everything here exudes quality and beauty. Thank you immensely. When Pierre and I are old and toothless, your names, Marleine and Alain, will still be in our memories." A.R., Montréal, Québec, Canada (July 23, 2000)
"Alain & Marleine: You have truly created something very special - a unique and charming blend of comfort, casualness, beauty & relaxation glazed with a bit of old world charm. You should be very proud of what you have created. And did I mention how much we loved our stay here? I can only hope we will return soon. Thank you for everything! All the best. P.S. Marleine, I loved your cooking, too!!" J.G.&J.G., Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA (July 22, 2000)
A couple of underwater shots taken by Donna and Roger Smith while snorkelling off the Inn beach.
"We loved our honeymoon stay at the inn. They have wonderful hospitality and have created a very tranquil environment. If you have a chance to taste the food here, do it in a minute - it's fabulous! Thank you for everything. We will see you when we take our second honeymoon! Best Wishes..." D.C.&C.C., San Mateo, California, USA (July 21, 2000)
"Alain & Marleine: The best vacation ever! The Inn is 'Fabulous'! Quaint, yet elegant! Most of all, the privacy and romance you experience that is impossible to get in a hotel, is priceless. We thoroughly enjoyed 'Indian Night'. The food, music & conversation was great! Thank you again for the wonderful memories -- will be back." D.A.&C.L., Renton, Washington, USA (July 20, 2000)
An evening view of the reef at Turtle Nest Inn.
"We enjoyed the ambience of your inn. The snorkeling here is great and the evening pool swim before retiring was fun. We were lucky to stay for a long enough time to really get to know your island. Thanks for everything." N.R.&D.R., San Diego, California, USA (July 18, 2000)
"Dear Alain, Marleine & Blackie: Wow! What a view you have here, in & out of the water! We very much enjoyed our week stay with you. You made us feel like guests in your home with your warm hospitality, fantastic dinner & never ending smiles. It's rare to find people who deliver everything they promise. You are such a find. You think of everything. We couldn't be happier with our vacation choice. Thank you for making this the most perfect, relaxing & beautiful vacation for us. We are looking forward to next time (so are our dogs, Brandy & Xeana)! Wishing you the best..." J.P.&C.P., Voorhees, New Jersey, USA (July 17, 2000)
"Alain & Marleine: We cannot thank you enough for a fantastic (but brief) stay! Turtle Nest Inn is as wonderful, charming, and romantic as the web site made it to be! Best of luck with everything and look forward to seeing you and Blackie again soon! Cheers and take care!" L.M.&B.S., Arlington, Virginia, USA (July 16, 2000)
"This was truly a dream come true vacation. We both have wonderful memories to take home with us. I will recommend the Inn to all! It was so romantic here that we are leaving engaged! Thank you for a wonderful & memorable stay." L.A.&M.I., Waterbury, Connecticut, USA (July 15, 2000)
A Cayman sunrise at the Inn, captured by Shirley and Mike Winkler.
"Alain & Marleine: Your place is breathtaking! Jamie & I could not have asked for a better place to relax, soak up the sun and enjoy the Cayman Islands. I can assure you we will be back. I think, well I know, this is the best-kept inn on the island. (I'm impressed with the maid service! I hope Jamie doesn't expect me to live up to these standards! Ha!) I am so happy we picked this place to spend our honeymoon. We will miss Blackie, Tramp and your wonderful long-term guests Frank & Linda! Thank you again for the amazing hospitality, Alain's wit and Marleine your sweetness and graciousness! Words cannot express our thanks! P.S. We knew this was the place for us when we arrived on the 7th day of the 7th month and stayed in apartment #7!!! P.S.S. We were also impressed, you can tell a lot of thought and creativity has been added to make one's stay special - from the colorful beach towels, the free move rentals, to the dinners to get to know you both & the guests, the mirrors and the name Turtle Nest Inn. Every detail of this place is an added pleasure! It truly is intimate & elegant. God bless..." J.M.&J.M., Johnson City, Tennessee, USA (July 14, 2000)
A Cayman sunrise at the Inn, captured by Lesley and Tim Higgins.
"Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful place! We thoroughly enjoyed our honeymoon on the Cayman Islands. The Turtle Nest Inn was a very romantic, restful place to be. Thanks for your hospitality! We hope to come back and send all of our friends!" M.L.&T.L., Redmond, Washington, USA (July 12, 2000)
"Alain & Marleine: This has been the most wonderful vacation! The rooms are so nice & the hospitality can't be beat. We have enjoyed the sun & sand & the beauty of the ocean. Thank you for Indian Night. It was lovely. I'll be sure & send you occasional updates on all the animals back home. Thanks for your humor Alain, it is unmatched. Maybe we will be able to repeat our visit sometime. That would be wonderful. Thank you !" K.W.&H.B., Lebanon, Tennessee, USA (July 11, 2000)
"Our stay was wonderful! Without a doubt, we made the right choice to make our temporary home the Turtle Nest. We found elegance without pretension, comfort with thoughtful attention to detail, and warm, gracious and humerous hosts who helped us with a bottle of peroxide (for a minor but traumatic cut) and served us a great Indian dinner. You made us feel like new friends - a rare gift that makes a special place even more special. Following your recommendations, our excursions were exceptional - especially the snorkel cruise with Captain Dexter and the sunset sail with Danny Phillips - they cared about the island and all its creatures. Hoo-ray for the internet and for the cyber highway which lead us to you!! P.S. On our next trip to Grand Cayman, we won't even consider any accommodations other than Turtle Nest Inn." D.R.,D.P.,K.R.&B.P., Portland, Oregon, USA (July 9, 2000)
A stingray, held by Shirley and Captain Dexter during a Fantasea Tour outing, and photographed by Mike Winkler.
"Alain & Marleine: We had originally booked a cruise for this week and are glad we changed our minds and decided to stay on the beautiful island of Grand Cayman instead. We're especially thankful we came across the Turtle Nest Inn on the internet. It sounded like just what we were looking for. And it has been! We've liked the full kitchen, clean rooms, newspaper in the mornings, the use of the cooler, the friendly people and your pool and beach. This was my husband's and my first time away by ourselves (without our 3 children). We celebrated our 18th anniversary this week and have enjoyed snorkeling around the island and especially swimming with the stingrays. We hope to be back soon! Thank you!" A.D.&S.D., Urbana, Ohio, USA (July 9, 2000)
"We had a wonderful time. The Turtle Nest Inn is the MOST beautiful resort I have ever stayed in. Everyone was extra friendly, the view was magnificient - all in all making our stay more than memorable." S.S.&T.S., Rochester, New York, USA (July 7, 2000)
"Thanks for a great week's R+R. We had a super time at your place and on the island. Best regards..." K.R.&V.R., Albany, Georgia, USA (July 7, 2000)
Photos by Mike and Shirley Winkler, taken from their balcony, and underwater while snorkelling at the Inn.
"We really enjoyed our stay here. It was everything we hoped it would be and more. Our apartment was perfect! If we come to the Caymans again, which I hope we will, we will stay here only. Your coral reef is very beautiful - hard to believe it was free! Thank you for your hospitality and friendliness. We have already recommended your place to others on the island and friends back home. Hope to see you both again." J.F.&T.F., Richmond, Virginia, USA (July 6, 2000)
"Your resort on the beach was exactly what I had hoped for. I had been dreaming about a vacation on the ocean & going to sleep to the sound of the waves. That is why I was so disappointed when we first started looking into resorts in Cayman. We were very lucky to find Turtle Nest Inn. Your hospitality has been great and it was wonderful of you to setup our car and our trip to Little Cayman. We know you went out of your way for us, especially dealing with my company's travel agent. Thank you for helping make our vacation as wonderful as possible - it is one we will long remember. We will certainly promote the Turtle Nest Inn as one of the best, if not the best place to stay on the island for a quiet, relaxing & exceptional experience! Thank you for all you have done for us." K.N.&A.N., Englewood, Colorado, USA (July 4, 2000)
"Thank you both for your wonderful hospitality! This was a great place to stay and enjoy Grand Cayman for the very first time. We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We're already planning on saving towards our 30th! (Not wait for the 50th!!!) Thank you so much again. Sincerely..." A.M.&R.M., Charlotte, North Carolina, USA (July 3, 2000)
"Turtle Nest Inn lived up to all the great reports on the internet. It couldn't have been more perfect for our honeymoon. We began our stay with Marleine's delicious Caribbean dinner and a toast from the other guests celebrating our marriage. We have never stayed anywhere as comfortable. The views & the sound of the surf were wonderful. Everyone should try the red snapper at The Edge. We liked it so much we ate there twice! The week has lived up to all our hopes & expectations. Thanks so much, Alain & Marleine. We hope to be back many more times. Warmest regards..." D.O.&C.O., Plainview, Texas, USA (July 2, 2000)
"Alain and Marleine: We have dreamed about a holiday in Cayman for a couple of years - thanks for helping to make our dreams come true. Turtle Nest Inn was more wonderful than we had imagined. The view of the lagoon from our apartment enticed us to join the schools of blue tang, search out the shy squirrel fish and listen to the sounds of the huge rainbow parrot fish scrunching up the coral. Magic! Turtle Nest Inn combines the qualities of 'home' and 'hotel' in so many ways, you really have invented a totally new concept for holiday accommodation. The terrace dinners brought all your guests together and made us feel like a bunch of friends. Your beautiful apartment, which was kept so clean with heaps of fresh towels every day, made us feel that we were living in luxury. Wishing you every success for the future..." B.O.,J.O.&J.O., Silverstone, England, UK (July 1, 2000)