Farewell notes from our Guest Register (August/2000)

• "We had a lovely stay at the Inn. It is cozy & intimate. Diving at the East End was great. Our hosts were very sweet and helpful." J.B.&G.B., Chatham, New Jersey, USA (August 31, 2000)

• "Dear Marleine & Alain: Thank you for creating such a wonderful place. We spent 8 days here for our 16th Anniversary and everything was perfect. The Caribbean Night dinner on Tuesday was fantastic. Marleine, you are an excellent chef! We hope to return someday with our children to share your place with them. We will highly recommend the TNI to everyone we know! Thanks!" E.B.&A.B., Souderton, Pennsylvania, USA (August 29, 2000)

• "Thanks for one of the most relaxing vacations ever. The hopitality & tranquility are unsurpassed." B.R.&K.R., Damascus, Maryland, USA (August 28, 2000)

• "Wow! If only we had known how wonderful this place would be, we would have made longer reservations. As honeymooners, we were looking for peace & tranquility and we found it here at the Inn." Bronx, New York, USA (August 27, 2000)

• "Dear M and A: This is our third stay at the TNI and it is always delightful. Thanks for a great dinner on Friday night and another hospitable and relaxing stay. With best wishes!" B.L.&L.L., Baltimore, Maryland, USA (August 27, 2000)

• "Dear Marleine & Alain: Great spot! Beats the Hyatt!! We have very much enjoyed the few days of our honeymoon spent here. Relaxing & romantic, we shall remember it forever. Indian food was fantastic & a lovely apartment with a great view! Thanks again!" K.G.&J.G., Cheshire, England, UK (August 26, 2000)

• "Marleine & Alain: Congratulations on your creation of an aesthetically beautiful and brilliantly designed inn. The inn together with your wonderful hospitality and outstanding dinners has made our first trip to Grand Cayman most enjoyable and memorable. Thanks for everything. Cathy found the dinners excellent and thanks you for making everyone feel at home. Lenore gives the whole experience two thumbs up. Zach says the food was very good and everything was fun. He enjoyed Marleine's chopping open of the coconut he found! Your web site was extremely helpful - that's how we found you. And the snorkeling was great. Thanks again! Good luck & much happiness to you both! I hope we will meet again!" M.B., C.M.,L.B.&Z.B., Oberlin, Ohio, USA (August 25, 2000)

• "Marleine & Alain: Thanks for sharing your slice of tropical perfection with us. The dinners were the crowning touch to a week of great hospitality & humor in a unique location. We will be back very soon." P.B.&F.F., Arlington, Virginia, USA (August 25, 2000)

• "To all at Turtle Nest: Again, a huge thank-ya for your ever friendly and generous hospitality at your special spot on the island...my 3rd stay at the Inn...definitely not our last!!" D.H., Paget, Bermuda (August 24, 2000)

The Inn beach at sunset, and Neevil McCoy's grocery store, across from the Inn, by Harold Boothe and Kelly Williams.

• "Marleine & Alain: Well, to say it briefly, the Turtle Nest Inn is perfect in every respect! Very clean and very comfortable apartment, breathtaking ocean views and a homey atmosphere - all these leave you with no other choice but to enjoy the stay at Turtle Nest Inn to the fullest! Thank you so much! Places like yours aren't often found!" R.M.&G.M., Pretoria, South Africa (August 23, 2000)

• "Alain & Marleine: Cheers to a website that represented itself with complete honesty! Actually, having visited many islands, including Hawaii, I would definitely return here & stay here again. I do not often like to return to the same place twice (just because I love to explore the world & feel as if there isn't enough time to see it all), but I would come here again, to Grand Cayman & the Turtle Nest Inn. The apartment was huge, luxurious & wonderful to return home to each day. I loved the freedom of being able to cook & provide my own meals vs. going out for every meal, which can be pricey. The Indian food night here was a treat & we sat with a couple from Vermont & had great conversation. You both have excellent taste, as this Inn is gorgeous, clean, airy & peaceful. I can't say enough about how wonderful our week here was. And the island itself was hasslefree, casual, friendly & calm. And hey, driving on the left isn't all that bad, after all. (And our windshield is very clean now. Those who experience left hand driving will soon understand the humour to that.) Thank you, thank you, thank you, and best wishes. P.S. We highly recommend the stingray sandbar trip!" J.E.&S.R., Los Angeles, California, USA (August 22, 2000)

• "Alain & Marleine: Now...how do we put this? Our stay here has been perfect. We have said to each other several times that the Turtle Nest has been perfect and, should we return (when we return!), we will request #3 with its beautiful sunrise & moonrise view. The Indian food was wonderful and all of your suggestions have been great - Lighthouse, Kaibo Yacht Club, Tree House, the Wharf, and especially Ocean Frontiers dive shop. Thanks..." B.C.&L.H., Dorset, Vermont, USA (August 20, 2000)

• "Alain & Marleine: Thank you so much for your hospitality and delightful company! Our stay here was the perfect compliment to our honeymoon. The patio dinners were the best food we had on the island and were great entertainment. Both of you are so kind...we hope to see you again." E.C.&S.C., Manhattan, Kansas, USA (August 19, 2000)

Underwater photos taken by Inn guests Jim and Meredith Hodges while diving the east end with Ocean Frontiers

• "Dear Alain & Marleine: Thank you for a wonderful experience in Cayman. Your hospitality is impeccable and your attention to every detail in providing us with the comforts of home is exceptional. We regret having to leave; we shall return. Fondest memories..." D.K.&C.K., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (August 18, 2000)

• "Alain & Marleine: We have enjoyed our stay with you tremendously. It was like being at home. The snorkelling was great here. Your location is fantastic and everything is first rate, especially the meal we had with you - First Class cooking. We will definitely recommend you - but not to too many people!!! We want to keep this secret paradise our own. Fond regards..." N.B.,A.B.&A.B., Wallingford, Pennsylvania, USA (August 18, 2000)

• "(sigh) - 7 days gone and it is already time to head home. This being my 5th trip to Grand Cayman, it was wonderful having the Turtle Nest Inn to call our home...if only for a week. Probably no better place on the island to snorkel. This was Debbie's first trip to Cayman and she fell in love with this place. We will count the days till our next trip and will be sure to stay again at the Turtle Nest Inn. P.S. The two dogs sure made it feel like home." D.P.&D.L., Henderson, Texas, USA (August 17, 2000)

An ocean view from the pool, by Lisa Kramer and Gary Violette.

• "Staying at the Turtle Nest Inn on our first trip to the Caymans has been a wonderful experience for the four of us, my husband, myself, & our 2 kids, ages 9 & 12. You have a superb location, with some of the best snorkeling on the island, right off your beach! Including all the many colorful fish & fantastic coral, we also saw a stingray and some squid! Capt. Dexter's snorkeling trip was a great experience and holding a big ray in my arms was something I'll never forget! Your wonderful Caribbean dinner was delicious and memorable. The Turtle Nest is a wonderful place to stay and relax - although we saw most of the island, we felt so comfortable right here!" S.H.&G.H., Houston, Texas, USA (August 16, 2000)

• "The Turtle Nest Inn is a really cool place to stay & relax. Blackie & Tramp are so sweet. And it's neat that you have a beach & pool right in your backyard. I loved seeing the stingrays w/ Captain Dexter (although they were really huge)." Heather (aged 12), Houston, Texas, USA (August 16, 2000)

• "The Turtle Nest Inn is the coolest place to stay! The view from the balcony was really pretty. I thought the water was really clear! I think the beach was the best place to snorkel! I think Blackie and Tramp were really nice and cute. When we went to see the stingrays I thought they were really cute. When I touched them they were slimey and slippery. My mom got to feed and hold a big stingray. I thought the pool was really fun! We borrowed 4 movies called Titanic, LiarLiar, Forest Gump, and You've Got Mail. I thought LiarLiar and Forest Gump were funny. I thought Titanic was exciting and scary. I think I was too young to understand You've Got Mail but my sister Heather could understand it and liked it. I will miss the Turtle Nest Inn and I wish I could stay forever." Ryan (aged 9), Houston, Texas, USA (August 16, 2000)

Beautiful Cayman sunsets, captured by Kelly Williams and Harold Boothe (left), and by Todd Hagstette and Elise Marks (right).

• "Alain & Marleine: You helped make our first trip to Grand Cayman a memorable and delightful one. It was too bad that we weren't able to partake of a second delicious feast on Caribbean Night. You've definitely found the right tour guide for Stingray City - Capt. Dexter & he put us on to a charter that resulted in us landing a 36lb wahoo (Capt. Dallas). I hope that in a few years we'll be scuba certified and ready for a repeat! Regards..." J.P., G.P., J.P.&Z.P., Atlanta, Georgia, USA (August 16, 2000)

• "Dear Alain and Marleine: Thank you so much for making our honeymoon special. We enjoyed the inn, the food, the wonderful view from our (2nd) room, the snorkeling. Your sangria was magnifique! Many thanks, adios, adieu, goodbye." M.B.&B.B., Ames, Iowa, USA (August 15, 2000)

• "Alain & Marleine: Thank you so very much for making our last 2 days (on the island) so enjoyable and relaxing. You have a lovely Inn - we were just delighted. The view is absolutely magnificient and the accommodations were incredibly 'homey'. We would recommend your Inn to anyone in search of the perfect island getaway. Kindest regards..." B.B.&E.P., Washington, DC, USA (August 13, 2000)

Cloud formations over Grand Cayman, by Harold Boothe and Kelly Williams.

• "Marleine & Alain: Grand Cayman is a wonderful place to visit - and all the better for the Turtle Nest Inn. We are already planning on returning, and will of course stay @ TNI! The dinner was excellent - sorry we missed Indian! What can I say - perfect, elegant, authentic, convenient, good value, romantic location. Thank you!! We had the perfect honeymoon because of you." J.D.&J.P., Portland, Oregon, USA (August 13, 2000)

• "Our first trip - not our last!! Marleine & Alain, you've created a very comfortable, light, airy, feel in your apartments, which is perfect for an island getaway. Your terrace dinner was superb. More than anything - your friendliness and help in tour guiding was very much appreciated. Hope to see you again." T.W.&R.W., Aliso Viejo, California, USA (August 13, 2000)

• "Alain & Marleine: Our first trip to Cayman was made beautiful from your warmth and wonderful gifts of welcoming generosity. From our first night of truly amazing Indian food (and charming company!), to all of the small touches that made us feel at home - to our last night's meal at 'Smugglers Cove' - it was a most romantic and tranquil time - the perfect honeymoon! Extra special thanks for lending Henry your guitar so that he could serenade the surf from our balcony! Doreen - thank you for your excellent housekeeping and your beautiful singing! We hope to return one day to this corner of heaven...With the warmest of regards." T.H.&H.H., Nashua, New Hampshire, USA (August 11, 2000)

• "We visited our Cayman 'family' (Alain & Marleine!) for the second time this year. We had a wonderful time again. My kids, Taylor and Nicole, enjoyed the 'see thru' water, horseback riding, swimming with the stingrays, parasailing, waverunning, kayaking, snorkeling, etc. We hope to come back again some day. Thanks to Alain & Marleine for making our visit a wonderful experience again! We'll miss you guys and the Caymans." G.V.,N.V.,T.V.&L.K., Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA (August 10, 2000)

An underwater shot and a patio beach view, taken at the Inn by Elise Marks and Todd Hagstette.

• "We had a lovely time. You're gracious and wonderful hosts. Thanks so much & hopefully we will see you again soon." J.D.&M.D., Abilene, Texas, USA (August 10, 2000)

• "We had a most delightful stay, very peaceful, relaxing and beautiful. Thank you for making our 10th anniversary special and memorable. Enjoyed your kindness and hospitality. Hope to see you soon. Monette loved Blackie & Tramp!" T.L.,P.L.&M.L., Pasadena, California, USA (August 8, 2000)

• "We certainly enjoyed the rest. It was very peaceful & relaxing by the pool. Guests were very friendly and dinner was superb. When Karen is living here, will pop in and say hello." P.M.&K.M., London, England, UK (August 8, 2000)

• "Had a wonderful time! 2 weeks probably wasn't long enough...but! Enjoyed the pool & the gorgeous view. Thank you." I.P.&J.P., West Chicago, Illinois, USA (August 8, 2000)

• "We had a wonderful time & really enjoyed our honeymoon stay here. Thanks for the great dinner & for being so personal & friendly with us. I'm sure my parents will be staying here before long. Thanks for everything - we'll see you again someday." G.C.&C.C., San Antonio, Texas, USA (August 5, 2000)

• "You've created a sublime hideaway at Turtle Nest - your guests' enjoyment and satisfaction (obviously present in abundance) is eloquent testimony to your judgement and hospitality. Our stay at Turtle Nest Inn exceeded our expectations, which were high from the beginning. We'd read other guests' comments on your website and wondered how they could be so uniformly glowing. Now we know. You have created an ideal environment for people who seek to avoid hustle and bustle yet still desire comfort. As operators of a wonderful inn, you are available whenever there is a question that needs answering, but not in the least intrusive. There's an old world, small inn ambience to Turtle Nest that is due entirely to what the two of you have put into it. Thank you for providing the backdrop (heart and soul, too) for a memorable holiday. And, like so many others, we shall soon get about the business of planning our return. Be warned: we'll return! All good wishes..." R.M.&E.M., Emporia, Kansas, USA (August 3, 2000)

• "I had a great time! Thanks for everything. We will be back" P.M. Emporia, Kansas, USA (August 3, 2000)

• "Thanks 'y'all'! We had a lovely visit and look forward to our return in January. Dinner was excellent - thanks so much for letting us share your home." R.M.&S.M., Arkadelphia, Arkansas, USA (August 3, 2000)

A sunrise and a coconut tree, taken at Turtle Nest Inn by Todd Hagstette and Elise Marks.

• "Marleine et Alain: Ce qui m'a le plus impressionné à Grand Cayman, ce n'est pas le climat idéal, ni les falaises sous-marines abruptes ou encore les paysages époustouflants des sites de plongée encore vierges de la côte est..Mais plutôt la multitude des petits gestes que vous posez quotidiennement pour rendre le séjour de tous vos invités 'plus que parfait'. Merci Marleine d'avoir insisté pour nous faire découvrir 'Ocean Frontiers' et la plongée à l'est. Turtle Nest sera toujours notre port d'attache pour explorer ce magnifique paradis sous-marin. À la prochaine...P.S. Qui sait aurons-nous peut-être le privilège lors de notre prochain séjour d'aller plonger avec toi...et Alain peut-être?" C.D., Beaumont, Québec, Canada (le 3 août, 2000)

• (Translated from the French, above): "What impressed me most on Grand Cayman wasn't the ideal weather, nor the steep underwater walls or even the amazing landscape of the still virgin dive sites at East End...But rather the multitude of small things you do every day to make your guests' stay 'more than perfect'. Thanks Marleine for having insisted on us discovering Ocean Frontiers and East End diving. Turtle Nest will always be our port of registry when exploring this magnificient underwater paradise. See you next time...P.S. Who knows -- maybe we'll have the privilege of diving with you during our next stay...and maybe Alain, too?" C.D. Beaumont, Québec, Canada (August 3, 2000)

• "Chère Marleine et cher Alain: Non seulement avez-vous réussi à force de travail et d'imagination à faire pousser dans du sable une auberge hors du commun, ce qui est extraordinaire en soi, mais encore avez-vous su lui donner la vie en la dotant d'une âme, ce qui est hors du commun. Cette âme est un heureux melange de vous deux et le résultat est tout simplement charmant dans le vrai sens du terme. Longue vie au Turtle Nest Inn et à ses deux extraordinaires hôtes. Nous reviendrons, c'est certain! Très sincèrement..." L.A., Beaumont, Québec, Canada (le 3 août, 2000)

• (Translated from the French, above): "Dear Marleine and Alain: Not only has your work and imagination succeeded in growing an exceptional inn in the sand, which is outstanding in itself, but you also managed to give it life by endowing it with a soul, which is also exceptional. This soul is a happy blend of the two of you and the result is just simply charming in the real sense of the word. Long life to Turtle Nest Inn and to its two oustanding hosts. We'll definitely be back! Very sincerely..." L.A., Beaumont, Québec, Canada (August 3, 2000)