By Alexander Britell

Photos by Guy Britton

GRAND CAYMAN — The sand. How soft it is when you step into the water. The waves are calm. The water is warm. There are turtles and manta rays right there near the shore. And then there are the sunsets.

These are some of the reasons why Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach is one of the greatest in the Caribbean and the world.

And right at the beach’s widest point is the Westin Grand Cayman, a perfect place to enjoy the wonders of this spectacular point of sand.

Most great Caribbean vacations begin and end with the beach, and beach resorts don’t come better equipped than this. Because the Westin Grand Cayman is a Grand Cayman institution as much as a hotel, a landmark on this famous strip of beach.

And what a beach it is, calling to you the minute you arrive, beckoning you to grab a towel and make a beeline to the sand.

But the service and management are terrific, too.

That extends to all the details, from the espresso at Cafe Soleil to the 7,000-square-foot Hibiscus Spa.

And then there’s the Catboat Bar, home to a great little (and growing) rum collection, from Havana Club to Atlantico to Abuelo; the eateries like Beach House and Ferdinand’s.

But it’s really all about the beach, the thing that draws you in day after day, paddle boarding or sailing or simply bobbing in the water or waiting for the sunset.

And then doing the same exact thing the next day.