When it comes to staycation, thoughts usually turn to the east. What the people who live in East End do I don’t know – maybe on that side of the Island it is staycation every day, but I doubt it.

A personal favourite has always been the Reef Resort, which it seems started pushing the staycation concept before the word became popular.

As a result I have been fortunate enough to be a guest there on numerous occasions. And with no passport needed, no queues at the airport, and no immigration with their intrusive questions about what you are doing there and why they should let you in, it is far more relaxing than trying to get off the Island.

From the all ocean front rooms to the seemingly endless stretch of beach, the resort is the perfect place to unwind. The fun approach to everything at the resort helps as well – you can leave your worries at the door.

With studio apartments featuring a kitchenette and the one and two bedroom suites offering full kitchens, you can cook your own dinner if you want, but since you are on a staycation, might as well sample the lunch menu at the beach bar, or dinner at Pelican’s Reef.

The Rusty Pelican beach bar is a favourite with locals and visitors alike, and is a great place to sit and relax and enjoy a casual lunch or dinner and one of the famous frozen mudslides or other tasty frozen concoctions.

The Pelican’s Reef offers guests and visitors a fine dining experience specialising in continental, American, Caymanian, and Asian cuisine. Of course everyone’s favourite Barefoot Man performs every Tuesday and Thursday inside the Pelican’s Reef.

The resort also boasts other local entertainment throughout the week, including DJ JR Douglas and karaoke with Vicki Wheaton.

There are also ever more restaurants making their home in the Eastern Districts, so a staycation is the perfect opportunity to explore the dining delights offered by Kaibo, Rum Point or East End.

As every room features either a patio or a balcony looking out over the beach and the ocean, you can just sit back with a good book, or even a bad book if you so choose, as nothing is likely to spoil the experience. Due to the expansive stretch of beach on which the resort is positioned, it never feels crowded either, unlike many other resorts where you spend half your day fighting to keep your place on the beach.

If sitting on your balcony staring at the ocean is not enough to help you relax, or you just need to go from relaxed to blissfully ignorant of the world around you, the Le Soleil Spa is also worth a visit.

Then when all the relaxation gets too much (does it ever?) you can always indulge in a bit of watersports, with White Sands Watersports offering options from water hammocks and snorkelling tours to more vigorous activities like paddle boarding, kayaks and even windsurfing – whatever takes your fancy.

Rates start at $95 per night for a beach front studio, as all of them are, while families can stay for only $25 more, as the one bedroom units are $120 and sleep four with two Murphy beds in the living room in addition to the king sized bed in the bedroom.

For more information call 640-0100 or
visitthereef.com.