Grand Cayman guesthouse Eldemire’s is celebrating its 35th anniversary of operations this year.
“It is unreal to me that we have been doing it so long,” said Carol ‘Tootie’ Eldemire.
“My mum started it 35 years ago after my dad died. It was her home, she started taking people in and it has grown to be a 13-room hotel now. It was the first tourist guest house in Cayman at the time. When I took over after my mum died in 1999 I decided I was going to make it look more tropical and painted it very bright.
“Some of the interior is very tropical and Mexican-looking almost like the bedspreads in the rooms which are very bright and airy. I put in a swimming pool, a deck and a gazebo, too,” Ms Eldemire said.
Cayman changes
Cayman also has changed since 1977, added the hotelier.
“In the 70s there was not a lot going on; tourism was on the brink of starting at that time then it really picked up in the 80s. The main advertising we used to do was through the Department of Tourism at the time, as well as word of mouth from people who stayed here,” she said.
“I have had almost every nationality here, but of course the main guests come from the United States. I’ve had doctors, lawyers and quite a few businessmen as well as local businesses putting up staff who are just coming in to the island or visiting for a week. I also get a lot of church and dive groups.
“The vast majority of comments are so positive – they ask if we realise we are living in paradise and that it is a little gem. I get a lot of those comments,” Ms. Eldemire said.
Most guests rent a car to explore the island, which the hotelier encourages. She said that she tells people they must see East End or Rum Point to get the full experience.
Keys to longevity
The keys to longevity in the industry are flexibility and friendliness, she said.
“Being cordial to guests; driving to the supermarket with them to pick up groceries. Being kind and helpful goes a long way – people write back and say that it made their stay very enjoyable.
“Tourism in Cayman worries me a bit; throughout the years I have seen the big hotels and condos, right from the days they started discovering Cayman, the rates are far too high. They attract the wealthy people but we do not have lakes and mountains, we have the sea. But a small place like myself, I can hold in the economic conditions because I have the flexibility to do whatever I want to do.” The guest house has also bolstered its recycling initiatives, having recycled aluminium cans for years.
“Now I take the bottles too to Camana Bay. At the guest house we do not use chemicals; floors are mopped with vinegar, I use peroxide and very rarely bleach only if I have to. Almost everything is natural and I use no sprays at all in the yard which is why I have so many butterflies and birds. I am an environmentalist,” Ms Eldemire said.
Related Videos
