With the reopening of Paradise Villas in Little Cayman last week, the famous lyrics of the rock band, The Who, come to mind: “Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.”
Prior to its summer closing in July, the owner of the property – Dart’s subsidiary, Active Capital Ltd. – announced it was ceding operational control to a third party. Active Capital Ltd., a Dart company, announced on 23 May that it has engaged in discussions with a third party to take control of the operations of Paradise Villas. That third party turned out to be Little Cayman Property Management, a company owned by Marc Pothier, who along with his wife Sabine, are the long-time management team of Paradise Villas.
As a result, when property officially reopened on 6 Nov., very little has changed from the time it closed in July. The management team is the same, the on-site Hungry Iguana restaurant team is the same and they’re serving the same great Indian curries. The housekeeping team is the same and the 12 oceanfront cottages are all the same. Even the many Cayman curly-tailed lizards and hermit crabs that patrol the property’s grounds are seemingly the same.
“We didn’t feel like we needed to make any big changes,” said Pothier. “Paradise Villas offers a unique style of accommodation that doesn’t exist elsewhere on the island. We are trying to preserve the feeling of Little Cayman, one that’s casual and stress-free.”
After being closed for almost four months, the Hungry Iguana reopened on 6 Nov, – albeit with a limited menu. That didn’t stop a good portion of Little Cayman’s permanent population from coming out to enjoy the social aspect of the reopening.
Opening weekend was very busy at the Hungry Iguana as it always is,” said Pothier. “We hope that this continues throughout this new season.”
Located in between the Little Cayman Airport and the Blossom Village shopping centre – which includes the Village Square Supermarket and Village Liquors – and a short walk from the Seahorse Boutique and Coffee Shop, the National Trust Visitors Centre Gift Shop and the Little Cayman Museum – Paradise Villas is as convenient as it gets in Little Cayman.
Whether a visitor goes there for the best diving in the Cayman Islands, nature photography or just to relax in place that counts its permanent population at fewer than 200 people, Little Cayman remains a one-of-a-kind vacation experience.
Unlike most properties in Little Cayman, Paradise Villas allows one-night stays and because each cottage has a little kitchenette, guests can buy or bring groceries and eat some or all of their meals without going out – although Hungry Iguana beckons only steps away.
For those who loved Paradise Villas for its laidback charm, they’ll happily find that that despite the new management company, virtually nothing has changed.
“We are looking forward to seeing our patrons from Grand Cayman again this coming season and we encourage anyone that has not been to Little Cayman yet to plan a visit soon,” Pothier said. “Once you make your first visit, you will most likely decide to come back here again and again.”
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