Southern Cross Club

So lucky we discoverex this jewel in the crown on Little Cayman. The Southern Cross Club is run by the most friendliest staff we've ever met. This is one of the most laid back, beautiful hotels we have come across. The beach bungalows are extremely tastefully decorated with the comfiest beds, coffee machines, fluffy towels and cosy armchairs can also be found in the rooms. We were on a full board basis and tbe food each day was increxibld with a great choice for every palette. The bar was expertly run witb a superb choice of wines, beers and cocktails. We took bikes out most days ehich are complementary for hotel guests. Diving is a big activity here but tberes a beautiful pool and lots of sunbeds and hammocks on the sandy beach and pool area. Its a small resort so by day 2 you already know everyones name which gives the hotel that family feel. We can't wait to come back!! 10/10 from us!!

Second time we have stayed and wow what a mini vacation. We enjoyed it so much we decided to stay an extra night . From being picked up from the airport , to long chats and drinks with the owner Peter we had such an amazing time. Room 4 was stunning , quiet and extremely private despite having a room next to us . The facilities were close by and the chilled out vibe made you feel relaxed straight away . What makes this place extra special are the staff and the food . From buffet breakfasts and lunch to Ala Carte Dinner the food was extra ordinarily excellent . We are already planning our next trip . Little Cayman is unspoilt and one of a kind .

This trip was to help celebrate rate the 30th anniversary of Peter Hillenbrand owning the resort. I would like to say it was a special week with extraordinary activities, food, and attention to detail. It was a great week but everything was just a thorough as it has been every other time we have been there. This was our 15th visit. Peter and Jen (the GM) have assembled an extraordinary team. The food, the diving, the rooms, are all the best. Better than all of this are the people. They make us feel at home and “part of the family”. Being at SCC s our best week of the year.

The Southern Cross Club continues to shine as an example of what a resort should strive for. With a strong repeat customer base, they are known for excellent diving (Bloody Bay) and a brilliant dive operation, outstanding food, and above all, customer service. Located right on the beach in Little Cayman, you can sit outside of your bungalow and stare at turquoise water. The rooms are immaculate and the towels plentiful and fluffy. And although Little Cayman is not a place for those seeking night life, it is the PERFECT retreat to relax, dive, swim in their pool, and just plain unwind. We've been 5 times and will be back!! Thank you Southern Cross Club!

Southern Cross offers a wonderful dive experience, comfortable rooms, great staff who have lots of experience, and outstanding food and service.|Located on a small island so it is quiet and scenic. It has one of the best history of return guest visits in the Caribbean. The dive staff is committed to providing lots of help for a great experience. Bloody Bay Wall is one of the premier dive sites.

(Edited to add a "not")|The view is amazing. The dive operation is well run and the dive masters are great. Kudos to Ana, Phil (Fillipo), Sherry and Abi. Mike does a great briefing but seems at times to be on a mission underwater and hurries through the dive. Saw a hammer head and several turtles. The viz is amazing. The desserts were good.||The bad. (Keep in mind we paid about $1,000 a night)|The diving itself is average to ho-hum. There was a bleaching event in 2023 and the reef was decimated. Lots of dead coral, not many healthy soft corals. Not much macro. Some schooling fish. The staff and patrons get excited to see a lobster.........Every dive is a 30 to 40 minute boat ride. The staff hoses off your equipment at the end of the day, I prefer the equipment get a good dunking in a tank. They do have a small BCD dunk tank that was always full of rental gear. The camera tank on the boat is a cooler that often did not have enough water in it to cover the cameras.||I know they are recovering from the hurricane, but the room furnishings are a little beat up, it is a mystery as how to keep the spring loaded drawers closed, the bathroom always smelled of sewer gas. The entire room could use a coat of paint. Nail heads are sticking up on the deck and dock high enough that going barefoot takes some careful walking.||I know they brag about being "unplugged". But that should be my decision. Put up a couple repeaters so I don't need to go to the clubhouse for wifi.||The staff tries too hard to be helpful to the point they are intrusive. I would have loved to have a lunch where I was not chatted up with staff asking if there was anything I needed. A breakfast where the chef didn't visit my table.||The food offered very limited choices. Lunch one day was BBQ chicken drumsticks, soggy corn on the cob, and turkey salad. Breakfast had made to order eggs or you could get the cook to make you pancakes or French toast.Fruit and yogurt was available. For dinner I ordered a tuna steak prepared to the chef's recommendation, it was done medium-well. The vegetables with dinner were typically stringy or woody.||Lots of people there were multiple year repeat customers. If the reef recovers and I am still diving then, I would return to Little Cayman, but not Southern Cross.

If you look at the most recent worst reviews to judge a place like I do, let me assure you, ignore the May 2025 guy! I admit- the review worried me but I can assure you, the resort is amazing. We got married at SCC 20 years ago on Owen Island and decided to bring our 11 and 14 year old children back. Thankfully, due to building challenges, Little Cayman remains much the same and hasn’t been ruined by fancy, big name chain resorts or cruise ships. Although an easy flight from Grand Cayman, it’s largely unknown. ||Southern Cross is a casual old school island dive and fishing resort. It’s low key and unassuming. All the staff go out of their way to make sure you have what you need and enjoy your time there. The rooms are well appointed but it’s not the Ritz…and no one goes there expecting (or wanting) the Ritz experience. It’s true there is no WiFi in the rooms but it’s actually nice to be forced off electronics. WiFi is good in the lobby for those times you need to work, The food is home cooked, varies daily and staff is extremely accommodating. The grounds are well maintained and I didn’t have to “dodge any nailheads” the entire week 🙄. The diving is still some of the best in the world. Staff was fantastic and easily adjusted to divers of all levels- including our newly certified 11yr old daughter. We saw tons of fish of all stages, beautiful turtles on most dives and a few juvenile sharks- even seahorses! The bone fishing is challenging and the guide is also world class. Our 14yr son had the time of his life catching bone fish on fly. ||As a side note… we had to reschedule a few days before our first scheduled arrival in June due to an unforeseen hospital stay. Adrian was 100% amazing about helping us reschedule, no issues, no questions. ||We definitely plan on returning soon.

This is an accumulative gushing of love and appreciation and amazement over how great a diving vacation can be. I kick off my shoes the minute we arrive, and they don't go back on until we depart. |Food: |The food is varied and delicious. The themed nights (like Indian night, Mexican night, and Pasta night) make it super fun, too! The chefs do an excellent job dealing with two of our party who are lactose intolerant, and one of us who doesn't eat red meat. Every meal was correctly prepared for the correct person. (Better accuracy than our luggage handling experience at all of the airports we went through). I thank whoever makes the delicious variety of cookies - I blame any weight gain on them! Sooooo good! |Rooms: |The rooms we have stayed in over the years have all been wonderful. They are clean and thoughtfully appointed. The AC is individual to each room. There is a very sturdy drying rack, WITH CLOTHESPINS, for each room. We love the (indoor and) outdoor showers. A delightful coffee station, plus a small fridge in each room. The bed was comfy and the pillows were just right for my picky self. |Diving: |The Southern Cross Club dive operation sets our standard for how we rate other dive shops. |High marks for safety! |High marks for educational briefings! |And super high marks for the crew's attentiveness and caring! |Mike, Sherry, Fillipo, Anna, Abhishake, and Pete, (including Michelle and David who we borrowed upon occasion), have always delivered a superior dive. They find the most astoundingly small things, and really hard to spot things. And have the uncanny ability to turn around and immediately point out a turtle or a shark out in the deep blue. We always get back on the boat with a list of amazing things we saw. Our kids have just gotten into diving, and the crew makes them feel confident and comfortable instead of nervous and insecure - how do you put a price on that? |Resort: |This beach front resort is lovely and offers a lot of quiet solitude and other activities like biking and kayaking if you don't dive. |Jen and Renita keep things running smoothly. We appreciate having them pop by our table during lunch to check up on anything we may need to make our stay more pleasant. We are impressed that anything we've requested has received prompt attention. |Javi and Brolinn and Jash made sure our drinks were perfect and kept us thirsty bar patrons happy. |Packing: |I read reviews for helpful tips on what to wear so I can pack efficiently. Here's my two cent's worth: I pack two hats with a chin strap, one for off-boat and on for on-boat, because baseball caps will blow off. Five or six swimsuits. If you dive the morning, afternoon and dusk dive, you'll go through a minimum of three suits in one day. If you do it again the next day, you'll need a total of six. Foam padding takes longer than 24 hours to fully dry. Two (or more) cover-ups. Four rash guards (Sharkskin is my favorite; not cold and clammy!). Flip flops or water shoes for the hot deck and dock. I personally go barefoot the entire time. I pack cotton, rayon, viscose, bamboo and linen. The breeze will have you eating your hair - braids, buns, ponytails and hats saved the day. |Lots of hair conditioner. Reef Safe sunscreen. Polarized sunglasses (two pair; one for boat, one for off-boat). Insulated drink mug keeps my ice from melting and the condensation from dripping on me. We traveled in May, the weather was warm-hot (82 - 86 degrees), so I didn't need a sweater except for the airplane and airports. |This is a place to unplug, relax and dive. |My spouse would have written a much shorter review: |We've traveled as a couple and as a family. Southern Cross Club delivers a wonderful diving experience and a chance to unplug and recharge.