Barry Goode:
I've only been to GCM on a cruise. I'd like to go & stay there for diving this April.
All the hotels on 7 mile beach look ultra expensive.
Any ideas for economy lodgings on Grand Cayman?
Economy + Grand Cayman ??? = (insert joke here)
OK, it really is relative and there are ways to stretch your budget in Cayman. Here are a few strategies.
Timeshare owners cannot always use their units and sometimes you can rent a week from an owner at a good rate. Works best if your dates are flexible. If you can wait until the last minute, occasionally incredible deals can be had. Do an internet search on timeshare + cayman and you should find a few hits.
Getting around on Cayman doesn't exactly seem cheap. Taxi fares can cut into a budget, but there is a basic public bus system. Otherwise several car rental companies offer discounts for booking over the internet. You may not want or need a car for your entire stay, but cab fare to or from the airport may be almost as much as renting for the entire day. I'd rent at least one day when you arrive making it easier to scope things out and make a grocery stop. Check out local names for car rental (Andy's, Coconut, Marshall, McCurley's, etc...) in addition to the familiar franchise names from the States.
Package deals with accomodations plus rental car can be a good deal. Similarly you may find packages with accomodation plus diving. A few places offer unlimited shore diving with a boat diving package. While trying out several dive operators can be fun, you will usually get a better rate on boat diving by booking a package with a single operator. Some will provide ground transportation to their boats if you aren't staying on site.
Accomodations with at least some basic kitchen facilities (even if it's just a microwave and fridge) can make it easy to save some cash by eating in for breakfasts and some lunches. Grand Cayman has a lot of great restaurants so plan to eat out some, but a box of Corn Flakes and half gallon of milk can cover quite a few breakfasts cheap.