Don I know there's some truth to that, but the reality is that the prices are not really that high at the Palace! Less than the Presidente - and you get food and booze, and tours. I know that in the end I'm paying for the food/booze/tours, but the fact that it's included just makes it that much more convenient...and less irritating when you don't gotta pull out the plastic for everything you wanna do. I know my Mom, and if I have to pay individually for her tours she'll try to talk me out of spending the money. If it's included, she'll use 'em, and she LOVES that kind of stuff.
That's how I saw it. It's a lot to pay for a hotel room, but it's a very nice room, nicer than the Presidente IMO (though we stayed there over 10 years ago so my experience is dated). When you consider all the added perks, which otherwise quickly add up a la carte, it becomes a very good deal for the higher-end experience. It's not just three meals a day, but they always have guacamole and chips (and nacho cheese sauce, J's downfall) available to go along with your margarita. Not the watered-down drinks in plastic cups like other AIs, but fancy fruit margaritas and pina coladas and even flaming coffee drinks (my downfall) made with premium booze, all "on the house". Cozumel has grown pricier over the years and, while there are excellent bargain meals and drinks to be found, there are also plenty of overpriced tourist joints where bar and food tabs can be steep. I tend to live it up on vacation. For drinks and wine and three meals a day, we'd easily be spending in excess of $200 a day. When I subtract that from the room rate, that very nice room becomes an excellent deal. Throw in the snacks, 24-hour room service, the shows, and the $1,500 in credits, plus included wifi and phone calls to the US and Canada, and it's like getting the room for free.
OK, enough cheerleading from me if you're already sold on the place. I should get a commission! No, I do not have any financial ties to Cozumel Palace, nor am I even one of their members. Actually there is one negative about the Palace, frequently noted in TripAdvisor reports: at some point they will try to sell you a membership, usually drawing you in as part of a guest survey ruse, but it wasn't a hard sell at all and we were left alone after declining once. If you can survive the time share shills upon arrival at the Cozumel airport, you'll have no problem declining the Palace offer. It's a Mexican thing, I guess, as we've been subjected to the same or similar elsewhere in the country (I remember they were very persistent at the the Sheraton in Cabo for instance, it's nothing like that at the Palace).
But you're right about not having to carry cash or deal with plastic. It's nice not even worrying about signing for a bill. No wait at the end of the meal when you've finished your dessert and coffee, just walk out with a wave to your waiter. Even if you plan on dining out most nights, give the Palace restaurants a try for dinner at least once or twice as they are pretty darn good for "free" food, definitely as good or better than some of the overpriced touristy spots in town.
