Personally, I don't do AI on Cozumel. Nothing against AIs in general - I wouldn't do anything else on Jamaica or DR. But Cozumel is different - very, very safe, very friendly people, and a real wealth of very good restaurants. AIs in general can be very iffy about food; some very good, some mediocre, others just plain awful. With a captive audience, sometimes apathy sets in. The only time I've stayed at an AI on Cozumel (and I've been going there for 25 years now, because I really love the place) was at Hotel Cozumel. Like Dandy Don said, nice hotel, close to town, no real beach, but a sandy area on the water. I like the Hotel Cozumel, nice rooms, comfortable beds, HUGE pool area, and good location. But, IMHO, the food was TERRIBLE. I'm not a drinker, so there's no way I'm going to get my money's worth at the bar (though when I was there for the Scuba Board Cozumel Invasion, there were a number of Scuba Boarders who were making a very valiant effort to get their money's worth at the bar!), so, while I would stay at Hotel Cozumel again, I would NOT do the AI option. I'd eat breakfast there, then walk into town for lunches and dinners. Dive Op at Hotel Cozumel is Dive Paradise. Not my first (or second, third, or fourth) choice, but a competent operator, and I'd use them if I got a real good package deal price, BUT BE CAREFUL - I understand from a recent post here that Dive Paradise runs two different kinds of dive excursions, one for experienced divers that go to all the Southern reefs, and a cattle boat operation that only goes to the close in shallow reefs, which is cheaper. I'd make them confirm that you are going to be on the "good divers" boats before signing up for a cheap package deal. If it were me, I'd likely use another Dive Op - Aldora, Blue XTSea, Tres Pelicanos, Dive with Allison, etc. - lots of very good Dive Ops on Cozumel, and most will pick you up at the pier of whatever hotel you're staying at.
