Let's talk cheap (or cheap-ish) in-town hotels

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Yeah, I wouldn't want to be out in Coz after midnight, but in Houston - never after dark.
 
Well, in Houston I carry that is a no-no in Cozumel.
 
I don't believe safety is any issue, anywhere in Cozumel. That is not the chamber of commerce speaking but me who has lived here, and League City TX for 20 years. Crime against tourists is just a cultural NO-NO.


Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers (and League City)
 
Crimes do happen on Coz of course, mainland drug gangs shoot each other up there at times, but generally - as long as your home by midnight in preparation for diving the next morning, you're pretty much immune. Thefts in rooms are extremely rare, so much that you have to leave a note with the maid tip or she won't take the cash left for her. The taxis will overcharge you but most are nice about it, sticking with union rates usually, and the time share crooks are easy to avoid.
 
Crimes do happen on Coz of course, mainland drug gangs shoot each other up there at times, but generally - as long as your home by midnight in preparation for diving the next morning, you're pretty much immune. Thefts in rooms are extremely rare, so much that you have to leave a note with the maid tip or she won't take the cash left for her. The taxis will overcharge you but most are nice about it, sticking with union rates usually, and the time share crooks are easy to avoid.
Don't forget the biggest crooks on the island, the guys pumping gas at the Pemex stations. They'll rob you blind if you're not careful and they have the gall to do it in broad daylight.

But besides the blatant thievery, I agree with Dave. Cozumel relies on tourism for most of its revenues so anything that adversely affects tourism is bad juju. If there were any gangsters mugging tourists, they'd be run out of town by a mob of hotel and dive op staff bearing pitchforks, or more likely quietly dismembered and fed to the fish.

---------- Post added April 25th, 2013 at 03:02 PM ----------

Well, in Houston I carry that is a no-no in Cozumel.
Carry what, your wetsuit?
 
I like a little charm and/or character when possible. Glad to hear Vista del Mar has refrigerators--water views and cold beverages are a good combo.
I stayed in an ocean view room at Vista del Mar the first time I visited Cozumel, and loved the rooms there. They're not very big but very charming, with little touches such as shell decorations, little stone mosaic in the shower, etc. Staff was really sweet and helpful, balcony great for ocean/people watching. There's a refrigerator as well as a safe in the room. Also a tiny pool on a little terrace outback. Breakfast included and served in your room. Was nothing to rave about but that may have changed.
For me, the downside was the noise (from cruise ship people during the day and traffic until about 11 pm), as I always sleep with the window open and don't like AC (which they had, but I seldom used it).
I would gladly have stayed there longer if I could have afforded it.
Here's a pic from the room : IMG_0048.jpg

The time share crooks are easy to avoid.
One of the advantages of staying in a local hotel is that you won't cross path with a time share crook. Except maybe at the airport.
 
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I'm another fan of Hotel Plaza Cozumel. Stayed there the last few times on La Isla (same room each time :) Booking a package on Orbitz with the discount code has gotten me there for as low as $30 a night, just got a quote from the Hotel via email (very prompt response) for $51. Breakfast is nice, a bit limited, but I lately sometimes have black beans and scrambled eggs at home to remind me of where I'd rather be :wink: Breakfast is usually served beside the rooftop pool, so the ambiance more than makes up for any shortcomings in the menu. They always have fruit, and many items from the bakery next door. Staff keeps the rooms immaculately clean, they are very nice, their English is better than my Spanish, and if you want a refrigerator, just ask, no charge, and it will be in the room before you are. As far as safety is concerned, one time I looked out my window and the whole parking area was filled with Federale vehicles, including an armored assault vehicle.... seems El Presidente was at his place north of town, and the Presidential Guard was staying at the Plaza... they were all very nice, and I felt very safe with most of the guns in Cozumel joining me for breakfast :wink:

Feds.jpg
 
It's going to be hard to decide--so many good options, from the cute B&Bs to some of the others. I've got to say, the Vista del Mar looks charming. I know both it and Casa Mexicana are a little less "cheap-ish" than I was envisioning, but we could end up getting swayed by those balconies.

As far as the safety thing that seems to come up so often, I tend to think that problems involving crime (property or otherwise) against tourists is rare, random and pretty much unrelated to whether one stays high end or low end. As far as things that might happen to you or your stuff inside a hotel room, choosing a place that's smaller and owner-managed seems to me like it would generally be a good thing.

This begs another question. Does Cozumel even have "bad" neighborhoods that are known for high crime? We live in Chicago. The bar would have to be relatively high.
 

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