Did Hotel Cozumel just TRIPLE their rates??

[Scuba-74]

I'm planning to go to Cozumel in the end of November for the first time, so no first-hand knowledge of the area. Booked a flight about a month ago, and been taking my time looking for hotels, leaning towards Hotel Cozumel based on the reviews I was able to find.

When I first looked at the prices a month ago, a 5 night stay at Hotel Cozumel with all inclusive prepaid option came out at $420 for room and meals. Four days of 2 tank trips was $344, for a very reasonable total of $764 before tips and other accidental expenses.

When I looked at Hotel Cozumel booking site today, the all inclusive option for those same 5 nights is now $1279. There is also some kind of "opening special" that would give me the same room with breakfast only for $499.80, but I'm trying to compare apples to apples. Besides, I wasn't planning on going downtown for lunch/dinner every day.

I understand the hotel was recently purchased by Wyndham, but c'mon, tripling the prices for the same rooms overnight?! Really?!

Is anybody else is looking at the rates now? I still hope that I somehow misread the numbers or something, otherwise the SB would have exploded by now.....

Also, if I am reading the numbers right, what would be my next option that would put me in the same ballpark budget wise (up to $800 for dive/stay/food?). I don't care much for fancy accommodations, but would prefer a dive op at (or very close) to the hotel, and food either at the hotel or within walking distance. I remember reading about Blue Angel, Casa Mexicana, and Scuba Club Cozumel - any of them would fit the profile?

 

[ReefHound]

In my opinion, Hotel Cozumel was always the best AI "value" provided you could tolerate their food and perhaps a bit underpriced. But they are certainly not worth triple the price. However, it may not be fair to compare current price with some super low price specials thos past summer trying to lure tourists back. Not all hotels were playing the game but some were throwing out amazing prices. I saw Casa del Mar in August for $35/night. So your HC price of $420 for 5 nights was $84/nt AI and I've never seen it anywhere near that low before. Lesson here is to know typical prices and when you see a really great price you better book it quick.

Ancient history. Now you have to deal with current pricing. Blue Angel is really nice and I'd prefer it over HC. It's much smaller and right on the water. Not AI but you can put everything on your room and simulate AI. The restaurant is good and they have great happy hour special (2x$10 appetizers and 2x1 drinks). However it's going to cost more. Rooms are typically $110 or so per night plus tax and only include breakfast. Their dive shop is pricier than most but you can get picked up at the pier by others.

I can't speak to Scuba Club though it's likely to cost more as well. I don't think other ops can pick you up there. Casa Mexicana is nice but in town and you'll have to make your own arrangements for diving and to get to a pier or marina. CM includes a nice breakfast but your Some ops will pick up at a nearby pier and some will transport you to marina. Rooms are typically $70-80 per night.

Our last three trips have been diving with Roberta's Scuba Shack and staying at her place across the street Village TanKah. We love the convenience of everything in one place, room steps from shop, gear lockers, rinse tanks, free shore dives, super friendly people. Typical rooms are about $80 and dive trips about the same. Our 7-night 5-trip packages are usually around $600 per person. Your on your own for food aside from a free continental breakfast. The drawback is it's too far to walk to town and there are only a few restaurants in the area. We could do Coz cheaper but this place maximizes our relaxation time.

 

[ReefHound]

In the post above, where I've given prices they are typical prices in the past. We are in uncertain times and businesses are struggling to deal with them. You may find crazy low prices pop up one day and super high prices the next. You just have to check continuously and not go by what someone found last month or even last week. Ultimately, our trips are usually determined by airfare. The variance in airfare outstrips any variance in hotel pricing. We pick the dates based on best airfare then look for best hotel.

 

[DandyDon]

I'm planning to go to Cozumel in the end of November

That could be your first problem wanting to go at the start of the Holiday Season. Rates do vary a lot, changes often with the chaos in the industry, and mistakes get loaded onto sites. I see that Hotels.com offers room & breakfast for two for $84/night or $290/night with no explanation of what one might get at the higher rate?! Agoda.com offers the rooms at $71/night but I don't that site so I'd call Hotels.com and ask them to match the price, which they guarantee to do.

When I first looked at the prices a month ago, a 5 night stay at Hotel Cozumel with all inclusive prepaid option came out at $420 for room and meals.

How many people? AI costs more for two than one, so exact dates and exact numbers affect outcomes. I looked at the last five days in November but you may have other dates in mind.

Four days of 2 tank trips was $344

I wouldn't dive with them on slow cattle boats. There are many better Ops. I have my favorite, but you didn't ask about that.

 

[Illini_Fan]

We booked four nights the week of Thanksgiving (leaving CZM on Wednesday the day before Thanksgiving) with the breakfast only option for roughly $100 per night. There were a couple of deals through some obscure booking sights that would have allowed a rate closer to $85, but most of those had really lousy reviews and I wasn't willing to take the risk. I booked the hotel through the relationship 3P has with them, so I'm confident that there won't be an issue.

 

[Scuba-74]

Ultimately, our trips are usually determined by airfare. The variance in airfare outstrips any variance in hotel pricing. We pick the dates based on best airfare then look for best hotel.

Thank you for the tips! That’s exactly what I’m trying to do too. Except I didn’t expect this much of a difference in prices for the same dates. Unfortunately, I hear HC was purchased by Wyndham, they completely changed the booking portion of their website, and jacked up the rates unreasonably high.

 

[Scuba-74]

That could be your first problem wanting to go at the start of the Holiday Season. Rates do vary a lot, changes often with the chaos in the industry, and mistakes get loaded onto sites. I see that Hotels.com offers room & breakfast for two for $84/night or $290/night with no explanation of what one might get at the higher rate?! Agoda.com offers the rooms at $71/night but I don't that site so I'd call Hotels.com and ask them to match the price, which they guarantee to do.


How many people? AI costs more for two than one, so exact dates and exact numbers affect outcomes. I looked at the last five days in November but you may have other dates in mind.


I wouldn't dive with them on my slow cattle boats. There are many better Ops. I have my favorite, but you didn't ask about that.

That’s one thing I haven’t done - look for 3d party sites. Just went on HC site. The rates I checked were for one person.

It bugs me that I didn’t book back in September, although a buddy just returned from there, and he mentioned that there were some issues with signing up on a boat because his reservation was pre-Wyndham.

 

[Kimela]

We like ScubaClubCozumel better - except for the hard beds. Better food, better boats, better food. I'd see if they're open when you want to go. I hope HotCoz becoming Wyndham and tripling their prices does cause ScubaClub to do the same.

 

[DandyDon]

We booked four nights the week of Thanksgiving (leaving CZM on Wednesday the day before Thanksgiving) with the breakfast only option for roughly $100 per night. There were a couple of deals through some obscure booking sights that would have allowed a rate closer to $85, but most of those had really lousy reviews and I wasn't willing to take the risk. I booked the hotel through the relationship 3P has with them, so I'm confident that there won't be an issue.

Hotels.com is certainly not an obscure site.

That’s one thing I haven’t done - look for 3d party sites. Just went on HC site. The rates I checked were for one person.

Well, that's one of the rewards of the internet aside from fake news and such.

There does seem to be changes in progress tho. Now I cannot find this hotel on Hotels.com or Kayak. I think I'd wait for the dust to settle.

 

[Illini_Fan]

Hotels.com is certainly not an obscure site.

No idea why you referenced Hotels.com when using my post for a quote. I didn't make any mention of that site, so not sure what you are referencing with this reply.