Accomodations near Fonatur?

[Andy Ralph]

Planning to dive with Martin. They are leaving out of Fonatur now (due to COVID). Was looking at staying in town for proximity to restaurants (and was an easy bike ride to Martin's regular shop), but that's likely out unless I want to rent a car or take a cab back and forth each day. I prefer to book Airbnb/VRBO as opposed to hotels. Anything near Fonatur that can be recommended? Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and plant to stay in Central and rent a car? Or perhaps book with a dive Op that is closer to town.

This isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

 

[ggunn]

Planning to dive with Martin. They are leaving out of Fonatur now (due to COVID). Was looking at staying in town for proximity to restaurants (and was an easy bike ride to Martin's regular shop), but that's likely out unless I want to rent a car or take a cab back and forth each day. I prefer to book Airbnb/VRBO as opposed to hotels. Anything near Fonatur that can be recommended? Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and plant to stay in Central and rent a car? Or perhaps book with a dive Op that is closer to town.

This isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

The only hotel close to the Fonatur Marina is the Presidente Intercontinental Hotel. It's on the other side of the Caleta marina from the Fonatur.

 

[DeltaWardog]

This is the tradeoff with Cozumel. Stay in the south for easy diving, but you have to travel for restaurants / groceries / bars / etc, or stay in town for easy everything else but now you have to travel to the marina every day for diving.

After many trips I decided staying in the south was usually better. It's quieter, which I like, but most importantly, I dive every day I'm there with a single day for a break in the middle of the trip. I do not go to town every day.

That's also the reason I rent a car and take my chances with driving. I don't like having to depend on a taxi to get to my diving on time if I stay in town. And if I stay south, now I can go to any restaurant I want whenever I want, or for a grocery run whenever the sandwiches and cervezas run low!

 

[ggunn]

This is the tradeoff with Cozumel. Stay in the south for easy diving, but you have to travel for restaurants / groceries / bars / etc, or stay in town for easy everything else but now you have to travel to the marina every day for diving.

After many trips I decided staying in the south was usually better. It's quieter, which I like, but most importantly, I dive every day I'm there with a single day for a break in the middle of the trip. I do not go to town every day.

That's also the reason I rent a car and take my chances with driving. I don't like having to depend on a taxi to get to my diving on time if I stay in town. And if I stay south, now I can go to any restaurant I want whenever I want, or for a grocery run whenever the sandwiches and cervezas run low!

Another option in that tradeoff is to stay at a hotel south of town but close in, e.g., Blue Angel, Scuba Club Cozumel, Villablanca, Hotel Cozumel, etc. Boats pick you up at or very near the hotel (no need to go to the marina), cab rides to restaurants are cheap, and cabs run up and down Melgar in front of the hotels all day and into the night. There is no need to rent a car. We stay at Blue Angel and it works very well for us.

 

[gopbroek]

A cab from El Centro (downtown) is $110 MXN (currently $5.33 USD). Odds are on the way back from the marina you could find someone to double up. Just make sure you all get out at the same place. The taxi's consider each stop a seperate trip. If they drop one person at Chedraui and another at Casa Mexicana they will want $110 for each 'trip'. Have never agreed with it, but it is what it is.

 

[ReefHound]

Another option in that tradeoff is to stay at a hotel south of town but close in, e.g., Blue Angel, Scuba Club Cozumel, Villablanca, Hotel Cozumel, etc. Boats pick you up at or very near the hotel (no need to go to the marina), cab rides to restaurants are cheap, and cabs run up and down Melgar in front of the hotels all day and into the night. There is no need to rent a car. We stay at Blue Angel and it works very well for us.

Normally, when we have used DWM they have picked us up at BA and went as far as Coz Palace for divers but OP said right now they are not doing that, just leaving from marina. Which is surprising as that would seem to cost a lot of business to me. TresP runs from the marina but they cover the transport to/from centro. At least they used to.

 

[jonhall]

The only hotel close to the Fonatur Marina is the Presidente Intercontinental Hotel. It's on the other side of the Caleta marina from the Fonatur.

Just curious - the distance from Presidente to the marina is just over ½ mile because you have to go out to the main road and around a wooded area. On a map, it looks like one could walk to the end of the property beside the hotel (maybe a part of the hotel) and be right at Caleta marina. Is there a secret path that someone could take to get into and then walk around Caleta to Fonotur or is the marina fenced off and/or does it have restricted access? Looks like a shortcut with a comfortable (if you didn't have a lot of heavy gear too carry) walking distance to me.

 

[noj3333]

Another option is an operator like 3P... just dove with them, an easy walk from my downtown hotel, and they took car of transportation to and from the marina...

 

[DeltaWardog]

I love hearing all these experiences from others. It's a magical thing about Cozumel - you don't like the way something is done, you can always find somebody doing it the way you want it done. It's just a question of finding people who can share that experience so you know where to look. That's also what makes Scuba Board so great.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

DWM is a great op, and probably the best value on the island when you book their multi day packages. We dive with Aldora now and stay at Casa Mexicana in town on Melgar. This combination works for us and they pick us up at a dock across the street. CM is within easy walking distance of 90% of our favorite places, and a cheap cab ride for everything else.

CM rates are about $20 higher than usual now, and Aldora is a little higher than most, but they will do a 10% cash discount. If you just want a 45 minute dive, Aldora is NOT for you. Our longest dive is two hours 7 minutes with our 7 year average somewhere between 80-90 minutes. Their steel HP120 tanks are what I'm after, not to mention lots of 6 pack boats and great staff too.

The free made to order breakfast at CM is one of the best breakfasts on the island too!

Safe travels, see you at The Thirsty Cougar!
Jay