AI versus hotel

[ggunn]

I can set up my own gear and prefer to do that. It is my life! So I would not assume someone else set up my gear correctly.

I see both sides of that. The guys who set up gear on the boats are very good at it. They do it 15-20 times a day, every day; I let them do it and then I check it. Also, on a small boat (which I prefer) there's not a whole lot of room; it's easier for the DM to move around setting up gear than to have everyone trying to do it at once.

 

[drrich2]

I'm curious as to the current state of Hotel Cozumel, especially since as Kimela said it's been purchased by Wyndham. When I've read about it in the past, these points were made:

1.) The A.I. food was variously described as 'good enough and good value for money' to 'inedible,' depending on who I listened to. Some considered it cheap enough that if they ate dinner elsewhere a few times, no great loss. For an A.I., I'd probably hit Trip Advisor and see what people are saying lately.

2.) Okay, this one is going off memory, and few years back. Regarding packages with Dive Paradise, they were said to have some big, fairly slow boats, but also some smaller, faster ones. But someone way back indicated if you booked one of the cheap package deals, it was hard (or impossible) to upgrade it after the fact to the smaller, faster boats?

3.) IIRC, recent posts have cast doubt on the really good overall value package it represents, but I haven't seen the latest prices.

I don't have the current answers to these questions, but these are the questions I'd ask if considering a stay there. I'd probably communicate with Dive Paradise directly before booking any package deals, and see if you may want to book with them independently and what, if anything, is to be gained.

 

[Janie88]

I see both sides of that. The guys who set up gear on the boats are very good at it. They do it 15-20 times a day, every day; I let them do it and then I check it. Also, on a small boat (which I prefer) there's not a whole lot of room; it's easier for the DM to move around setting up gear than to have everyone trying to do it at once.

Yes, I agree. I do like to set up my own gear, but there are times/situations like you mention above where it is preferable for everyone if the DM does it. Like you, I always check my gear afterwards.

 

[Janie88]

I'm curious as to the current state of Hotel Cozumel, especially since as Kimela said it's been purchased by Wyndham. When I've read about it in the past, these points were made:

1.) The A.I. food was variously described as 'good enough and good value for money' to 'inedible,' depending on who I listened to. Some considered it cheap enough that if they ate dinner elsewhere a few times, no great loss. For an A.I., I'd probably hit Trip Advisor and see what people are saying lately.

2.) Okay, this one is going off memory, and few years back. Regarding packages with Dive Paradise, they were said to have some big, fairly slow boats, but also some smaller, faster ones. But someone way back indicated if you booked one of the cheap package deals, it was hard (or impossible) to upgrade it after the fact to the smaller, faster boats?

3.) IIRC, recent posts have cast doubt on the really good overall value package it represents, but I haven't seen the latest prices.

I don't have the current answers to these questions, but these are the questions I'd ask if considering a stay there. I'd probably communicate with Dive Paradise directly before booking any package deals, and see if you may want to book with them independently and what, if anything, is to be gained.

Thanks. We would probably book with Salty Endeavors, as I've read some very favorable reviews of them, and no more than 6 divers on the boat. No cattle boats for me. Been there done that and don't like it. According to their website they pick up at many of the places mentioned here and I am thinking they would probably drop off in town (Aldora's pier?) for you to do a lunch at Thirsty Cougar if that was some thing you wanted to do rather than at the AI place, and meet again for afternoon dive on the same pier. Or go back to the AI pier.

I would still like to go into town for a couple of dinners, and take an afternoon to explore. So while I do want to experience the town and going to a local restaurant, I also don't want to have to do it every day if I don't want to.

Aldora's is the other dive op we're looking at. Like I said, we dove with them last time in Coz when staying with friends. Our friend is very loyal to Aldora, diving with them for years now. They were good, but I am thinking of trying something different with some shorter dives but more of them.

I've also read great things about a couple of other dive ops and small groups. It really becomes overwhelming with all the choices. I guess in the end you narrow it down to a few and just pick one.

 

[Harrisb411]

I’ve stayed at Hotel Cozumel in both November and again in December.

Honestly the comment about Dive Paradise packages really nails it. The location was nice to be able to get to town and have dinner out a few nights. The food was not horrible but not great. The rooms were pretty run down but clean. Would I stay there again...maybe

the real disappointment was Dive Paradise. We got our dives in but otherwise reef choices, communication, and staff were very hit or miss. One DM would be great, the next crew could not get the trip done fast enough. It was a deal we could not pass up but I would have been disappointed if I had paid the regular price.

my friends we dove with had been loyal to Dive Paradise and Hotel Cozumel but were pretty put out at how run down it seemed. As someone who had never been there before it was middle to lower.

For what it’s worth I didn’t hate it but will most likely try something different next time.

 

[jonhall]

So....would it be easier staying at an AL in order to get lunch quick and back out for an afternoon dive (for example diving with Salty Endeavors which picks up from some of the hotels/AL)? Or is there time to get lunch in town.

Quick answer - yes IMO. Just to throw out another option, El Cid La Ceiba (hotel) is just north of the cruise ship piers. They have an optional AI or AL......I mean you are being assisted in some ways....lol. With planning and depending how many days you are staying you can do a 3 day (as I recall) or full week AI. They have a pier and an onsite dive op but other ops did pick up from there - would have to check to see if Salty Endeavors is one of them. They have a great snorkeling area and there could be a night dive from shore if that interests you. A few places nearby to eat or short ride (or long walk) to town. I'm not a connoisseur of food (I can find something to eat anywhere) so that has never been a factor for me in where I stay - I'm more guided by what I can get with a timeshare. I've only stayed at a few AI's in which it was a requirement to stay and although reviews about food weren't sparkling, I had no problems with it.

Although my trip to Coz later in the year is 1 week in the north zone and 1 week at El Cid, my goal is to stay south sometime, closer to dive sites and nice beaches.

I guess in the end you narrow it down to a few and just pick one.

You figured out the mystery that plagues many others! Ha ha!! There are so many ops in Coz and it's hard to find anything bad about them. It's more about options/choices one wants, such as big/small boat, tank size, nitrox offered, etc.... For me, it's mostly about convenience.

 

[Janie88]

Quick answer - yes IMO. Just to throw out another option, El Cid La Ceiba (hotel) is just north of the cruise ship piers. They have an optional AI or AL......I mean you are being assisted in some ways....lol. With planning and depending how many days you are staying you can do a 3 day (as I recall) or full week AI. They have a pier and an onsite dive op but other ops did pick up from there - would have to check to see if Salty Endeavors is one of them. They have a great snorkeling area and there could be a night dive from shore if that interests you. A few places nearby to eat or short ride (or long walk) to town. I'm not a connoisseur of food (I can find something to eat anywhere) so that has never been a factor for me in where I stay - I'm more guided by what I can get with a timeshare. I've only stayed at a few AI's in which it was a requirement to stay and although reviews about food weren't sparkling, I had no problems with it.

Although my trip to Coz later in the year is 1 week in the north zone and 1 week at El Cid, my goal is to stay south sometime, closer to dive sites and nice beaches.



You figured out the mystery that plagues many others! Ha ha!! There are so many ops in Coz and it's hard to find anything bad about them. It's more about options/choices one wants, such as big/small boat, tank size, nitrox offered, etc.... For me, it's mostly about convenience.

JonHall, yes I agree. It is mostly about convenience and ease. We are, after all, on vacation! I think El Cid is on the list of places Salty Endeavors picks up. Not sure about Aldora, although I remember they picked up from a couple of places, Villa Aldora, and one other place, when we dove with them.

Now, if Aggressor will keep adding more dates on their $999 special for Belize, Turks, Bahamas, Roatan...I may change my mind and do Aggressor. But the furthest out they have the special is beginning of April and I really want to wait until at least July to go.

 

[deepsea21]

@Janie88, I see you're in Cols, Ohio. I grew up about 40 min east of Cols. Anyway, if you are wavering back and forth about AI vs. In town the AI recommendation of Hotel Cozumel & Resort is spot on for being within walking distance to town. I believe when you price them (although it is now under new management so things may have changed) they offer 2 AI meal plans and for a few extra bucks you can get the dinners included. The incremental cost is so low over the breakfast/lunch plan that going into town for dinner several nights of your stay you won't feel like you are leaving $ on the table by not eating there.

I perfer to stay in town and on our most recent 2-week visit in late December we stayed at the Casa Mexicana which is a popular hotel with hot Breakfast that offer multiple choices included every day. We were diving with Tres Pelicanos (7th year in a row now?) and Jeannie made arrangements for the Casa Mexicana and all of our diving through their Dive and Stay package offerings. The price for our stay at the Casa Mexicana was unbelievably cheap compared to prior years as management was offering them preferred rates what weren't published anywhere. The hotel is immaculately clean and COVID protocols were followed everywhere. Tres Pelicano's shop is right around the corner at the back of the block where they provide courtesy transport down to the marina and back. We had to be at the shop by 7:40AM. The Casa's breakfast starts being served at 7:00 AM but with covid the buffet has bee nclosed and it is now ordered and delivered to your table. This presented a problem early on our trip for divers who couldn't wait for breakfast to be ordered, cooked and delivered to the table but management got it together quickly and divers could place their order for breakfast the day before so it would be ready as soon as they came down and sat at a table.

I personally prefer to stay in town because of all the great restaurants to dine at for lunch and dinner that blow away any food you'd get at any AI. As far as multiple dives go, if you want to do 4 dives per day Tres Pelicanos commonly drops off those doing the 2 afternoon dives at Money Bar or another place from the boat so you can eat and relax and then they pick you up from the boat again for the afternoon dives.

Tres Pelicanos is also a boutique op that will take all of your gear the day you arrive or the first day you dive with them and you never touch it oor ahul it again again until your last day (with the exception of regulators and masks now that Covid is upon us that you take with you and rinse yourself so they don't go into a common rinse tank).

Even if you do stay at Hotel Coz or many other AI's 3P's will pick you up and drop you off. Many divers stay at Hotel Coz and are picked up and dropped off from the street out front by Tres Pelicanos.

My personal vote goes for the Casa Mexicana / Tres Pelicanos combo but, again, we love staying right in town. Oh, another bonus about the Casa is while their pool is very small out on the pool deck overlooking the water, it was heated to 90 degrees when we were there so it was nice to come back from dives and take a dip in that nice heated pool. I may be wrong but I don't think there is another heated pool on the island.

Anyway, regardless of what you decide you are going to have a great time. We were on the fence for months due to Covid but decided to go at the last minute as the thought of not getting our annual Coz X-mas dive trip in became unbearable.

Have fun!

 

[hilljo88]

“Normally” I like Casa Del Mar. AI convenience of dive shop essentially onsite, but you have the option of an easy trip to great restaurants in town. But with COVID protocols in place, I was happy with Secrets/Sunscape AI.

 

[Kimela]

2.) Okay, this one is going off memory, and few years back. Regarding packages with Dive Paradise, they were said to have some big, fairly slow boats, but also some smaller, faster ones. But someone way back indicated if you booked one of the cheap package deals, it was hard (or impossible) to upgrade it after the fact to the smaller, faster boats?

After reading this I remembered how much I disliked the ladders on their boats. They have the Christmas tree ladders and were pretty vertical - making it difficult to get back on the boat. They DID say they had plans to change it - but I wouldn't dive with them again until the ladders are changed out. AND ... I thought the food was a disappointment, but we got pretty good rates at the time. I understand the rates have increased significantly since they were bought by Wyndham, and I'd expect the food to improve along with the rates - at least would hope so. They DO have a great pool though!