All Inclusive Cozumel Hotels?

[mr_jmac]

Greetings All,

Finally putting the final touches together for my first trip to Cozumel. One more question for you all ...

Where can I find a complete list of All-Inclusive Cozumel Hotels?

I've got a great deal on a package ... only catch is you don't know what hotel you are going to until 3 days before departure.

However, you are guaranteed a 3-star or better hotel on the beach. I'm trying to narrow down the possible hotels.

So Far I know of:

Allegro
Reef Club
Park Royal
Paradisus Cozumel
Iberostar
Fiesta Americana
El Cozumeleno
Costa Club
Casa Mexicana

If you can add to the list ... please do.

If these are the only all-inclusive hotels on the island, then this deal is amazing. These are all better than 3-star hotels!

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Natasha]

The Occidental Grand Cozumel

Melia Cozumel Golf Resort

 

[freddie]

Just got back from Coz in December... We stayed at the Grande. It's brand new and very nice! Also the Allegro is a sister hotel and very nice as well. PLUS, they are on the south end of the island. Just two minutes from the best reefs. Can anyone explain why one would want to stay downtown, and take 40 minute boat rides to the south end of the island for the diving???:bonk:

 

[DocVikingo]

Because; (1) It's an expensive cab ride into town & back to enjoy the dozens of varied restuarants, e.g., Asian, Italian, Mayan, Mediteranean, Louisiana syle, country breakfast, American, Mexican, etc., as opposed to the relative sameness of cuisine at an all-inclusives, and to clubs with serious entertainment like Salsa Club, Las Buoyas, Caribbean Queen, Black & White, Neptuno's, Sports Club, etc., rather than the insipid & sometimes silly family enertainment that I've seen at some Coz all-inclusives; (2) The closer to town places put experienced divers much closer to the more challenging northern reefs (e.g., San Juan, Barracuda, etc.); (3) You get to have surface intervals at neat beaches like Playa Sol, Playa San Francisco, etc., and meet divers from various other resorts around the island; and (4) You get to see how actual Cozumelenos live, rather than being isolated.

Just off the top of my head.

DocVikingo

 

[freddie]

Thanks for the explaination, Doc... We took an expensive taxi ride to town. And you are right! It was expensive: $20 each way. However, one day we did a two tank dive, had lunch (which was included), took a shower, took a taxi ridfe to town, and had been shopping for over an hour when we ran into a group of divers that were wet, getting out of a taxi, and had just completed their two tank morning dive. I think time is money, and on vacation, I'd rather have the extra time.
I didn't go to Coz for the fine cuisine or partying. It wouldn't be smart diving after a night of partying the way I party, anyway.
What types of challenges do San Juan and Barracuda provide that Punta Sur and Devil's Throat not pose? They are not listed in my Loney Planet dive book...???...

Thanks!!!

 

[DocVikingo]

The dives up north are deep & typically have much stronger currents, and rougher surface conditions. Having a roller coaster-style ride at ~140-150' is great fun for the experienced & confident diver, but it's hard to get a boatful & that is why many ops don't go there regularly, not to mention the extra gas (some ops that do go charge like a $10 per diver premium). Other issue is if you lose the group or must surface alone on Punta Sur or Garganta del Diablo, you'll be found. Up north you just zip around the end of the island & get desposited in Cuba if you're lucky.

In any event, Dressel Divers at Iberostar won't go, nor will Sanddollar Sports at the Reef Club, and only very rarely will Dive Palancar at the Allegro.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[scorpionfish]

Hi, gang!

I just got back from a three-week stay on Coz and, except for some poor weather at times, it was great! A couple of comments:

(1) I stayed at the Fiesta Americana and at the hotel the POSTED taxi fare to town was 60 pesos. We got 10 to 11 pesos to the dollar and, so, the price one-way was ca. $US 5.40-$US 7.00(if you choose to tip).

(2) We ate numerous meals at La Cocay--just across from Corpus Cristo church--and they were some of the best we have ever had on Coz. Note, however, that with wine, dessert, coffee and tip, that the bill came to ca. $US 30 per head. Also, no credit cards are accepted. However, the food was fantastic! We especially liked the pork loin and the chocolate pyramid dessert.

(3) We did lots of diving up north because that is where the spotted eagle rays are this time of year. It is great diving and you will rarely see another boat. We dive with friends who live on Coz, but there are dive shop boats that go there, too. If you want to trade time for money, some will meet you at the port, Puerto Abrigo; this is especially true if they dock there!

(4) I have written before about the great cakes and pies at the Coffee Bean (Thanks, Doc, for refreshing my memory about the name!). One more item to mention are their galletas (cookies): when they have the crescent moon shaped ones in, do try them. Superb! Also, although I am not fond of Mexican coffee, the cappucino at the Coffee Bean is quite nice!

(5) One more restaurant that I like to mention in my posts is Guido's. The Calzone is super AND do not miss their "bread". It is a freshly "baked" unleavened circle of bread that is brimming with butter and garlic. It could be the best $3 you will spend on Coz!

Regards,

Scorpionfish

 

[DocVikingo]

Welcome back. Sounded like a great trip.

I love Guido's.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[scorpionfish]

Hi, Doc!

Thanks for the words of welcome!

With your permission, I will expand on my earlier comments for those of you headed to Coz in the near future...

For those of you who use taxis on Cos, here are the results of a little research project I did whilst there: I found that there was a large variation depending on where one boarded the taxi.

If you went from the Fiesta Am. to the center of town, the fare was 60 pesos excluding any tip--as far north as Guido's.

If you went from Chedraui, where we normally buy our bottled or canned beverages, medicine, chips, etc., the fare to Fiesta Am. was also 60 pesos.

However, if you caught the taxi at Punta Langosta, where many of the cruise ships dock, the POSTED price was $US 8.00, but they would accept 80 pesos. This is a steep toll for the "convenience" of catching a taxi near Carlos' and Charlie's! Beware traveler!

At most other locations in town, I would ask the driver if 60 pesos was the fare to FA and usually got a, "Si." So, my advice, just ask before entering the cab.

The exchange rate can vary quite a bit on Coz these days. Interestingly, I found that restaurants would give me 10 pesos to the dollar when I had change coming. Our hotel varied day to day, but a couple of times we got 11 pesos to the dollar! If you buy tourist goods, some shops will bargain--even if they tell you at first that they will not--and that will also "help" the exchange rate. But how many baseball caps can you buy??????

Oh, yes, and for those of you who like to the occasional cinema for your apres diving activity. be sure to go to the Cinepolis just back of Chedraui (the big supermarket south of "city hall", Palacio Municipal). This theater is very modern with huge screens, wonderfully clean seats, aisles, etc., the most recent movies, and a fully equiped snack bar.

Many of the movies are in English with Spanish subtitles. You can tell which are dubbed and which are subtitled by looking at the synopses just in front of the box office (in Spanish) for the word, "subtitulado". That means the movie uses Spanish subtitles. We took in the Lord of the Rings (Senor de los Anillos) and it was grand! Oh, yes, the tickets are a lot cheaper than ours are locally!

This is peak season on Coz for good reason: warm, clear water and magnificent reefs! Be sure to make some space on your calendar for a trip!


Scorpionfish

 

[A. J. Shark]

I went this summer and stayed at El Cozumeleno, I found it to be nice, the food wasn’t that great but the place was clean and the people were nice. Its a good place for families. Have fun
wherever you stay!!
- A J