any tips on casa del mar

[rick00001967]

if anyone can offer any insider tips on what to do or not to do when staying at casa del mar in cozumel, please let me know. i will be headed there in a couple of weeks. stayed next door at the park royal last time. thought i would give casa del mar a try. i know it is not as modern and new as the park but i'm only there 5 days so i don't need much. just fyi i did buy the all inclusive package.
thx
rick

 

[halocline]

I frequently stay right next door at a little B&B named village tankah, so I know the area well. It's a nice 45 minute walk into town, a 15 minute bike ride, and about $7 in cab fare these days if I'm not mistaken. I avoid the cabs, I like the exercise anyways.

There's a fairly new restaurant right next door towards town on the same side of the street (not the ocean side) that's pretty bad. I can't remember the name of it, it doesn't matter because you'll be eating at Casa Del Mar anyway.

I like that part of the island, there's decent shore diving and it's kind of in between the downtown area and the southern hotel zone.

 

[driftwood]

CDM has basket lockers for your gear at the dive shop. I would take a padlock more substantial than what you use on your luggage. Beats lugging your gear back and forth every day.

 

[lionfish-eater]

if you haven't upgraded to a superior room, you might be unhappy. The standard rooms face the parking lot on the back side or have no balcony. IIRC $20 a day more for upgrade.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

I stayed there a few times . The ocean front rooms are much nicer . All inclusive was awesome when I was there . Order anything and everything on the menu with your favorite beverage . Food was very good .

The dive package was another story but that was a few years back . It was the old 80 feet for 40 minute routine . brutal
I would do the Casa del Mar over Scuba Club any day , still cannot figure out why people still rave about SSC . I guess it is the lowest price trip for Coz but the food and diving were boring after two days , another 80 feet / 40 minute outfit . Just my experience .

I also think the shore diving out front of Casa del Mar was the best option for Coz .

 

[DjDiverDan]

I've been staying at the Casa Del Mar each of the last three Decembers, and I'll be there again this year starting on December 8. I like the hotel, though I've never done the AI package, just the Breakfast included package. I agree with the poster who recommended the upgrade to the Superior Room - I booked into a Standard Room my first stay there, and upgraded as soon as I saw the room -small, no balcony, looking out over the Parking Lot. The Ocean View and Pool View Rooms are much nicer - worth the extra cost, IMO. I did not dive with the House Dive Op - I was with a group each time and we had a multi-person, multi-day package deal with Dive With Martin, which, after we got checked in and dropped off our gear the first day, would pick us up and drop us off at the CDM Pier. My personal preference is to dive with the Valet Dive Ops like Aldora, but I don't have any complaints at all about Dive With Martin, and I'd be happy to recommend them to other divers. The Restaurant just down the road to the North is Paprika. I ate there a couple of times two years ago, and the service was so slow that lunch just about turned to dinner before the food arrived. I much prefer walking across the street to get my Fajitas fix at Ernestos. It is a hike into town, but it's nice exercise. I think Taxi fare into town is now 80 Pesos or $8 -- PAY in PESOS, it's cheaper (by a lot); if you don't want to go into town to a bank to exchange currency, you can change $100 or so at the Front Desk. If you only use the Pesos to pay taxis, you'll come out way ahead.

 

[clevie]

Definitely get upgraded to a superior room. Having the balcony simply to dry gear is worth it. Not to mention the waterfront view. Ask for 2nd or 3rd floor.
They now have internet priced per day that you can get in your room. It was like $5/day. Or its free if you go sit in the lobby.
When we go there we dive with Dive with Martin as well. We have never been unhappy with that arrangement, although they do pick us up at 7:20-7:30, so not enough time to get breakfast at the hotel, which doesn't start serving until 7. We can usually beg a cup of coffee a little earlier, and then we just pick up some things for a quick breakfast early in the week and keep in the room - like protein bars or the like. We usually eat lunch there or Ernesto's, but then go into town for dinner. However, IMO, CDM has some of the best coconut ice cream on the island, so sometimes we stop back by just for that.

 

[blue steal]

We usually eat lunch there or Ernesto's, but then go into town for dinner.

How do you like Ernesto's for lunch? What are their prices like? I heard their fajitas are pretty good.

 

[nodakdive]

I've stayed at CDM over a dozen times. Seems like people have covered the high points. You get ice from the bar these days. They're more than happy to help. I second or third the balcony room suggestion. Personally, I like the rooms that face northwest. You don't see the cruise ships that way but you probably want to be on the third floor for that or you face the cabanas. You didn't mention diving, but Scuba Shack is across the street and is owned by the same person that owns Village Tankha. If you dive with them, you can use their lockers. Ultra convenient, and very easy entry onto their small boats. Nice people, nice dive op. You may have noticed their bright yellow shop right across from the Park Royal.

Ask for a room safe key when you check in. You probably don't need it, but it may provide some peace of mind to have your passport, money, etc. locked up. I suspect you might like CDM as much as the Park Royal, maybe better. It's a nice, small property and the rooms are clean. Plus, the AI isn't buffet. If you're doing AI, you can't beat that.

If you plan on shore diving, you'll want, and should have, a dive flag. There's boat traffic. If you can't get tanks for shore dives from Del Mar Aquatics, try Scuba Shack. They've helped me out with that several times, even when I wasn't diving with them. Del Mar used to fill their own tanks, but I think they have them delivered now, so it can be hit and miss with the having enough extras to rent one to you. If they have them, it's no problem, but if the shop is busy you may need a back up plan.

I think this February will be my 15th stay at CDM? My non-diving friends that usually stay AI on trips elsewhere, love it there.

Have fun,
-Blair

 

[rick00001967]

thx for all the help everyone. i should have mentioned that i will be using del mar aquatics for diving.