Back from Cozumel and I should have listen to everyone

[gt2003]

Both times I've been, we've stayed at Casa Del Mar, all-inclusive because thats the way our LDS plans the trip (which is fine with me for the most part). No, the hotel isn't anything to write home about. The rooms are clean and air conditioned which is about all I need because like James said, I'm there to dive. Each room has a small balcony where you can hang gear to dry. The dive shop we use, Del Mar Aquatics (scheduled by LDS also) is just across the road and has lockers so I don't have to lug my stuff around. It also offers unlimited shore diving which is nice because I want to be in the water a couple of hours after I arrive. The food is marginal, but paid for. Since this was our second time the food choices got kind of old so that's kind of a downfall. The one positive is that our 7 yr. old stayed at the hotel with his grandma while we did our boat dives. He loved the all-inclusive and ordered all sorts of food and drinks throughout the day. From my brief experience I'm thinking it would be nice to go with a plan that includes breakfast and drinks (alcoholic and not). I would like to spend more time in other restaurants so the food choices don't get old. The only other thing that was bad is that it costs about $6 each way to get to "the square". Too many trips to town can become expensive. I think there are pros and cons to just about anyway you go. Find what works for you and go for it. Even if its bad, its still Coz, so its GOOD! Good luck in finding something you truly enjoy. Greg

 

[divematt]

I've done the AI thing in Cozumel, I've also done FI (food inclusive) and I've stayed at the smaller hotels. I've stepped in to quite a few hotels and while I've never stayed at the Reef Club I have eaten there.

Often, when I travel I like to stay in 4-5 star hotels. I like luxury and some pampering on vacation. However I learned from my first experience with Coz that that is not what you go to Coz for. I've never been in the Presidente but I've never seen anything in Cozumel that I thought was even approacing 4 stars there.

No, in Cozumel I take a different track. I consider it a dive intensive vacation with the opportunity to interface with some great people with a great culture. I like trying little restraunts in and around town and I like to walk around the plaza and shops with a beer in one hand and a cuban in the other. I also enjoy laying in a hammock at the hotel watching the cruise ships go by.

So when in Coz, I thow away the idea of a ritzy resort with 3 pools and 5 restraunts to choose from. Here is what I look for in a hotel, in order:

1. Free shore diving on site. It's really nice to follow up morning dives drifting by the reefs with a nice slow look at everything shore dive. And to me it's the best way to dive at night.
2. A comfortable bed. I've done that bale of hay on a slab thing and no thanks. I need a real bed with a box springs.
3. A clean, comfortable room. In Coz, if you find a place that is dive focused you're not likely to have things like carpet in the room. They just don't need all the water on it. But you can find a clean and comfortable room for a reasonable price. Even one that's roomy with a nice balcony overlooking the ocean.
4. Close to town. Unfortunatly this option is difficult to do and satisfy number 1. I've stayed at two so far that are within walking distance for me but it's a fair hike. I generally walk it 2 out of 3 times on average.
5. Friendly staff. 'Nuff said.
6. A fridge in the room so I can pick up a 12 pack of Dos Equis.
7. Cheap. I don't mind paying for luxury, but I'm not getting it in Coz. I go to Coz because it offers great diving AND it's just about the cheapest dive vacation I can do, which allows me to get there at least once a year in addition to whatever more expensive vacations I do.

Are expectations too high? I think so for anyone who's never been there. It's a poor place with good diving, not some built up vacation destination with mile after mile of fancy resorts. If you want that go to Cancun, please. I'll stick with my nice little place that I love and continue paying $110 a day for a room, 2 boat dives and all the shore dives I want.

James

James,

So that I don't have to dig around all of your posts for the answer, would you tell me which hotel and dive op you spoke about having decent rates, shore diving, two tanks of boat diving, and a price of $110.00 for all of that? I did La Ceiba a month ago with Del Mar Aquatics because it was set up by someone else that way, and enjoyed the free shore and night shore diving. After the first cattle boat day, they put us on the fast small 8 pack boat and it was fine the rest of the week. I'm trying something else in two months though. I'm staying at PLG and trying out DWM for a fair price. That way, I'll get the shore diving and a hotel closer to town to walk to rather than taxi to. My third trip there however is the one I'm inquiring about for a future trip. I've read about the inexpensive "Dive Hotels" like Hacienda San Miguel, Bahia, Villablanca, Vista del Mar, Caribe Blu, and Safari Inn, all for around $50.00 per night and wondered if one of these was the one you were talking about. I know shore diving might be out on some of these choices, but you can walk to dinner! So where do you stay and who do you dive with?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[ggunn]

James,

So that I don't have to dig around all of your posts for the answer, would you tell me which hotel and dive op you spoke about having decent rates, shore diving, two tanks of boat diving, and a price of $110.00 for all of that?

My money's on Caribe Blu and Blue Angel. ;^)

Cheers,

 

[HammerNoMore]

So that I don't have to dig around all of your posts for the answer, would you tell me which hotel and dive op you spoke about having decent rates, shore diving, two tanks of boat diving, and a price of $110.00 for all of that?

<snip>

I've read about the inexpensive "Dive Hotels" like Hacienda San Miguel, Bahia, Villablanca, Vista del Mar, Caribe Blu, and Safari Inn, all for around $50.00 per night and wondered if one of these was the one you were talking about.

That would be Caribe Blu & Blue Angel. Diving is $55 for 2 tank boat dives for multiple days and the room's top out at $65 depending on the season (so I guess I miss added and should have come up with $120). With the combination you can can do all the shore diving you want. Note that they don't yet have a refridgerator in all the rooms but they are working on it. Make sure you drop in and take a look when you're down so you know how you like it for the next trip.

The other free shore dive option I've tried was Scuba Club, with which I was definatly not impressed.

James

 

[TCDiver1]

Over the years we have gravitated to renting homes in town. Some of them are pretty cool, walking distance from the square, private courtyards w/pool and drying racks etc.

You feel like Pancho Villa sipping on a Tecate by your own private pool.

It can be real reasonable if you get the right number of people in the right house. Last couple times we paid 200-250 dollars per person for a week.

We love to eat 100% native so this option works out great for us. There are so many great places to eat in Coz. You don't have enough meals in a week to come close to hitting them all!

Do a net search on "cozumel rental homes" and plenty of options come up.

 

[scubaeric]

I stayed at Scuba Club Cozumel (http://www.scubaclubcozumel.com) last year and would most definitely stay with them again. The rooms were clean with decent beds and a frig. The food was good. Two blocks from Chedraui (kind of like a walmart) grocery. Dive shop across the street from the resort.

A good walk to downtown or if you prefer taxi's are always passing the resort.

The dive operation was great and all the divemasters were very friendly. The shore diving was fun, especially at night. On my last day a divemaster and I geared up and jumped in the back of a truck that drove us south about 1/2 mile. We swam out and did a 80 ft drift dive back to the resort. Then we did it a second time ... Had I known I would have been hitching a ride every day to do that "shore dive."

Happy Diving!

Eric
Dive and Travel pics at http://www.urbanphoenix.com/eric

 

[divematt]

Over the years we have gravitated to renting homes in town. Some of them are pretty cool, walking distance from the square, private courtyards w/pool and drying racks etc.

You feel like Pancho Villa sipping on a Tecate by your own private pool.

It can be real reasonable if you get the right number of people in the right house. Last couple times we paid 200-250 dollars per person for a week.

We love to eat 100% native so this option works out great for us. There are so many great places to eat in Coz. You don't have enough meals in a week to come close to hitting them all!

Do a net search on "cozumel rental homes" and plenty of options come up.

Here's a great example!
http://www.pbaj.com/cozumel/

 

[ggunn]

Over the years we have gravitated to renting homes in town. Some of them are pretty cool, walking distance from the square, private courtyards w/pool and drying racks etc.

[...]

Do a net search on "cozumel rental homes" and plenty of options come up.

This goes back to the "different strokes" concept. When I'm on Cozumel, I just GOTTA be very near the water. I need to see that set of variegated blues constantly from when I arise until sunset, and then I must gaze at the reflected twilight sky until it's totally dark. If it costs more, then so be it; a house in town just won't float my boat.

 

[HammerNoMore]

The rooms were clean with decent beds and a frig. The food was good.

This is curiously the exact opposite of my experience. Our room was two stories with no protective railing on the stairs. Kinda scarry having to walk up tile stairs in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom with no railing.

The bed was a thin hard mattress on a concrete slab. I sleep on the floor in my house on occation because of my back and this bed was still the hardest thing I've ever slept on.

As to the food we ate there 1 night. It was pasta with canned cream of mushroom soup on top. The rest of the trip we ate in town.

James

 

[jeancmo]

My vote is for Caribe Blu- newly renovated with real beds!!
This is a great place!! and very much worth the $$$ I'd pay twice the amount but don't let them know that!!!!