DiverMo:
Quick background: Wife and I have been to Coz, done the AI thing (Occy Grand - loved it). Now I'm taking the kids and we are going on a shoestring budget. My two sons and I are certified, my wife and daughter aren't. The girls like to roam around downtown and shop and eat lunch, and need a beach to lie out everyday on. The boys and I will probably do two or three days of boat dives, and fill in the rest with shore dives. My oldest is 20 yrs old, so this is probably the last big family vacation, so I want it to be good (hence, Coz), and I need it to be as cheap as possible, but nice. So, if you want to write a short essay, that's fine. But just a couple of words will work just fine. You don't have to justify anything - unless you want to. So, in your opinion and/or experience, what is the best/cheapest place to stay in Coz? On you mark, get set, go!
Oh, and thanks!
MO
This may be kind of long, but....the cheapest way we have found to go is through Funjet, <http://www.funjet.com/> . Their price is the cheapest I have seen. The hotel is great, clean, friendly staff, close enough to walk to town or a $3.00 cab fare. The hotel is across the street from the ocean, but has the property on the oceanside, also and has an open air restaurant/bar, small pool, beach and dock area there. The side where the hotel is has a real nice pool with a snack bar and bar and there is another restaurant and bar in the hotel lobby. We were there twice last year, July and November and May and November, 2003. I know.....I sound like a commercial. Anyway, the first 3 trips we stayed at other hotels, Villa Blanca, Plaza Las Glorias and Casa Del Mar, and did not do all inclusive. There are plenty of great restaurants and you can eat pretty cheap. The next 4 trips we stayed at Hotel Cozumel and did the AI plan. You can do it cheaper than staying at a cheaper hotel and buying your own food. They have a huge breakfast buffet and also make omelets. Lunch and dinner are also buffet, but you can also order from the menu at no extra charge. It really is nice to eat your breakfast there and not have to try and go somewhere and get back in time to catch the dive boat. Also, you can have lunch when you get back from diving without having to go take a shower and wait for everyone you are with to get ready. They have dinner on the beach and around the pool usually once a week, too, and put on shows a few nights. The AI plan is only $120 more than non AI and if you only use it for breakfast and drinks, it pays for itself. Just because it is AI, doesn't mean you have to eat all of your meals there and there are plenty of great restaurants in Cozumel you will want to visit. Also, if you do the all-inclusive, you don't have to worry about carrying any money around with you while you are at the resort. Each time we have been there the food has been good.
I don't know where you are flying out of, but it is cheaper for us to book our own air through Continental flying out of Little Rock than using Funjet.
Dive Paradise is the onsite dive shop but it is a cattle boat. We really like Dive With Martin <http://www.cozumel-diving.net/martin/>
He has small, fast boats and we have never had more than 8 divers on the boat. If you pay in cash at the shop, he will give a discount, but you do need to contact him before so he has room for you. The email address I have been able to contact him at is
dwm@prodigy.net.mx.
Have fun wherever you decide to go!
