Blue Angel dive op?

[ggunn]

How do you like La Perlita compared to La Conchita del Caribe?

They are so different that they are hard to compare. Both are on my short list of must-do restaurants when I am on the island.

 

[ChrisM]

Been staying there at least once a year since 2013 and I was a client of Pam's at the BA dive shop back in the late 80's when I worked on the cruise ships as a band leader.

We love the convenience of being able to roll out of bed and onto the boat after breakfast and although we have looked at staying elsewhere, we never seem to pull the trigger. I agree that the price has increased (perhaps because of demand) to a point where the rooms and grounds should be at a higher quality for the price charged. The food is great but expensive for Mx and besides breakfast (or lunch on 4 tank days), we eat most meals off campus - but that also means a 20 minute + walk to town or a cab ride. There are now two nice food choices across the street but their hours and days vary so be aware. The rooms are very spartan and can indeed be noisy from the road. Ear plugs and a travel fan to make some white noise are a plus as is keeping the bathroom door shut. After so many years as clients we are super comfortable with the setup, know what to expect, and are friends with many of the longtime staff. We do find ourselves diving a few days during our stay with other ops since people that used to work there own their own operations now and we enjoy spending time with them and giving them our business.

I would describe the accommodations as basic and diver friendly. No carpet, basic shower/toilet and rough hewn furniture with a nice patio and wooden racks for drying gear. Beds are on the firmer side but that seems consistent with Mx. The dive shop has two large rinse tanks and racks for wetsuits and they offer valet diving where you bring your gear to Alfredo the first day - he transports it to the boat and cleans it every day, and then prepares it for the trip home after your last dive. My gear never smells as good as when Alfredo has been on the case!!

The rooms are kept very clean in our experience so it may have rough edges visually but we never feel its dirty or overtly falling apart. There have been some interesting choices made as to what was upgraded (do we really need a fire pit in the caribbean?) and I would have updated the rooms and lounge furniture before I spent money anywhere else but hey- it's not my business!! We have not had any issues with being limited to shallow or beginner dives and they do their best to put similarly experienced groups together or sending extra DM's out on the boats to accommodate different skill levels. I don't think there are many options on Coz that offer the complete package of what the BA offers (water front, on site op, good food, music 5 nights a week, ease of use, friendly faces daily including many returning customers that also become buddies, dive masters who have become dear friends, no morning drive to the marina and decent length boat ride to the furthest sites). If I was taking a large group of hardcore divers I'd not hesitate to stay there. However, I'd make sure that everyone understands the drawbacks as to manage expectations. As everywhere there are lovers and haters and individual mileage may vary!

Agree with all of it. We've stayed a bunch, just never used the op. Wife and I have actually discussed if BA went away, we're not even sure where we would enjoy staying, as it offers all that you point out

But... fire pit? Is it out on the lawn? On that note, music is also a new thing since we've stayed there. Does this make staying on the ground floor louder later?

Anyone know if Linda with the dog (can't remember the dog's name...) still goes and stays there?

 

[ggunn]

Agree with all of it. We've stayed a bunch, just never used the op. Wife and I have actually discussed if BA went away, we're not even sure where we would enjoy staying, as it offers all that you point out

But... fire pit? Is it out on the lawn? On that note, music is also a new thing since we've stayed there. Does this make staying on the ground floor louder later?

Anyone know if Linda with the dog (can't remember the dog's name...) still goes and stays there?

The fire pit is down on the concrete between the pool and the water. The bands set up on the lawn to the left of the pool and play five evenings a week for a couple of hours around sunset; this has been happening ever since Turquoise closed and changed owners some time around the Pandemic.

The only dog that is a regular at the hotel is Eva's dog - a little fuzzball whose name I do not remember right off but it will come to me.

 

[mike_bayer]

Agree with all of it. We've stayed a bunch, just never used the op. Wife and I have actually discussed if BA went away, we're not even sure where we would enjoy staying, as it offers all that you point out

But... fire pit? Is it out on the lawn? On that note, music is also a new thing since we've stayed there. Does this make staying on the ground floor louder later?

Anyone know if Linda with the dog (can't remember the dog's name...) still goes and stays there?

This guy was around in 2014

 

[ggunn]

This guy was around in 2014

That's him. He's Eva's dog and his name is, I believe, Lalo. The grassy area (not so grassy now) on the right side of the third picture is where the bands have been setting up most evenings.

 

[Brodydog]

This guy was around in 2014

Never mind.

 

[ChrisM]

yeah, familiar with Lalo, but used to always see a woman named Linda (Lord?) who was there for several weeks a year, always in the same first floor unit with her dog

 

[ggunn]

yeah, familiar with Lalo, but used to always see a woman named Linda (Lord?) who was there for several weeks a year, always in the same first floor unit with her dog

I don't know her or her dog.

 

[Sharkygill]

I think the hotel and restaurant have been well covered so I'll keep my $0.02 brief. When I've been limited on dive sites or depth with Blue Angel it has always been some other client on the boat who was new or needed improved skills keeping us restricted. Once my travels started including enough passengers that we filled the boat ourselves those issues never reappeared. That will likely be the case anywhere you book without a private charter.

As far as staff I love them all like family and it's hard when some leave and at times I split diving with their new companies to maintain these old friendships. I know several longtime customers who do this but it usually comes at a price increase because the BA price is discounted over the course of a week.

 

[Matt B]

How do you like La Perlita compared to La Conchita del Caribe?

Have not been to La Conchita del Caribe yet, Going down on March 13 so may give it a try.