Cancun to Cozumel trip

[vlkr]

I have been reading the posts and learning what I can to prepare for my upcoming trip in February. I will be staying 5 nights in Coz at Park Royal, going to do the sales pitch thing (regretting that but good deal on a 5 night AI stay). After we check out we decided to go back to Cancun for the last night of our trip but we are torn on where we should stay.

Our flight out of Cancun is at 10:25 a.m. on a Thursday. Should we stay close to the airport or around the hotel zone? I have never been to Cancun before but ticket prices where several hundred $ cheaper than going into CZM. Big Learning Experience.

Also, does anyone know if either DWM or BlueXTSea pick up at Park Royal? Those are the only two dive ops I've ever used in my previous Coz trips and loved them both.

when i have that type of circumstance, i stay at the luna blue in playa. from there you can get a very reliable taxi service to cun airport for $40. takes 45-60 min.
cancun is a lttle too congested/loud/dirty for me and the hotels are generally north of the the airport wheras you will be coming form the south if you take the ferry. cancun btw means snake bowl or nest in mayan.
i find playa to be a charming beach/ fishing town with interesting restaurants and wonderful beaches (aka playa). you will get a kick out of the luna blue owners.

 

[ggunn]

I usually stay at Suites Gabi in downtown cancun for about 30 dollars a night.Nice modern small hotel about a 10 minute walk from bus station in downtown cancun across from mercado 28.Also a 15 dollar cab or a 4.50 bus ride to the airport.

Except that Cancun itself is in the opposite direction from the airport.

Luckily for me coming from Austin, there is rarely any significant savings in flying into and out of CUN. I have done the bag drag a couple of times, though, and for me the extra time it took to take a van to Playa and the ferry across to Cozumel was no big deal going down. Returning, however, I flew from CZM to CUN; once I am packed and heading home, I want to get the traveling over with ASAP.

 

[totallyreel]

I am so bummed, I just called to ask why I havent received a confirmation letter for park royal cozumel and they said that I can no longer stay there. This is what I get for falling for a too good to believe deal, they got my money and now they say I only have one option for my dates and that it is at Sandals Cancun. Well, I just checked online and there is NO sandals in cancun that I can find. So I guess I will be arriving in Mexico with no place to stay and out several hundred dollars from my reservation that I made last July. I'm glad I didnt book my dive op yet but I was going to do that this weekend with either Blue XT Sea or DWM.
I am so depressed, I dont know what to do but warn others of the perils of booking a good deal through an unknown online vendor.

 

[Ron Lee]

I am so bummed, I just called to ask why I havent received a confirmation letter for park royal cozumel and they said that I can no longer stay there.

I guess your original post about a timeshare pitch should have been a red flag.

Do not take this personally but IMNSHO: Just say NO to timeshares. In any form.

Stay with reputable travel agents, hotel websites, or online sites such as, but not limited to...Cheaptickets, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc.

Go to your favorite reputable online site and input your dates. You can get inexpensive rooms. Some you may have to call directly. Mary Carmen is one or .... I forget.

I just checked Cheaptickets. 16-23 Feb. Some options

1) Hotel Plaza, Suites Colonial, Bahia - $55 USD per night per room
2) Vista del Mar - $86

 

[vlkr]

on the bright side, you are going to love coz. as ron said there are plenty of very good inexpensive hotels. i like the aqua safari inn. last i heard it is $40 per nt for the room. across the street from the ocean and an easy walk to many excellent inexpensive restaurants.
you are probably in for a better vacation this way imo. also you got off very easy compared to the poor folks who turn their $ over to timeshares and then spend years trying to get out.
look at this as a good thing.

 

[ggunn]

I am so bummed, I just called to ask why I havent received a confirmation letter for park royal cozumel and they said that I can no longer stay there. This is what I get for falling for a too good to believe deal, they got my money and now they say I only have one option for my dates and that it is at Sandals Cancun. Well, I just checked online and there is NO sandals in cancun that I can find. So I guess I will be arriving in Mexico with no place to stay and out several hundred dollars from my reservation that I made last July. I'm glad I didnt book my dive op yet but I was going to do that this weekend with either Blue XT Sea or DWM.
I am so depressed, I dont know what to do but warn others of the perils of booking a good deal through an unknown online vendor.

When a deal looks too good to be true, walk away. The money loss is a bummer, but you won't have any trouble finding reasonably priced lodging on Cozumel.

 

[Ron Lee]

Pepita was another budget place.

 

[vlkr]

i have never stayed at pepita but one of my buddies stays there almost every may. loves it.

 

[njones259]

There are quite a few great small inexpensive hotels to stay in downtown.
1.Suites Vima
2,Posada Edem
3.Casona Real
4.Hotel Esmeraldo
5.Pepit6.Suites Bahia
6.Bella Caribe
These are places I have either stayed in or checked out and are super clean friendly and inexpensive.
You might also meet some great locals and start to help out the local economy instead of an AI.

 

[annlaur]

I am so bummed, I just called to ask why I havent received a confirmation letter for park royal cozumel and they said that I can no longer stay there. This is what I get for falling for a too good to believe deal, they got my money and now they say I only have one option for my dates and that it is at Sandals Cancun. Well, I just checked online and there is NO sandals in cancun that I can find. So I guess I will be arriving in Mexico with no place to stay and out several hundred dollars from my reservation that I made last July. I'm glad I didnt book my dive op yet but I was going to do that this weekend with either Blue XT Sea or DWM.
I am so depressed, I dont know what to do but warn others of the perils of booking a good deal through an unknown online vendor.

This really sucks !!! Please post the name of the vendor if it does turn out to be a scam so that others avoid being in the same situation.

+1 on Hotel Pepita. It is by no means luxurious, but I've stayed there several times and it's a good budget place. Rooms are a bit old but clean. They include 2 double beds, bathroom, fridge, TV (never used it so don't know if it works), A/C, ceiling fan and free WiFi. Very safe and friendly, located downtown on 15 Avenida, easy walking distance to everything (plaza, restaurants, waterfront, municipal market, ferry, Aldora and Aqua Safari piers). Free coffee in the morning in the nice patio as well as free water refills. No breakfast but you can store snacks in your room or eat out at the many places close by.

Cost last winter was about 375 / 400 pesos per night (about USD 30).

I don't think DWM picks up in town, so you would need a cab or rental car to get to their boat.
However, Blue XTSea picks up at the Aldora pier, it's an easy, pleasant walk (about 5 blocks), as long as you're not overloaded with dive gear.

Hotel Pepita has a website but only take reservations by phone (+52 987 872 0098). I only made a reservation once, they didn't ask me to send any money and did have my booking in writing when I arrived.