The accomodation section of my Cozumel review!
Casa Mexicana is absolutely awesome. Quite possibly the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in. The lobby is on the first floor and there are escalators to take you up. The lobby area has a small "soaking" pool which is 1 foot and 3 foot deep, a small bar and lounge chairs which overlook the ocean.
We stayed in an Ocean view room on the 4th floor (list price I think is about 120 for double occupancy and includes breakfast and is well worth the tiny premium you pay for the view and balcony). Wonderful view. The room was very clean with white plaster walls, air conditioning, nice bathroom, TV and a small dorm sized fridge with a freezer compartment (we turned it to max and had "ice" in our coke). The balconys are private so perfect if you want to get that all over tan, or just want a good place to dry your gear. The bed was very firm (firmer than most american beds) but was very comfortable.
Breakfast was wonderful. A selection of juices, pastries (and sometimes flan), yoghurts, fresh fruit, a nice chef to make you an omlette of your choice and usually 6 other options which included variously: refried beans, french toast, waffles/pancakes, hash browns, bacon/sausages, scrambled eggs, something made out of tortillas with a tomoato sauce and sometimes chicken. The breakfast area has a bunch of trees in it in the middle as well. It's perfect for a pre-dive meal and kept us going from 7.30 through to about 2.30/3.00 when we got back and washed our gear.
Rooms are cleaned daily and each day our towels were arranged into an animal (towel origami - who'd have thought of it) my favourtie was the elephant, but the ray was more appropriate for us.
Water is filtered and we had no problems drinking it.
Go to the Punta Langosta plaza area for the best exchange rates (towards the back). Upstairs there is a gourmet deli/pharmacy kind of place next to Senor Frogs Clothesline. You can get a sandwich there for 1.60 USD (which beats the crap out of the 7 USD subway equivelent).
Location-wise it is great. It is next to the Vista Del Mar. About 5-10 minutes walk into the middle of downtown and the "square". Going the other way you 1 minute from Senor Frogs and Carlos n Charlies (apparently a happening place, but it stunk of stale beer so we didn't venture in). Despite being so close to the "party bars" it was very quiet. are 10-15 minutes from Chedrui (?) a supermarket for those munchies and bottled water if you so desire. About 7 minutes (with diving gear) to the Barracuda where our dive op (Equalizers)picked up. Some dive ops (like Cha Cha and Aqua Safari) pick up right in front of the hotel.
Just so you are aware the only beaches you will see in this section of the island are at beach clubs/all inclusives. No beach to be lounged on in this part of town. The Barracuda boasts a beach but it is about the size of a tennis court and very man made. But right in front of Casa Mexicana you can snorkel. I did on our last day and saw angel fish, anemones, blennys, sea urchins a trumpet fish, small barracuda, school masters and a schoal of small fish which were like neon tetras - all less then 25 yards from the shore and all in less than 10 feet of water!
Food in Coz is great. Casa Dennis, O Rilleys, La Mission were all great. Prima was good but IMO over rated and no better than surf and turf from Outback!
To quote my wife - We don't stay in places like this! Well when we go to Cozumel again we will try and stay there again. I can't give anywhere a higher recommendation than that.
Casa Mexicana is absolutely awesome. Quite possibly the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in. The lobby is on the first floor and there are escalators to take you up. The lobby area has a small "soaking" pool which is 1 foot and 3 foot deep, a small bar and lounge chairs which overlook the ocean.
We stayed in an Ocean view room on the 4th floor (list price I think is about 120 for double occupancy and includes breakfast and is well worth the tiny premium you pay for the view and balcony). Wonderful view. The room was very clean with white plaster walls, air conditioning, nice bathroom, TV and a small dorm sized fridge with a freezer compartment (we turned it to max and had "ice" in our coke). The balconys are private so perfect if you want to get that all over tan, or just want a good place to dry your gear. The bed was very firm (firmer than most american beds) but was very comfortable.
Breakfast was wonderful. A selection of juices, pastries (and sometimes flan), yoghurts, fresh fruit, a nice chef to make you an omlette of your choice and usually 6 other options which included variously: refried beans, french toast, waffles/pancakes, hash browns, bacon/sausages, scrambled eggs, something made out of tortillas with a tomoato sauce and sometimes chicken. The breakfast area has a bunch of trees in it in the middle as well. It's perfect for a pre-dive meal and kept us going from 7.30 through to about 2.30/3.00 when we got back and washed our gear.
Rooms are cleaned daily and each day our towels were arranged into an animal (towel origami - who'd have thought of it) my favourtie was the elephant, but the ray was more appropriate for us.
Water is filtered and we had no problems drinking it.
Go to the Punta Langosta plaza area for the best exchange rates (towards the back). Upstairs there is a gourmet deli/pharmacy kind of place next to Senor Frogs Clothesline. You can get a sandwich there for 1.60 USD (which beats the crap out of the 7 USD subway equivelent).
Location-wise it is great. It is next to the Vista Del Mar. About 5-10 minutes walk into the middle of downtown and the "square". Going the other way you 1 minute from Senor Frogs and Carlos n Charlies (apparently a happening place, but it stunk of stale beer so we didn't venture in). Despite being so close to the "party bars" it was very quiet. are 10-15 minutes from Chedrui (?) a supermarket for those munchies and bottled water if you so desire. About 7 minutes (with diving gear) to the Barracuda where our dive op (Equalizers)picked up. Some dive ops (like Cha Cha and Aqua Safari) pick up right in front of the hotel.
Just so you are aware the only beaches you will see in this section of the island are at beach clubs/all inclusives. No beach to be lounged on in this part of town. The Barracuda boasts a beach but it is about the size of a tennis court and very man made. But right in front of Casa Mexicana you can snorkel. I did on our last day and saw angel fish, anemones, blennys, sea urchins a trumpet fish, small barracuda, school masters and a schoal of small fish which were like neon tetras - all less then 25 yards from the shore and all in less than 10 feet of water!
Food in Coz is great. Casa Dennis, O Rilleys, La Mission were all great. Prima was good but IMO over rated and no better than surf and turf from Outback!
To quote my wife - We don't stay in places like this! Well when we go to Cozumel again we will try and stay there again. I can't give anywhere a higher recommendation than that.
It's pouring with rain here and the local wrecks are around 50F (although NC wrecks are in the 70's). How are your symptoms?
