My wife and I just returned from Coz recently after a week long stay at the Casa Mexicana (CM). We normally stay at the Vista del Mar (VDM) but were able to get a better hotel/air package with Casa Mexicana this time so thought we'd give it a try. We enjoy staying in town so that we can easily explore the area on foot and sample all of the good eats that San Miguel has to offer. We are not the type of people to lay around the pool or beach so in town locations suit us well.
Both hotels are right in town on Melgar across the street from the waterfront. They are just a couple doors apart from one another and are just a short walk to the pier where several dive ops will pick you up. We dove with Blue XTSea and had an excellent week of diving. This was our second time diving with Blue XTSea and highly recommend them. Quality dive op with personal, friendly service and attention to detail. Pedro Pablo was our DM once again and we enjoy his relaxed, easy going dives.
Anyway, thought I'd do a little comparison of the two hotels for those who might find it useful.
ROOMS: We always pay the small upcharge for water view rooms. VDM offers a better, more expansive view whereas the CM building design gives a more narrow, tunnel like view. VDM balcony has hooks on the walls to hang wetsuits or BCD's to dry while CM does not. VDM rooms were about 40-50% bigger than our CM room but CM had a little more storage space for clothes and other personal items. Both rooms come equipped with small refrigerators and safes. The CM has a typical hotel tub/shower combo while VDM has a huge walk-in tiled shower that is excellent for cleaning and rinsing your dive gear.
BEDS: CM has more comfortable beds with better quality linens. VDM beds are nice enough but mattresses are firmer than most Americans prefer, not as bad as most places we've stayed in Mexico but still more firm than CM beds.
NOISE: Many people worry about noise from being right on the main street and I can honestly say this was no problem at either hotel. The CM does however has some issues with noise. The building design includes a large open interior atrium and the hotel is mainly concrete so noise carries very well inside. We were both woken up at various times during the week due to odd noises from inside the hotel; phone ringing at the front desk, utility carts being wheeled down halls, something dropped, guests returning late to their rooms, etc. Also, the breakfast buffet opens at 7 am and staff can be heard as early as 6 am making preparations. They try to be quiet but still the sounds carry.
CLEANLINESS: Both hotels are very clean and staff are always working to maintain that high level.
POOL: Both hotels are severely lacking in the pool department. The CM pool is basically part of the lobby and is a fair way apart from the front desk but half the pool is about 8" deep while the other half is maybe 2' deep. Hardly worth getting in. The VDM pool is also small in size but looks to be at least 3-4' deep. It is located at the back of the hotel on top of retail space that is part of a dead end street mall. Not the best atmosphere for the pool when you can easily hear all the street vendors below. Anyone who places a high value on pool facilities will be disappointed with both hotels.
FOOD: Our package included some food at both hotels. The VDM includes a continental breakfast delivered to your room daily and includes some pastries, maybe a piece of fruit, juice and a small pot of coffee. CM offers a daily breakfast buffet that has a nice selection of the usual breakfast foods plus eggs/omelets made to order. These are the only food options.
BAR: CM has a bar in the lobby/pool area but I often had to go to the desk to request a bartender who would show up pretty quickly thereafter. VDM has no bar but if you go out the front door there is a walk up bar ten feet away in the retail area open all day long.
STAFF: The staff at both hotels are very friendly and helpful. We've had minor issues at both places that were taken care of very quickly and efficiently such that most American hotels could learn from them.
ACCESS: The VDM has no elevator and you walk up one flight of stairs to the lobby/first floor with three more floors above that. CM also starts one floor above street level that is accessed via an escalator which was not always operating, most of the time but not always. There is a small elevator for access to all upper floors. Neither place is particularly well suited to hauling dive gear into and out of on a daily basis so diving with a valet op is your best bet when staying at either hotel.
To summarize, I think both hotels provide a good value and would be a good choice for those who like to stay in town. The VDM may be a slightly better choice for divers due to the balcony and shower being more dive gear friendly. I think for us the VDM is the better overall choice but would happily stay at CM again given the right package deal.
Both hotels are right in town on Melgar across the street from the waterfront. They are just a couple doors apart from one another and are just a short walk to the pier where several dive ops will pick you up. We dove with Blue XTSea and had an excellent week of diving. This was our second time diving with Blue XTSea and highly recommend them. Quality dive op with personal, friendly service and attention to detail. Pedro Pablo was our DM once again and we enjoy his relaxed, easy going dives.
Anyway, thought I'd do a little comparison of the two hotels for those who might find it useful.
ROOMS: We always pay the small upcharge for water view rooms. VDM offers a better, more expansive view whereas the CM building design gives a more narrow, tunnel like view. VDM balcony has hooks on the walls to hang wetsuits or BCD's to dry while CM does not. VDM rooms were about 40-50% bigger than our CM room but CM had a little more storage space for clothes and other personal items. Both rooms come equipped with small refrigerators and safes. The CM has a typical hotel tub/shower combo while VDM has a huge walk-in tiled shower that is excellent for cleaning and rinsing your dive gear.
BEDS: CM has more comfortable beds with better quality linens. VDM beds are nice enough but mattresses are firmer than most Americans prefer, not as bad as most places we've stayed in Mexico but still more firm than CM beds.
NOISE: Many people worry about noise from being right on the main street and I can honestly say this was no problem at either hotel. The CM does however has some issues with noise. The building design includes a large open interior atrium and the hotel is mainly concrete so noise carries very well inside. We were both woken up at various times during the week due to odd noises from inside the hotel; phone ringing at the front desk, utility carts being wheeled down halls, something dropped, guests returning late to their rooms, etc. Also, the breakfast buffet opens at 7 am and staff can be heard as early as 6 am making preparations. They try to be quiet but still the sounds carry.
CLEANLINESS: Both hotels are very clean and staff are always working to maintain that high level.
POOL: Both hotels are severely lacking in the pool department. The CM pool is basically part of the lobby and is a fair way apart from the front desk but half the pool is about 8" deep while the other half is maybe 2' deep. Hardly worth getting in. The VDM pool is also small in size but looks to be at least 3-4' deep. It is located at the back of the hotel on top of retail space that is part of a dead end street mall. Not the best atmosphere for the pool when you can easily hear all the street vendors below. Anyone who places a high value on pool facilities will be disappointed with both hotels.
FOOD: Our package included some food at both hotels. The VDM includes a continental breakfast delivered to your room daily and includes some pastries, maybe a piece of fruit, juice and a small pot of coffee. CM offers a daily breakfast buffet that has a nice selection of the usual breakfast foods plus eggs/omelets made to order. These are the only food options.
BAR: CM has a bar in the lobby/pool area but I often had to go to the desk to request a bartender who would show up pretty quickly thereafter. VDM has no bar but if you go out the front door there is a walk up bar ten feet away in the retail area open all day long.
STAFF: The staff at both hotels are very friendly and helpful. We've had minor issues at both places that were taken care of very quickly and efficiently such that most American hotels could learn from them.
ACCESS: The VDM has no elevator and you walk up one flight of stairs to the lobby/first floor with three more floors above that. CM also starts one floor above street level that is accessed via an escalator which was not always operating, most of the time but not always. There is a small elevator for access to all upper floors. Neither place is particularly well suited to hauling dive gear into and out of on a daily basis so diving with a valet op is your best bet when staying at either hotel.
To summarize, I think both hotels provide a good value and would be a good choice for those who like to stay in town. The VDM may be a slightly better choice for divers due to the balcony and shower being more dive gear friendly. I think for us the VDM is the better overall choice but would happily stay at CM again given the right package deal.
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