Casa Mexicana vs Vista del Mar hotels

[hlcdlc]

Have stayed at both, prefer CM......the little bit of noise is worth the trade off for the in town location, and the breakfast is much better.

Actually the two hotels are almost next door to each other (in the same block on Melgar as McDonalds, there is a rug shop between the two), but you are correct that the CM has the edge in the breakfast category! I love staying right in town too.

 

[Guacamole]

My son and I are there March 14 through 22 and are very much looking forward to this. Our first time to Cozumel. He is 16 now and it's his birthday the 15th. We have spent all our previous dives in the FL keys, Jupiter and the Sea of Cortez. We are both Nitrox certified but have not taken time to get advanced. Have done drift dives and have heard there is a great one in Cozumel along a wall. Just do not know if advanced cert is required. I've been diving since 1979 and my son for the last couple years.

I've read there is a dive shop right next door to CM but really do not know who to use. Any help would be appreciated. My brother from WISCONSIN will be joining us and is thinking about getting certified on this trip. He is 59, life long lap swimmer and has purchased all his snorkeling gear. He wants to at least do lot of that but does not like the boats that require vests for snorkeling / freediving. Maybe some of you know of boats that may not mind his being along for snorkeling while we dive?

I've heard Casa Mexicana has access for guests to some nearby waterfront /beach. Is that true?

Thanks!

Ray

 

[BTravlin]

No, advanced cert is not required. The DM for whichever dive op you choose should start you out slow and check out your abilities and move on to more challenging dives as they get used to your skill set. As you see from my original post here, my wife and I used Blue XTSea while staying there at Casa Mexicana and highly recommend them. All of my diving there has been with Pedro and he is wonderful to dive with. As I posted earlier in another thread, he has an easy going way of making the already great diving even better.

Walk out the door of the hotel turn right and walk to the corner, turn right again and walk less than one block to the shop on the right side of the street. Or stay straight along the waterfront for about a block and a half and there's your pier on the left. Aqua Safari is the shop closest to Casa Mexicana and their pier is right across the street but I've never dived with them so have no comment. Aldora is pretty much across the street from Blue XTSea and they use the same pier. You can't go wrong with them either as we've used them before too and were most satisfied.

I'd contact them both, tell them your experience levels and what your ideas for the trip are and then see which one best suits your needs while there. I think you and your son are in for a treat. Have a good trip!

 

[diverken374]

My son and I are there March 14 through 22 and are very much looking forward to this. Our first time to Cozumel. He is 16 now and it's his birthday the 15th. We have spent all our previous dives in the FL keys, Jupiter and the Sea of Cortez. We are both Nitrox certified but have not taken time to get advanced. Have done drift dives and have heard there is a great one in Cozumel along a wall. Just do not know if advanced cert is required. I've been diving since 1979 and my son for the last couple years.

I've read there is a dive shop right next door to CM but really do not know who to use. Any help would be appreciated. My brother from WISCONSIN will be joining us and is thinking about getting certified on this trip. He is 59, life long lap swimmer and has purchased all his snorkeling gear. He wants to at least do lot of that but does not like the boats that require vests for snorkeling / freediving. Maybe some of you know of boats that may not mind his being along for snorkeling while we dive?

I've heard Casa Mexicana has access for guests to some nearby waterfront /beach. Is that true?

Thanks!

Ray

I,m at the Mexicana March 20th to 27th. The dive shop next door that you are referring to is Aqua Safari. IMO a good dive shop and convenient to the Mexicana. There are other good operators that leave from a pier very close to the Mexicana as well. The last time I dove with Aqua Safari in Dec. there was a couple where the husband was diving and his wife was snorkelling above us..no vest and she claimed that she probably saw about 70% of what we did although not as up close and personal.
I'm not aware of a nearby beach that is offered to guests of the Mexicana however ther are waterfront beaches close by that have food,drinks and snorkelling.

 

[Guacamole]

Thank you,

Good words for this Cozumel newbie..

Ray

 

[Guacamole]

No, advanced cert is not required. The DM for whichever dive op you choose should start you out slow and check out your abilities and move on to more challenging dives as they get used to your skill set. As you see from my original post here, my wife and I used Blue XTSea while staying there at Casa Mexicana and highly recommend them. All of my diving there has been with Pedro and he is wonderful to dive with. As I posted earlier in another thread, he has an easy going way of making the already great diving even better.

Walk out the door of the hotel turn right and walk to the corner, turn right again and walk less than one block to the shop on the right side of the street. Or stay straight along the waterfront for about a block and a half and there's your pier on the left. Aqua Safari is the shop closest to Casa Mexicana and their pier is right across the street but I've never dived with them so have no comment. Aldora is pretty much across the street from Blue XTSea and they use the same pier. You can't go wrong with them either as we've used them before too and were most satisfied.

I'd contact them both, tell them your experience levels and what your ideas for the trip are and then see which one best suits your needs while there. I think you and your son are in for a treat. Have a good trip!

Thanks for the good information. I'll contact them.
Also love good local food, small owner present kind of places on the side streets...


ray