Cozumel Christmas Trip Grand Park Royal

[swimbody]

Haven't made the reservations just yet because I am curious. We rented an apartment at El Cantil for 2 weeks two years ago and LOVED it. Just the wife and I this time and we don't want to have to search for food, cook, buy liquor, etc...an AI just makes sense and we love the Park Royal's location. We dove with Pedro and Nivo through Christi's operation Blue XT Sea. We picked up and dropped off every day a guy who was staying there. He seemed to like it but I never asked him questions because I thought we had it best where we were...lol.

We would be there 25 Dec through New Years. Any thoughts as to the timing and the resort and how annoying is the 12-3pm restaurant sign up period everyday that the folks on Trip Advisor hem and haw about?

Thanks, Swim

 

[tms4ui]

The 12-3 sign up is annoying. People will line up at the door at 11:15. Sometimes, you stand in line and by the time you get there, the only openings are at 9:00. We don't spend a lot of time at the resort, we typically get a car, and head out to beaches or other activities every day. So, for us that makes it a real challenge to ever get to use the restaurants. Is it worth it to stand in line for 45 minutes for a free dinner?

We have never stayed at Park Royal over the Christmas and New Year's holiday but I understand that is a busy time. We have stayed there during spring break which is definitely a busy time. Typically, all the beach chairs have towels on them by 8:00 or so. So, not real easy to get a place to sit. Again, we leave every day so that is not a big deal for us. By the time we get back in the afternoon, there are places to sit.

Overall, we really liked Park Royal. The rooms are clean and nice. The location is great if you want to spend time in town. If you can't get into the restaurants there are many good restaurants within walking distance. The snorkeling right outside the hotel is good for hotel snorkeling.

Anymore, we always stay south of town. The beaches are bigger with more seating, and most are a little easier about getting reservations to the restaurants.

 

[nodakdive]

If it's the location you love, another option right next door to the PR is Casa del Mar. They have an AI option which is $42 per person per day. Once they reach a certain occupancy threshold there's a breakfast buffet, but other than that you just order off the restaurant's menu. I think there's an up charge for lobster and the seafood platter. It splits the difference between big sprawling resort and a hotel. Beautiful grounds, clean rooms, pool, hot tub, tennis court, pier for dive boat pick-up and nice shore diving. Same taxi fare to town. There are 106 rooms, or something like that, but it feels small. Less than a minute walk to the restaurant from the furthest room.

 

[Christi]

If it's the location you love, another option right next door to the PR is Casa del Mar. They have an AI option which is $42 per person per day. Once they reach a certain occupancy threshold there's a breakfast buffet, but other than that you just order off the restaurant's menu. I think there's an up charge for lobster and the seafood platter. It splits the difference between big sprawling resort and a hotel. Beautiful grounds, clean rooms, pool, hot tub, tennis court, pier for dive boat pick-up and nice shore diving. Same taxi fare to town. There are 106 rooms, or something like that, but it feels small. Less than a minute walk to the restaurant from the furthest room.

Casa Del Mar is an option - but the two properties are apples to oranges with Park Royal being much more upscale

 

[nodakdive]

Casa Del Mar is an option - but the two properties are apples to oranges with Park Royal being much more upscale

True. That's what I was trying to capture with "...splits the difference...". It would have been clearer had I written, "...big, sprawling upscale resort...". CDM is more laid back and rustic in both amenity and atmosphere. Another big, maybe important difference is that CDM has 106 rooms while PR has 340+ rooms. Some like a little anonymity and some don't, or don't care. The rooms at PR are much more modern/upscale. CDM has one restaurant, not 3, but you don't have to dress up for dinner to eat there or make a reservation during a short window in the middle of the day. PR's restaurant food is no doubt a step above CDM's fare, but there's nothing wrong with CDM's food, even if the menu is a little sparse. PR's beach area is much nicer than CDM's in terms of ambience, facility and service. PR has an actual beach sloping into the water, an active bar, a pool, etc. CDM has a seawall and steps into the water, but there are lounge chairs, hammocks and little palapas in the sand, and I've never seen a wait to get any of them. Both are across the street from the ocean and though I'd prefer access under the road as it is at PR, I can get to the beach/dock in less time at CDM even if I use their bridge over the road. PR has 3 pools, CDM has only one, and only one hot tub. There isn't a time share option at CDM. Both places make towel animals and put little flowers in the rooms. (Not sure about flowers at PR.)

With regard to ambience/facility/amenity, going from El Cantil to PR is a closer match than CDM, for sure. For some, that's important. Personally, I happily sacrifice the ambience for convenience, even though, believe it or not, the difference in price isn't horrible and in fact a few years ago I could stay at the PR, all inclusive, for barely under CDM's price, which didn't include AI.

This year 6 from here stayed at the PR. 2 would return, 4 would not. The 2 that would return are Cancun Moon Palace and Portofino (Ambergris Caye, Belize) devotees. The 4 that wouldn't return would have been much happier 500 feet away at CDM.

Where Park Royal is grand and posh, Casa del Mar is small and tries to work with what it's got to be posh. CDM is more of a diver's resort while PR is more of a vacationer's resort.

 

[Cozdreamer]

I get tired of the timeshare crap just walking by the PR place so can't imagine how bad you are hounded if you actually stay at PR???? If you enjoyed El Cantil condo's, you need to try Puesta Del Sol condos on the north end just around the bend in the rood from the northern marina. There are 2 buildings side by side. I know you want all inclusive this trip for just the 2 of you, but honestly you can eat cheaper in town than you think and the options are so wonderful now days! Enjoy your trip no matter where you head as long as it's on the island!