Cozumel Honeymoon...HELP!

[weezieharris]

We are getting married in October 2013 and are planning on taking our honeymoon in Cozumel as it is one of our favorite vacation spots. Normally, when we travel to Cozumel, it is all about the diving so we stay somewhere Dive-centric like Aqua Safari. However, since this trip is our honeymoon we are planning to stay at one of the "luxury" all inclusive resorts. We are staying 10 days total and are planning to dive for only 5 or 6 of those. So far, I have researched the Iberostar, Sabor, and Cozumel Palace. There is a range of retails here and obviously less expensive is better but I am willing to spend more if it is warranted. I am also open to any other resorts you might be able to recommend. We are looking for someplace with an inhouse dive shop/pier with quality DM's, good food, some shore diving, and activities for the days we opt non to dive. I know the shore diving in Cozumel isn't great but we would like to have the option to blow some bubbles in the afternoon or on non-diving days. My big questions are below. I am hoping to get some feedback from you Cozumel divers who have experience with any or all of these resorts and their dive operators.

• How would you rate the resorts for cleanliness and food quality? Is one resort worth spending more money on?
• Do you have experience with the dive operator and feel they run a reliable team?
• Is there shore diving of some level available...even if it is small coral heads, pier etc. Not expecting much just want the option.

Thank you so much for your time and help with this. We love Cozumel, just hoping to step it up a little and not sure which of the options is best.

---------- Post added November 27th, 2012 at 10:47 AM ----------

One additional note...I know I called out All Inclusive in the above email. However, we do enjoy venturing out on the town, having dinner etc so AI is not a requirement. Thanks!

 

[mstevens]

I'd consider the Intercontinental Presidente. Not AI, but it nice and it won't be very crowded. It's expensive, but that's where we'd stay if we were going to go for a 3rd honeymoon (and didn't have a house in town).

If you join the Intercontinental Ambassador program, you're entitled to a free night and room upgrade that are worth much more than the membership fee (or this was the case a few years back). The first time we stayed there they upgraded us from rack to a really nice oceanfront room that opened right to the beach.

The Presidente has the best shore diving I've done on the island.

I think it's a blunder to choose a hotel based on dive op. Stay where you think the accommodations are best and dive with whomever you like to dive with.

 

[cbm32]

My wife and I were very happy with the El Cid La Ceiba. We chose not to go AI (they do have AI but it is optional and there are cooking facilities in the rooms) but did eat there several times and found the food to be quite good.

I did not dive with their dive shop and, from what I heard from others, would not necessarily recommend it but any dive op can pick you up at their pier for free if you are staying there.

I would stay at the El Cid (I can get you are room very reasonably with timeshare points if you like) and dive with Tres Pelicanos dive shop. Great boat, great people, 1st rate DM (Servando Ramirez) and you can dive you air and computer....no other restrictions on bottom time.

 

[Rhodesaz]

Look at the Occidentail Grand Resort. Here is their wedding page
Occidental Weddings
They have a great beach, great dive shop, and October is low season so the room rates should be better.
The OG is a 4 star resort which one day may be 4.5.
It's also AI, which I like.
The OG is way south so a taxi ride will cost $20 to $25 one way.

Oh, I've been to the OG 4 times this year and I love it!!

 

[Mike]

Vote Presidente also, book one of the rooms with the private outside showers, you'll figure it out since its your honeymoon.

Go to trip advisor and look at the 700 user submitted photos.

2nd Choice would be the Palace, but it's a distant 2nd.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

The "sleeper" is the place my wife and I go to get away for a romantic night, even though we own our own hotel and place just to the south. That is the Hotel Playa Azul. They have several wonderful jacuzzi suites with verandas, and its not that far into town...indeed much closer than any of those to the south. I get a local rate but I'll bet its much less expensive than the Presidente.

That is my two cents!

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers since 1992

 

[cicopo]

Best AI is the Palace & there is shore diving there & Aqua Safari is back as the in house dive op.

Sabor will become Secrets before you go, & no shore diving at any of the southern resorts.

Grand has a nice beach & nicer rooms, but the food & service is better at the Iberostar.

Dive Palancar is in house at the Grand & the Sabor (that might change with it becoming Secrets) , Dressel is at the Iberostar

Taxi fare from any of the southern resorts is getting high, so if you intend to visit town much that might get expensive.

 

[ColoDale]

The Sabor hotel section is not really high end and the food will be average and accomodation small. Lots of package guests and some day pass cuise ship people. The specialty restaurants may or may not be available as hotel guests. The Aura property next to it is a better bet or Sabor Exclusive possibly. I cannot say right now what the new property names will be.

All properties in this group are undergoing construction and upgrades which I would strongly suspect will be done in a few months but I would keep an eye on tripadvisor or similar.

Any dive shop can pick up at these properties so you are not tied to Dive Palancar. No shore diving but a friend did some night snorkeling and saw eagle rays and squid (early Nov 2012). He did go fairly far out which I don't recommend (not to the main reef there tho). Southern dive sites will be close.

Iberostar was good and the food was good. It's been a few years. I recall something about pier usage by outside dive shops but do some research on that one (or a poster here may recall).

I would say in October, occupancy will be lower so at the Sabor/Sabor Exclusive/Aura properties (lower season overall) so they sometimes use it for construction and maintenance and sometimes a restaurant may be closed. They don't ever tell us in advance, we just discover it when we get there. Though with the construction and upgrades this year, next year they may make changes. Who knows.

 

[mstevens]

I'll bet its much less expensive than the Presidente.

Isn't pretty much everything? Their price hikes actually eventually led to our buying a house on the island.

 

[Mossman]

There was no comparison between the Palace and the Occidental Grand Royal Club IMO. The Palace has far better accommodations, food, drinks, and service. That said, I personally wouldn't want to honeymoon there. The time share push, too many kids, and loud entertainment make it a less than romantic locale IMO, as do the other AIs unless they're the adult-only romance-oriented type