Cozumel Hotel Recommendations?

[raviepoo]

My boyfriend and I are considering a trip to Cozumel. Every time I have gone there I have stayed at Plaza Las Glorias. I like the convenient location and all I want to do is dive. I don't need anything cushy or fancy.

I don't think my boyfriend would like PLG, however. I think he would prefer something a bit quieter, with a sandy beach instead of a rocky coast. A bar is a necessity, a king size bed is a big plus, a view of the water would be nice, and screaming rug rats are to be avoided at all costs. Plus, we don't want to pay through the nose for a room.

It would be good if the place had a good in-house dive op to make things easy for us. I'm working on my divemaster cert but he has done 25 dives. We just want to do some relaxed, easy drift diving.

Has anyone stayed at a hotel in Coz that matches this description?

 

[cxg31s]

There are tons of places to stay with various price ranges and amenities. I, too, love PLG for convenience, price, amenities, close to town, etc. What price range are you looking for? Does it have to be waterfront? Do you want to be able to walk to town? Close to dive sites? Do you want a hotel, bed and breakfast, condo where you have your own kitchen....???

Most of the hotels on the waterfront slightly south of town (PLG, Barracuda, La Ceiba, etc) will have mostly ironshore with man-made beaches. You might keep in mind though that these will provide better snorkeling than the sandy beaches. But if your boyfriend is really wanting a sandy beach, you might try one of the hotels north of town--Playa Azul or Sol Cabanas (not all-inclusive) both have great beaches and are clean, reasonably priced, etc. Playa Azul might have more kids than Sol Cabanas though, so keep that in mind. I'd stay away from the all-inclusive resorts since they are usually mobbed with kids--that's about all there is at the south end of the island (Reef Club, Allegro, Iberostar, Occidental)

Let us know a little more what you think your boyfriend might want and maybe we can offer suggestions more in line with what you're looking for.

 

[wetbehindtheear]

Just got back from the Iberostar - nice beach, decent dive op for new divers (Papa Hogs picked us up from the dock too), all inclusive - good couples resort, and not a lot of kids at all. Paid $1,400 CAD per person double including flight for 7 nights.

 

[raviepoo]

I've ruled out the northern part of the idland because I want access to shore diving. I've been told that the current is too tricky if you go North.

A kitchen is totally unnecessary. On vacation I just want to sit down and have the food come to me.

Waterfront (or right across the road from the ocean with access to the waterfront) is a must. I don't want to go anywhere south of the Internation cruise ship pier. It would be nice to be able to walk or take an inexpensive taxi ride into town. But I know that my boyfriend would think PLG is too close to town.

I would like to keep the room cost below $150. I found a web site that is offerring Brisas for 90$ or the Presidente Inter-Continental for $138. ANy feedback on either of these places? The Fiesta American also looks like a possibility.

 

[cxg31s]

If you can get that price at El Presidente, go for it! I haven't stayed there but I've seen it and everyone who HAS stayed there says it's the nicest, most upscale hotel with the best service, rooms, etc on the island. They have a great beach and there is an onsite scuba shop, Scuba Du, that I've never seen a negative report about. I've heard the snorkeling from their beach is fantastic, so there's no reason to believe that the shore diving wouldn't be the same. However it will be too far to walk to town.

Las Brisas is close enough to walk to town and it's a pretty nice place, it's recently gone all-inclusive which would come in handy for breakfast and lunch. I'm not sure about shore diving from there though.

I'd say if you can get El Presidente for only a few $$ more it is a MUCH nicer place and would be worth paying a few $$ in cab fare to go to the island. I've love to stay there but always have to do budget trips--diving is an expensive passion! ha ha

Anyway I would pull up both hotels' websites and check them out before you make your decision--I think most people would tell you to pick Presidente over Las Brisas.

 

[cxg31s]

and realized you said you didn't want to stay south of the cruise ship pier, If I"m not mistaken, the cruise ship pier is at La Ceiba, and Presidente is way south of that down by the Marina and would be way too far to walk to town. But I've never heard any reports that Las Brisas has good shore diving but they do have access to the water via a "tunnel" and have upgraded their beach area with a pool, bar, etc. Maybe someone else can provide more details--I just wanted to clarify what I said in my other post after I re-read your question. It's kind of hard to beat PLG for convenience, price and shore diving, isn't it?

 

[Depth Gauge]

Do the Presidente! Well worth it! What website did you find those LOW prices on the hotel?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jason

 

[redacted]

I suggest you throw Scuba Club Cozumel into the hopper. It is located on the water between PLG and Brisas. Most rooms are ocean view. I don't believe the amenities or the beach is as nice as El Pres, but I think its a clear cut above Brisas. It is all-inclusive (rooms, meals, & diving)with reasonably good food but does not include drinks. Refrig in room and market across from PLG fixes the drinks problem. Shore diving is readily supported and fairly good for Coz. In-house dive op is first rate. Big boats for comfort but small groups (dm + 6 to 8 divers) in water and fairly liberal on profiles. It is a divers place. Only kids I have ever seen had tanks on their back and very few of them. Very clean large rooms, good plumbing, hard beds, towels twice a day, meals served around dive boat schedules, no TV or phones in rooms, great hammocks. Pool suck but who needs it.

http://www.scubaclubcozumel.com/front_page.html

 

[Nancy De Anda]

And I'll get you a great room here at Villablanca - Papa Hogs is right here and haven't seen rugrats in ages...