Cozumel Palace dress code?

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ScubaERDoc

Contributor
Messages
194
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Location
San Francisco, California, United States
# of dives
100 - 199
Totally excited about our upcoming Cozumel trip 3/27-4/6. As a first timer, I was curious as to others experiences of how strict Cozumel Palace actually is with their dress code. Found this on their website for their restaurants. Long pants, collared shirts and shoes are not usually in my travel bags on dive trips :wink:


Relax and enjoy the pleasant ocean ambience. Long pants, collared shirts and shoes are required for dining at Turquesa.

 
They are generally very casual. I think only Turquesa actually expects that you have pants and a collared shirt for dinner. They do insist on no uncovered swimsuits at all the indoor restaurants, but there is an outdoor restaurant by the pool if you just want to be casual. I think the main concern with the swimsuits is they don't want wet people sitting on the fabric chairs or anyone having to endure someone in a speedo while they are trying to eat. I've definitely worn a dry swimsuit that looked like shorts the restaurant for breakfast and lunch. They do insist on shoes for the indoor restaurants, but this just means something that goes on your feet. I've worn tevas, boat shoes, and i think even my dive boots one morning when i was just grabbing a quick breakfast before the dive boat grabbed me off the pier.
 
This is a kind of weird suggestion, but rather than take up valuable space in your suitcase for something you might wear once or twice, you can probably pick up a pair of slacks and a shirt at Mega (basically a block from your hotel) for about $30 and then leave them behind. In my experience, shoes have a pretty loose definition here. Sandals should have you covered.

Totally excited about our upcoming Cozumel trip 3/27-4/6. As a first timer, I was curious as to others experiences of how strict Cozumel Palace actually is with their dress code. Found this on their website for their restaurants. Long pants, collared shirts and shoes are not usually in my travel bags on dive trips :wink:


Relax and enjoy the pleasant ocean ambience. Long pants, collared shirts and shoes are required for dining at Turquesa.

 
Have they become more casual at the Asian restaurant? I thought they required long pants for both.

Long pants for dinner is a Latin-American thing. Coming back from the Galapagos, it was hard for us to find a decent restaurant in Quito that would let people dine in shorts.

At the Occidental and Secrets, I definitely remember guests being turned away for violating the dress code. At my first visit to the Palace, I was surprised to see a guest in shorts in the Asian restaurant which, at least back then, had a long pants dress code. During the second visit, however, I remember a guest being turned away for lack of pants, though I forgot at which restaurant.

The fact is, it's a dress code which they expect their guests to honor. And other guests, who do abide by the dress code, also expect it to be honored. If you "get away" with wearing shorts, you'll annoy most everyone who bothered to bring and wear long pants. When I've bothered to dress up where there's a mandatory dress code, it really bugs me to see someone in shorts and sandals.

If you want to dress like a s___, I mean if you want to dress casually, why not just stay and dine somewhere where that sort of thing is encouraged?

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 03:57 PM ----------

This is a kind of weird suggestion, but rather than take up valuable space in your suitcase for something you might wear once or twice, you can probably pick up a pair of slacks and a shirt at Mega (basically a block from your hotel) for about $30 and then leave them behind. In my experience, shoes have a pretty loose definition here. Sandals should have you covered.
That could be a very nice tip for whichever underpaid cleaning woman happens upon them.

While I respect the dress codes in places like the Palace, I no longer respect their no-tipping policies after finding out that employees are paid crappy wages with the hope that they'll make it up in tips. They don't realize that guests are actually being told not to tip, that the tips are supposedly included in the room rate.
 
I can confirm that only Turquesa has the dress code requiring long pants and a collared shirt of the four restaurants available - and only for dinner. A nice collared tie die T-shirt or a hawaian style shirt and jeans or dockers has served for me. I do bring a pair of nice shoes, but i think sneakers would get by. You could always avoid this restaurant, or even ask them to serve you off of their menu in your room or outside at the grill while you watch a show - we stay there because they can be very accommodating. They once served us dinner from the italian menu at a table right next to the show, decorated with balloons, sparkles, ribbons etc. for my daughter's 18th birthday, then worked her into the show.

Frankly we find the service and facilities at the Palace outstanding, and the food good, but for a real good meal we head into town for Kinta or a few other places, and just not worry about the "paid for" meal. It also makes a nice break in a week or more and a chance to get out in town.

The other comments above are accurate, but I will add that they keep a few towels at the door, and regularly rush to cover my fabric chair (at Turquesa, which doubles as the lunch time indoor restaurant) with one at lunch when I obviously just got back from diving, then jumped in the pool to rinse off, then put on a shirt and flip flops or dive boots and joined my family for lunch (which is basically every day). I do tip, and many don't, and of course YMMV but it seems to work for us.

Have a great time! We'll just miss you - arriving on April 10th for 9 nights.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 08:21 PM ----------

While I respect the dress codes in places like the Palace, I no longer respect their no-tipping policies after finding out that employees are paid crappy wages with the hope that they'll make it up in tips. They don't realize that guests are actually being told not to tip, that the tips are supposedly included in the room rate.

I've stayed there 4 times - nobody ever told me not to tip. I was once asked to make a contribution to an employee "emergency" or some such fund at the desk, but certainly have never been discouraged in any way from tipping. We don't tip big, but we tip a little very regularly. A wet dollar bill or 3 at the pool bar every day and a few at each meal seem, to us, to be appreciated and make a difference. I actually bring a stack of singles with me every trip for this. Again, YMMV.
 
if you want to dress casually, why not just stay and dine somewhere where that sort of thing is encouraged?

Totally agree. Can't understand the draw to stay somewhere where you're a square peg in a round hole.
 
I have been to Cozumel 3 times, and we stay at Palace each time. When having dinner at Turquesa, I wear a long pants and a polo shirt, or a T shirt (no funky graphics), with sneakers. I was never turned away because of my dressing.

When dinning at Bugambilias (Mexican) or Momo No Hana (Oriental), I always wear short pants and flip flops. And never encounter any problem.

Although Palace says tips are included in the room rate, I still tip maids and waiters everyday. I even tip the grill ladies who cook my breakfast and lunch the day before I leave. Everyone there works hard to provide us top notch services and an enjoyable vacation, and I don't see any reasons not to tip for their excellent services.

During my last stay, one night I bumped into one of the waiter on street. We had a nice chat, and he expressed his sincere appreciation for the generosity tourists bring to Cozumel. As a result, people in Cozumel can make more and have a better life than people in Yucatan.
 
Haha WTF??? I think wearing your big boy pants to sit down evening meals is a classy and common sense thing everywhere in the civilized world. Just becsuse its your vacation doesnt mean you leave your manners up north with your pants...

If a given restaurant wants a dress code, no problem. We've stayed at the palace and really enjoyed it. But the Palace interior is marble and A/C. Most dive resorts in tropical locales are pretty casual and Tommy Bahama style knee length shorts and a nice shirt is fine. Fiji to Palau to Tahiti to wherever.
 
Haha WTF??? I think wearing your big boy pants to sit down evening meals is a classy and common sense thing everywhere in the civilized world. Just becsuse its your vacation doesnt mean you leave your manners up north with your pants...
I meant at dive resorts (which Cozumel Palace technically qualifies as since they have an onsite shop). One would look pretty out of place sitting down a barefoot & shorts beach restaurant in a three-piece.

Fiji to Palau to Tahiti to wherever, long pants are less common. Latin Americans tend to be classier than Americans when they dress for dinner.

Another exception is Hawaii, where there are plenty of restaurants with a long pants and shoes dress code, though an aloha shirt is appropriate just about anywhere.

---------- Post added March 18th, 2014 at 08:38 AM ----------

If a given restaurant wants a dress code, no problem. We've stayed at the palace and really enjoyed it. But the Palace interior is marble and A/C. Most dive resorts in tropical locales are pretty casual and Tommy Bahama style knee length shorts and a nice shirt is fine. Fiji to Palau to Tahiti to wherever.
Secrets Aura has a long pants code for two of its restaurants, one of which has outside seating and the other seemed more hot and humid inside than out because they kept the door open most of the time. It was kind of miserable, but I felt better when I saw them harrassing a guy who tried to get in wearing shorts while I was seated and sipping my cold margarita. And the big plus is you don't have to worry about spraying your legs with mosquito spray.
 

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