First time visit Hotel Advice. Villa Blanca/Barracuda

[Chris Park]

So ive just booked tickets for my first Coz trip and now im on to hotels.(trying to book tonight). Right now a few of the places im looking at are Villa Blanca and Hotel Barracuda. A few people I will be traveling with dont plan on diving everyday so I want to be nearish to town and shore diving/snorkeling is a big point. My early favorite was Caribe Blu but alas they are booked solid. Anybody have any arguments between barracuda and villa blanca based on shore diving and price? Of course im open to other suggestions as well, we are looking at price range near 90 dollars or less. just a no frills spot with a nice place to sip a drink when not diving. PS my girlfriend and I will be dive animals if that has much bearing between the hotels. Thanks!!! Chris

 

[Allen Herron]

We love Baracuda. Price is right, nice beach, dock for east pick-up by any shop, sook tank right on the beach. We did one nice shore dive right from the dock. Close enough to walk to many resturants. Nice pool & bar. Coffee shop next door is good.
What more could you want?

 

[halocline]

I stayed at the Barracuda once and couldn't wait to get out of there, but that was before the hurricane and subsequent renovation.

My favorite place on Cozumel to stay is Village Tankah, right next to Casa del Mar. It's a small bed and breakfast owned by Roberta of Roberta's Dive-Eco cozumel.

 

[Chris Park]

Thanks guys! Anybody with any experience with villablanca? Also anybody done the mentioned wall dive from shore by swimming out at depth?? PS very used to long swims as I live in San Diego and many of our best spots are 100yards plus offshore. Thanks again! Chris

 

[RonFrank]

Bummer that Caribe Blu is booked. Some dive buddies stayed at the Barracuda, and while it's in a nice location, they were not happy with the size of the rooms, and over all accommodation's. Maybe their expectations were too high, so I don't want to put down the place on second hand advice.

Maybe PM Christy, and she what she recommends, or maybe she will respond. My experience is limited, but being close to town is cool. Shore diving is IMO overrated unless you just love to see critters. The juvenile stuff near shore is cool, but the coral is weak, and nothing compared to the boat diving.

 

[Christi]

I stayed at the Barracuda once and couldn't wait to get out of there, but that was before the hurricane and subsequent renovation.

My favorite place on Cozumel to stay is Village Tankah, right next to Casa del Mar. It's a small bed and breakfast owned by Roberta of Roberta's Dive-Eco cozumel.

The renovations after Wilma were pretty much just the exterior...addition of the pool/bar, etc. The rooms are really the same...with some new (not necessarily soft) mattresses.

 

[scubawife]

I like staying at Villa Blanca, but only in the "superior oceanview" rooms. Decor is a bit dated, but rooms are big, clean and the place is very laid back and comfortable. When I've stayed there it's been about 70% divers.

I get the best rates for Villa Blanca booking though Jidan. Villablanca Hotel Cozumel

Papa Hogs next door has a good breakfast and opens at 6:45a. It's also a good choice for a late lunch or happy hour. Yummy chicken nachos and Hogtown Quesadilla. Other places within a few to about 15 min walk if you don't want to go to town - Ernestos, Aqua, Sunset beach, and La Palapita. (the restaurant at the hotel is, IMO, overpriced and just ok.) It's a $4 taxi or about 20-25 min leisurely walk to town.

If you are not diving with Dive Paradise (across the street), they will charge $2-3/day for another dive op to pick up at their pier. It's cheaper then a taxi to the caleta, so I think it's a convenient option.

The other place I like to stay is Casa del Mar. Depending on the time of the year, I've gotten their "deluxe cabana" rooms for $78-110 booking through Expedia and Travelocity. The cabanas are a small living room, kitchenette and full bath upstairs and a bedroom and full bath downstairs. Their separated from the main hotel building and look like a row of townhouses. Nice, comfortable and clean. A few more amenities here then Villa Blanca, and the restaurant has a good breakfast. Pier is across the road and accessed by an overpass.

 

[Barefoot Bob]

scubawife...I have stayed in the cabana's at Casa Del Mar also. They are based on a group of four though and I right? I was in the upper and another couple in the lower. Ours didnt have a kitchenette though. And they charged me the same as a regular room

 

[scubawife]

scubawife...I have stayed in the cabana's at Casa Del Mar also. They are based on a group of four though and I right? I was in the upper and another couple in the lower. Ours didnt have a kitchenette though. And they charged me the same as a regular room

There's no way to split it as an upper and lower room. When you walk in the door you see the whole upstairs, no additional door to separate it. There is a door to the downstairs bedroom though. There's two of us and I get the whole cabana for that price.

You may be thinking of another place?

 

[Chris Park]

thanks so much for the suggestions everybody. Also just curious, if i end up staying at villablanca do i need to reserve my dive days ahead of time or is it safe to decide when i get there. Only reason I am not just booking it all right now is I will probably be taking 3 of my 7 days to do other stuff with some other people in the group and those activities may be more of a spontaneous decision.. Ideally i want to dive 3 days on boat and then get what i can from shore with some of the others the rest of the time. Also, 2 people are non divers but do a lot of free diving here in san diego and will want to see some of the better reefs like columbia shallows. anybody have any suggestions on ways to book a day trip where some of us can blow some bubbles while the others snorkel? Thanks again! Chris