Well I think I've just about got this figured out. I ended up talking one of my buddies and his wife into going with us, so there will be three non-divers with me. They would prefer a place with a beach but close to town. Dates will be April 13th-21st. From the recommendations here, I'm thinking Hotel Coz, El Cid, or Casa Del Mar. Blue Angel, Casa Mexicana, and Aldora Villas look good too but I'm not sure if they would go for the lack of beach. Are El Cid and Casa Del Mar within walking distance of town? Are the cruise ships a major nuisance with the pier right there? It looks like they pretty much dock right in front of those two hotels. How long are the typical dive boat rides from town?
We are also planning on taking a trip over to mainland, renting a car, and driving to Coba to check out the ruins/cenotes as a group. Maybe hit Tulum up on the way back depending on the time. I'm going to take another trip over later in the week and do a couple of cenote dives with Cenote Xperience.
I've stayed at Casa del Mar many times. I don't consider it, or the El Cid which is a matter of a few hundred feet south, to be walking distance. A cab for 3 people (though they'll fit 4 in, heh.) is close to 90 pesos now. That's about $5 US one way to "town". It think it took close to an hour to walk to town from CDM, but I took my time a little as it was raining.
Hotel Coz and Blue Angel are much closer to town and I suspect that Aldora Villas are closer to town than CDM and the El Cid and might be about the same distance from town as Hotel Coz, but it's north, not south. Casa Mexicana is right in town. Hotel Coz is the closest to town of the south hotels on your list, and wouldn't be a horrible walk. Others have more experience with that than I do.
As to the CDM/El Cid cruise ships, they're right there and looming large, but I don't think I'd call them a hinderance. From that port, most people taxi/bus to their excursions. Very, very few appear to walk such that you notice them at CDM. You will see lots of cabs in the morning, lined up for the 2 blocks CDM is from the pier. From CDM/El Cid, your are just about 4-5 "blocks" from the marine park and caleta, which starts just south of the cruise ships. From town, you're looking at about a 40 minute boat ride to the first dive, give or take depending on other circumstance, for instance, which first dive, and how many stops you might make along the way to pick up other divers.
What I like about CDM is that it splits the difference between a sprawling resort and a hotel. It's small with nicely kept grounds. Furthest room from the restaurant is about 50 seconds away. They have a beach area with hammocks, lounge chairs and palapas next to the water. It's a sea wall beach, so there are steps into the water, but sand on the "beach". Food at the restaurant is just fine, though the menus could get a little small if you ate every meal there. They have a pool with a swim up bar and a hot tub. The pool area is nice. Quite a few divers there. There are also some restaurants right there, namely Tikila and Ernesto's Fajita Factory. There's an OXXO about 1 block away. Atlantis Submarine is right across the street. Fury Catamaran has an office there, but I guess they take you downtown to get on one of their cats. You can see the cats moored out in front of CDM at night.
Of those you listed, Hotel Coz and El Cid are more like big resorts. Hotel Coz has the biggest pool on the island. Casa del Mar is a small, quaint resort, Blue Angel is smaller yet and somewhat like a resort, but right on the water. Villa Aldora would be the smallest, but right on the water and probably more like staying in a nice house on the ocean, and Casa Mexicana is a hotel downtown, right across the street from the ocean. Villa Aldora is the furthest from the marine park, but not too far from town, and they let you use their bikes, which is a plus and makes downtown even closer. If you stay there, you'd want to dive with them for your greatest convenience.
Except for Casa Mexicana, all the places you listed have in-house dive ops, but there are many outside ops that will pick you up from your dock. The Presidente is the first resort/hotel/whatever that opens you up to every dive op picking you up at your dock because it's right next to, and south of the caleta.
Something tells me that Hotel Coz might be a good fit if you want to walk to restaurants in town. Others can give you the details on that place.
