Hotel Cozumel vs Hotel Barracuda

[troy_v]

My wife and I are headed back to Cozumel in March for our 5th time. The hotels in March are more expensive than they were during our previous trips (over Thanksgiving holiday, and Christmas holidays). We have always stayed in the Hotel Cozumel Resort and it's been just ok. Since we dive all day, we try not to let the mediocre hotel bother us. Unfortunately the best price I can find during our 1 week in March will be $885 for a non-inclusive pool view room. That seems to be a lot of $$ for a fairly crappy hotel.

We have read in the past that the Hotel Barracuda is roughly equivalent for divers to the Hotel Cozumel. It seems recent reviews for the Barracuda on Trip Advisor have seemed to have gotten worse. I could save nearly $180 by staying at the Barracuda vs Hotel Cozumel, but I'm not sure it's worth it. What thoughts do you all have?

We dive with Dive Paradise, so these two hotels seem to be convenient to DP's operations.

 

[Mossman]

What thoughts do you all have?

Don't limit your hotel choices by diving with Dive Paradise?

Do you need a pool?

 

[Ron Lee]

On Cheaptickets.com. I get Hotel Cozumel at $96 a night and Barracuda at $88 a night (per room for each). That put the Hotel Coz at $771 for seven nights and $636 after applying the GOCHEAP20 promo code.

Your actual travel dates would help.

There are more than two hotels and one dive shop on the island

http://cancunmap.com/cozumel-hotels.html

 

[cicopo]

My wife doesn't dive so Hotel Coz works well for us so I'm assuming your wife dives & doesn't need a "resort" style place to stay. You may also want to try another op unless DP's afternoon dive's price is part of the attraction in using them. Suites Bahia or Casa Mexicana are worth looking at as well as Hotel Villablanca & Casa Del Mar or even Blue Angel (price may not fit though, haven't checked). Hotel choice may limit choices for "super easy to get to" ops but there are so many good ops to choose from I wouldn't pick my hotel just because of the op there.

 

[DandyDon]

You can get different rates at various sites for the same hotel and dates. Kayak offers Hotel Cozumel for $631 for March 7-14.

 

[Christi]

If you think Hotel Cozumel is a crappy hotel than I can assure you that you won't be happy at all with Barracuda. It's very much a budget hotel.

As others have said, you can stay anywhere and dive with anyone with a few small exceptions.

For Hotels look into Park Royal, La Ceiba, Blue Angel, Suites Bahia, Vista del Mar

 

[mstevens]

You can rent some nice condos and villas in that price range and get much nicer accommodations and more privacy.

 

[MMM]

Yep, I was thinking the same thing. I suppose some people like the convenience an hotel affords but there are some very nice home/condo vacation rentals.

You can rent some nice condos and villas in that price range and get much nicer accommodations and more privacy.

 

[kmurray719]

My wife and I are headed back to Cozumel in March for our 5th time. The hotels in March are more expensive than they were during our previous trips (over Thanksgiving holiday, and Christmas holidays). We have always stayed in the Hotel Cozumel Resort and it's been just ok. Since we dive all day, we try not to let the mediocre hotel bother us. Unfortunately the best price I can find during our 1 week in March will be $885 for a non-inclusive pool view room. That seems to be a lot of $$ for a fairly crappy hotel.

We have read in the past that the Hotel Barracuda is roughly equivalent for divers to the Hotel Cozumel. It seems recent reviews for the Barracuda on Trip Advisor have seemed to have gotten worse. I could save nearly $180 by staying at the Barracuda vs Hotel Cozumel, but I'm not sure it's worth it. What thoughts do you all have?

We dive with Dive Paradise, so these two hotels seem to be convenient to DP's operations.

If you think Hotel Cozumel is a crappy hotel than I can assure you that you won't be happy at all with Barracuda. It's very much a budget hotel.

As others have said, you can stay anywhere and dive with anyone with a few small exceptions.

For Hotels look into Park Royal, La Ceiba, Blue Angel, Suites Bahia, Vista del Mar

Christi is right. If you call Hotel Cozumel a "crappy hotel" (which I don't agree it is) you will be miserable at the Barracuda. The AC leaks all over the balconies and leaves rusty water there, the towels and sheets all had holes in them, they don't "do" washcloths (huh??), there was grime and dust behind furniture and in corners in the room, the food and drinks downstairs is way overpriced for what it is, and a few things in the room were broken and never got fixed despite my asking repeatedly, including the lock on the door. The views and the location are spectacular, but IMO, not worth the price they're charging these days.

 

[halocline]

I stayed in the Barracuda for a few nights once when the power was out further south and I couldn't wait to get out of there.