Hotel with beach

[Dhboner]

My non-diving wife has decided she would like to join my sons and I on our December dive trip. The problem is that she INSISTS on a hotel with a proper beach. We had been looking at Hotel Cozumel but there is no real beach to speak of there.

Are there any hotels in Cozumel with a "typical" beach?

Thanks

Bob

 

[robint]

My non-diving wife has decided she would like to join my sons and I on our December dive trip. The problem is that she INSISTS on a hotel with a proper beach. We had been looking at Hotel Cozumel but there is no real beach to speak of there.

Are there any hotels in Cozumel with a "typical" beach?

Thanks

Bob

Most resorts near town have a man-made beach area. The island is basically an old coral reef that has been exposed, nothing but rocky/ironshore in most locations. Some of the all-inclusive resorts down south have beaches, I think.

 

[old gaffer]

The Iberostar and Occidental Grande have nice beaches but you need water shoes because once you enter the water its a mix of sand and broken coral.

Gaffer

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Hotels with natural beaches: Wyndham, Allegro, Occidental Grand and Iberostar. From closest to town to farthest. Park Royal has a man made small beach.

PH

 

[greylion]

The El Presidente has a nice beach.

 

[cicopo]

Unfortunately the only way to get what most consider a real beach is to stay north or south of town, and the majority of the resorts with a beach are all inclusives. Water shoes aren't needed at the Allegro or the Grand, but are at the Iberostar & Wyndham sections of the beach that all of them share.
The Presidenté has a man made beach that's the width of the resort, and the Park Royal has sand spread out around the small cove there, but it's a gravel bottom once you enter the water. I haven't been to any of the hotels or resorts north of town so can't describe the beaches up there.
Good photo tours of many of the resorts are here

Picasa Web Albums - Larry

 

[Sue Sue]

You may want to look into the El Cantil condos. The beach there is manmade as many have mentioned are common on Cozumel, however, the beach/sand areas are very nice and beachlike. However, the entry to the water is either through a stone grotto or down a ladder. It is not a standard walk in beach. I am a beach lover as well and do enjoy what El Cantil has to offer, even though there isn't really a walk in beach to water entry. Also, there is a beautiful pool for non beach enjoyment. Plus, since your wife is a non diver, she will be able to easily walk into town as she would like or simply enjoy the beautiful condo and balcony view. El Cantil has a dedicated pier for dive pick up, housekeeping, elevator, balcony hot tubs, gourmet kitchens (to cook or not to cook) and a restuarant on the top floor which is excellent. My family has used the El Cantil in the past and after crunching the numbers it turned out to be about the same as a few hotel rooms for the week.

Regardless of where you end up at have a wonderful time.

Sue & Michael

 

[cvchief]

With AIs I can speak to Occidental Grand and Iberostar. Occidental has nice beach. Entry into the water did not require shoes last we were there. It is more like you expect in a beach. Iberostar's beach is nicer and larger with palms and a nice beach bar. HOWEVER, Iberostar has an terrible entrance to the water. They have a stairs setup on the dock to get in and swim as walking from the beach to the water is impossible.

 

[sharky60]

What is she looking for in a beach? just a sandy area to lay out in? walk-in water access? or will stairs do? "Cabana service"? i.e. wait staff on the beach for drinks and food?

AI's aren't our thing, but I agree, Occidental has a very nice stretch of beach, and is a very nice place overall. Adjoining "far south" AI's share the same stretch of beachline. It's long, flat and slopes right into the water naturally.

El Cid La Cieba has a nice beach, it is man made (like most beaches on Coz), and elevated from the ocean with stair access to the water. The property is much closer to town and is not an AI, although I think they offer it. Good snorkeling and shore diving. We used to stay there and I think it is one of the best locations on the island. Although some folks do not like the proximity to the cruise ship pier, we loved the people watching opportunities.

The Park Royal has a very nice beach area, although it's not a place I would necessarily recommend. Friends that ALWAYS stay at AI's have stayed there and were not that impressed, they enjoyed the Occidental Grand much more.

Casa del Mar used to have a small bit of beach accross the street from the property, but I don't know if the Park Royal took over it or not.

I thought Hotel Cozumel had the same situation, a small beach accross the street from the main property also.

 

[spyder]

As Sharky60 said Casa del Mar did have a beach across the street and you took the pedestrian bridge over the street to get there. That's where my wife and I got married

These days our stays are at Wyndham which has a long sandy beach and our porch is right on it with the swing bar within a stumble. Depending on where on the beach you may or may not need water shoes to go out into the surf but it doesn't hurt to wear them. My kids never do and have never been cut but....