I need Cozumel help! PLEEEEEZ!

[glbirch]

I agree with James. There are many great restaurants in Coz at every price range, and a wide variety of places to stay. If you do a search on the board, you'll find many threads discussing both of these topics, which might give you some ideas.

If you can supply more information about what you're looking for it will help others on the board give you better options. Do you want to stay in town, near town, or away from town? Just diving, or site-seeing as well? Looking for a top-end hotel, or a cozier little B$B? Etc...

Oh, and welcome to the board. Lots of great people here.

 

[ggunn]

Help me! I was planning a really great vacation for my husband and I to unwind, relax, and celebrate my college graduation after 6 LONG years of school. We were in the middle of booking at the Grand when I started reading some really HORRIBLE reviews. We were thinking we wanted to stay at and all-inclusive, but I'm not sure. What do you know about the Grand? Would we be better off staying at a Holiday Inn type place near town and feeding and entertaining ourselves? What should we do!!!!
Thank you in advance!

By the way, I'm new here! I'm really excited b/c my husband and I just started our scuba classes and we can't wait to go to Coz!

First of all, rellaaaxxxx, it's gonna be fine. Cozumel is all about getting away from stress. The Grand, from all I've heard, is just fine. Whether it's the place for you depends on what you are looking for, but even if it's the wrong place for you, it's still gonna be fine; the next time you go (and there will be a next time, trust me), you'll use the experience you get this time to make it even better.

One piece of advice: if you do stay at the Grand, don't just hole up there without seeing the rest of the island. Go into town, look around at some of the in-town (and close-to-town) hotels and restaurants, and especially rent a car for a day and do an around-the-island excursion. Even if you do the all-inclusive deal, treat yourself to a meal or two in town; this forum has tons of restaurant info.

I have some info posted at http://www.jumpstartmusic.com/cozumel/travelog that might be some help to you.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[flash]

I would highly recommend the Occidental Grand--My wife and I stayed there last June and had the time of our lives. It is a beautiful resort with excellent service. The layout is excellent, the buildings are spread out so it never feels crowded. It is true that it is pretty far from town but that puts it closer to the reefs which is where we did all of our sightseeing.

The dive operation, Dive Palancar was top notch, professional, thorough, courteous. We never had overcrowded boats, we chose where we wanted to dive, they were safe, had plenty of water, helped people who needed it with assembling their gear.

We're going back to Cozumel next week and we'd be staying at the Grand again, but I found a real cheap deal next door at the Iberostar so we're going to try that out.

 

[Texas Diver]

Hi Brandi:

Welcome to the Board. My wife and I just returned from a fabulous vacation at the Grand. Don't worry, you will have a great time there. The property is immaculate; rooms are very clean; the food is good and all drinks are included. Dive operators will pick you up right off the beach. And because you are so far south, you get picked up last and dropped off first, which the the best of it both ways. In short, it is a great place to unwind and relax. The only draw back is that cab rides to town are expensive.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

hum wear did my post go

 

[ggunn]

hum wear did my post go

<70's doo wop>

Ooh, baby, baby
Wear did my post go?
Ooh, don't you want me
Don't you want me no more

Ooh, baby, baby, baby
Wear did my post go
And all your promises
Of a love forever more...

</70's doo wop>

(apologies to Diana Ross)

 

[Jim Baldwin]

My wife and I have been to Cozumel 9 times in the past two and a half years. Our last trip was the end of March for 9 days.

We have stayed at all inclusives, Reef Club and (Costa Club, Brisas, Club Cozumel, the same place different owners).

The biggest problem we find with all inclusives is that of expense and isolation. The big resorts are further from town. One way to downtown from the Reef Club runs about $15.

The food and entertainment at the all inclusives is normally pretty good. Last year at the Brisas they had one formal dinner night with an excellent meal.

We have found that for our money we enjoy staying a hotel that has a full kitchen. This gives us the option to eat out if we like or whip up a quick meal. We have stayed at the Hacienda San Miguel nice 11 room hotel with a beautiful courtyard but no pool several times.
The Chedrai (Mexican Wal Mart) is about four blocks south of downtown and we can buy about a $100 worth of groceries and eat pretty good all week.

Just my two cents.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

as Jim said that why this April I went with Albatros Charters and stayed at there location at the Casa Martillo . man it was great wonderfull and would highly recomend it again.

 

[Dan Kom]

Thats the big problems of those far south All-Inclusives, (Allegro,Grand,Reef Club)...if your burned out on the food and want to venture into town....30-50 bucks RT by taxi...

 

[Foo]

This is for the money conscious amongst us: We like the all-inclusives when we travel as a family, as they give the non-divers in our party lots of options, especially if there are children in the programs, or teenagers that want to stay and flirt with the opposite sex. On the party days or nights, it's nice to not have an alcohol/food bill at the end of the night. Kids can have all the virgin frozen drinks they want, french fries or ice cream at the pool, true kiddy decadence. And you don't have to worry about running out of money before your vacation ends- you will always have something to do, eat, drink, etc. With a vacation package, you usually even have your airport transfers already paid with your lump sum.
Foo