Firerescueguy
Contributor
Any comments good or bad on staying @ Iberostar. In particular to past experiance with food, service and on site dive shop dressel divers....
Iberostar Question
- Thread starter Firerescueguy
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PARADISE HUNTER
Contributor
I have not stayed there. But this is a link to 800 reviews from people who have. Try to read a number of reviews to get a better idea of the resort. For the most part I ignore the extreme reviews.
Iberostar Cozumel (Cozumel, Yucatan Peninsula) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
Questions about Dressel Divers will be better answered by divers on SB.
Iberostar Cozumel (Cozumel, Yucatan Peninsula) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
Questions about Dressel Divers will be better answered by divers on SB.
Stayed there about four years ago. The food was good, the nightly entertainment was so bad it was hilarious. It's real far from town, but you're the last to get picked up and the first to get dropped off by the dive boats. Close to all the dive sites. I didn't use Dressel. I heard they get pissed if you use someone else and get picked up at their dock, but I didn't have any problems. I dropped a ton of money to stay there so 'screw them'. Watch out for the ice machines scattered through out the buildings. Little frogs climb in them and get 'cubed'. All in all, I enjoyed my stay and would definitly go back, but my wife (non-diver) wants to stay closer to town next time, probably next year.
I'll be staying at the Iberostar April 20 - 28 and using Dive with Martin. I'll post a report as soon as I return. This is our first time in Cozumel, but we stayed at the Iberostar Grand at the Riviera Maya in October and it was fantastic. I used Dressel Divers there and had no complaint. However, I am a "Noob" and really not qualified to give a accurate review of their operation.
cicopo
Contributor
I haven't stayed there after Wilma but did twice before and enjoyed it every single day, including the food. I also dove with Dressel both trips and was treated very well. If you have lots of dives under your belt they try hard to asign you to a group of highly experienced divers and allow you to dive your tank. Low dive count will likely get timed dives with relatively new divers. Dressel is convenient but a bit overpriced. One thing nice however is that the boat normally returns to the resort for the mid morning SI and that allows you a late breakfast or a second one. It also allows late risers to do a morning dive (shallow) with a departure time of about 10:30.I toured the property in Sept & this is my photo album.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry - Iberostar Coz...
Of note and not visable in the photos is that storms have washed a lot of sand away along the beach just below the waterline exposing the limestone base. Water entry requires water shoes or use of the pier. A short walk north and things are sandy again.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry - Iberostar Coz...
Of note and not visable in the photos is that storms have washed a lot of sand away along the beach just below the waterline exposing the limestone base. Water entry requires water shoes or use of the pier. A short walk north and things are sandy again.
Dave Zimmerly
Contributor
We have stayed there twice several years ago. Food is good. Beds are hard. The grounds are beautiful. Dove with Dressel. Our thoughts:
- Too many divers on a boat (10-14) moooo....
- Fixed dive time (average 45 min) regardless of
remaining air
- Too short of surface interval
- The DM's are not locals who know the reefs
Having used them, Scuba Club, Dive Paradise, they rank low on our choice of dive ops.
Advice for the Iberostar:
- Take water shoes for the beach (very rocky)
- Request a mattress cushion for your bed
- Take a coffee maker (none in the room)
- Get a room closer to the beach/dive shop
- Tips go a long way in getting better service
- Make your dinner reservations early
- Take a cup holder for your drinks
- Avoid the nightly shows
- Use another dive op that will pick you up at their dock
- Don't lose your towel cards
Hope this helps. We are going back to Coz in 20 days for our seventh time, staying at the Palace and diving with Aqua Safari. Once you have been to the Palace, no other place can compare.
PM me if there are any other questions.
Regards,
Dave (aka "Squirt")
- Too many divers on a boat (10-14) moooo....
- Fixed dive time (average 45 min) regardless of
remaining air
- Too short of surface interval
- The DM's are not locals who know the reefs
Having used them, Scuba Club, Dive Paradise, they rank low on our choice of dive ops.
Advice for the Iberostar:
- Take water shoes for the beach (very rocky)
- Request a mattress cushion for your bed
- Take a coffee maker (none in the room)
- Get a room closer to the beach/dive shop
- Tips go a long way in getting better service
- Make your dinner reservations early
- Take a cup holder for your drinks
- Avoid the nightly shows
- Use another dive op that will pick you up at their dock
- Don't lose your towel cards
Hope this helps. We are going back to Coz in 20 days for our seventh time, staying at the Palace and diving with Aqua Safari. Once you have been to the Palace, no other place can compare.
PM me if there are any other questions.
Regards,
Dave (aka "Squirt")
I was just there in Feb. This was my second stay and also my second time using Dressel. The resort is great and I found the staff helpful and friendly. The food is buffet style with a plentiful assortment. They also have two specialty restaurants, a Mexican and steak restaurant. I had no problems finding something good to eat after seven days.
It is true that the hurricane has removed most of the sand from the beach area. Water shoes are necessary if you plan on swimming in the ocean from the resort. The grounds provide a very tropical theme and show no signs of hurricane damage. The theater does have nightly shows with audience participation that we found hilarious.
As far as Dressel divers, I found them very attentive. They provide a dive schedule that is closely followed but changes if weather becomes a factor. One of the days I was there, the harbor was closed to some of the smaller boats. This affected many of the dive resorts/shops in town but did not bother Dressel. Since they have the larger boats and are really close to most dive sites, they still went out. They only bad thing I can say about Dressel are that they are expensive and require you to buy packages up front. If you purchase a package and for some reason are unable to complete all of the dives, they will not refund that amount. In addition, most of the time they set time limits on the dives; although nothing unreasonable. Most of the divers have already surfaced by then due to low air.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. By the way, I would stay there again but I think I would try a different dive op just for comparison.
It is true that the hurricane has removed most of the sand from the beach area. Water shoes are necessary if you plan on swimming in the ocean from the resort. The grounds provide a very tropical theme and show no signs of hurricane damage. The theater does have nightly shows with audience participation that we found hilarious.
As far as Dressel divers, I found them very attentive. They provide a dive schedule that is closely followed but changes if weather becomes a factor. One of the days I was there, the harbor was closed to some of the smaller boats. This affected many of the dive resorts/shops in town but did not bother Dressel. Since they have the larger boats and are really close to most dive sites, they still went out. They only bad thing I can say about Dressel are that they are expensive and require you to buy packages up front. If you purchase a package and for some reason are unable to complete all of the dives, they will not refund that amount. In addition, most of the time they set time limits on the dives; although nothing unreasonable. Most of the divers have already surfaced by then due to low air.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. By the way, I would stay there again but I think I would try a different dive op just for comparison.
ednedfred
Contributor
Dressel Divers are horrible! I used at both the Cozumel location and the Iberostar Tucan in Playa. Here is my Playa trip report, I can probably dig the one up from Coz somewhere:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/59934-playa-del-carmen-trip-report.html
I have always used Blue Angel in Cozumel. They will pick you up at the dock at the Iberostar and the reefs are 10 minutes away. Here is the link to Blue Angel:
menu
The only thing I would add that others haven't is rent a car and drive around to the other side of the island. Cocounts and the Bob Marley bar are really cool.
Have fun and WOOO PIGS!
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/59934-playa-del-carmen-trip-report.html
I have always used Blue Angel in Cozumel. They will pick you up at the dock at the Iberostar and the reefs are 10 minutes away. Here is the link to Blue Angel:
menu
The only thing I would add that others haven't is rent a car and drive around to the other side of the island. Cocounts and the Bob Marley bar are really cool.
Have fun and WOOO PIGS!
OP
Firerescueguy
Contributor
Thanks for the comments... I have dove with Blue Angel several times in the past and probably this time also. Its good to see a fellow HOG on the boards.......
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