Looking for best AI in Cozumel

[cvchief]

We have been to Coz twice and used Alison Dennis scubawithalison.com. I took my two newly certified nephews the last time. We are all pretty new to it so I like Alison's careful attention to us. Plus she and Carlos are a hoot. Never had more than 6 or 7 on the boat and one was an extra DM in training. Stayed both times at the grand, no complaints, just don't answer the free gift call!! Going in December and on Cicopo's pictures and advice we are trying the Iberostar for something different.

 

[cicopo]

Re the Allegro / HVWS. It seems to be listed under both names depending on who's web site you visit. see this Canadian site as proof.

Cozumel - Hotels & Resorts - Signature Vacations

which is really adding to the confusion of which resort it is, or was before etc. Either way it's still owned by Occidental, which is a competitor to the Iberostar chain or resorts. Occidental sells time shares, and have many people on the grounds that basically look like regular staff & who go out of their way to help you in the hopes of springing a time share presentation on you. They weren't pushy, nor rude, which was a very nice thing but there aren't any at the Iberostar. I found that the staff at the Iberostar (a general statement) were more willing to try to please their guests than the staff at the Grand, plus more annoying was the lack of extra help in the buffets. Most meals would only have 1 staff member to cook to order, and fetch refills for empty food trays in the hot section of choices. This caused a lot of temper flare ups at times by people trying to get things like French Toast, Pancakes etc while the food they already had on their plate cooled down. This of course is my personal assessment but many guests had a similar one, and I know that because I take the time to quiz guests daily.

 

[robint]

I took my son to Cozumel on his first ocean dive trip. He didn't want to go deeper that 60' and got really nervouse when the DM said we would be going to 90'. I reassured him that if he was having any problem what so ever, we would go up. When he saw 117' on his depth guage, he took out his regulator, smiled really big and gave me the OK sign! I'll bet your kiddo feels the same way mine did when he sees that it's really no different other than how long you can stay down.

Are you actually encouraging the OP to take her 11yr old child down to 117' ???

 

[1KWIK_69]

Are you actually encouraging the OP to take her 11yr old child down to 117' ???

I must have missed that he was 11, but still the point remains the same. Going a little deeper than 60' shouldn't be a problem if he handles himself well on shallower dives. Maybe not 117 with someone that young, but that should be up to the parents and the dm....

 

[Christi]

Ummm . . . correction, the Occidental Allegro used to be the Holiday Village White Sands. My husband and I stayed there March 2009, and are members of the Occidental First Club.

I would recommend it, but if you like quiet, make sure you do not get rooms near the theater. The diving is right there, where you are picked up at the end of the pier.

Google Earth it.

Another correction -

The Occidental ALLEGRO is in fact managed and operated now by Holiday White Sands Village, a European based company. They took over from The Allegro a couple of years ago, although they are pulling out from what I understand and the Occidental Alegro is tkaing it back.

This hotel is NOT to be confused with the Occidental GRAND which is the newer sister hotel to the Allegro.

Ibersotar is a completely different company/management/etc. out of Spain.

I definetly recommend Blue Note Diving. Extremely professional, and safe. Blue Note Scuba Diving. They have their own boat, which not everyone has in Cozumel. And they have small groups, and accomodate their clients very well.

Blue Note is not the only shop with their own boat - in fact most shops have their own boat or multiple boats - small groups, fast boats, large groups, large boats - it's not a unique amenity. The small independent operators that do not have their own boats are the minority, not the majority.

We did 12 dives with Dive with Martin. (divewithmartin.com). They have the reputation of being one of the best dive shops on the island and we would have to agree, based on our experience. They were fantastic. Have fun!

By whose standards??? Yeh, they've been around a long time, they provide a nice service, and they are arguably the least expensive shop on the island. Glad you had a great time with them. However, there is NO ONE BEST dive shop on the island - that is highly subjective and no one shop is the best for everyone - but glad you found one you like.

 

[Jax]

Another correction -

The Occidental ALLEGRO is in fact managed and operated now by Holiday White Sands Village, a European based company. They took over from The Allegro a couple of years ago, although they are pulling out from what I understand and the Occidental Alegro is tkaing it back.

This hotel is NOT to be confused with the Occidental GRAND which is the newer sister hotel to the Allegro.

Really? When I was doing research on the place, I kept finding references (like Trip Advisor) that said it used to be the Holiday White Sands. When I asked the Occidental folks, (the sales people), they said Occidental purchased it from Holiday.

Occidental runs three series of resorts - the Allegros, the Grands, and the Royal Hideaways. Cozumel has the Allegro and the Grand, and Playa del Carman (Cancun) has the Royal Hideaway and the Allego, and the Grand Xcaret. Puerto (& Neuvo)Vallarta have an Allegro and a Grand. The pattern continues through their fifteen resorts and roughly eight hotels.

But then, maybe they tell their time-share owners different things.

 

[cicopo]

Having been one of the Destination Experts for Cozumel at the Tripadvisor site for the last 4 years, and on that forum from the beginning I'm pretty sure about what I'm going to say here, but since I'm not an employee of either Occidental nor First Choice of the UK I may be wrong. This is also based on information I was given when I toured the Holiday Village (or Allegro) back in Feb.
First Choice signed some sort of agreement with Occidental that gave them (First Choice) rights to the majority of rooms during the "on season" for travel by UK residents. They also had it re named to match the name they use at their selection of resorts around the world, which are called "Holiday Village White Sands Resorts". As part of the agreement the place was remodeled & made into a more family oriented resort. The remodeling took way too long and wasn't completed when the first few plane loads of travelers arrived, and things got ugly quickly. The TA forum was full of major complaints & many of those travelers wanted major compensation for a ruined vacation. This in turn seems to have caused a major rift between First Choice & Occidental, and from everything I have read the agreement between them is being ended early.
Based on everything I could find on the net from the start of the changeover becoming public knowledge, to last summer Occidental were still the owners of the property, and when I toured it the staff member in charge of guest relations that I dealt with worked for Occidental, and all emails between us were through Occidental. On top of that Allegro time share owners were never turned away which I think would have been the practice had ownership changed. Also there is some kind of agreement between Signature Vacations here in Canada to sell the property under the HVWS name rather than as the Allegro. I'm not sure if that name will change on their web site or not this winter.
As I have said I may be wrong but I doubt it. Larry.

 

[Fin59]

We just returned from Cozumel. We went with a group from Washington DC for a "cheap and easy weekend" at the Hotel Cozumel and Resort (a very basic hotel, not an AI). Once the group left, we checked into the Palace and stayed for several more days longer. The Palace was simply amazing. You can't go wrong. Great facility, food was fabulous and staff were excellent. We even managed to squeeze in a trip to Coba (Mayan ruins on the mainland) through the Palace, free of charge.

We did 12 dives with Dive with Martin. (divewithmartin.com). They have the reputation of being one of the best dive shops on the island and we would have to agree, based on our experience. They were fantastic. Have fun!

+1 for DWM. We've tried several shops and they have been the best one for us. We'll be seeing them next Friday

 

[azchipka]

You know you dive to much when you read AI as Assistant Instructor instead of All Inclusive.

Was going to say if you twist my arm and pay for the trip i would go to Cozumel and act as an AI

 

[Christi]

Really? When I was doing research on the place, I kept finding references (like Trip Advisor) that said it used to be the Holiday White Sands. When I asked the Occidental folks, (the sales people), they said Occidental purchased it from Holiday.

Occidental runs three series of resorts - the Allegros, the Grands, and the Royal Hideaways. Cozumel has the Allegro and the Grand, and Playa del Carman (Cancun) has the Royal Hideaway and the Allego, and the Grand Xcaret. Puerto (& Neuvo)Vallarta have an Allegro and a Grand. The pattern continues through their fifteen resorts and roughly eight hotels.

But then, maybe they tell their time-share owners different things.

It was Allegro from the time it was built until a couple of years ago when First Choice/Holiday White Sands took over the management contract - they were never the owners, as I previously stated and as Cicopo has confirmed.

Before I moved here 9 years ago, I stayed there as a guest - and it was a the Allegro, and at the time, it was the nicest resort down south - it was before Occidental Grand was built.

Recently (maybe still in process) Occidental took the property back from First Choice due to conflicts and contractual breaches.

Why would Occidental buy a property that they were already the righful owners of and that was never sold to begin with?