Trip Report May 11-18 Plaza Resort

[mbs]

I was there the same week as @jtreed and his trip report was excellent so I won't add much detail other than an update on The Plaza Resort. Lots of changes and many more coming! The Tipsy Seagull restaurant is closed and they have opened the new one on the other side of the resort. The food was extensive and very good! Fresh sushi every night. Fresh fish cooked. Grilled meats (i'm veggie, but wife enjoyed), soup, salads, breads, pastries, ice cream. They have expanded the pool adjacent to the restaurant and there appears to be some large hot tubs in the works. There are newly renovated rooms nearest to the dive shop. They have not opened the new lobby or conference center yet, but when they do the new entrance/lobby will be on that side. They have plans to move the dive shop (Toucan) to behind the Tipsy Seagull as well as docks for the boats there. No clue how long that might take to get approved/built. But when that happens shore access from the shop will be much shorter! Toucan Divers is still a great shop. Boats were all working well and we enjoyed several trips to northern sites. Chantel is a great boat captain and divemaster!

 

[mbs]

Forgot to post a couple of photos...

 

[wateraddiction]

Thanks for the report! I'm eyeing Plaza for a "zero domestic labor" dive trip with my kids next Spring. Your comments on food are reassuring since food quality is the reason I end up shopping, cooking, and cleaning while on vacation. It's great to get a real break!

 

[mbs]

Disclaimer - Food quality is now... Next spring, who knows! I'm forgetting what the plans were for next year, but I believe rebuilding the old Tipsy Seagull into a high-end restaurant. Unless something changes I would expect them to continue the improvements into the future. Hopefully not pricing out divers!

 

[wateraddiction]

Disclaimer - Food quality is now... Next spring, who knows! I'm forgetting what the plans were for next year, but I believe rebuilding the old Tipsy Seagull into a high-end restaurant. Unless something changes I would expect them to continue the improvements into the future. Hopefully not pricing out divers!

No worries -- my expectations for AI are quite low so when it's actually fine or even occasionally good, we are thrilled. For instance, we prepared to rent a car and go offsite for dinner at Iberostar Cozumel and we were super happy to find that the food didn't actually taste like we were eating in a school cafeteria and there was lots of fresh fruit, etc. So it's all relative!

 

[wateraddiction]

I'm also keeping an eye out for the final layout of their shop/pier logistics as we are hoping our soon-to-be certified kids may be diving the house reef alot, wherever we end up staying. Now and in the future, we should expect to be carrying all our own gear to the pier, is that correct?

 

[mbs]

I'm also keeping an eye out for the final layout of their shop/pier logistics as we are hoping our soon-to-be certified kids may be diving the house reef alot, wherever we end up staying. Now and in the future, we should expect to be carrying all our own gear to the pier, is that correct?

Yes, but its not too bad right now. They have a new area on the beach where they stage tanks and have an area for suiting up and rinsing. They have these large wheel barrels at the shop that you can use to schlep your gear to the beach area and back. From the suiting up area its a short walk across the beach to the entry. IF they get approvals to move the shop to the Tipsy Seagull side there will be much less distance to drag stuff AND a ladder entry into the water. Can't imagine that will happen that quickly though....