Southern Coz Resort Opinions

[DSR-3]

We've stayed at the Palace (2x) and liked it, and the Presidente, which we liked but is too expensive for this trip. I'd like to try one of the southern resorts, for the shorter boat rides and a little less $$ than the Palace. We tend towards the AI's, but if there are other options I'm interested. 'just the wife and I this trip- She's a non-diver who likes the pool/beach and beer, and I'm looking to dive every day 2-3 tanks. As I recall, most dive shops will pick-up at these resorts if the on-site choice is not great. I definitely want to dive my computer, and Nitrox if available. Since the prices are similar, any opinions or suggestions on the resorts & diving would be great.
It looks like the choices are;
ex-Reef Club/Wyndham
Allegro
Iberostar
Occidental Grand

Thanks - Eric

 

[Christi]

We've stayed at the Palace (2x) and liked it, and the Presidente, which we liked but is too expensive for this trip. I'd like to try one of the southern resorts, for the shorter boat rides and a little less $$ than the Palace. We tend towards the AI's, but if there are other options I'm interested. 'just the wife and I this trip- She's a non-diver who likes the pool/beach and beer, and I'm looking to dive every day 2-3 tanks. As I recall, most dive shops will pick-up at these resorts if the on-site choice is not great. I definitely want to dive my computer, and Nitrox if available. Since the prices are similar, any opinions or suggestions on the resorts & diving would be great.
It looks like the choices are;
ex-Reef Club/Wyndham
Allegro
Iberostar
Occidental Grand

Thanks - Eric

You limit your dive site choices the further south you go...and unless you're diving with the onsite operation, you're not likely to get three tanks in the further south you go. The way a third tank works is either:

1. The onsite shops at the southern resorts go back to the hotel between each dive, so that's easy...but you may get less bottom time with three dives with the onsite than with two dives with an operator that doens't put you on a time schedule
2. Some of the larger operations do a one tank afternoon dive to Paradise, Chankanaab, Las Palmas or Villa Blanca which are all too far north from the southern resorts to get pick-up/drop off service as they all depart from the downtown area
3. The more specialized shops offer three tank dives, but stay out for all three tanks. In otherwords, they start at the southernmost dive site planned for the day, then work their way back in, with appropriate surface intervals in between. This would again most likely mean you won't get dropped off after the third tank because it will be further north.

I hope that made sense

 

[loudives]

We've stayed at the Palace (2x) and liked it, and the Presidente, which we liked but is too expensive for this trip. I'd like to try one of the southern resorts, for the shorter boat rides and a little less $$ than the Palace. We tend towards the AI's, but if there are other options I'm interested. 'just the wife and I this trip- She's a non-diver who likes the pool/beach and beer, and I'm looking to dive every day 2-3 tanks. As I recall, most dive shops will pick-up at these resorts if the on-site choice is not great. I definitely want to dive my computer, and Nitrox if available. Since the prices are similar, any opinions or suggestions on the resorts & diving would be great.
It looks like the choices are;
ex-Reef Club/Wyndham
Allegro
Iberostar
Occidental Grand

Thanks - Eric

I agree with Christi but would add Fiesta Americana as an option. It is not as far south and a 3RD tank from that area gives you more operator choices.

 

[cicopo]

Actually Dressel almost fits the bill but are a bit expensive, and you can do 3 tanks BUT the afternoon trip is a 2 tank trip. They do have Nitrox, they do let you dive your computer a majority of the time IF the majority of divers have lots of logged dives (in the 100 or 100 + area). I personally had very good service with them (40 + tanks over 2 trips) but I don't think I would use them now even if I stayed at the Iberostar, which I also really liked. I am guessing here but I really think treatment by Dressel would be dependant on number of experienced divers, and number doing the afternoon dives. I stayed in the busy season both trips, so there wasn't any problem filling a boat.

 

[Christi]

I agree with Christi but would add Fiesta Americana as an option. It is not as far south and a 3RD tank from that area gives you more operator choices.

Yes, Fiesta Americana is a good choice...I don't classify it as one of the southern resorts because it does have just about the perfect location!

 

[centex1]

We have stayed at all the hotels on the south side and I have found the Iberostar and Dressel divers to be the best hotel (food quality, beach, amenities) and the best on site dive shop. You can do as many as 4 or 5 dives a day, following their itinerary. We have also made several special rquests for dive sites and have always been accomodated, weather permitting. My wife is a certified diver but likes the pool and beach much more than any of the others, and next to the El Presidente, the food is the best on the south side.

It is also very easy to use other dive operations from their pier. However, given the friendly, cheerful attitude of all the dive shop crew, Free nitrox (32% or somewhere near it) and the overall experience of 4 stays, Dressel is the way to go

 

[DSR-3]

Thanks for the thoughtful and interesting replies. Please keep them coming.
I hadn't thought of the afternoon dive issues. I do recall them usually being at Paradise, etc. when staying at the Palace. I've always been happy with 2 tanks plus the odd afternoon and night dive, but having just returned from 5 dives a day on a live-aboard, I've realized that I'd rather dive all of the time (pending my wife's approval). I'd be ok with the old routine, too.
Interesting comments on the Iberostar, Dressel, and the FA. I had figured the Grand would be a top choice based on the typical reviews and "ratings". The FA looks like a good location, but I'm afraid that it's too in-between- the AI doesn't get great marks, but taking a taxi everywhere doesn't interest us much. We'll do a dinner in town, but that's about it (duds that we are).

 

[skeeoos]

I've stayed at Allegro once and Wyndham twice. I liked Wyndham much better. But as was stated before, your dive site options are limited by staying at such a southern location. Those sites are great, but it would be nice to have more variety and less repetition. Next year, I plan on staying closer to town, or at least no further south and Fiesta Americana.

 

[deborahdelamar]

Well, DH & I are both divers, so there was no issue between us about how to spend the day. When we stayed at Allegro a few years ago, we rented a car for the 2 weeks & parked at FA each morning for pick up (with Dive House's permission) for the am 2-tank. To make the ops' afternoon dive, we stayed on the boat, took it back to their pier in town, had lunch... After the pm dive, the boat dropped us back at FA so we could pick up the car & drive back to Allegro. This also offered us the opportunity to dive northerly reefs that they wouldn't have taken us to if we had to be dropped back at Allegro.

Frankly, we don't ever want to do it again & have stayed in town since then!

 

[ScubaSteve]

I stayed at the very last resort on the south side of Cozumel (I do not remember the name but I think it was the Iberostar???) and did 4 dives per day with PapaHogs. They came to get me in the morning and brought me back in the afternoon. On the days that I only did two dives, the dropped me off after the two. This is all obviously by boat. Mike and Margaret were great and very accommodating.