Another no frill, quiet, cheap place with a good view and location is Vista del Mar. Easy walk to many places to eat, a 2 block walk to the pier in town and a decent little tray of juice and assorted breads delivered to your room to have before AM dives.
Trip Report on Hotel Barracuda
- Thread starter waynel
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Expedia can give you a good idea of relative room rates even if you prefer to book other ways.
Hotel Barracuda can usually be had for 70-80/nt. Used to be less before they were listed on the big travel sites (expedia/orbitz/etc). I think Suites Bahia offers better accomodations at a lower price (sometimes as low as $40/nt). Ditto for Colonial Suites. Casa Mexicana can be had from $80/nt and offers significantly nicer rooms and the breakfast alone is worth $10/nt. What those others can't offer is a place right on the water, with a pier that allows any dive op to pick you up, and a decent shore dive site with a place to rent tanks. As far as I know, Hotel Barracuda is the cheapest place on the water.
I've stayed there 4 or 5 times in the past but I think it's time for at least some minor upgrades. I would think the property is worth more than the structure. It wouldn't surprise me to see it demolished and rebuilt with a larger and more upscale hotel.
Hotel Barracuda can usually be had for 70-80/nt. Used to be less before they were listed on the big travel sites (expedia/orbitz/etc). I think Suites Bahia offers better accomodations at a lower price (sometimes as low as $40/nt). Ditto for Colonial Suites. Casa Mexicana can be had from $80/nt and offers significantly nicer rooms and the breakfast alone is worth $10/nt. What those others can't offer is a place right on the water, with a pier that allows any dive op to pick you up, and a decent shore dive site with a place to rent tanks. As far as I know, Hotel Barracuda is the cheapest place on the water.
I've stayed there 4 or 5 times in the past but I think it's time for at least some minor upgrades. I would think the property is worth more than the structure. It wouldn't surprise me to see it demolished and rebuilt with a larger and more upscale hotel.
scrane
Contributor
Looks like about $65/ night. Most dive ops will schedule p/u at Barracuda's dock.
Never had a problem with hot water at the Barracuda. Air conditioning. The place is clean. Across the street from the supermarket. A little bit shabby. Reception is grudgingly polite. Small refrigerator in room. Patchy internet. Small white sand beach, very crowded and noisy during bar hours. Bar tapers off early so no big noise problem at night. 10 minute walk to downtown. OK food served at bar for moderate prices. Coffee shop a few steps down the road.
The place is definitely not luxury, but not third world either.
Never had a problem with hot water at the Barracuda. Air conditioning. The place is clean. Across the street from the supermarket. A little bit shabby. Reception is grudgingly polite. Small refrigerator in room. Patchy internet. Small white sand beach, very crowded and noisy during bar hours. Bar tapers off early so no big noise problem at night. 10 minute walk to downtown. OK food served at bar for moderate prices. Coffee shop a few steps down the road.
The place is definitely not luxury, but not third world either.
The location and the water access are what makes me interested in Barracuda. the questions I brought up are what worry me. I have stayed at Bahia and am booked there in a few weeks. The $40 range rooms are interior rooms, there is a window but your view is a building wall 5' away. Their balcony rooms are in the $50 range, only draw back is the noise from the Thirsty Cougar. I like Mexicana but $30 extra a night is not worth it to me on a solo trip. One of the things that makes Cozumel so great is the lodging choices available.
scrane
Contributor
As far as I know, all the rooms at the Barracuda are direct beach access or waterfront balconies on the upper floors. The rooms are large, bright, and airy.
PARADISE HUNTER
Contributor
I've stayed at the Barracuda a lot over the past eight years. It's our go to place for the guys only dive trip. Only costs @$40 a night per person. Never would stay there with the wife or family. It is what it is. The people who try to make get more out of it are not the correct customer. There are no extras, but other than a room safe, there is nothing else I need.
All rooms have great ocean views! I've always had hot water, it just takes some getting used to the timing of the handles in the shower. Door has always locked and stayed shut for me. The place is clean in my opinion, the maids and ground crew work hard. It's right in town and there is no need for a taxi for almost all outings. Directly across from the Mega, picking up anything is often closer than the front desk at the AIs. If I want more towels, I just ask. The beds are new as of a year ago and are comfortable.
The biggest complaint about the place that I hear from others is the pool bar music during the day. But that doesn't bother me. I don't get back from diving until 1:00 and they usually turn it down around 4:00. Sometimes I hang out, have a beer and watch the show at the pool or I go out for lunch. Either way no big deal. At night they play softer more mellow stuff at a much less volume.
I also like the Blue Angel and it has it's own set of pluses. But one thing that the Cuda has is a closed in hallway on each floor. The BA is all open on the road side. The traffic noise continues all day and night. The Cuda is also cheaper and closer to town.
PH
All rooms have great ocean views! I've always had hot water, it just takes some getting used to the timing of the handles in the shower. Door has always locked and stayed shut for me. The place is clean in my opinion, the maids and ground crew work hard. It's right in town and there is no need for a taxi for almost all outings. Directly across from the Mega, picking up anything is often closer than the front desk at the AIs. If I want more towels, I just ask. The beds are new as of a year ago and are comfortable.
The biggest complaint about the place that I hear from others is the pool bar music during the day. But that doesn't bother me. I don't get back from diving until 1:00 and they usually turn it down around 4:00. Sometimes I hang out, have a beer and watch the show at the pool or I go out for lunch. Either way no big deal. At night they play softer more mellow stuff at a much less volume.
I also like the Blue Angel and it has it's own set of pluses. But one thing that the Cuda has is a closed in hallway on each floor. The BA is all open on the road side. The traffic noise continues all day and night. The Cuda is also cheaper and closer to town.
PH
OP
waynel
Contributor
OP
waynel
Contributor
Beds are a bit hard, but I've stayed in $300 a night resorts where the beds were uncomfortable. Just the "plastic" patio type chairs on balcony. Don't know about high season, but while I was there it was dead quiet at 10pm. The pool bar closes around sundown. The "noisiest" time was from around noon til 4pm, Wed-Fri. when the cruise ships come in. It's "the" bar for the cruise ship crews to hang out. They swoop in as a group and swoop right out to beat the 5pm cruise ship horn.
DFDubb
Contributor
$85 US per night for those accommodations? What am I missing? Just the fact that it's on the water? 85 a night gets you into just about every nice hotel on the island.
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