Trip Report on Hotel Barracuda

[Streydog]

For the dates I am looking at in July, it is about $55 a night on an online booking site. About the same price I have a balcony room at Bahia booked. Breakfast, safe in room, microwave, more modern TV vs. on the water. I will probably just stick with Bahia but it is tempting.

 

[nodakdive]

$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.

Well, sorta. Location, location, location. Ocean view rooms, right on the water not across the street from the water, they have a dock for pick-up, you can shore dive there, plus it's *very* close to downtown so you don't need taxis. Casa Mexicana doesn't have that, nor does Suites Bahia or Ventanas del Mar. El Cantil condos are more than $80/night as is the Cozumel Palace. Coz Palace and Hotel Coz are a little further from downtown.

I've been in the Barracuda and seen the rooms. Other than the one time I stayed at Casa Mexicana, I've stayed exclusively at Casa del Mar, probably 15 times. If I was going to stay downtown, and my only choices were the Barracuda, Casa Mexicana, Suites Bahia or Ventanas del Mar, I'd probably stay at the Barracuda because of the on-site dock and the shore diving.

 

[waynel]

That's what they have posted at the front desk. No way would I pay that. I got it about $50 per night booking flight and hotel.

 

[ronscuba]

In Cozumel you have dozens of quality hotel/resort choices at all price points. To survive each hotel/resort has their niche. Price, luxury, downtown access, beach access, shore dive access, AI, quick access to dive sites, etc..

Nice to have choices.

 

[waynel]

Well, sorta. Location, location, location. Ocean view rooms, right on the water not across the street from the water, they have a dock for pick-up, you can shore dive there, plus it's *very* close to downtown so you don't need taxis. Casa Mexicana doesn't have that, nor does Suites Bahia or Ventanas del Mar. El Cantil condos are more than $80/night as is the Cozumel Palace. Coz Palace and Hotel Coz are a little further from downtown.

I've been in the Barracuda and seen the rooms. Other than the one time I stayed at Casa Mexicana, I've stayed exclusively at Casa del Mar, probably 15 times. If I was going to stay downtown, and my only choices were the Barracuda, Casa Mexicana, Suites Bahia or Ventanas del Mar, I'd probably stay at the Barracuda because of the on-site dock and the shore diving.

Yes, Barracuda is simply about...location. That was the point of my post. If you don't need phone, hair dryer, shampoo, etc. Barracuda is just fine. Coz Palace is just a two minute walk (south) of Barracuda and Hotel Coz another two minutes south. Coz Palace, where my daughter stayed is high dollar. Hotel Coz, where I've stayed several times has a combination of "resort" amenities, including AI and easy walking distance to downtown, and for an incredibly low price (compared to Coz palace). I chose Barracuda because the only thing I wanted was a roof and bed. Going solo, I was there for one thing...to dive. Think of Barracuda as a dive bum "cabin" as compared to the "resorts." That's a good starting point depending on what you want versus what you need.

 

[halocline]

I stayed there one night several years ago, never again. There are lots of better deals on the island.

 

[sharky60]

Thanks for the review. It's been a while since someone posted about the ol' Barracuda.

Mike is a great guy, I used to love to sit and talk with him when he owned the French Quarter. Haven't been to the No Name since he bought it.

Jan was voted "best bartender on the island" at one time. Many years ago when she was at F.Q. and the island businesses used to do cooperative fun things like that rather than trying to undermine each other.

 

[waynel]

Yep, I remember. I think the cruise ships killed the coop stuff. It became every man for himself. I was told by an American moving there to try and start a business that it's close to about a million dollars pumped into San Miquel every time one of those floating cities lands there. Hard Rock, McDonalds, Subway, etc. didn't open up there because they wanted to help the locals out. Can you believe it? There is a Cartier's right near the Playa ferry dock. Cartier's! In Cozumel!