VillaBlanca vs. Barracuda

[squarepants]

Ok, I promise not to keep hounding you all about my lodging dilemma. I just need to know which hotel rates better in your collective opinion.

In order of most - least important:

1. Diver convenient/friendly.
2. Comfort, cleanliness (hopefully no cockroaches), good staff.
3. Decent pool, with margaritas and tacos available.
4. Close enough to walk into town/cheap taxi.

VillaBlanca or Barracuda, or maybe even Fiesta Americana.

Help! - Thanks.

 

[ggunn]

The Barracuda is in town, Villablanca is a fairly cheap cab ride or a pretty long walk from town, and Fiesta Americana is way too far to even consider walking.

 

[cxg31s]

Barracuda--very close to town, no pool, I believe they might have a snack bar but if not, Rock n Java is right next door, it's a diver's hotel, clean, basic rooms with a mini-fridge

Villablanca--right next door to Papa Hogs, way too far to walk to town but about a $3-4 cab ride, small pool, restaurant onsite but if you don't like it, Hogtown Cafe is right next door, it's also more of a diver's hotel, clean rooms with mini-fridge, the superior rooms are very nice from what I hear, I'm staying there for Carnival 2004

Fiesta Americana--I've read mostly good reports, it's more of a "resort" atmosphere and a lot of divers stay there, Dive House the onsite dive op also gets good reviews, the food at the restaurant is said to be good but expensive, the hotel is VERY far from town and everything else so you will be cabbing it everwhere, they have a pool but can't remember any details

 

[DennisS]

I'm familiar with the Barracuda, I stayed there for a month, it's a good basic hotel. There is a restaurant/snack bar that's open during the day. There are restaurants and bars a 10 minute walk away.

It doesn't have a pool but has water access. There is a little "cove" about 3-4 foot deep that has steps and opens into the ocean. There is an artificail reef, odds and ends, bricks, rubble etc that has some fish on it in about 15 feet of water. There is also a training course set up in about 20 feet of water, lines, suspended hoola hoops etc. An easy night dive and a good place to hang out underwater after the morning dives. The dive boats do pickups from the pier. Dive paradise has a shop there and rents tanks for beach dives.

It's clean, has a mini fridge in the room and is a quick walk to the supermarket. Bay Adventures out of Miami can put together a good package for you. The ground floor rooms have porches that are nice for easy access and kicking back.

 

[ggunn]

cxg31s once bubbled...
[B
Villablanca--right next door to Papa Hogs, way too far to walk to town but about a $3-4 cab ride...
[/B]

Not to quibble, but the walk is not too bad; I've walked back to La Perla/Lorena/Caribe Blu from town many times, and it's just a little farther to Villablanca.

 

[alanconstant]

cxg31s is right regarding Villablanca.
We stayed in a superior room (recommended) and dived with Papa Hogs; it could not have been more convenient.
The rooms are clean; the pool is small, but fine for a quick dip.
I thought their lunches we quite good. We took a cab (36 pesos) into town each night for dinner.

Alan

 

[5615mike]

squarepants once bubbled...
Ok, I promise not to keep hounding you all about my lodging dilemma. I just need to know which hotel rates better in your collective opinion.

In order of most - least important:

1. Diver convenient/friendly.
2. Comfort, cleanliness (hopefully no cockroaches), good staff.
3. Decent pool, with margaritas and tacos available.
4. Close enough to walk into town/cheap taxi.

VillaBlanca or Barracuda, or maybe even Fiesta Americana.

Help! - Thanks.

Squarepants

I understand your comparison of Villa and Barra but ath the last minute you throw in FA. FA does not belong on thas list. It is a vastly different type of property. Villa and Barra are quite bare bones facilties which is fine if you are going only for diving and you are only looking for a place to sleep between dives. Obviously the rates at FA are higher but you really can't compare them. As mentioned, you won't be walking to town........its a 60 peso ride each way. If you are wanting to stay in the lower tiers of cost, you might also consider the Brisas. Not quite as nice as FA but closer and have the largest pool on the island with great drinks.

just my .02 worth

 

[cxg31s]

if F.A. is on your list, you might consider Brisas instead. I stayed there in June and am going back in TWO DAYS!!! I like it for the convenience of being close to town and Chedraui, the big "Walmart" store. Any dive op will pick up at their pier, just like the other hotels you mentioned, or Dive Paradise is right on site to do boat dives with or rent tanks for shore dives. There are also 2 showers and 2 rinse tanks as well as lockers to keep your gear in. The rooms are clean and have a balcony with rails and hooks for wet stuff. The food is pretty good, although I only ate there for breakfast and lunch, and the drinks are REALLY good! Let me know if you have any questions about Brisas....

 

[5615mike]

cxg31s once bubbled...
if F.A. is on your list, you might consider Brisas instead. I stayed there in June and am going back in TWO DAYS!!! I like it for the convenience of being close to town and Chedraui, the big "Walmart" store. Any dive op will pick up at their pier, just like the other hotels you mentioned, or Dive Paradise is right on site to do boat dives with or rent tanks for shore dives. There are also 2 showers and 2 rinse tanks as well as lockers to keep your gear in. The rooms are clean and have a balcony with rails and hooks for wet stuff. The food is pretty good, although I only ate there for breakfast and lunch, and the drinks are REALLY good! Let me know if you have any questions about Brisas....

cxg31s,

Outstanding. 2 trips to Coz in just 2 months. Don't mind saying that I'm a bit jealous . I have not stayed at Brisas but we checked it out in May when we were there. Got a key to check out a room and I thought it was fine. My wife prefers the nicer hotels but I just need a place to sleep and a nice pool. Do you trade directly with Brisas on your room or do you use a travel agent? What are the price of the rooms? We forgot to ask. Do you use Dive Paradise? What do you think of them?

 

[cxg31s]

Now wait a minute, didn't you recently go down there for 2 weeks or so? Now THAT is something to be jealous of!

I go through my travel agent and book a package since airfare is cheaper that way--the room cost is the same whether you book via agent or direct. The all inclusive room rates run between $105-$125--not sure of the exact price or what the European room rates are. European plan includes breakfast with the room but since the all inclusive isn't much more, I just go AI and eat breakfast/lunch there and go into town for dinner.

We didn't use Dive Paradise for our boat diving but my friends rented tanks from them for shore diving. Some people we met at the hotel said DP was ok--very conservative and they seem to like to go to Paradise reef a lot. I have heard that they have an Experienced Diver Program though where you go out on 6-packs and get more bottom time so that might be something to check out. Maybe someone else can chime in with more info on DP....

Going back in 1.5 more days and a wakeup!!!