El Cantil condo report

[lowwall]

The one thing of concern is what floor it's on. Security is not an issue there, just personal preference on how high up you want to be. As long as it looks over the water you're all good.

Thank you for the reply.

It appears to be on the second floor, the description says "direct Beach Access from Terrace" and the unit plan shows stairs going down from the balcony. This is supposed to be the view from the terrace. Is that the boat dock (if not, how far a walk is it)?

Alex

 

[Martha]

Yes, that's the boat dock. It's super convenient. I haven't stayed in the unit you were asking about (we stayed in a 3 bedroom), but I agree with Jeff, that it's not something you should worry about. I think all the units are top notch.

 

[Moodiejeff]

Thank you for the reply.

It appears to be on the second floor, the description says "direct Beach Access from Terrace" and the unit plan shows stairs going down from the balcony. This is supposed to be the view from the terrace. Is that the boat dock (if not, how far a walk is it)?

Alex

I think that is a generic pic taken from what looks to be higher than the 2nd floor... and it's definitely from the South building (the dock is in front of the south tower). I got the impression the unit you were refering to was in the North building.

 

[Moodiejeff]

Jeff,
I just saw this discussion last night on another board.

http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=107&topic_id=2288&mode=full

Sounds like it might be a little rich for my blood. Might be alright for a special occasion. Too many good, inexpensive places on Cozumel I haven't tried yet. If I want overpriced food I can get it where I live.

Thanks for the link... it's expensive but not anymore expensive than a nice restaurant here in Chicago. Would I eat there while on vacation? Hmmm... maybe

Here's a quick link to the Menu

For those following along: Wynston's is the upscale restaurant that Albert opened on the top floor of El Cantil North.

 

[lowwall]

It is in the North tower, I guess they don't have any real photos for some reason. I'll send an e-mail and see what they say.

EDIT:

I called and spoke with Albert. The unit is on the first floor (2nd in U.S., i.e. one above the ground floor) of the North tower. They don't have any photos because it's new. The decorator was actually in his office when I called and the unit supposed to be finished this week.

 

[scubawife]

I agree with Jeff about asking for other units. I wanted a 1bdrm and the only 1bdrm was already rented. Albert has 2 and 3bdrm owners who will lock off and rent as 1 or 2bdrm. The 2nd room in our unit was never locked. It was nice to have the extra bathroom.

I stayed on the 7th flr of the north building in early December. We really enjoyed the view and jacuzzi at night on our balcony. Main floor = easy access to the "beach", pool and boat dock, but you give up a some of the view and privacy. One odd thing about El Cantil is that if you aren't on the ground flr you have to down the elevator, out to the street and down through the garage to get to the dock/beach/pool. I suppose it's good for security purposes.

Location can't be beat. The onsite staff are wonderful. Jacuzzi on the balcony was very nice with weather we had. Other then that, what you get in the unit really depends on what the owners have chosen to provide. Some are well equipped and others have the bare minimum they need. Ours was pretty minimal. 4 cup coffee pot and exactly 4 of everything in the kichen. And one pot and pan. No pitcher for drinks, nothing overnproof and no serving dishes. Very small 4 chair dining table. Two not very comfy 2-seater sofas. If we'd had 4 adults it would not have been comfortable to hang out or eat all together. Everything was functional, but in less then 6 months, fabric was already showing wear. I usually stay at more moderately priced places in Cozumel. In other destinations we've rented condos. For the $$ and the hype of El Cantil, I expected a bit more luxury and better quality furnishings and decor then what this unit had. I'm not cheap and don't mind paying for upscale when that's what I want. If I had paid the 2bdrm rate for the unit I had, I would have felt ripped off.

 

[scubawife]

Thanks for the link... it's expensive but not anymore expensive than a nice restaurant here in Chicago. Would I eat there while on vacation? Hmmm... maybe

Here's a quick link to the Menu

For those following along: Wynston's is the upscale restaurant that Albert opened on the top floor of El Cantil North.

I think I read somewhere (maybe El Cantil's site?) that you can order in from Wynston's if you're staying at El Cantil.

Compared to what we pay in NYC or the close-in 'burbs to go to a nice restaurant, it doesn't seem that high priced. For alot of El Cantil guests or for a special night out it's also probably not out of line. Especially when you consider the views. For an anniversary, milestone birthday, proposal, etc., it sounds perfect. Let's see how long before the jacket dress code goes down to long pants, collared shirt and closed shoes. I give that about 6 months.

 

[scubawife]

Oh yeah, a month or so ago somebody said they were seeing cheaper rates listed by owners on the net than are available at the El Cantil site. I freaked out a little bit, went on a price hunt and found that there are VERY few listings by owners of the unit, and if I did find them they were the same price. I think it was just owners that wanted to advertise THEIR unit to get the week rented.

When I was looking for El Cantil rates for my last trip I spent hours online. And YES, there were owner's websites with advertised specials. They were for specific weeks and for their unit. The units were larger then what I was looking for and the specials were not for the time I was traveling, but they are out there.

I also emailed two rental agencies who handle bookings for a selection of El Cantil units. One emailed me again two weeks after my initial inquiry offering a $350 discount. The unit was again larger then what I needed, but I did get the offer after I said no thanks with the reason being that I wanted a 1 or 2bdrm.

I tend to go to Cozumel between major holidays and on the edge of the low season. For peak travel times at a prime location I doubt you'll find deals. But depending on when you travel it is worth checking more then one source and emailing them regardless of what you see price wise on their website. This has also been the case with every hotel stay I've had in Cozumel. They always email me back with a lower rate then what's on their website, or have some value-added bonus. (One hotel last year sent me to Expedia with a code to book since they had a cheaper rate then the hotel could offer directly.) I never hagle over the prices. I just tell them what I'm looking for, ask if there's availability for the time I want and what the rate is. If it's more then I can afford or want to pay for that trip I politely thank them for the reply and tell them I'll pass, but will keep it in mind if it's what I'm looking for in the future.

 

[lowwall]

Well, I'm booked for April 3-13 in PHC2-S. If you are thinking about going, try calling Albert before you book online. He was able to give me a lower price because we are within a couple of months and it wasn't booked yet. There may also be a cash discount. I don't know if this is always the case, it's certainly possible each of the unit owners has their own rules about what kind of deal he can make.

Of the generally recommended ops, who is willing to pick up at the El Cantil dock? I know Blue XTSea and Aldora do. If possible, I'd like one of the more leisurely big boat ops (that let you dive your own profile) like Careyitos or Anita Divers (both of whom require you to go down to La Caleta).

 

[Augustus]

First the pier can be used by any operator who needs to pick up clients. The anita caryitos or mayte http://www.carlosandsimon.com/ will pick up if they are diving north. (These are your all day lesiure dive operations). If they are diving south i imagine you would need to meet the boat at the caleta unless you had made some prior arrangements. Maybe if you are a large enough group of divers they would make a special trip for you. need to talk to the operator. In town operators would be (aside the ones mentioned) aqua safari and dive paradise (likely missing some others)