Hotel Cozumel Resort and Dive Paradise

[pilot fish]

I was there for a week of diving in January, 2005. I may write this in a couple segments because I'm having a few problems posting. Here's the summary: (1) Dive Paradise Operation: Generally very good. (2) Hotel Cozumel Resort Rooms/Facility: Good. (3) Hotel Cozumel Food: Problematic.

The Dive Paradise operation is right across the street from the Hotel and a tunnel provides easy access. The office staff, boat crews, and divemasters all seem quite competent and well organized. They are very safety conscious and our group felt well cared for. We had over 60 divers on 3-4 different boats, so the fact that they kept the group organized and safe is pretty high praise. We had a lot of good sightings and I enjoyed the dive sites that were chosen with the guidance of the staff.

The boats were well maintained and never failed. All the tanks had consistently good charges on them. I'm a bigger guy and it always ticks me off when most of the tanks are 200psi below what I'm used to.

Each boat of 15-20 divers was broken down into several smaller groups. Each smaller group had its own divemaster. My only complaint for the whole week was that on one dive they called the number of my group prematurely and I got dropped with the wrong group. However, we corrected the problem and it was just an annoying error. The rest of the dives went smoothly.

My experience with Dive Paradise is slightly different. I found their boats unusally slow and crowded, 20 divers on a boat is considered by some as a lot, and the staff on the boats unaccommodating to experienced divers. You wind up diving the north sites often because everyone and their granny beat Dive Paradise boats to the better sites further south. I don't know your level of experience but I found it annoying to be told 40 minute bottom time on first dive, even if you had a puter, and 45 min second dive. I mean, the crew had us diving the same sites a few times. And you can just forget doing the 3rd dive, borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring. Villa Blanca? puhleeeeeeeeze!

 

[scubamate]

I'm leaving in about a week for my 4 trip to Cozumel and I've never seen anybody in any of the people I've been with get sick. The worst I've seen was 3 stiyches to the back of the head due to an improper entry. The charter owner took her to the emergency care center, decided it was too crowded so took her to the hospital. The Dr. saw her, and was with her 100% of the time until he released her after the stiches. Can't ask for better than that.

 

[pilot fish]

Gee... I am trying to keep an upbeat and positive attitude for my upcoming trip to Hotel Cozumel (all-inclusive) and Dive Paradise (cattle boat). Then again, everyone warned me not to go to Waikiki (go to Maui instead) and I wound up having one of the best vacations of "my" life... maybe I should just stop reading the posts

The hotel was OK, I was there in Feb, but try to dive with another dive op than Dive Paradise. Not only are the boats crowded but you don't get to good sites and they don't let you dive your own profile if you have a puter.

 

[RonFrank]

Gee... I am trying to keep an upbeat and positive attitude for my upcoming trip to Hotel Cozumel (all-inclusive) and Dive Paradise (cattle boat). Then again, everyone warned me not to go to Waikiki (go to Maui instead) and I wound up having one of the best vacations of "my" life... maybe I should just stop reading the posts

I've been following the posts on COZ as it's a place I will go, and while I've read varying reports on the food at Hotel Coz, this is the FIRST report of food poisoning I've read.

As for Dive Paradise, I've read good things (like on this thread) and then I've read the cattle boat complaints. Maybe contact DP, and discuss max bottom times, and dive sites. It sounds like they maybe willing to go south, and allow max bottom times if you get in with a group that is likeminded.

I'm sure you are going to LOVE Coz.... Have a great trip :dazzler1:

 

[scubamate]

One more thing I'd like to add. You'll notice that most food and beverages are served with a lime. Several locals have told me to eat them, they attack the bacteria that cause "Montazuma's Revenge" and some types of food poisoning. I don't know if it's true, but I've never gotten sick there.

 

[ggunn]

One more thing I'd like to add. You'll notice that most food and beverages are served with a lime. Several locals have told me to eat them, they attack the bacteria that cause "Montazuma's Revenge" and some types of food poisoning. I don't know if it's true, but I've never gotten sick there.

Limes don't do a thing for disinfecting food . Vitamic C is good for you, but the only disease it works on is scurvy.

 

[maggs_the]

Limes don't do a thing for disinfecting food . Vitamic C is good for you, but the only disease it works on is scurvy.

DAMN! and i was all about some Coronas with limes too! oh well, better safe than sorry

 

[Dive-Ho]

I've been following the posts on COZ as it's a place I will go, and while I've read varying reports on the food at Hotel Coz, this is the FIRST report of food poisoning I've read.

As for Dive Paradise, I've read good things (like on this thread) and then I've read the cattle boat complaints. Maybe contact DP, and discuss max bottom times, and dive sites. It sounds like they maybe willing to go south, and allow max bottom times if you get in with a group that is likeminded.

I'm sure you are going to LOVE Coz.... Have a great trip :dazzler1:

I have stayed at hotel Cozumel 5 times in the last 2 years,done the AI each time it's
cheap enough to be a bargain even if you eat dinner in town a few times.I have never gotten sick or known of anyone else getting sick either. Well maybe from having too many of the all inclusive drinks

As for dive paradise for an extra charge you can get on a small fast boat and dive their EDP . BUT for less pesos you can use Dive with Martin he will pick up @ Hotel Cozumel pier around 0730 small fast boats one of the first on the reefs and let's you pick where you want to dive & dive your puter.

 

[Shop Wench]

We stayed at Hotel Coz in December 2004 and their food was GREAT! We ordered off a menu or had the choice of Buffet. Our food always arrived very prompt and tasted wonderful. However, on our return trip Jan. 31 thru Feb. 4, 2005............it was awful! I too agree that they reheat meals & for everyones safety, don't do the buffet.

As far as their dive operations, heard good things about dive paradise but have always used Blue Angel for my group. (their great with no "cattleboats", only 6 to a boat period)

The only downfall was the food & are very greatful no one fell ill, but only ate 2 meals out of our All Inclusive of 4 nights, 5 days.

I don't think I'll be leading my groups back to this All Inclusive ever again.

The most serious problem of the trip occurred on account of the food at the resort. I ate exclusively at the resort, so I'm certain that the problem did not originate elsewhere.

The resort price for our group included food and a substantial assortment of bar items. Much of the food is served buffet style, in large heated catering trays. I believe the problem is that a number of dishes are repeatedly heated and cooled. I suspect that the controls on temperatures and food storage conditions are not nearly tight enough. The bad news was that I got a pretty nasty case of food poisoning. The good news (such as it is) is that I didn't get it until six hours after the last dive and it wasn't as bad as the case that afflicted my dive partner.

The problem I developed was not the typical Montezuma's Revenge/Tourista Trots that many of us have probably experienced in Mexico. This food poisoning started with bloating and vomiting and then led to diarrhea. It was pretty unpleasant and I was down for a day and a half. However, I recovered enough to fly home after that period.

 

[maggs_the]

I have stayed at hotel Cozumel 5 times in the last 2 years,done the AI each time it's
cheap enough to be a bargain even if you eat dinner in town a few times.I have never gotten sick or known of anyone else getting sick either. Well maybe from having too many of the all inclusive drinks

As for dive paradise for an extra charge you can get on a small fast boat and dive their EDP . BUT for less pesos you can use Dive with Martin he will pick up @ Hotel Cozumel pier around 0730 small fast boats one of the first on the reefs and let's you pick where you want to dive & dive your puter.

i'll let you know how it all turns out .. the votes appear to be pretty even Pro and Con so i'll be keeping my fingers crossed and the pepto close! wish me luck!