I need Cozumel help! PLEEEEEZ!

[HammerNoMore]

This is for the money conscious amongst us: We like the all-inclusives when we travel as a family, as they give the non-divers in our party lots of options, especially if there are children in the programs, or teenagers that want to stay and flirt with the opposite sex. On the party days or nights, it's nice to not have an alcohol/food bill at the end of the night. Kids can have all the virgin frozen drinks they want, french fries or ice cream at the pool, true kiddy decadence. And you don't have to worry about running out of money before your vacation ends- you will always have something to do, eat, drink, etc. With a vacation package, you usually even have your airport transfers already paid with your lump sum.
Foo

The AI's on Cozumel cost $160+ per person. Caribe Blu costs $60 per room. That leaves $100+ per person per day for food and drink. Dinner at Casa Denis costs $10 max. Beers are $1 each. Taxi fare from airport to hotel is $7. Taxi fare from southern hotel zone to visit town: $25+.

I honestly can't see how you're saving money in that AI unless you're drinking one heck of a lot of beer.

James

 

[Texas Diver]

Hi Brandie:

My wife and I recently stayed at the Grand: The rooms are clean; we liked the food; the boat rides are short; the living is easy. So if you are looking for a very relaxing vacation with lots of time on your hands to just hang out, then you will like the Grand. We did.

On the other hand, if you enjoy boat rides; like to try differenet kinds of food; like to enjoy a more active social life; walk around in town and browse and participate in the total Cozumel experience, then you would like to stay closer to town or in town.

I would narrow it down to this: All other things being equal; If you prefer more activity and options to less acitivity and options I would stay in town or near town; if you prefer to just hang out and have lots of free time I would stay at the Grand.

But no matter what decision you make, unless a typhoon hits the island, you will have a good time. But even then you would be a typhoon diver and I don't know of anyone who can include that on their profile page!

 

[diveborg]

I would have to say, stay at the Grand for your first trip to Cozumel. I haven't read any reviews that would make me think twice about going there. You can get a first hand view of the other places you might like to consider staying at on your next trip ('cause just one trip to Coz isn't enough).

On your Second trip to Cozumel, you can branch out and try a different place closer to town.

 

[Foo]

James,
While I have to agree that your figures for the AI are right on the money, when I factor in the extremely happy teenagers and lack of complaints, general peace factor, ease of staying on the property, it's worth the extra money, and feels like I got a bargain. LOL. Believe it or not, we even enjoy the cheesy entertainment at night- they all work so hard to make sure we have a good time. Kinda like when we went to Cancun and they gave us this stinky room with a view of the satellite dish and rancid water standing in the not-draining bathroom. My husand paid the guy at the desk $40 for a better room- he told the man that $40 is really cheap to have a happy woman, cause I was NOT staying in that first room. Of course, they probably send every family to that room, first. weeenk. I do understand what you're saying. But we do like the all-inclusive relative safety factor too. Kids can more or less have the run of the place, they make new friends there and hang out-. We just enjoy the relative ease that an AI affords, although we also like to leave the property and explore, too. It's just nice to be able to sleep in if we want to, and know that our teens can go downstairs and have breakfast or whatever they want to do. Each to his own.
Foo

 

[flash]

James,

First, I DO understand the preference to stay in town and eat local food and save money over the all-inclusives. Better food, better dive operations, etc. No argument there.

At the same time, though, I read the menu at Casa Denis three days ago and $10 max for dinner is definitely incorrectly low and $1.50 was the cheapest I saw a beer. Just so you know.

Also, my wife and I stayed at the Iberostar for $1972 for eight days, seven nights including airfare, which works out to $140 per person including airfare.

Like I said, there is definitely something to be said for the better food and better dive operations in town. Just the same, your figures ARE a little off.

 

[flash]

James,

Sorry, I forgot one other thing, taxi fare from the Iberostar which is the hotel farthest from town was $17, not $25+.

 

[klolson26]

We just booked at the Grand for under $1000 pp with R/T ari from Boston. Airfare alone would have been almost $700 a piece, so we REALLY feel like we got a bargain. It was only about $150 more pp than Hotel Cozumel, Fiesta Americana, Plaza Las Glorias, and we figure with the $ we're saving, we can go out for a few nights on the town without feeling guilty about it!

Can't wait to get there. Hvae a friend who was there a few months back and siad it was fantastic!

 

[Texas Diver]

We just booked at the Grand for under $1000 pp with R/T ari from Boston. Airfare alone would have been almost $700 a piece, so we REALLY feel like we got a bargain. It was only about $150 more pp than Hotel Cozumel, Fiesta Americana, Plaza Las Glorias, and we figure with the $ we're saving, we can go out for a few nights on the town without feeling guilty about it!

Can't wait to get there. Hvae a friend who was there a few months back and siad it was fantastic!

WOW:

Sounds like you are getting a great deal at the Grand. Who did you book it through? Is that price for 7 nights and does it include diving?

 

[HammerNoMore]

First, I DO understand the preference to stay in town and eat local food and save money over the all-inclusives. Better food, better dive operations, etc. No argument there.

And I understand that some people prefer AI's (as do I at some other locations), I just wouldn't bill it as a money saving venture.

At the same time, though, I read the menu at Casa Denis three days ago and $10 max for dinner is definitely incorrectly low.

$15? I know it can't be any more than that, of course I wasn't doing appetizers and dessert, that's just too much food.

and $1.50 was the cheapest I saw a beer. Just so you know.

Try the little bar at the entrance to the artist mall south of the square. $1 cervesa.

Also, my wife and I stayed at the Iberostar for $1972 for eight days, seven nights including airfare, which works out to $140 per person including airfare.

An Apple/Funjet/? Vacation? I was quoting hotel prices from Expedia, not package deals. I paid $200 for my last air fare to Cozumel. For an 8 day trip that puts the hotel and airfare to $90 instead of $65.

James

P.S. $17 is the rate from Iberostar for 1 person. Foo was talking about a family and the charge ranges from $1 to $2.50 per extra passenger. If I were to stay in the southern hotel zone I'd have to rent a car rather than paying $50 a day to get to town.

 

[HammerNoMore]

It's just nice to be able to sleep in if we want to, and know that our teens can go downstairs and have breakfast or whatever they want to do. Each to his own.

That's a good reason. Of course with $5 they can do that at Caribe Blu as well . Some people just go to places to see the beach. Me, I can imagine nothing more boring than "tanning". I have to be active. Being holed up in a resort seems like a fate worse than death .

I did appreciate the AI I used in St. Thomas. Of course it cost us $2k/pp for a week, however the food at the nice restraunt was excellent and they had good quality liquor. The same cannot be said for the AI's I've tried in Cozumel.

James