Looking for specific reccomendations

[CPDiver]

I am hoping some of you can give me some advice. I searched the Board but could use a bit more info if possible.

My wife and I are looking to hit Cozumel the first week in Nov. We are both divers, but due to a relatively minor medical issue she may/may not be able to dive. If I knew she could dive we absolutely stick with the plan to hit Coz. However, due to the possibility of her not being able to dive the importance of a nice beach has increased greatly.

Unfortunately, the beaches at most Cozumel hotels look to be either non existant or sub par. The Melia looks like a great beach. But I thought I recalled most of the diving being far from the Melia, and not easily accessible. Is this true?

Here is what we would like in a hotel:

1) At least a swimmable beach. Little thatched umbrellas would be a definite plus.
2) Readily available diving opportunities. I do not want to take a cab every day to dive.
3) If possible an all-inclusive would be great

Any experience with the El Coz, Melia or other options would be appreciated.

I am grateful for any suggestions you have, as my near term diving future hinges on your suggestions.

 

[jpdunc]

We regularly stay at the Reef Club Cozumel on the South end of the island.

It is an all-inclusive and there is an on site dive operator, Sand Dollar Sports, or other operators will pick you up there because it is near virtually all of the best diving sites. It has a very nice beach area with a roped area for swimming.

It is also totally renovated as a result of Hurricane Wilma's devastation. We were there in April just after they re-opened and we are going back for a week starting 10/28/06.

The primary negative is the distance from downtown if that is important to you. They do have rental vehicles and taxis are always available.

Try www.reefclubcozumel.com for more information or PM me with any specific questions.

 

[wazz_zup]

Take a look at the Allegro. All-inclusive with a dive shop and a swimable beach.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150809-d153005-Reviews-Allegro_Cozumel_by_Occidental-Cozumel_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

 

[redacted]

Look south to the Occidental Allegro which is a mid-priced AI or the Occidental Grand which is higher priced but well worth it. Both are serviced by Dive Palancar. No need for prepaid dive reservations. Your wife can make dive decisions on a day by day basis. I found the beach much nicer at the Occidental hotels than it was at Reef Club which is a couple miles further north.

 

[Divedoggie]

The El Cozumeleno has a great pool area, with 2 nice pools, a couple of whirlpools, a mini-golf, and some nice beach. You can take one of the no extra charge kayaks and paddle a little North of the hotel to some incredible beach.
The food is good, and its an enjoyable property.

It is north of town, and therefor, far north of 99% of the reefs. However, there is an on site DiveOp: http://www.cozumel-diving.net/oceantur/ You might email them to make sure that they pick up and drop off at El Coz.

As suggested above, the southern AI resorts like Reef Club, Allegro, Iberostar, and Occidental Grand, will all have nice beach and close access to the reefs.
They just aren't that close to town. Its all relative though! Coz is a small island!

 

[cowboyneal]

......

 

[rje634]

I am hoping some of you can give me some advice. I searched the Board but could use a bit more info if possible.

My wife and I are looking to hit Cozumel the first week in Nov. We are both divers, but due to a relatively minor medical issue she may/may not be able to dive. If I knew she could dive we absolutely stick with the plan to hit Coz. However, due to the possibility of her not being able to dive the importance of a nice beach has increased greatly.

Unfortunately, the beaches at most Cozumel hotels look to be either non existant or sub par. The Melia looks like a great beach. But I thought I recalled most of the diving being far from the Melia, and not easily accessible. Is this true?

Here is what we would like in a hotel:

1) At least a swimmable beach. Little thatched umbrellas would be a definite plus.
2) Readily available diving opportunities. I do not want to take a cab every day to dive.
3) If possible an all-inclusive would be great

Any experience with the El Coz, Melia or other options would be appreciated.

I am grateful for any suggestions you have, as my near term diving future hinges on your suggestions.

We stayed at the Melia in September. The rooms were nice and the staff was great.
There are two pools and adult pool with a swim up bar and an activitites pool.
As to your first point - The beach is really nice, it runs the length of the resort and has lots of palapas (little thatched umbrellas). The beach is definitely swimable, there isn't much to see snorkeling except for some fish.

As for your second point - You will have to take taxi to get into town for diving the taxi is $5 each way to the Aldora Pier (this is where many ops pick up). As far as I know there aren't any dive shops that will pick up as far north as the Melia.

As for your last point - The Melia is an Optional All-Inclusive. Their rates are pretty reasonable from what I remember them saying. We didn't do the AI so I really can't give you a whole lot of info there. We feel there are too many good restaurants in town to do an AI, just our personal preference.

If you have any specific question ask and I'll try to answer....

 

[sharky60]

If I were going to recommend an AI it would be the Occidental Grand, hands down, beautiful resort they really did a great job laying it out, awsome large rooms with stocked fridges, irons and boards, safes & plenty of room for scuba stuff; very good food, not just the same thing on the buffets day in and day out, good friendly staff & service, nice beach with palapas as well as a beach side pool and a pool off the beach. small spa and gym. not a whole lot to do at night, just a small night club that never seemed to be busy when we were there and a bar in the lobby area with internet.

Just a VERY short boat ride and you are wet, super convenient diving!! The drawback being they won't boat back up to the northern end of the park to do some of those spots, but some of the best diving is at the mid-range to southern range of the park, belive me you won't be missing out on anything!

The only drawback to staying down there is it's a $20 cab ride, one way, to town, but some folks like the AI so much they don't even go to town. I'd recommend renting a jeep at least one day and drive arround the island and spend some time in town just to get the local flavor, your next trip you might reconsider the AI thing.


I don't know of anyone having to take a taxi to dive on Coz. unless you are diving with some of the private ops that require you to go to the marina for pick-up. most of the ops will pick you up and return you to your hotel pier that is, if your are in the southern hotel zone. I almost forgot that most dive ops do not pick up at the hotels north of town like the Melia and the El Coz, you would have to take a cab to town every morning if you stayed up there.

I don't know much about it because it's so new, but the Cozumel Palace ( the old Plaza las Glorias), is AI and is just outside of town on the south side and could also be an option as well as the Hotel Cozumel which is in the same area and has both AI and non-AI packages.

Like a lot of us long timers, we don't usualy do an AI because we have a list as long as your arm of favorite restaurants we MUST hit while we are there.