Hello. Yes, it is in a lovely and particularly quiet part of town with very little traffic....in the back part of the Corpus Christi area which is a development by Americans as large residences before the US recession which could also be rented out. Area is known by some as "Gringo Gulch". I have ridden my bicycle past and the property looks very nice (there used to be a lovely interior decor store next door but not sure if it's still open...it was closed every time I have ridden past it of late). You are a short walk (couple of blocks) to Chedraui, which is kind of a big Walmart. There's a theater in the complex with very inexpensive, new movies in English (with Spanish subtitles) . Wednesday matinee is a killer deal. It would be about a 10 or 15 minute walk to the town square but taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. However you are within a couple of blocks of lots of places to eat/drink along Melgar or up 11.
What IS going to be a challenge for you is getting to your dive op. A couple of ops pick up in town at the Aldora pier (Living Underwater, Aldora, Deep Blue, and Blue X-T-Sea are 4 I know of), and if you are diving with Aqua Safari, from their pier in town. That will be about a 50 peso trip (or $5 in U.S. currency) each way. If you decide to do that, think long and hard about booking with an op that will also look after your wetsuits (Living Underwater is the only one I know of). Most don't, and it gets really old fast if you have to schlepp your wetsuit around town if you decide to stop someplace for lunch, a drink or do a bit of shopping before you head back to your house. Believe me. Been there, done that. Not pretty if you are like me and wear a LOT of neoprene.
Many ops will pick up at El Cantil, Cozumel Palace, Scuba Club etc. but only if you are a guest at the hotel. So if you aren't diving with an op that picks up in town, you will need to go to the Caleta (boat harbour most ops leave from) which is, last I paid which was before the latest price increase, one way $90 pesos or $9 in US currency. So it's probably about $10 now. That is starting to make the car rental thing look more attractive.
If I were going to rent a vehicle (what others have said about scooters as every health professional on the island has gruesome stories about tourists and scooters), I would just get a car. The jeeps are open to the elements and there is often brief but heavy rainfall and the streets fill up with water making scooters even more treacherous in addition to wet. (I was sitting in front of my house one day under shelter from the downpour and saw a young, tourist couple on a scooter coming down my one-way street the wrong way; she was bawling loudly and he had a grim look. I think they were having a very bad day.) Book in advance for a better rate and buy the insurance. Roads are good, and especially so around the island. Just one other observation about renting a vehicle is parking it. Street parking in the main part of town is tricky and there are places you cannot park. They are NOT well marked and those that are marked are in Spanish. And it is enforced by impounding your vehicle. Big fees/tips required to get them back. If it were me, I'd rely on taxis for longer trips and go by foot or bicycle (I saw they had some on the website). Presumably they have locks because you will need them. I have a bicycle and use it a lot for day-time travel.
As to ops, nearly all are good with new/inexperienced divers as there are a lot the arrive on the island and especially from the cruise ships. If you book with an op with multiple boats you MIGHT get grouped with other divers more to your ability...or you might not. See linked review.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...parison-between-living-underwater-aldora.html Sometimes people suggest that brand new divers book their own personal DM to accompany them (separate and apart from the regular DM and other divers on the boat) for at least the first dive or two as there is a lot of stuff to remember and your depths may be restricted initially to 60 feet. (At least I think that is what PADI suggests until you get your AOW.) Cost is about $50 over and above the regular fee. Discuss that with the operators you contact in advance. There was just recently a thread with some experienced Coz divers noting they aren't certified AOW, but I thought I would just mention this to you since most of the diving in Cozumel is in the 60-100 foot range.
Lots of people have good things to say about the operators with multiple and/or big boats. But I prefer the more personal experience of a small, valet-type operator. You get to know the DM and captain one of whom may well be the owner and often become life-long friends and loyal customers. There are a few of those referenced periodically on this board.
I hope you have a great time and if I can try to answer anything else for you, drop me a PM. (I live on the island part-time, but don't expect to be there in October.)
Hi Everyone,
My lady and I are doing our honeymoon in Cozumel October 12-19th. We're planning on staying at Villas el Encanto, and I'm curious if anyone has stayed there/heard about it? Is it a nice part of town? Walking distance to quality restaurants and bars?
Villas El Encanto Cozumel - Cozumel - Mexico
Is a moped enough to explore the entire island, or do the roads warrant a Jeep?
This will be my second dive trip and my queen's first (she's getting certified now). What dives/shops do you recommend for novice divers?