Beware Skoosh.com and Venere.com...!

[DandyDon]

I have price shopping Cozumel hotels. I really like the one I have been using, but thot it'd be a good idea to check around. Sidestep.com generally does a great job for me in comparative shopping flights, hotels, cars, using up to a dozen other search sites, so gave it a run. I did notice flaws, like it included hotels within 100 miles and even beyond even if the property is not on the island, and it places Villa Blanca 30 miles out in the Atlantic ocean, but generally a good tool. Fiesta Americana and Hotel Cozumel both looked like good deals so I looked closer. Click thumbnail pics for full size...

Fiesta Americana & Skoosh.com...

Interesting price variances? I avoid booking thru third party sites because of possible complications, but for the right price - I might. Got to wonder why the bottom two are so high?

​

Went to their site - looks good...

​

Until I scroll down? 20% taxes and fees? Hotel tax is 12% so I guess they're sneaking in a 8% add-on fee? I'm a cynic. I double check things with my own calculator...

​

Orbitz was pricing a few dollars higher, but with breakfasts included. In fact, when I went to the property's own site, always a good idea no matter how impressed one might be with an offer - Hotel Fiesta Americana Cozumel Dive Resort - the $62 with breakfast rate is offered there, too. Cheaper direct than with Skoosh, much less the two at the bottom...!!

Hotel Cozumel & Venere.com....

Again, looks interesting...

* ​

This is far as I got tho. They wanted my credit card info before quoting final price.

I never buy anything that way...

​

I then tried Hotel Coz's site, but could not get anywhere near the price there - so back to good ol' Blue Angel.

 

[victoriaeskellington]

Thanks for the post... I personally don't have a lot of experience when it comes to the planning stage of vacations. I have a few years dive experience and have gone to Cozumel a couple times myself, but I was a teenage diving with my family. I know you probably have your trip already planned by now but I do know we always traveled through Apple Vacations. They are offering a few AI deals now on their website which seem reasonable to me. We have always stayed at Allegro Cozumel which we love. Priced a trip for July 6-14 this year for 1030.00 a head. FLight and everything included with exception to dive money. But their dive shop was always great and right on premises. In your opinion, is this a pretty good deal? My family seems to think so, but it's been like 10 yrs since we've gone. thanks

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks for the post... I personally don't have a lot of experience when it comes to the planning stage of vacations. I have a few years dive experience and have gone to Cozumel a couple times myself, but I was a teenage diving with my family. I know you probably have your trip already planned by now but I do know we always traveled through Apple Vacations. They are offering a few AI deals now on their website which seem reasonable to me. We have always stayed at Allegro Cozumel which we love. Priced a trip for July 6-14 this year for 1030.00 a head. FLight and everything included with exception to dive money. But their dive shop was always great and right on premises. In your opinion, is this a pretty good deal? My family seems to think so, but it's been like 10 yrs since we've gone. thanks

I stayed at Allergo on a package first time I did Coz and dived with the house operator. My experiences are limited and old, but I thot the dive op was pretty good for a large boat. Since they are so close to the south sites, speed is not important - so sounds nice.

I did think the rooms were a little small for two divers but we didn't take locks to use their gear lockers which would help a lot. But if you like the AI route and like the looks of Allergo, cool - it's a good place as far as I know. You didn't say how many in a room or what origin airport you're using so my quick study may or may not apply? I'll assume two people? Your package is for air, AI hotel, and ground transfers right?

I know that you often pay a lot more for ground transfers in those packages than if you buy a ticket from the airport to the hotel, then a cab back. You'd have to ask on the Coz forum how much those two cost in comparison to the bottom line here tho; I don't know...?

You could book a package for two directly thru the Occidental Hotel site, using Continental Air for $2,338.06 = $1169 each. That's more but are you using a real airline or a charter? Charter airlines are cheaper but with restrictions and drawbacks I don't like. When I needed to escape Cozumel before a hurricane hit once, Continental flew in at least one empty plane for the evacuation, put me on it, no change fee - I just had to call ahead to book and get my scared butt to Cancun.

Or book the hotel without air direct at Allegro Cozumel, All Inclusive Mexico Resort for Total Price $1,616 = $808 each, then add air and ground transfers.

Wait, Sidestep says that Easyclick will do Allegro for $129 night, Skoosh for $130. Haha, we know Skoosh will add 12% tax and 8% sneaky-fee, but that's still some cheaper. What about Easyclick? Can't say, as you have to create a log-in account and who knows what's going to happen next? You can bet that the marketing people are out to get what they can out of you! Skoosh would do it for $1254 = $627 each.

For air?
Sidestep can get you Continental Air RT those dates for $336 including taxes from L-ville...
SDF 6:20a CZM 11:32a
CZM 3:25p SDF 10:12p

Or Continental for $338 RT inclusive from Lexington...
LEX 6:15a CZM 11:32a
CZM 3:25p LEX 10:54p

Or Delta for $280 RT inclusive with "the bag drag" * thru Cancun...
LEX 6:00a CUN 10:10a
CUN 8:30a LEX 2:40p​

So I guess you could get the hotel for $627 each thru Skoosh or Easyclick, the air for $338 thru Cont-Air, plus ground = probly $1,000 each or so.

Yeah, you sound like you got a pretty good deal. Nothing to get excited about, but some people probly pay more, like it they book thru Orbitz because they thot it was a good site, without shopping around, or worse thru Hotels.com which can do good deals in some cases, giving a person the erroneous idea that they're always good...!

Packages can be good at times if they offer what you want to buy, and don't sneak in tricks. Always good to do some research, even post your findings on the Coz forum for comment - even tho many will tell you why they like XYZ resort better. Grr!

​