Coz on a budget: 2tank Dive Hostel? Best bang for buck dive ops?

[oreocookie]

Hey guys,
Looks like I may have some vacation time coming up in the next month or so and looking into trip options, thinking it might be the time for a first trip to Cozumel. I'm looking for a budget trip - I can afford to spend $2000+ on a trip, but I don't want to...

I came across the website for 2tank Dive Hostel (i backpacked Australia a couple of years ago, so not averse to hostels), and the price was appealing, leaving more cash for diving. Has anybody stayed there or dove with them? TripAdvisor reviews look good enough for accommodations, but looks like they might run cattle boats...

For diving, anybody have any suggestions on best bang for buck dive ops? I don't need valet diving, but would like small groups, and preferably where I won't get shortchanged on bottom time.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

 

[Streydog]

I read a review recently of the 2tank Dive Hostel. It was very favorable. I think the only down side was the AC in the rooms didn't work during the day. Look at a standard room at Suites Bahia, no view but great location, you can usually get it for around $40 a night including tax (19%) and it includes the breakfast buffet at Casa Mexicana.

Reefhound recently posted about using Dive with Martin and got 2 tank trips for $65 including tax, that's hard to beat.

 

[rek_diver]

"Budget" and "Diving" just don't go together.

It's like "Happy" and "Married".

 

[oreocookie]

"Budget" and "Diving" just don't go together.

It's like "Happy" and "Married".

In this case, it's more budget accommodations. If I spend less on a bed, I can spend more on diving. I'm looking for bang for buck, not necessarily the cheapest.

 

[rek_diver]

I always book my vacation homes thru vrbo, stayed in a nice condo in Cozumel in April 2017.

I just did a quick search and here's a room for $35 per nite, in town near the airport. It's just an example I know nothing about that particular property.

Relax & Recharge as you experience the real... - VRBO

 

[cicopo]

Staying in some areas will mean relying on taxis or renting a car. Should be decent hotel prices in the down town core. don't know if Dive with Martin picks up in town however I do know Aldora, Blue XT Sea & Aqua Safari do & Tres Pelicanos (good package prices & may be able to hook you up with a room too) transports you to & from the Marina. Aldora will look expensive but they use big tanks so it may be on par bottom time wise with DwM or Tres P. Aqua Safari will likely be more of a cattle boat op than the others. I'd rank Blue XT Sea & Aldora (who I haven't dove with) as valet ops offering the bells & whistles but Tres P isn't that far from them in that department.

 

[deepsea21]

After 14-15 years of diving Coz on a budget, Streydog is leading you in the right direction - Suites Bahia or sister hotel Colonial Suites. The Bahia will put you on the front road and the Suites will put you block or 2 back in the plaza/square but as they are sister hotels of the Casa Mexicana you get the massive, free breakfast buffet served at the Casa (just a 5-10min walk from either sister hotels) that will leave you not looking for lunch included with your stay at either of them. All are absolutely spotless as all share a common, independent owner.

For a dive op - It's no secret I beat the drum for Tres Pelicanos. 3P's delivers the type of freedom we want but the bonus of being able to enjoy the Casa Mexicana's endless breakfast buffet that opens at 7AM and gives us 35 mins of breakfast time before a short 5 min walk around the corner to the back of the block where 3P's shop is for their 7:40AM courtesy transport to the boats and back can't be beat. Umm, Their 5-day dive packages are fantastic deals and when it comes to a dive-and-stay package... Yup - They offer the Casa Mexicana, Bahia, and Colonial as well as a few others.

Check out all the accommodations, all the dive ops, all the reviews here and on TA. Then, contact Jeanie through 3P's website and see what she can put together. I have a feeling you'll end up booking a dive-and-stay package with 3P's staying at the Bahia or Colonial. My personal tag line when it comes to recommending 3P's and their packages after years of diving Coz is, "You may as well start where you'll eventually end up".

$2,000 budget? Heck, my wife and I combined (including grossly expensive airfare out of ORF @ $750/PP RT) enjoy 14-16 days dive trips diving every day for a total of about $4,000 ($2K per person) and staying at the Casa Mexicana. That includes EVERYTHING - dinners, drinks, cabs, tips, and a "little" shopping for gifts. WELCOME TO MEXICO!

 

[northernone]

Unless you like the convenience of a low end all exclusive dive vacation I'd recommend choosing an independent room rental and a budget dive op. Just don't have champagne taste on a beer budget. A quality dive op costs money to run and if it is cheap costs are cut somewhere.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[Streydog]

I will be diving with Aldora for the 4th time this year in 3 LONG weeks. They are probably the most expensive but I feel I get what I pay for. I skimp on my lodging. Average dive times on each trip this year have been at least 75 minutes, had my longest dive at 97 minutes in March. If you do decide to use them spend the extra to be on a nitrox boat, unless you have a very high air consumption rate. It is not just about long bottom times, there are a lot of other benefits. Oh and if you get to the Mexicana breakfast buffet at 7 AM you can spend about 20 minutes eating then slowly walk a couple blocks to get on your dive boat.

 

[diversteve]

My friends stay at Villablanca which is not in town but 2KM away. It has it's own restaurant, some sort of meal plan and 3-4 dive shops offering packages - I believe 2 are within walking distance. There's also reef and a rubble pile to shore dive out front of the property across the street. Home

IDK what package they book but it does not cost them $1K for the week including everything. One of my friends is pretty tight so he looks for deals. We're to old to stay in hostels though...