Best place to stay with Family ?

[tattooedjeeper]

My family is planning a Cozumel trip this summer, we have a nine year old and my wife isn't a diver. We'll need something to entertain them while I'm diving and also to keep us busy when I'm back on shore. We have stayed at an A.I before in the Dominican Republic and actually quite enjoyed it. The kiddo had lots to do and activities were nice for her as well. We'd like something with a beach for the family to play on and for the daughter to snorkel and splash around. I know you guys are all about staying in town and eating out etc, but with the limited info I have I get the feeling the AI may be a better fit for us with non divers and a kid. And (even though we had a great experience with them in the D.R) We understand that in Cozumel, Iberostar is apparently the devil lol) Any advice from Coz veterans on a good place to stay is appreciated. Fwiw I have pretty much made my mind up to dive with Aldora if that has any Impact on where to stay or ease of being picked up by them.
Thanks,
Mark

 

[across]

Stay with Aldora then. Their rates are as good as anyone else's. Nice people to deal with. Check the website there are lots of pics of the rooms and grounds.

 

[Ron Lee]

Villa Aldora is great and do check out the suites they have. Two bedrooms I believe. Full kitchen. The stay there is typical Aldora (which is very good to me).

But it may not be the best option for you. It is not AI. They do not have a real beach but the snorkeling should be adequate. Since you seem to require AI and a beach, El Cozumeleno and Melia on the north end are options. They are basically next door to each other. You would have to taxi to Villa Aldora or the town pier for dive pick up.

Then head way south to the Sabor complex, Allegro, Occidental Grand and Iberostar.

Note that if you stay at one of the southern hotels you would have to taxi to town if you want to dive Barracuda, San Juan or the new dive sites that Aldora has found up north.

Hotel selection on Cozumel can be a trade-off between multiple requirements. You may decide that AI is not absolute if the other advantages of Villa Aldora win out.

Also note that if you stay far south it may rule out some of the more northerly dive sites south of town. Contact Aldora to see if this is true. The reason is that most dive ops "may not" motor in closer to town to dive then motor a long ways south to drop you off at your hotel. That is just my perception.

You can also look at Park Royal, Hotel Cozumel and evaluate them against your needs. A good hotel map is here:

Cozumel, Mexico map with hotel locations

 

[DreaminOfSand&Salt]

Blue Angel - no beach, but nice pool and great snorkeling (stingray enclosure next door) from shore ... restaurant on site with a few more close and town is not that far - we walk and then take a taxi back.

 

[lionfish-eater]

lots of trips with kid. Stay at occidental grand or allegro. Kid programs, beach,nice pool deck, evening entertainment, etc.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I've stayed in town or very close to it most of my trips to Cozumel. But I'm taking my family down next year with 10 & 12 year old boys. I plan on staying at the Grand for all the reasons Lionfish Eater stated above.

PH

 

[lionfish-eater]

if you use in house op then you will return for surface interval. Shower, eat,drink,see kids, etc.

 

[tattooedjeeper]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll look into the suggestions that were made and see what I can find to suit us.

 

[Brules]

Park Royal. I stay there with wife and 13/9 year olds. They love it.

Great activities team (4 full time - activities all day every day), 3 pools, 3 restaurants, 2 snack bars, 3 swim up bars, nice man made cove for playing in REAL sand (not coral sand like down south), don't have a slacks rule for the 2 reservation places. Dive ops can pick you up from the Aqua World pier ( DO NOT USE THEM ) - pay $5 for the week to use their pier.

Place is close to town for cheap taxi rides. Good food, fully remodeled in 2006, compact and easy to get around (dont have to walk a mile to the beach).

Cant beat it - though do know every room is 2 dbl beds almost lol....theres only like 10 king beds in the whole place.

Have been there the last 4 years in a row. Going again this june. No kids this time!

 

[MadDawg]

We understand that in Cozumel, Iberostar is apparently the devil lol)

We have stayed at Iberostar Cozumel twice. Both times we dove with Dressel on site.

Not sure where the devil reputation comes from, but we enjoyed it. It's a different layout (small buildings with 6-8 rooms each, not very dense and very spread out), but the food was decent, pools are nice, drinks were good, service was good. The ONLY complaint about the hotel was that the beds are rock hard, and actually get uncomfortable for us by the end of the week.

We enjoyed diving with Dressel. Dock is on site. They mostly run two large boats, typically with 12-16 divers each, in two groups with two instructors. Nitrox is free. Both times, we worked with Dressel's corporate office and prepaid for a bunch of dives - getting the cost for a 2-tank down to right at $50. They do one 2-tank in the morning to deeper sites, then a shallower 2-tank in the afternoon. Mostly different sites each day.

They also offer free AOW certification if you buy the dives and buy the book.

Should mention - by "we" I mean my wife and I, plus our 12 and 15 year old.