Cozumel - where to stay?

[happydiver]

Hi,

I am planning a trip to Cozumel in October and am stuck on where to stay and who to dive with - I've heard so many good things about so many resorts. Does anyone have a personal recommendation they can give me? Price really doesn't matter - we just want somewhere with friendly people, good service and where they will treat us like we're on vacation!

Thanks all,
Happydiver

PS) Love this website!

 

[King_Neptune]

Hello happydiver,

From what I've heard by word of mouth the "who to dive with" would be "Dive Paradise". From what I am told they have an entire fleet of boats and is Cozumel's largest independent dive operator. Unless someone knows otherwise I would say that's a no-brainer to me. As for the "where to stay" again I can only go by word of mouth but Ive been told on multiple occasions that one of the best is "Fiesta Inn". I tried finding a website for them and did not find one though.

Let us know what you find out.

=-)

 

[OKron]

This is my first time in the chat lane and I am somewhat Typeing impaired but I saw that you were headed for Cozumel. My wife and I went there in April to celebrate our 30 years together. We booked the trip through triple A travel and they got us an all inclusive trip from Dallas for $800 each for 7 nights at the Club Caribe Cozumel. It is an older hotel 3 miles from town. No telephone, No tv, No tourest trappings, nice beach for snorkling and checkout dives.The food was great for the most part. TTC club divers is located in the hotel and the large double deck boats arrive about 7:30 am to take you for a morning of two dives.They also do afternoon and night dives on request.This was our first experience breathing canned air, except for our certification that we took in Oklahoma. After doing our open water in 46 degree water, I was about to think that maybe I was too old for this.We had no thought of scuba diving until after we booked our trip with Adventure Tours but I'm sure glad we did. I think I've used up my allotted space. Hope this helps-ron

 

[Natasha]

You really can't go too wrong in Cozumel.The diving is great (been there 3 times)and the people are very nice everywhere.
I stayed at the Crown Paradise Sol Caribe Club. Aqua World Dive Shop was right there and made things very easy. Big boats and updated equipment if you need to rent.
I did my open water certification there and the instructor was great.
Being a travel agent, I also did hotel inspections at the Plaza Las Glorias, close to downtown, and also has a dive shop at the resort, The Allegro, all inclusive, and very close to Palancar reef( best dive in my book).I did see the Fiesta Inn which was a bit smaller resort and across from the beach, and looked friendly and clean.
I think if you pick any of these you'll have a great time.

 

[OKron]

I forgot to mention that we were able to make a better deal with TTC Club Divers by booking 5- 2 tank dives for both of us for $330.00 as compared to the $550.00 if booked through Adventure Tours. Before going to Mexico we e-mailed 4 people who had gone before us and had rated the hotel on a web site. By the time that we got there, it was almost as if we were going for the second time. We inquired as to what was going to take place in every area. We even asked how much to tip the divemasters, boat captain and deckhand. My wife was a big hit with them when she brought a sampling of the hotels pastry bar for the crew. There were videos made of our second day of diving which we happy to plunk down 50 dollars after previewing the same afternoon in the dive shop. They were made by freelance photographers and they did a goog job editing and adding sound track. We enjoyed our trip and will go again and probably stay at the same place.-ron

 

[drizzam]

Hope this helps you a little bit on the lodging...

· Suites Colonial - Apart-hotel
Av 5 Sur 9, Aptdo 286 (987/2-05-42 or 2-05-05; fax 2-13-87). A complex of clean, air-conditioned rooms with private baths, full-service kitchenettes, cable TV and phones. US$25–60

· Posada Letty - Budget hotel
C 1 Sur, on the corner with Av 15 Sur (987/2-02-57). Clean, basic rooms in a small building run by friendly folks. First floor rooms are very light and airy. US$15–25

· Maya Cozumel - Hotel
C 5 Sur 4 (987/2-00-11; fax 2-07-81). Less expensive than seafront hotels but just as good, with spacious garden and pool. US$40–60

· Villablanca Garden Beach Hotel - Hotel
Two kilometers east of the zócalo (987/2-01-30 or 2-45-88; fax 2-08-65). More spacious rooms than at the town hotels, with pool, tennis court and a dive shop. US$40–60

· Vista del Mar - Hotel
Melgar 45, near the corner with C 5 Sur (987/2-05-45). Comfortable, modern a/c rooms with sea views and private terraces. Pool, restaurant, bar, private parking and dive shop. US$40–60

Happy Diving!!

Drizz

 

[Seb]

We stayed at the Fiesta Inn last year, It was a short walk to town and pretty nice. We dived with Aldora divers who were highly reccommended in the Undercurrent chapbook, and they were a fine operation, they have steel tanks of 100, 120, and maybe even 140 cu ft, and you can do some intense diving. Fast boats, small groups, surface interval at the beach Playa del Sol, where ther are restrooms, outdoor showers, restaraunt, table service, and zoo. We found it prety swell. We did dive deep and long on some dives, but they are very accomadating. They will change over your gear to DIN fittings for the steel tanks.
Seb

 

[tracydr]

OK Ron- where in Oklahoma are you from? Do you ever want to go diving at Lectra in Lawton?

 

[joewr]

Tracy,

You have several threads out and I will respond only to this one...

In the latest edition of Rodale's Scuba Diving there is a Readers' Rating section on dive shops and resorts at Coz. Here is what they wrote:

Resorts (overall rating)

Allegro--A-
Casa del Mar--C
Costa Club Cozumel--A-
Fiesta Americana--B+
Hotel Barracuda--C-
Iberostar--A-
La Cieba--B-
Plaza Las Glorias--C+
Presidente Intercontinental--A+
Reef Club--B+
Scuba Club Cozumel--B+

I suggest that you get the magazine and read the comments. for example, although Iberostar was given an A-, one reader said "...the beds--like sleeping on the ground."

Oh, yes, the A+ rated Presidente has rooms in the $220-350 range, I think. But the bar there has great guacamole and lime soup

We prefer the Fiesta Americana (B+). (The beds are great!) But it gets knocked because it is distant from town and the restaurants are "B-rated". Since we taxi ($5.00 each way) into town for dinner, that doesn't bother us. And since we like the quiet of being a little further away from the discos and bars, that doesn't bother us.

Dive Shops

Aldora--A
Aqua Safari--A
Del Mar--B+
Dive House--A
Dive Palancar--A
Dive Paradise--B+
Dive with Martin--B+
Sand Dollar Sports--B+
Scuba Club Cozumel--A
Scuba Du--A

We have dived with the Dive House--they are located at the Fiesta Americana--and liked them. However, we usually dive with a smaller outfit that uses a sixpack and generally caters to more experieced divers.

Now, this list is the result of a poll of readers and suffers from the flaws of any poll. But, it will probably help you. I hope............

Coz is a great place to go--if you stay at the Fiesta, you will not find it "too touristy", I think. And, Mexico gives you a great bang for the buck!

My final word (really!) is try the French Quarter for dinner: it is owned and operated by an American from Louisiana and has absolutely great food--in our opinion.

Enjoy!

Joewr

 

[ayesa]

Happy Diver:
I live in Cozumel, so tell me, What kind of hotel your looking for? I know that Apple have some really good deals on hotels. My e-mail is snorkcen@cozumel.com.mx I work in a dive shop. How many days do you want to dive???? Let me know and we'll work something out OK. Hope to see you soon.

Your mexican friend,