Crosspost

[sealskin98]

I posted the below post in the Mexico forum, but it's been there for 2 days with no replies. :depressed:

Anyways, was wondering if anyone had experience on the below listed PDC hotels. I've already been to their websites, just wondering if anyone had any personal experience with them.


PDC hotels-contrast/compare

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Of all the times I’ve been to Cozumel I never took the ferry over to Playa del Carmen so am unfamiliar with the city. I’m thinking of doing some cenote diving, along with one or two ocean dives and a tour of Tulum and maybe another ruin. Also take the ferry over to Coz. to visit some friends for an afternoon.

I’d like to stay in PDC for the restaurants and other activities instead of staying in the Akumal or Puerto Aventuras area. The Caribe Blu in Coz. is fine as far as hotel quality goes and since cenotes are the diving an ocean side hotel with pier is not important. Air conditioning is a must (I melt even in the Houston area during the summer, not used to the humidity), and TV and fridge is a plus. Also, this may be another solo trip. The hotels I have been looking at are:

Posada Freud
Posada Mariposa
Hotel Cielo

Looking at probably going next year during the low season. Anyone have any info. on these or other similar hotels?

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This is planned to be a more relaxed, tour-the-area trip as opposed to a dive-intensive Coz. trip. Thanks for any advice!

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Mike, I could give you all the info you are looking for but you would have to pay my way and take me with you.....just kidding....sorry I don't know anything about anything you are asking about....but you could still pay my way and take me with you

 

[driftin' by]

Mexico Forum??? What's that?

Before diving, we'd go to the Riviera Maya a couple of times a year mainly for beaching, drinking and general debauchery. Unfortunately, we mainly stuck to the gigantic, AI resorts but started to hone in on the smaller more quaint AI resorts toward the end which ultimately got us interested in diving. The timing couldn't had been more perfect as we watched the lovely quiet little fishing village of PDC rapidly turn into the next Cancun... overly commercialized, highly advertised and dominated by obnoxious tourists. Yes, I now know I'm somewhat responsible for patronizing those mega AI resorts but it is what is. OTOH, I thoroughly enjoyed Puerto Adventuras for it's quaintness and small size. In fact, it's where we did our referral for our certification while staying down the road at Club Maeva. If were to ever return, this would be where I would stay in a heartbeat. However, I'm sure this is of little interest to you as you're probably more interested in a much smaller hotel of likes of Caribe Blu and I don't blame you. Akumal is a great little area also. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you may find areas like Akumal, Puerto Adventuras or Puertro Morelos more appealing as they're more like Coz than PDC is. Nevertheless, you're on the right track... Cenotes are good fun and Tulum is must see. There are a handful of Ocean dives that are worthwhile as well namely, Tortugas. Chichen Itza and Coba are some nice ruins also however, it's a long day to get to Chichen Itza, tour it and get back.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Sealskin,
Last month I was in Cozumel with a dive buddy and he had to fly home a couple of days before me. He had an early flight out of Cancun and spent one night in Playa at the Hotel Mariposa. Which means butterfly hotel, it also is a deragatory term in spanish, that is no reflection upon the hotel. I helped him check in, had dinner and went back to Cozumel. As I recall the hotel was smaller and had a tree house effect inside. Lots of wooden stairs in the courtyard going in different directions. His room was really small, a queen size bed barely fit in the room. It had a small private bath as well. But I am almost certain that the size of the rooms will very, as the hotel had an unusual and nonuniform layout. The place was clean and the help at the desk was very nice. It was still within the walking only district, but around 15 blocks from the pier. Not sure if that is an ideal location for you, but there were lots of restaurants and people walking around. Felt like a safe area. This isn't much help, but it's all I got.

When I get home tonight I will post the two picks of the outside of the hotel that I have.

PH

 

[DandyDon]

We did a couple days & nights at PDC to dive Cenotes & local reefs there, stayed at the Cielo as setup by the dive operator. The Cenotes were super, but we would not stay at the Cielo again nor dive those reefs. The dive op made a big deal about taking us to the best ones - blah! Maybe we just went with the wrong op?

It's 1/2 block off of front street and it's parties so I guess you pay more for location. Our room was interior with barred windows to the inside hallway, I think they were all like that, and I guess it was part of the adventure to stay in a old style hacienda type building - but once was enough. It was okay, and the clerk claimed to have given us a free room upgrade, but after leaving Caribe Blu that morning, it was a contrast.

On the other hand Klaus at Playa Scuba showed us a great day with a couple of Cenotes, priced without Cenote entrance fees so you could have the flexibility of diving the same one twice or two different ones - some are higher than others. Packages that include fees usually mean just one Cenote and not one of the higher priced ones of course. Playa Scuba Youtube vids

We'd grumbled about the hotel we were at so he showed my buddy the one he uses just 3 blocks form the Cielo at the same price as the Cielo, I didn't bother looking, but my bud was very impressed. We'll book thru Playa Scuba next time if he's still going well. It is a small, hole the wall operation but we liked it.

I don't think I named the dive op or hotel we disliked as the experience was not bad enough to launch an expose so you wouldn't have seen my report if you searched for the hotel. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/248750-tulum-cenotes-playa-del-carmen-turtle-reef-dives.html

 

[sealskin98]

So, if I'm getting the overview right...those three hotels are more like Hotel Pepita or Aguilar in Coz. instead of Caribe Blu?

If I don't want to listen to the party people all nite I need to get further away from the 5th Ave. area?

Don, how was the noise at nite at the Cielo? I'd kinda like to stay close to PDC for the restaraunts and be kinda close to the Chedraui to pick up snacks and stuff...and also a bit of nitelife...not much nitelife though.

Don, I'll check with Playa Scuba and see if they can tell me the name of the hotel you are talking about. I'm probably gonna contact Dennis Weeks about the cenote dives and Jason of Fantasea Dive for a couple of ocean dives. Also, a friend of mine had used Scuba Mex in Paamul for some cenotes...the owner (I think it's the owner) knows the instructor that taught both of us our OW courses here in town.

but you could still pay my way and take me with you

Ann...sure thing young lady, but...we'd have to share a room.

 

[scubawife]

"Compare and contrast..." Sounds like an essay test question!

Sorry, don't know these particular hotels, but if you want to see some good descriptions and photos of Playa hotels Playa del Carmen Hotels & Resorts: Rental Guide, Reservations

 

[DandyDon]

So, if I'm getting the overview right...those three hotels are more like Hotel Pepita or Aguilar in Coz. instead of Caribe Blu?

If I don't want to listen to the party people all nite I need to get further away from the 5th Ave. area?

Don, how was the noise at nite at the Cielo? I'd kinda like to stay close to PDC for the restaraunts and be kinda close to the Chedraui to pick up snacks and stuff...and also a bit of nitelife...not much nitelife though.

Don, I'll check with Playa Scuba and see if they can tell me the name of the hotel you are talking about. I'm probably gonna contact Dennis Weeks about the cenote dives and Jason of Fantasea Dive for a couple of ocean dives. Also, a friend of mine had used Scuba Mex in Paamul for some cenotes...the owner (I think it's the owner) knows the instructor that taught both of us our OW courses here in town.

I don't know those hotels, but no Cielo was nowhere on scale with Caribe Blu. I don't recall any noise problems; just noting that the hotel is probly priced more for it's 1/2 block proximity to front street (5th?) than its comfort. I have no idea of which hotel Playa Scuba showed my bud and he wouldn't remember but if you look at the map on his site you'll see that his shop is only a block or so from the Cielo and that hotel was just around the corner from him - close to the restaurants and closer to Walmart than the Cielo. If I was going to dive Cenotes or stay in PDC today, I'd book both with Playa Scuba.

Jason is who set us up with the Cielo and took us out on the reefs. That whole story is complex and I don't want to detail it here, but I would not do any of that again. The reefs really suck. I thot we might catch the turtles swarming at Tortugas like I did with Blue Angel the one time we did a cross over on a calm channel, but I guess that was during mating season as we didn't see a herd - just a few here and there.