Hotel Cozumel vs. Villa Blanca vs. ?

[njones259]

Have stayed at both a number of times but like hotel Cozumel more.Rooms are nice and staff are friendly in fact I will also be their end of Oct. You can also get an all inclusive room there for $64 dollars a night in Oct.if you book on cheaptickets and use gocheap code. At that price just eat breakfast there and have a few beers.

 

[backprop]

Have stayed at both a number of times but like hotel Cozumel more.Rooms are nice and staff are friendly in fact I will also be their end of Oct. You can also get an all inclusive room there for $64 dollars a night in Oct.if you book on cheaptickets and use gocheap code. At that price just eat breakfast there and have a few beers.

I guess I've been looking at the dive+room packages at each thinking they'd be better value. I'll check into booking separate.

Will also check into Bahia. Thanks for all the great feedback.

 

[Skittl1321]

I guess I've been looking at the dive+room packages at each thinking they'd be better value. I'll check into booking separate.

Dive + room often works out -cheaper-, but I think most people on this board push that the better value is to find an independent op with great service, small boats, and a dive your computer/air policy.

Just depends what the goal of the trip is.

 

[cvchief]

I like Bahia alot. Good location. Nice basic rooms.

 

[backprop]

Dive + room often works out -cheaper-, but I think most people on this board push that the better value is to find an independent op with great service, small boats, and a dive your computer/air policy.

Just depends what the goal of the trip is.

Agree. Not trying to overthink it. I'm going back with a friend who hasn't been diving in several years and never in the Caribbean (he's taking a refresher course locally beforehand). So the best sites or most unique or longest dives aren't a goal this time.

 

[Skittl1321]

Agree. Not trying to overthink it. I'm going back with a friend who hasn't been diving in several years and never in the Caribbean (he's taking a refresher course locally beforehand). So the best sites or most unique or longest dives aren't a goal this time.

In that case, consider that you may get more individual attention with a small op. (Though of course, the only way to guarantee it is to get a private DM)- but the two ops I've dove, the divers who needed a little hand holding got it.

 

[cvchief]

...So the best sites .....aren't a goal this time.

Well that is really too bad. (Cuz you are going to end up at them anyway!) Seriously, name a 'bad' site commonly visited? I still don't have a favorite. My least favorite? Probably the wreck, but I hear seahorses have been around there, so I don't know. I also grumble about Columbia Shallows. (Not because I don't like it; more just to be a cool kid. Like CS is so beginner.... )

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

I will never stay at the Villa Blanca nor dive with Papa Hogs again. Very bad experience the last time I stayed there. For the same money I can have a much better hotel; albeit, further out of town. I have not tried Blue Angel nor the Cozumel Hotel.

 

[backprop]

I will never stay at the Villa Blanca nor dive with Papa Hogs again. Very bad experience the last time I stayed there. For the same money I can have a much better hotel; albeit, further out of town. I have not tried Blue Angel nor the Cozumel Hotel.

Sorry to hear that. Did you have a bad experience with both the hotel and the dive op? I checked your past posts but didn't see if you had commented on it.

 

[DjDiverDan]

I guess I've been looking at the dive+room packages at each thinking they'd be better value. I'll check into booking separate.

Will also check into Bahia. Thanks for all the great feedback.

Be VERY,VERY careful and ask a lot of questions before booking hotel-dive package with Hotel Cozumel. The House Dive Op is Dive Paradise, and while not on my list of preferred Ops, they were decent the one time I dove with them -- but that was a package deal with ScubaBoard Cozumel Invasion. I understand from other posts here, and complaints on TripAdvisor, that Dive Paradise has two levels of service, the "Cheap Service" which includes big slow boats, lots of divers (i.e., "Cattle Boat"), and it only goes to the shallow reefs at the north end of the Park - Paradise, Chankanaab, etc., with limited bottom time, and the more expensive but better dive experience for more advanced divers. If you book the Room-Dive package deal with Hotel Coz to save a few bucks, you more likely than not will be put on the cheap boats, and you'll either have to pay extra to upgrade or have a disappointing dive experience. There's a reason I always do both the meals and the Diving ala carte at Cozumel - Diving and Dining are the two biggest reasons I love Cozumel, and I don't want to be disappointed in either.