Why Not the North Hotel Zone

[Dave Dillehay]

Having 23 years here in Cozumel, I am frequently struck by the comparison of the North Hotel Zone to other parts down south. It is very quiet, peaceful, and I'd almost say tranquil. They built a new walking and bike path the entire way, and you will see no street hawkers or people with balloons on their heads. Most of the hotels and Condos have sandy beaches equivalent to those way down south and much better than any downtown. Indeed much of my free time is spent on a bike up there and even though I own the Villa Aldora, occasionally enjoy a get away night at Playa Azul Hotel. And it is so darn close to town when compared to those AIs way down south. IT is such a beautiful area that the Westin Chain is building a new mega resort there.

Obviously I know some of the reasons more divers stay away, but I'd like comments from you all as a tool to make it more accessible in the future. Maybe Bus into town, vans, bikes, etc. mAybe I can get some managers up there to help us. So what are your major reasons to stay away from the North Hotel Zone.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

ALDORA DIVERS

 

[cvchief]

Dave, we like quiet on the north end. Don't make it busy. And don't tell people it is so nice up there.

 

[John Larsen]

Don't let the cat out of the bag...The north end is a secret!

 

[mmmbelows]

Is one of the major issues that people find limited selection of dive operators who will pick up north because most of the diving is south?

 

[Dirty-Dog]

For us:
No pickup at the resort pier, and a much longer boat ride to the usual dive sites.

 

[cicopo]

OK Dave. I've stayed in town , at the Park Royal (it was the Sol Caribe back then) Reef Club when it opened, Grand & Iberostar over the years. When I first brought my wife we stayed at PLG (now the Palace), & the next 2 trips were to the Iberostar which was very nice BUT she hated being trapped down south. She much prefers being near enough to town to walk & shop or explore while I'm diving or when I'm not & she wants to show me some neat shop she has discovered. We've settled on Hotel Coz because it fits "her" needs best, & over the years we've made friends with several other guests who are there in mid winter. The staff treats us very well & we are fine with the IA deal and although there are many great restaurants we feel the AI food at Hotel Coz is fine for what we pay BUT we do eat out several times each trip.
On 1 trip we split 2 weeks between Blue Angel & Hotel Coz & she wasn't happy with the Blue Angel week because almost everyone there was gone diving leaving her there with no one around to hang out with for the day. She was fine with BA & it's location but the walk into town is a bit longer & she wasn't as willing to make the trip as often at when at Hotel Coz.
Last spring I thought about returning to Coz for the air show (I'm into radio control event photography) & she thought she might like to make the trip IF it wasn't too expensive (she had retired a few months before & was starting to enjoy her new lifestyle. Hotel Coz was booked so I offered to find another place to stay (Park Royal was at the top of my list) but NO WAY she'd stay at a new hotel where she didn't know the staff.
I doubt very much I could talk her into staying up north UNLESS the taxi union gives in & allows buses to run from the tourist areas into town & back regularly. We both like to walk everywhere we can (even though my knees are not well) but being able to take a bus might help BIG TIME. Get the taxi union to run them but until there is a viable public transportation system on the island a lot of tourists will stay on the resorts they are at, have been to before & liked or will pick by location because they will be able to walk to places nearby rather than pay for taxis.

 

[mmmbelows]

I think Dave was comparing the north to south, versus the north to central. He said there are beaches both north and south. If we stick to what he is comparing, transportation is actually less of a problem north because north is still closer to central than south is to central.

 

[cvchief]

I think Dave was comparing the north to south, versus the north to central. He said there are beaches both north and south. If we stick to what he is comparing, transportation is actually less of a problem north because north is still closer to central than south is to central.

And everything south *seems* like a big hot walk or bike rides, while the north seems less so with trees and such. Does that make sense at all? More than just the distance.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

This is the protected bike path. Goes on for miles, nearly into downtown
.

 

[DjDiverDan]

I've never stayed either at the North Hotel Zone (though I've driven through the area several times, up to see the Golf Club and to eat at a couple of the restaurants up there - Bucanno's and Lobster House), or at any of the far South AI resorts. Farthest south I've ever stayed was one stay at the old Fiesta Americana, probably 12 or 15 years ago, and then only because I was going on a dive trip with my Brother-in-law and we got a great price on a package deal - air fare, hotel, AI for food and booze. This was long before the complete redo at Fiesta Americana, and the room (a Jungle Room, not in the main building) was dank and damp, the food was mediocre, and I didn't like the location so far from town. The majority of my stays were at the old Plaza Las Glorias, which I loved until those thieves at Palace Resorts took it over and screwed all the timeshare owners. I also had a lot of stays in Downtown locations, Casa Mexicana and various cheap lodging places, Hotel Cozumel a couple of times, and probably ten or so stays at Casa Del Mar. The principle reason I've always avoided the North Hotel Zone is that it is so inconvenient for diving - no dive ops that will pick you up at the hotel piers, expensive cab rides to and from the Caleta for most dive ops, or into town for those dive ops that pick up at piers. And my two biggest draws for a Cozumel vacation are diving and dining, So I like to stay close to town. I'm not a beach person, so having a natural beach has never been a draw for me.