Aldora Divers
"Only
the Best of Cozumel"
January
1, 200
"The
sad truth is, that when you are finished diving you must stay someplace".
Memo
Mendoza, April 12, 1996
This document is an attempt to provide information and
suggestions regarding accommodations in Cozumel. For the most part it is
objective but represents the opinion of just one individual. But, that person
has enjoyed many years residence in Cozumel coupled with frequent visits and
hotel stays when a non-resident. In addition we receive continuous feedback from
happy as well as dissatisfied guests. From those perspectives several principles
have emerged that can be a guide in the selection of accommodations, and for the
sake of simplicity can be referred to as Dave's Rules. Oh yea, keep in mind that
the hotels described frequently change ownership and/or names so don’t be
surprised if you run into one not mentioned…it may just have a new name. Where
hotels are mentioned, known former names are in parenthesizes. We try to update
this annually to reflect changing conditions. Also keep in mind that it is not
possible to name every hotel, but we have tried to include all that we could
recommend.
Also, now we have the Villa Aldora, which while having just a few luxury suites
and rooms, should be of special interest to those diving with Aldora Divers. Of
course we are biased when discussing the Villa--but so are our guests who have
experienced it. Best bet is to see for your self at
We will begin with an overall description of the situation in Cozumel, discuss
Dave's Rules, and then examine the specific recommendations that Dave would
make. It is not possible to cover every hotel or rental, and even though living
in Cozumel it is not possible to have firsthand knowledge of every option.
However, the section called Dave's Rules should be applicable in a general way.
COZUMEL
OVERVIEW
The beautiful island of Cozumel is blessed with many things, and among them
is the widest choice of accommodations of any destination resort in the world.
From $15 per night to $1,500, the traveler has access to accommodations that
will satisfy any desire or economic limitation.
Geography.
The Island of Cozumel is about 30 miles long, roughly north to south, and 10
miles wide. Separated from the mainland of the Yucatan by just 10 miles, the
western shore is the site of most habitation as well as the dive sites. The
eastern shore is wild and unspoiled and has mile after mile of beautiful
beaches, punctuated occasionally by a palapa bar. The only exception is the
extraordinary Hotel Ventanas Al Mar (Windows to the Sea) which stands alone as a
truly unique experience in Cozumel, perhaps the entire Caribbean. Being
completely different than any other accommodation in Cozumel the Ventanas Al Mar
will be discussed at the end of this document.
On the western shore, roughly half way down the coast line is the island's only
town, San Miguel. The town and central square is the hub of all activities on
the island, and by itself is enough reason to visit Cozumel. In the immediate
vicinity of the town square there are a number of modestly priced hotels, and
accommodations called "villas", but are in reality just small houses. Also just
south of town are some larger hotels that are actually within walking distance
of the town square but more closely resemble resort hotels. These stretch about
2 miles until the most southerly cruise ship pier (Puerta Maya) and is where the
town actually ends. Included in this group is the Costa Brava, El Cantil, Hotel
Cozumel (formerly Brisas, Fiesta Inn, and Costa Club), La Ceiba/El Cid, and Sol
Caribe (changes names about twice a year…now the “Park Royale"). Those of this
group close to town and within walking distance of the square include the Costa
Brava, El Cantil, Barracuda, Scuba Club (formerly Galapago), and Hotel Cozumel.
Along this corridor there are a few lesser hotels that run the gamut of worn out
and cheap to worn out and expensive.
Just to the north of the town square is a region we call the near north side of
Cozumel. Within walking distance of town for most people it is a serene area
that is devoid of the cruise ship infestation. Also found in this area is a
slight current with some of the best snorkeling anywhere. In this area is found
the Condominios Cantamar, the Villa Aldora, the NEW Hotel Fontan, and the Coral
Princess Hotel.
Further to the north is a hotel zone that stretches out for about four miles.
Included in this group is the very large Melia Mayan (Paradisius), Cozumeleno,
Playa Azul and a few other smaller hotels and condominium projects. None of the
northern hotels are within walking distance of town and most big ones are all
inclusive. To the north you will also find villas that actually are "villas" in
a real sense, and are on the beach. Very nice but they are not the "bargain"
that you will find with the pseudo “villas” in town. Few dive shops will service
these northern hotels so that is a consideration. Taxi service is pretty good to
the north hotel zone but it is not cheap.
To the south of the Puerta Maya Cruise Ship Pier you will find several hotels,
first the El Presidente, then Fiesta Americana, then Reef Club, and finally way
down south the Allegro Diamond Resort, Iberostar, and Occidental Grand . None of
these are within walking distance of the town but all have docks from which one
may board dive boats. The Presidente is the closest in and has similar taxi
fares as those by the cruise ship pier, the Fiesta Americana is quite a bit more
in taxi cost, and the Diamond, Iberostar, and Occidental Grand are very nearly
out of even driving range! If you choose to stay that far south, expect to see
the town twice--driving from and then returning to the airport.
Next, some important safety tips:
Safety is not a factor in hotel selection as the island is, as far as tourists
are concerned, virtually crime free. Dave is not quite sure whether it is an
island mentality and the well-known relationship of tourists to the collective
economic well-being, or the Mayan influence…but it is just not in the local
culture to mess with tourists. Sure, if you leave a camera or shirt sitting in
an open jeep it may disappear, but in Cozumel it is more likely to be left
alone. Or if it does get taken…it was most likely a cruise ship weenie that
bagged it. For the most part anyone may walk through any part of Cozumel, day or
night without fear of being bothered.
Misc. tips.
When considering the low
cost hotels in town several issues should be considered. One is the lack of, or
inadequate, air conditioning. Many budget hotels do not offer air conditioning.
The economic fact is that carelessly operated a/c units can cost more in
electricity than they can charge for the room! Those rooms are fitted with
ceiling fans and sometimes rotating table or floor fans as well as screens that
let cooling breezes in. For much of the year that is perfectly fine for most
people. Months that may present a problem include May to November. But those low
cost hotels that are right downtown do have easy access to the Aldora Pier at
3rd street just south of the square. Others outside the immediate downtown area
will require that you taxi for loading. If you choose a hotel or rental house
outside of easy walking distance of our pier, and one that does not have a dock
you should price in the daily cost of taxis. Besides the inconvenience, the
average cost of the taxi, $10 round trip, should be factored into your economic
planning. This also holds true for "villas" and hotels to the north of town,
which cost even more. And in back alley "villas" it is often difficult to locate
taxis when you want them, so many opt for a rental car/jeep, which really
changes the economic decision basis.
DAVE'S
RULES
Note: Dave's Rules have been formed on the observation that, for most people, there are three equally valid reasons to come to Cozumel: The Water Sports; The People; The Restaurants-- but that most who look to this guide will have diving as at least one priority. These are the underlying considerations and should be kept in mind when evaluating this information.
#1
Distance to town
One of the real joys to be found in a Cozumel vacation is the town square and surrounding activities. Especially Sunday nights when a large Marimba Band plays there, the square is cruised by more locals than gringos, and great restaurants abound, at modest prices. It is most likely that you will be visiting this area at least once a day, possibly more. The further away your hotel is-- the more expensive and inconvenient it will be to enjoy that aspect of the island.
So,
rule #1 is clear: The further away from town the least wonderful the
accommodation is.
#2
All-Inclusive
Another real pleasure of Cozumel is its fantastic choice of restaurants at comparatively modest prices. All-inclusive resorts are, in Dave's mind, most suited for remote locations where multiple food options do not exist or where it is dangerous to leave the premises like Jamaica. Indeed one of the great joys of Cozumel (not quite as fun as diving, but almost) is cruising the fine dining establishments and enjoying the wide variety of cuisine available. (Someday Dave will publish a list of restaurant suggestions.) Lately some of the all-inclusive resorts, in recognition of this fact, have offered packages without meals and drinks. But if you opt out, you cannot even buy a beer at the pool…sure makes it damn inconvenient since they are all so far out of town!
So,
rule #2 is equally clear: Cozumel is the wrong island for an all-inclusive
accommodation.
#3.
Overbooking
Like the airlines some hotels deliberately overbook. When that happens they usually can find rooms for guests at much lesser hotels. Dave's Rule # three says to avoid hotels that have a track record of overbooking and shunting people to lesser hotels. While not slamming any specific hotels, this goes a long ways in determining who Dave does not recommend.
Rule
# 3 says to do some digging and investigation to find out who overbooks…and
who doesn’t.
4.
Service and Amenities
Oddly enough there is some connection between cost of the hotel and amenities
you will find. Room service, pool and private beach, docks, tennis courts, may
not be of interest to everyone but most people like plumbing that works,
telephones for communication, a bar, small shop for incidentals, and in most
months, air conditioning that works without ruining your hearing.
There have been occasions in the not too distant past that a telephone bill
could exceed the hotel bill. But with the advent of high speed internet it is
snow possible to find an accommodation with internet phones. In particular the
Villa Aldora provides them with unlimited free phone calls to the US and Canada
and others may now as well.
Even more odd is that there is often no connection between cost and service
attitude of the staff. At many hotels, even the pricey ones, rudeness and lack
of concern for guest requests abound. Or in some places one is hounded by time
share salesmen. In many hotels the front desk staff (or there computer)
consistently "lose" guests so that persons needing to call you just can't get
through. Dave cannot count the number of times that he has tried to reach a
client with important information, and was told that no such guest was
registered there—while they really were. And that is not just a problem for
Dave, what if your family back home had an emergency? At the budget hotels you
can expect that, as some don't even have phones, but you will also frequently
encounter such problems at several otherwise attractive hotels.
Dave's
Rule # 4 clearly states that it is best to have a hotel with a boat dock, or one
very close to Aldora’s Pier
#5. Convenience to load on dive boats.
No matter how close you want to be to the town square, nor how much money you will save by staying off the beaten path in a "pseudo villa", you will not really experience the best of Cozumel unless you have the ability to just walk out of your room to get on the boat, and the same in reverse.
Dave's Rule # 5
clearly states that it is best to have a hotel with a boat dock, or one very
close to Aldora’s Pier
HOTEL
SPECIFIC COMMENTS (lets get down to the nitty-gritty)
Dave categorizes the Cozumel accommodations into three groups. The super luxury, mid range resort hotels, and budget/shelter.
LUXURY
HOTELS
The hotel Presidente Intercontinental, The Melia Mayan
and the Villa Aldora fit into this category. The Presidente has the nicest
natural beach and lagoon in Cozumel with easy access to good snorkeling and the
best beach diving on the island. From the spacious rooms to 5 star service at
every turn this hotel is an experience itself. Downside…it is expensive (but
only by Cozumel standards) and a little too far south to meet the intent of
Dave's Rule "1. But heck, people that can afford to stay there are not going to
be bothered by taxi fares.
The Melia Mayan (or Paradisus) has similar amenities and as far as Dave knows
does a good job of providing gracious service. But while beautiful, the beach is
far to the north and subject to muddy water flowing out of the north sound. Only
4-5 weeks a year but if that is your week… the beach won't be so beautiful. The
Melia Mayan also runs afoul of Dave's rules # 1, and #2, it is way out and
all-inclusive.
The Villa Aldora is in the serene near north of Cozumel. Close enough to walk to
town yet out of the cruise ship crowds. The Villa Aldora has a mix of rooms,
some of which surpass the luxury found at any Cozumel hotel, to fit almost any
budget. The Villa only has 12 rooms so availability can be tight and there is no
restaurant or bar…but oh those amenities. Try an internet phone system so that
all calls to the US and Canada are free, and your family can call the US based
number and ring by your bed. Of course cable TV but you also have high speed
internet, both wireless and Ethernet and all rooms have at least a kitchenette
with refrigerator and microwave. Tastefully and newly decorated, there are full
time gringo managers on site. On the beach level the Villa has an invisible edge
swimming pool, palapa and plenty of sandy beach and snorkeling to enjoy. Of
course the Aldora Boats pick up divers right there. The Villa Aldora is reserved
only for those diving with Aldora Divers and the rates are kept at a
comparatively low rate. But don’t let the rates fool you, the Villa Aldora is
clearly in the luxury class.
To the north of town there are some very luxurious and expensive villas and
condos. They are all on the water and have great water access for some of the
best snorkeling on the island. They do violate Dave's rules #1 and #5 because
they are so far out of town and don't have docks, but for those considering
opulence and a little remoteness, without the all-inclusive gig then these
should still be considered. Luxury condos include Condominios Cantamar, and
Puesta Del Sol, and Las Brisas. The villas are plentiful…the nicest one that is
frequently rented out is Las Iguanas. Dave believes that if you are quoted a
villa to the north of the airport it will be a real villa on the beach. As for
the Condos, the northern ones are nice. Dave happily lived in the Condominios
Cantamar for 5 years. All condos mentioned here are nice…just try to get above
the ground floor where pool noise/commotion is a problem. Most have full
kitchens and even washers and dryers. Prices do vary but can be at a much better
cost per person when several couples stay in one condo.
Luxury
Summary
For those that demand a luxury hotel with social scene at a Bar and Restaurant the Presidente is the best choice. If a more serene atmosphere coupled with luxury and close by convenience is desired the Villa Aldora might be a good choice…especially when the rates may be half that of the Presidente.
MID
RANGE RESORT HOTELS
Here there are a lot of choices. These include:
North Zone: Cozumeleno, Coral Princess, NEW Hotel Fontan, Playa Azul
Middle Hotel Zone: Casa Mexicana, El Cantil, Scuba Club (Galapago), Hotel
Cozumel (Brisas/Fiesta Inn), Royal Club (Sol Caribe), La Ceiba/El Cid
South Zone: Fiesta Americana, Reef Club, Diamond Resort, Iberostar, Occidental
Grand
NOTE: Keep in mind that few of the above hotels have a real beach, Reef Club and
to the south are the exceptions. Mostly the shore is hard black limestone called
"ironshore", which makes entry or exit pretty painful under certain conditions.
All of the hotels have a "beach area" which includes cement barriers and trucked
in sand, ladders for water entry, and docks for dive boats to pick you up.
Snorkeling or beach dives are possible but only a few of them are wonderful.
Some of the hotels are completely on the ocean side of the main road and others
have the rooms on the land side with beach on the ocean side, connected by
bridges or tunnels for their guests. Beach and boat docks are all pretty much
the same and should not be used as a decision maker between any of them.
North
Coral Princess
The Coral Princess is not too far north and is a nice hotel with decent
snorkeling. Sometimes they have great
deals and their rates include a full American Breakfast.
NEW Hotel Fontan
The old Hotel Fontan was a dump. Since the waves of Hurricane Wilma cleaned it
out in 2005 the new management has put an extreme effort into remaking it as a
top rate hotel. Other than the concrete walls, everything at the Fontan is new.
Being fully on the ocean side of the road it is one of the few mid range hotels
that are ALL ocean view without looking through telephone poles, or having to
cross the island’s main road to get to the beach. In addition, of the mid range
hotels close to town, it is the only one with nice “walk in” beach access.
NOTE: Both the Coral Princess and the NEW Hotel Fontan are within 1 mile of
town.
Cozumeleno
The Cozumeleno is an all-inclusive high- rise hotel in the far north. Pretty
mixed results, and there are no really strong reasons to stay or not to stay
there.
Las Brisas Condominiums
Nice place, a real beach but crowded with locals, a little far out so a car or
taxis are a must.
Condominios Cantamar
Decent place, Dave used to live there and it is adjacent to the Villa Aldora so
divers can load on the dive boats right there.
Playa Azul
The Playa Azul has the same ownership, as the Cozumeleno but is a nice single
story beachfront hotel with beautiful grounds and nice beach. It is not
all-inclusive but too far to the north to allow boat pick up or ease of access
to the town.
Central
Casa Mexicana
Casa Mexicana is a new, Holiday Inn like place near the central square, on the
second floor next to McDonalds. It has some of the attributes of the budgets,
with pricing of the mid range (but does include full breakfast). No beach, but
an easy walk to the Aldora Pier. This is a no brainer selection for the Big Mack
crowd!
El Cantil
Condominiums close to town and actually on the ocean. Maybe the best aspect is
that across the street is the supermarket. The rooms tend to be well furnished
and luxurious so except for the location it could have been placed in our luxury
category.
Scuba Club (Galapago Inn)
This is the perfect dive resort for…some other place and time. Places like
Jamaica or Honduras need an all-inclusive rustic dive lodge--.its just the wrong
time and place for Cozumel. An all-inclusive in the heart of town, with
accommodations similar to the budget hotels and no phones makes it more fit
those other places. But they do have a cult of followers, similar to Aldorans,
and it couldn't be too bad. They are also all-inclusive for diving so don't try
diving any other dive operation if you want to use their dock. It takes a
special breed to choose this over other Cozumel alternatives. (P.S. Dave formed
this opinion well before there was an Aldora Divers.)
Hotel Cozumel
The Hotel Cozumel (Brisas , Costa Club,Fiesta Inn) is just adjacent to the Scuba
Club and is within walking distance of the town square for fit people. Modern
and clean it has most of the amenities expected of a resort hotel. Satellite TV,
room service, and the island's biggest pool area. The Hotel Cozumel does offer
an all-inclusive package with food and beverage but also allows guests a
non-exclusive package. The hotel Cozumel does have a dock but it is on the
landside of the main road so to get to the ocean you must either cross the road
or take the tunnel underneath. It is not oceanfront and the few ocean view rooms
look out through telephone pole wires and are disturbed by road noise. It tends
to be expensive but it is an ok place, just stay as far away from the road as
possible.
Park Royal (Sol Caribe )
The Park Royal (Sol Caribe/ Crown Princess Club) is one of the most spectacular
hotels in Cozumel with a giant palapa reception area that is reminiscent of
Cancun. Like most mid range hotels the beach is across the street. Having gone
through significant damage from Hurricane Roxanne in 1995 and not even fully
recovered from that one, there seems to have been several management changes
(reported infusion of cash from Coral Princess to repair damage, hence the name
change to Crown Princess) that still has not completely shaken out. One big
change is that they have gone all inclusive. Too far to walk to town, taxis are
a must. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that it is surrounded by cruise ship
piers, and many days of the week the area is crawling with taxistas and cruise
ship weenies! We have heard many complaints about the Park Royal.
La Ceiba/El Cid
La Ceiba is a nice hotel with the closest thing to a real beach among the mid
range hotels. A bit musty and tired, its main claim to fame is "The Airplane"
which was purposely sunk 30 tears ago in a grade "b" adventure movie. 50 yards
offshore it has been a draw for those that want to do beach dives. Sadly it is
on a very boring sand bottom and the remains, after multiple hurricanes, is no
more than you would see from shopping carts in the mud. All rooms face the
water, and that's normally good-- but at La Ceiba they face out onto the
International Cruise Ship Pier and all night long the giant cruise ships light
up the evening with all the tropical elegance of Las Vegas. Few people go to
Cozumel to look out at cruise ships day and night, but there are a lot of people
that are quite happy with La Ceiba and return year after year. Prices at La
Ceiba tend toward the high end of the mid range hotels.
South
Fiesta Americana
The Fiesta Americana is a nice hotel. In addition all rooms (excluding the new
jungle rooms) are ocean facing and don't look out on cruise ships. The
restaurants are not too wonderful however, and since it is so far from town and
good restaurants, that is a factor to consider. Advertising photos show a great
looking hotel on the beach with boats and bathers frolicking on the beach, but
don't be fooled by perspective…a road runs right through the hotel, between the
pool and beach. The beach at the Fiesta Americana is almost unusable due to the
very fast current that normally rips from north to south (a permanent eddy)
Occasionally they have good promotional rates but usually are among the more
expensive in the mid range hotels. Taxis are quite expensive into town. But even
with these drawbacks it is a nice hotel.
Reef Club
All-inclusive, frequently dirty beach (not dirt, just lots of flotsam and
seaweed) and far out is enough negative to exclude further comment.
Allegro Diamond Resort
All-inclusive and far out, ditto
Iberostar
All-inclusive, way far out but not much info yet.
Occidental Grand
Ditto
Mid
Range Summary
In mid range resort hotels, the NEW Hotel Fontan is our pick. . The reasons include fair prices (on the low end of the mid range class) good proximity to town, and nice rooms all with balconies overlooking an unobstructed view of the nearby ocean. The hotel has the best beach amenities of any mid range hotel and includes a small lagoon for easy entry to the water for snorkelers or beach divers. In addition, being in the serene near north of Cozumel you will have reasonable access to the town without being in the midst of the Cruise Ship infestation. Aldora Divers can pick you up at the dock.
BUDGET
ACCOMODATIONS
There are numerous budget hotels surrounding the town
square and some a few blocks back into the city. As stated previously, none of
these are unsafe and Dave believes that they all will be reasonably clean. Only
a few will have telephones or 24-hour front desk staff to assist with problems.
Ones that have produced consistent positive comments include the Bahia and Costa
Brava. They are not waterfront, and don’t have docks but both are an easy walk
to the Aldora Pier. Depending on season you can expect rates between $40 and $60
per night. The other back alley budgets can be found with rates as low as $20
per night, and again, none are unsafe but you might have to bring your own
toilet paper.
Two of the budgets, Barracuda and Casa Del Mar are on the water and have docks
from which to load boats--but neither can get a recommendation from Dave. The
Barracuda has had lots of bad reviews and seems "like a dump" to those that
would prefer a mid range hotel, yet some others report it as comfortable. The
Casa Del Mar falls into the same category and Dave doesn't get a good feeling
about either place. Both have rates that can be very close to the higher quality
mid range hotels so it seems to make little sense to not step up to the likes of
Hotel Cozumel for about the same money.
Budget
Summary
Bahia wins in this category with full kitchenettes and
instant access to the Aldora Pier. Costa Brava is a close second with small
refrigerators, a longer walk to the Aldora Pier, but with $10-20 per night lower
rates.
Overall summary
It is most likely that no matter where you stay in
Cozumel you will have a great time. Those places that Dave can recommend
include, from North to South:
Hotel Playa Azul
Las Brisas Condominiums
Puesta Del Sol Condominiums
NEW Hotel Fontan
Coral Princess
Villa Aldora
Condominios Cantamar
Bahia Hotel
Costa Brava Hotel
Intercontinental Hotel Presidente
