| While the term is easily tossed around, the Presidente Inter-Continental is probably the only real "five-star" hotel on the island. It features manicured grounds and a very pretty beach. Instruction, dives and rentals are available from the on-site dive shop and most dive operators will pick up at the hotel pier. The food at the three hotel restaurants is good but expensive by local standards. The hotel is located four miles south of town. Telephone (800) 447-6147 or 87 20322. FAX 87 21360.
Scuba Club Cozumel (formally the Galapagos Inn) was the first dive dedicated all-inclusive resort in Cozumel. The hotel has a reputation of being clean and well run. One negative is the air conditioning system: all wall units that tend to be a bit on the noisy side, especially on the ground floor. The optional meal plan provides good but not great food. If food is high on your list, you will probably enjoy the variety of local restaurants more than the hotel plan. There is an on-site, full service dive shop providing equipment rentals, repairs and PADI certifications. Beach and night dives are available. Telephone (800) 847-5708, 87 20663 or 87 20853.
The El Cozumeleno is located several miles north of the downtown area on a small but pretty beach featuring a water front pool. The rooms are enormous and all offer an ocean view. The hotel has recently changed over to an all-inclusive plan. Dive/Hotel packages are available. Telephone 87 20050, 87 20344, Fax 87 20381.
Next door to the El Cozumeleno is the plusher and more expensive Melia Cozumel All Inclusive Golf & Beach Resort (Formerly Melia Mayan) hotel. This is a part of a large Mexican chain and while divers are welcome, they are really not catered to. The beach is kept quite clean, but the water in this area sometimes is heavy with sea grass. Tel: (52) 987 8729870 - Fax: (52) 987 8721599 - E-mail: melia.cozumel@solmelia.com
The Casa Mexicana is a new ocean front hotel that has opened in-town on the waterfront between Calles 5 and 7. The open-air lobby is on the 2nd floor and provides some nice views of the downtown waterfront area. Tel: 87 20209 or Fax: 87 21387.
One of the better hotel values is the Suites Colonial located a block south of the Central Plaza on the Ave 5 mall. For roughly $50 per night you can get a large two-room suite including kitchenette. Rooms on the top two floors (three & four) tend to be larger than ones on the lower floors. Telephone (800) 446-2166, 87 20211
The same owners also offer Suites Bahia , another reasonably priced downtown hotel located on Calle 3 and Ave. R. Melgar. The rooms are nothing fancy but reasonably clean and feature a kitchenette. Rooms have effective but noisy wall air conditioners. It shares ownership with the Suites Colonial. Phone (800) 446-2166 or 87 20209.
The Hotel Barracuda definitely caters to divers. Dive Paradise has an on-site dive shop with tank and gear rentals, and all levels of instruction. The pier at the hotel is one of several departure points for Dive Paradise boats. Other dive operators will pick up divers here as well. The hotel is rather Spartan (no elevator or in room TV's) but is reasonably priced and is located within an easy walk to downtown. Dive/Hotel packages are available. Telephone 87 20002.
The Cozumel Palace, (formally the Plaza Las Glorias Hotel) is now an all-inclusive resorts and is one of the nicer hotels in Cozumel. It is located just south of the downtown area on a small but attractive beach with a nice pool and swim up bar. While it does not serve divers exclusively, it does have a convenient pier that most operators will stop at. Among others, hotel/dive packages are available with Aqua Safari, which has its main office in the hotel. As any couple that spends a week in Cozumel will confirm, the hotel actively promotes the sale of time-shares. Telephone (800) 342-2644 or 87 22000 FAX 87 21937
The Hotel El Cid La Ceiba is located several miles south of town next to the original International Cruise Ship Pier in the "Southern Hotel Zone." Most guests here are divers. "The Sunken Airplane" is an interesting shore dive (for guest and non-guest) right in front of the hotel beach. A beach side dive shop rents tanks and equipment, arranges guided night dives of the airplane and Cruise Ship Pier area and boat dives with Del Mar Aquatics. In addition, other dive operators will pick up at the La Ceiba pier. The rooms are not flashy but are adequate. The hotel's restaurants are a reasonable alternative to trekking into town for breakfast or lunch. Dive/Hotel packages are available. There is a nice beach with a water front pool and Jacuzzi. Telephone (800) 621-6830, (800) 777-5873, 87 20815 FAX 87 21855.
The nearby Casa Del Mar is in the same area as the El Cid south of the town. Reports on room conditions are mixed. Dive services are by Del Mar Aquatics. The hotel regularly host "Splash" events including bikini contests. It's located across the street from the shore but there is easy access to dive piers. Telephone (800) 777-5873 or 87 21900 Fax 87 21855
The Park Royal has at various times been known as The Crown Princess Club and The Sol Caribe and is also located in the south zone. The main business here is selling timeshares. In fact, if you've heard of it at all, it was probably in the same sentence as "time share scam." In the recent past, the timeshare business went under leaving a large number of "owners" without anything to show for their investment. But even through the time that was going on, the hotel remained opened. The grounds including the pool with swim up bar and lobby are very nice. The rooms are decent but not up to the same standard. Dive/Hotel packages are available. Del Mar Aquatics and Scuba Shack are dive shops in the immediate area. Telephone (800) FIESTA-1 or 87 20700. Fax 87 21301.
Despite the fact that it's already had many names; The Hotel Cozumel (formally known as Brisas Cozumel, formally known as the Costa Club, formally known as the Fiesta Inn) is a relatively new hotel with a very nice pool. Located across the street from the waterfront, it maintains a small beach and dive pier area for guests. For some reason, the hotel staff has a reputation of not being as friendly as is usually expected in Cozumel. While the room price will vary with different packages, it is generally lower than other comparable facilities on the island. It's located in the same general vicinity as the Scuba Club Cozumel, a slightly long but possible walk to downtown. If it's important to you, the hotel bar features a karaoke lounge. Telephone: 872 9020. Fax: 872 2154. reserv@hotelcozumel.com.mx
The Fiesta Americana Cozumel Reef was built as a Holiday Inn and the rooms are very much like what you would expect from a Holiday Inn. It's located well south of town, close to Chankanaab National Park. The grounds are well kept but the rumor is that rooms are not. There is a very nice beach club with water front pool and restaurant. Dive House operates a full service dive shop on the beach. Most dive operators will pick up at the pier here and you get the advantage of a shorter boat ride than from most other embarkation points. Telephone (800) 465-4329 or 87 22622 FAX 8722666
The Allegro Resort (formally known as The Diamond Reef) is one of the island's newest all-inclusive hotel and is located south of San Francisco Beach. The obvious advantage to divers is that you're with-in a few minutes boat ride of some of the best diving in the resort area. The disadvantage is that you are a long, expensive cab ride from downtown. Rooms can be described as "standard motel." The food at the resort has gotten mixed reviews and the all-inclusive nature means if you opt for meals in town, you're paying extra for food you're not eating. Dive services provided by Dive Palancar. Telephone 87 23443 or (800) 433-0885.
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