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Comments: There are just not the words to say enough good things about this place.  This was our 7th trip to the island and we have stayed all over but we keep coming “home” to Alicia’s.  First of all the place is spotless, I wish my house was this clean, the location is great, not on a beach but hey your on an island so you are never that far away.   The atmosphere is fantastic, we have met some of the best folks here, this place attracts them.  The dogs, in a word? spoiled, but ours are too so it was just like home.  The food, breakfast is unbelievable I have a hard time getting my wetsuit on after I roll to the dive shop.  Do yourself a favor and check this place out.  Alicia and Chuco are  a joy to be around and once you stay here you will be back.  Just don’t pet any furry caterpillars.

Posted by jim on 04/16/03

Stayed at Alicia's a few weeks ago and it was terrific.  Alicia and Chuco are great hosts and the other guests were real fun to be around.  Room was kept spotless and was very nice - the one referred to above.  We have not stayed at any of the other B&Bs but I highly recommend Alicia's and will undoubtedly return.  BTW, there is a big San Fransisco grocery store a few blocks down the road in one direction, and a laundry a few blocks in the other direction and several good places to eat.  So, even being away from the hotel zone and town, it is really a very convenient location.  Never have to wait more than a couple of minutes for a taxi.  If you rent a car, there is ample on-street parking in front of the house.  $2.00 taxi fare to town, $4.50 to the marina (where our dive boat was kept), so you might want to consider not renting unless or until you want to spend time on the windward side.  email me if you want other details.

Comments: We can not believe that it has taken us so long to write this review.  Our experience with Alicia's was the best vacation ever.  My husband and I stayed with Alicia, Chuco, Thomas, Orlando, Chavita, & Venedita, for two weeks over Christmas.  We had not been on vacation for two years.  The last vacation we took was also to Cozumel, but we stayed in one of the bigger beach hotels.  Since we mainly spent time on the north beaches, dined in the local restaurants, and never used the pools, we did not have use for many of the "hotel amenities".  This trip we knew we did not want to go that impersonal route.  We felt we just needed a place to sleep.  That is all we were expecting from Alicia's. What we took away from our time there was so much more.

First:  The home is so clean, quaint, and welcoming.  It is perfect for the independent traveler.  When you first walk in there is an outdoor courtyard, that serves as the mixing spot for all the current guests.  If you want to meet & socialize with the other guests,  it is available to you, if not, there is no pressure, you can go your own way.  Alicia and the gang do not try to cruise direct your trip.  The will offer suggestions, if you insist, but that is not their aim.  They offer the perfect amount of interaction.  We were fortunate enough during our stay to meet another couple from Canada, Heather and Pat, who during and since our trip have become dear friends.  We stayed in one of the rooms outside the back of the house.  It was spotless every day, with clean sheets & towels.  It did not have a tv or a phone, but if you are on a true Cozumel vacation you have no use for those items.  (Well we did use the phone/computer bank at the pharmacy down the street to check in
 at home a couple times, about .60/minute.  There are many of these businesses opening on the island now.)

Second: The breakfasts. Wow....fresh fruit, coffee, juice, delicious, satisfying.  No restaurant could offer better.  Anything, from french toast, to ranch eggs.  You do not order, it is just waiting for you in the morning. Trust Chuco, he is an amazing cook you will NOT GO HUNGRY.  We would have breakfast, and not eat again until dinner.  (Note I did not say drink :-)  A highlight of my day was also the quacamole, from another world! Coupled with fresh tortillas for dipping.  My dream. Another highlight was the local paper.  Chuco loves to read it, we had so much fun talking with him about the local and national drama.

Third: If it had not been for the enthusiasm of our friends, Pat and Heather we would not have become certified in SCUBA.  Not a resort course, a three-day PADI certification.  Just to say our last dive was near, or just beyond 100' below the surface! Incredible, worth the investment!  If you choose to do this, I HIGHLY recommend you visit, Pappa Hoggs, near Hotel Villablanca on the main road, and ask for OSCAR.  Even if you are already certified, ask to dive with him.  He is a great guy and a gifted teacher/diver.  This became obvious as we made dives after certification.  Even tho we were "novice" divers our abilities were above some on our dives that prided themselves as having mastered the sport.  Thank you Oscar.  He insisted on respect for the coral, and creatures living under the water, along with proper techniques.

Fourth: VALUE is not just financial but what you get from the experience.  From a money standpoint Alicia's is economical, ( we spent more on our rental car for two weeks).  What we took away from our time there is a luxery, we feasted for two weeks on friendship, great dinners, a new skill, & beautiful weather.  Some people, and I witnessed this, will only look at Alicia's as a place to stay.  Which is fine.  Others, like us, have memories, that when we're back to "real life" we will live on until we are able to return to Cozumel.  Alicia, if you read this, thank you, and please save our room for next year. 
Warmly,
Heather M. Cole
Richmond, VA, USA

Comments: I really can't say enough good things about Alicias. I won't stay anywhere else. Alicia, Chuco, Orlando, Chavita and Venedita are all the very best of friends! If anyone has any questions I would be more than happy to answer any. Just email me.

Posted by tori on 07/03/02

The breakfasts at Alicia's makes up for not having a pool.  It is a great place to stay and you are treated like family!

Posted by Panchita on 07/03/02

I stayed at Alicia's B&B for the first time in April and had a great time.  The rooms are comfortable and clean, the breakfasts are excellent and Alicia, Chuco and Chavita made me feel like family.  It's about a 15-20 minute walk or a $2 taxi ride to the plaza.  You might want to read the lodging reviews above to get a better idea of what's available.
Have fun!

Posted by beth e on 05/04/02

I can't recommend this place highly enough. The rooms are great, as is the house. Breakfast - you couldn't ask for a better one and there is lots of it too! Alicia and Chuco will take extra good care of you and it is really fun to stay away from all of the resorts and experience Coz on a more personal level.

Posted by Rita on 10/24/01

Go , go , go. They are both great. We had a wonderful time there and hope to see them soon again. You will be very happy you did. peace rita

Posted by Joe on 09/19/01

My wife and I are lovers of Scuba Diving, which led us to Cozumel as our vacation destination for 2001. I stumbled on Alicia’s Bed & Breakfast web site, while surfing the Internet for places to stay in Cozumel.  It never crossed my mind staying at a B&B, until I read various reviews of satisfied customers that have ‘vowed’ they would never stay anywhere else.  I was absolutely moved of how these reviews reflected not only the “bang for the buck” value, but also, the heart-warming character and commitment of Alicia and Chuco.  This is what was intriguing to me.  How can such a place drive vacationers to resorting to descriptive phrases as: “We loved it and experienced a more ‘real’ vacation than ever before” or “To the untrained observer we are ‘declining’ in our choice of accommodations” and what was most impressing “Alicia and Chuco are now good friends, they also seem to draw good people”.  What would bring about such a personal experience?  I had to find out. 

            After getting the ok from my wife Karrie, we emailed Alicia reserving June 21-31.  The excitement had begun.  Each new morning was greeted with a countdown…“ 30 more”, “29 more” and finally, “tomorrow we fly”. 

            We were inbound for Cozumel, and were looking forward to not only diving, but also meeting Alicia and Chuco.  After finding our Car Rental agent, driving almost 45 minutes in circles and trying to figure out where the heck we were on the map, we found Alicia’s Bed & Breakfast.  Alicia instantly greeted us with a warm hug, showing us around and kindly introducing us to Chavitta, “The Island Princess”.  Chavitta acquired her nickname mainly because she is the most spoiled dog in Cozumel.  I am a witness to this.  Rumor has it, that there is another dog that may be ‘more spoiled’, thus stealing the title.  I cannot confirm this. (Humor)  A month before we left for Cozumel, we lost our 3yr old Mastiff and were still grieving.  Chavitta became out adopted dog for the stay.  She would always greet us with a warm welcome at night when returning from our treks in the town.  Chavitta was wonderful, sweet and comforting.  She helped wipe our tears with her kisses, and reminded us of how God can even show his love for us through a dog.

            The cool thing about this whole vacation was the different people we met at Alicia’s B&B.  Who would of thought that one would meet people of all different nationalities and ideas, that you would share several meals with, and moments in time where being human is spelled out in the universal language of love.  Jack, Lee and his great kids from California, Nick from Canada, Thornston, and his beautiful wife from Germany, and others who I can’t remember names, where all part of this experience.   

            Each morning began with a breakfast that only kings can dream of.  Every morning was different.  Varying in any combination of Spanish omelets, flat bread, Fresh Fruit, various juice’s, a fried potato something (Awesome though) and Chuco’s famous “Toasted-French”(French toast, for the layman).  This seemed to be a favorite of most of the visitors who stayed.  Another was Chuco’s Guacamole.  Man-O-Man…this was the best, and to this day crave. 

            The rooms where well kept and had everything you would need as far as towels, soap, fans, Air, Hammock and power.  The room we stayed in had its own bathroom, and it was clean!  The maid (I forgot her name) was so wonderful; she helped my wife get a stain out of her shirt.  Instead of just giving us the detergent to ‘shout out’ the stain, the maids took the shirt and gave it back to Karrie all washed and dry.  Please remember to tip the maids. 

            The morning came when we had to leave.  We took our time packing and making sure we had one last breakfast from Chuco.  Words of friendship were shared, and a sense of loss had begun. This feeling kept us from saying fast goodbyes.  It was like we procrastinated our departure.  The plane left in an hour.  We got in our VW bug and beeped farewell.

            Alicia, Chuco and Chavitta completed our vacation.  They are good people, who truly care.  They are our friends.

Karrie and I experienced what all who stayed at Alicia’s in the past experienced.  These aren’t just words, but feelings quantified in memories, memories that will last a lifetime. 

 Joe and Karrie Cirino, Ohio  

Posted by Jack & Lee on 07/31/01

Review by Jack and Lee (trip July 20-28 2001):

In our humble opinion, there's no reason to stay anywhere else. The rooms are modern, clean, and comfortable. Two maids work there seemingly full time. Alicia and Chuco are wonderful hosts and genuinely care about their guests. Can you believe that Chuco got up at 4 am to offer to fix breakfast for us on our last day because we had to catch the 5 am ferry? His breakfasts are excellent, by the way.

The B&B facilities include air conditioning, refrigerators in the rooms, living room with TV, dive rinse tanks, clothelines, and tables and chairs outside the rooms. My family (two adults and two teenage boys) had the two first-floor rooms and we were comfortable.

The location of Alicia's is perfect. It's very easy to get to any part of the island. True, the neighborhood isn't beautiful, but who cares... convenience is more important. We were able to completely avoid the downtown area when getting around. Parking was always available right in front of the building.   A good laundry is only a few blocks away (approx. $6-9 per load... drop it off and pick it up two hours later).

Alicia's attracts great people! We became friends with Joe, Carrie, Nick, and Thorsten and his wife, and sometimes we went to dinner together. Chavita the dog is a pleasure to be around.

The cost was $35 per room ($70 per night for two rooms including breakfast!). We used the money we saved by eating whatever we wanted at El Moro's, Mezcalito's, Casa Denis, and Punta Morena, and by diving all we wanted. We were so pleased with Alicia's that we paid more money than they asked for. It only seemed fair!

Posted by Terri on 06/19/01

Definately stay at Alicia's if you have the opportunity.  Alicia and Chucho are great - you will have the best breakfast on the island and will make some dear friends for life.  You will also experience a completely different Cozumel than staying at the hotel.  The rooms are nice and the hosts can't be beat!

Posted by Ann on 04/12/01

I can't speak for HSM although the reviews have been great!  We spent a week at Alicia's in Feb and loved it.  The rooms are simple, but very comfortable and spotless!  Alicia and Chuco are wonderful hosts - love to visit and hear about your daily adventures, but really give you space and privacy if that's what you want.  Chuco is a great cook and breakfast every morning was a real treat - something different everyday and always more than enough to eat.  He also made arrangements with a friend of his for a day of fishing (very reasonable!) and he prepared our catch for dinner that night.

We traveled with another couple also and rented a car for the week, so the location was not a problem.  We enjoyed the quiet neighborhood away from the traffic, etc of downtown.  

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me.  And whatever you decide, have a great trip!!

Posted by Doris on 04/12/01

After reading many favorable reports about this B&B I decided to send an e-mail to Alicia to find out when a room would be available for my husband and myself and two travel companions. We booked our rooms from March 3 to March 17. We had some trouble with the weather radar on our plane and finally arrived in Cozumel 3 hours later than planned. I have to say,  I was extremely happy to see Alicia and Chuco waiting for us at the airport, especially since nobody told them what happened to our flight. ( We took off from Minneapolis for a non-stop fllight to Cozumel.) Due to the problem with the weather radar we had to go to Memphis, Tenn. to have new radar equipment installed. Anyway, we took a taxi to the B&B, unpacked a few things, and checked out the neighborhood. Thanks to all the tips from our hostess and host we had an incredibly fun 2 weeks in Cozumel. They even told us about their favorite little cantina and joined us for a fun-filled afternoon. We liked the place so much that we went back four times. The waiter and the bandmembers greeted us like long-time friends when we returned for more of the same fun and entertainment. There were only Cozumelenos there and you could not ask to meet nicer people. Anybody planning a trip to Mexico, you have to try "Las Boyas". Stay away from the touristy areas and meet some of the locals.

As far as our accomodations, we loved  our room, the personal attention and intimacy of this small B&B. We met some really nice folks that also stayed there during our stay. I read a lot of comments about Chuco's breakfasts, and let me tell you, we're still trying to lose the extra pounds we put on.

Cozumel has some really great restaurants. I have to admit, we literally ate our way through the island. Some of our favorite places were El Moro, Casa Denis, Cafe Europa ( Great coffee and desserts and just a great place to people-watch), Pancho's backyard and Lobster Cove. We ate at El Moro's four times. Great food and  service. A little hard to find, if you have a rental car, ask for directions or take a cab. The best thing on the menu at El Moro's is the shrimp on a wire. The biggest shrimp we've ever had and such a huge serving, you better be really hungry when you order it.

For all of you out there who don't like big, impersonal hotels and all-inclusives, give Alicia's a try. I promise you, it's worth it. Otherwise you'll just be a tourist and miss out on the local flavor of this great little island. We're already talking about going back next year. Everywhere
we went we met the friendliest people you can imagine.

I feel that we made some great new friends in Alicia and Chuco and can't wait to go back to Cozumel.

Doris

Posted by Dudley on 02/12/01 

I kidded Alicia for 2 weeks that I was going to post a not too shining account of our stay at her B&B. The reason for this is simple, we want to go back and are afraid she will not have a room for us.

From the time Alicia and Chuco picked us up from the airport, we felt at home. Our room was bright and clean with daily maid service. We stayed in Chuco's newly completed addition with our own bathroom and shower. The room had an air conditioner, frig, and ceiling fan. We stayed in the upper portion and had a private balcony.

Chuco is an excellent cook and we were served a delicious breakfast every morning. I am almost over my guacamole withdrawal, Chuco's is the best I've ever tasted. He makes it fresh every morning. There is always juice, a fresh fruit plate and great coffee.

We met some great people (Hola, Ken and Syd, Tom and Sharon) and had many nights of great conversation. We had our camera stolen while we were at a beach and Alicia's comfort and understanding helped my wife more than I could.

I almost forgot Chavita. Alicia calls her the lazy guard dog. She is great. Having her around helped us not to miss our three dogs. Chavita likes yellow cheese and baloney in the red package.

If your looking for a great place to stay in Cozumel, look no further. Except in January's, we want there to be room for us.

Posted by Trudy on 02/09/01

I Personally Really Enjoy Alicia's though to be honest, I have not stayed at the other places mentioned. If money's an object, you can't beat Alicia's two private rooms out back ($35/night, including breakfast). The rooms within her house are nice as well (and at least one of those goes for $25/night, also including breakfast). And you can't beat the friendship and camaraderie. Coming and going and use of the house was never a problem...Alicia isn't the type to babysit and look over your shoulder, though she'd be just as happy to spend a day at the beach with you if you'd like. I've spent many an afternoon with her, Chuco and Chavita at Playa Chen Rio and a couple more afternoons visiting their favorite cantina in town. The only downside of Alicia's -- no poool. But then you save so much money by staying there that renting a car is a cinch and beach-hopping can be a lot of fun.

Posted by tat2chas on 10/22/00

Chuco, Chavita, Alicia & Betty

Stayed at Alicia's B & B from 10-8 to 10-15. A great alternative to the hotel scene. Alicia offered to pick us up at the airport, but we had already arranged for a rental car. When we pulled up, she was waiting at the gate like a concerned mom waiting for her kids to come home. Greeted us like we were long lost friends & showed us around. We stayed in one of the new rooms out back, a 2 story addition, with one room per floor.

Our room

The rooms are a little smaller than the average hotel room, yet are very comfortable & clean. A queen size bed, small refrigerator & a nice, mirrored door wooden hutch with 2 drawers for clothing. A/C & a ceiling fan. A/C makes me sick, so I was very happy to see the fan.
The bathroom was nice, with a roomy shower stall. Good for saving water, heh-heh.
A couple of nice touches: Butterflies on the wall & a wooden ship on the A/C.

Our room II


Our room III

There is a coffeee pot on a shelf right outside the front door, which is quite handy if you happen to be an early riser & get up before Alicia & Chuco.
I tend to wait until later in the morning to eat breakfast, so I didn't really eat that much of Chuco's delicious breakfasts, however, Betty did & she was very pleased with them. So was I, when I did partake. As others have said, the guacamole is superb!
 They have a locker for dive-gear which has a steel bar door for air circulation & allows your gear to dry somewhat from day to day. Also, clothes lines for hanging your wet and/or washed clothing.
Each room has a table & chairs on the patio, as well.

Alicia's backyard


Betty & Chavita

They are putting a new sign up on the corner of Avenida 30 & Calle 19 sur as soon as Hurricane season is over, this should make them a little bit easier to find. 

Alicia's new sign
The rate was $35 a night for 2 people. There are also singles available for $20 a night. I'm hoping to get back to Coz in January & I plan on staying at Alicia's again. It'll be just like goin' home.

Peace-chas

Posted by Chris in DC on 10/04/00

Posted by Ray on May 8, 2000

My wife and I stayed at Alicia's Bed and Breakfast.  We loved it and experienced a more "real" vacation than ever before.  We had a room separate from the main house, with bathroom, fridge, ac, security and a blender!  35 US/night and includes a homecooked breakfast every day.  Highly recommended.  Contact info under B&B heading on this site.

Salut

Posted by Thorsten on 01/19/00

To the untrained observer we are "declining" in our choice of accommodations during our trips to Mexico. From a 5 Star super plush Hotel in Cancun ( Westin Regina ) to a 4 Star AI in Coz ( El Cozumelino ), than to a 3x (?) La Ceiba non inclusive, and finally ending up at a Bed and Breakfast ???

Its actually quite the opposite !

Today I would prefer Alicia's place over any all inclusive in Coz. Yes I will say : even if somebody would swap me a 200 a dollar night All inclusive with the 20 dlr room at Alicia, I would stay at Alicia's place.

Big words huh ? But true.

Reason is that Alicia and Chuco are like family ( gee, I adopted them, so they ARE family ), the rooms ( the whole house ) are super clean, Chuco makes a KILLER breakfast ! Rins tanks for scuba gear, huge balconies, hammocks, general meeting area outside, nice living room with satelite TV ( if you need to watch tv ???), fridges in the rooms, warm water at all times, coffee machines, bottled water, and so forth.
Of course we do not want to forget "Chavita" the spoiled Bed and Breakfast dog. :-) The dog is so well behaved, that you don't even notice her, really a cute one !

We were welcomed with open arms and a cold "Cerveza". Later we found a cold 'Sol' in our fridge also. We met wonderful other guests during our stay at Alicia's. Before we knew it, we had an open bar going, and we seem to party every night. Not the loud Carlos @ Charly type of partying, but the nice relaxed sitting under the palapa in the front yard drinking a beer or two and tell ( fishing,scuba,racing,sailing,traveling,work) lies to eachother, kind of party.

John and Erin, Dan, the three ( Canadian ) stoges : Glen, Kevin and Schmitty, John and Shelly and of course us the Schaette family, we all liked each other rather quick, so rental cars, or scooters, were loaned out, activity plans almost always included some or all other guests.
I do understand, that we were unbelievably lucky with all the other guests, but Alicia and Chuco seem to attract the same kinda crowd, so it is a good guess, that there is an impromptu party or two happening during anybodies stay.

Of course the place offers plenty of room to get away and relax or read a book, without any distractions. The back umbrella next to the garden or the large balcony upstairs offers solitude.

Learned quite a bit during our conversations : Why Canadians like to take the Canadian flag with them on vacations. Why it is not good to fall asleep at a red light being drunk and trying to find his way home. What car seat is more comfortable to sleep in, in case you forget the key to the gate and don't want to wake anybody. This is only a small excerpt from the various conversations :-)

The location sounds a little far to be comfortable. 65 south and 19 is not necessary at the beach or the center of town. Sure you can take a 25 minute stroll, but it would be much better to rent a car or even a pesky little scooter instead. If you are mobil, the location is great though, 65 goes straight to the south beaches, or to the road which traverses the island, on one of the "mandatory" trips to the other side. You never have a problem to park the vehicle right in front of the house, Its also real close to the San Francisco Supermarket, to stock up on supplies for your own refrigerator.

As many others I do like big sandy beaches once in a while. Most Hotels don't have those, but they are easy to reach by car. My favourite one ? Prolly the new one north of the Allegro, called Nacho Cocoon ( or similar ) they have a restaurant, freshwater pool, jacuzzi with swim up bar, restrooms and a very nice beach. Best snorkeling is at Chacanaab park, best diversity ( zoo, vendors,cold beer,restaurant) prolly at playa de Sol. Best wild beach is of course on the other side, or maybe north of the paradisus, where the "ghost" cobblestone roads are ) In other words, you need a car anyway, so why not sleep in the best place, even if it is not in the center of everything.

The stay at Alicia's was the major factor, why I call this the best vacation ever. And I really miss Alicia and Chuco and of course Chavita also.

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