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El Cozumeleño Hotel & Beach Club Hotel Reviews
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Comments: This was a Christmas present to our kids, so we were there from December 26-Jan.2.   The resort was way beyond what we expected! It is so incredibly beautiful! Upon our arrival we were greeted by big smiles and welcomes!! They tried very hard to help us w/our Spanish and tried to speak our English language. Our rooms were very large and super clean. We were in the "new" section and could walk right out from our rooms to the pool/bar/ocean! Our rooms were perfect!! (#1112 and #1114) I highly recommend these rooms as they were on the main floor. We felt safe leaving our doors open and even had times where we realized we left valuable out and came running back and they would be there. I left my purse in the room one day w/alot of money in it and the maid came and cleaned my room and didn't touch it! My teenagers loved the entertainment and were very happy w/the beach and made friends w/other kids. This was definitely a "family" oriented place!! When some entertainment
 would get out of hand (from people staying there) they would put a stop to it right away and change the mood quickly to fit for all ages. My daughter was really suprised at how many people learned our first names so quickly! There was nothing but friendly people working here, who I would like to add work their tails off to make you happy and do not act like they are waiting for tips! The only problems were for my 10 year old picky eater.  There wasn't much of a selection for "kid" appetites. They did have hamburgers "everyday" and fries and nachos, but that was all she would eat for a whole week, we had to order pizza after 4nights!! The beach was beautiful, but kinda crowed. It was a little smaller than you would expect for a large resort. We did lots of activites outside our resort, but there was plenty to do if you just stayed there. We would love to go back and highly recommend it to everyone!!!!!!! Thank you El Coz for giving our family a wonderful vacation memory!!!

Comments: WE just got back from the El Coz. and loved every bit of it.  We traveled with our two daughters 13 and 15 and had a blast.  After reading some of the reviews we were very nervous about going, but after the first hour there all of our concerns went away.  The staff is very friendly and they try to make your stay very welcomed.  The hotel, pool, and eating areas are top notch.  If you ever wanted to go into town there was always a taxi waitng for you.  We read bad things about the food at the hotel, but we never experienced anything bad- there was plenty of variety.  In October there wasn't very many people there.  The older part was completing closed down due to a lack of people.  The time we spent there was very relaxing an enjoyable with no complaints.  We are planning on going back every October to El Coz.  You will not go wrong by staying here.

Comments: For those of you who are lucky enough to stay at the El Cozumeleno consider your self lucky!  The resort rated an A plus with us.  We have stayed at a few other places in Cozumel and nothing tops this place.  The food was good, the grounds were very clean and the staff was friendly and helpful.  The rooms in the tower are very big-perfect for a  family.  We brought our kids this trip and we were not stumbling all over each other.  There is a great snorkeling hole and it is just about a 5 minute walk down the beach towards town.  It's at the hotel next to the El Cozumeleno.  The walk  there is nice, just wear shoes!  When we return to Cozumel this will be the place of choice!  It is outstanding!

Comments: I really enjoyed the El Coz. The food was good and plentiful however with all the excellent establishments in town we frequently dined out. The staff was wonderful and really took the time to get to know us and cater to our needs. I'm certain that anyone who's approach to the staff is respectful and appreciative will enjoy a very warm and helpful demeanor. Speaking spanish is not needed although I enjoyed trying to work on it and the staff was always willing to nicely assist me in my efforts.

The hotel has two sections referred to as the old and the new. We stayed in the newer section but we did check out the older section rooms prior to leaving just out of curiosity. The new section rooms have ample space and were nicely decorated. This is not the four seasons but it is just right for wet feet and a sun and surf vacation room. The old section of the hotel was actually quite nice as well although the furnishings and baths were a bit more dated. The old style rooms tended to be much larger than the new section so if a modern decor is not high on importance for you and you would rather have more space than a more modern decor it is worth looking into. The ownership was in the process of renovating the old section when we were there and so it may be that these are now really the best rooms to get.

The hotel had plenty of activities from free in pool scuba lessons to all kinds of watersports to crafts for kids (and numerous adults). I dove one day with the on-site scuba operator and found them to be very enjoyable with good pricing. There is an on site shop that sells t-shirts, swimwear, suntan lotion, sunglasses and cigarettes ect... The beach is very nice with a very large roped in area that is good for snorkeling and swimming. Be prepared to wear flip flops or tevas on the beach if your feet are sensitive since there are some stones in the sand but this was no big deal. The pools are very nice with largest one with the swim up bar serving as the hub of daytime hotel activity. The poolside music plays at volumes that may annoy some people looking for a very peaceful setting but in general the music was tasteful and added to the festive atmosphere. If you normally sleep late and would like a quieter room, ask to be placed in the old section since the new section faces
 the pool with the music.

I've been to Coz 7 times and have stayed at and/or visited many hotels. I liked El Coz well enough that I'm going back this October making it two trips there in one year. That speaks volumes given that there are many very nice hotels on the island. The El Coz has a very nice combination of activity, good and readily available food at nearly all times, friendly staff, nice rooms and affordability. Guests are going to differ every week but when I was there the guests were mainly in their 30's to 50's, some with their families and many being groups of friends or singles looking to kick up their heels in the tropics for a week. I saw no obnoxious behaivor or intoxication from anyone despite the freely flowing beverages. It was easy to strike up friendships and conversation with other guests and everyone seemed to get to know eachother during the week and compare notes on excursions and things to see and do.

It would be hard to go wrong here unless you expect the four seasons or are  bringing a bad attitude on vacation with you. This is a good place for singles, couples, groups and families. Twentysomethings looking for spring break type action tend to stay on the mainland in Cancun.

Comments: On reading the reviews, I can tell that many people are forgetting that Mexico is still an underdeveloped counrty.  What we take for granted in the USA, they are very glad to have,even intermittendtly, such as hot water and air conditioning!  Most of the people that work at these resorts do not even have those at Their homes !

I have been to Cancun 7 times, Playa del Carmen once, and this was my third trip to Cozumel.  I feel that people can always find something to gripe about, and the attitude they project to the staff makes a GREAT difference in Their reaction.  I know that when you appeal to someone to help you with a problem, they are willing to solve it kindly.If you demand, they become guarded and do not care to help.  Do not treat people like servants and, anywhere, you will be treated like royalty! 

The beach at this hotel is very good, rocks are part of the Natural landscape in the water!  This is Not Disneyworld, where they created heaven and earth!  if you do not want your little ones to witness people drinking, then go next door to the Melia hotel, where there is an adult Only pool, and a family pool. Problem solved--but...you will not be able to protect them from reality forever!  There is no music at the adult pool there and the guests were not as friendly, when we stayed there last year.  If you do not like the music and are offended by the lyrics, then do Not turn on your radio when you get back home either! But you Can go to the quieter pools at El Coz!

We forgot a few small items and took a taxi to town to "Chedrau"--this is the local version of WalMart!  Fun to see what is there, in general.  Never expect another country to be like your own!  Take advantage of the local foods, which are the best.  If you feed the birds on the floor, they stay off your plates, and next time, go to the Hilton in Chicago..of course, don't expect all inclusive or water this gorgeous, ever-changing color!

In general, this place is like everywhere else--some good things, some not so great..but we looked at it from a "glass half full" attitude and had a great time!

Comments: Husband, myself, and 18 year old spent 4 nights and had a great time. There is plenty to do at the resort, or you can book an excursion. We booked a snorkle tour, and the Carribean pirate ship steak and lobster cruise. My son did the parasailing through the dive shop (extra$) and loved it. We also did the free dive instruction and booked a beach dive later in the day. The staff are friendly and helpful, the rooms a a nice size. The bathroom and dressing area are roomy. We stayed in the newer part of the hotel which has a walk-in shower (no tub). Bottled water is provided daily in the room. The food was pretty good for an all-inclusive. The mexican buffet on Wednesday was the best. We dined in the restaurant (requires reservations) one night and it was pretty good.
The beach was nice and clean, always had loungers availale. This seemed to be a really good time to go because it was not crowded at all. Half the pool loungers were always empty. My son met up with other teenagers his age and had a ball. There were plenty of families, honeymooners and retired people. So I think this hotel has something for everyone.
We plan to return again next year and can't wait!

Comments: Wonderful!  I was nervous after reading over reviews - but was very happy to realize that the last 2 weeks of May are the slow time - before the kids are out of school and a rush starts (we took ours out of school) and we really lucked out.The weather was perfect, and the ocean calm.  My husband and I (plus our three kids, 10/8/6)had a great time.  I would recommend renting a jeep and driving around the entire island, the water on the other side was beautiful beyond words.  Stop along the way at a shack or two and have a drink! Swimming with the dolpins was also great at Chak. Park.  The pools at the hotel were great and the ocean/beach was wonderful.  My husband and oldest daughter took scuba leasons (free) and went parasailing (not free) we all snorkeld. Tony and Laura at the Kids Club/entertainment area are the BEST.  They went out of their way to be helpful. Tony took us up the beach to a spot to snorkel and swim - beautiful.  A hint - we left candy on our pillo
 ws each morning when we left our room - a treat for the cleaning lady.  We had a roll away for the 3rd child.  We always had plenty of towels and bottled water.  The food in the morning, pool snack bar and lunch was fine.  Dinner, however, never really did it for us.  We went in town to the MIssion (ask Tony, he gave us a free drink coupon and directions) and to Carlos and Charlies for fun too (during the day, kids really shouldn't go at night) If you need sand toys, small life jackets -bring your own.  I did and was glad, since there were none to be had.  That is my only complaint!  The dive shop offers life jackets (but not small ones for a 5 year old) and the kids shop offers beach balls, boogy boards etc.  but no sand toys.  Also, the salt water hurt one kids skin, so I was glad I brought diaper rash ointment with, we lathered him up and it protected him completely.  I have no idea why I packed it - (no diapers in our house!) but am glad I did.    I would have to say we
 would go again.  We went to other resorts to check them out, and found overall, think this was great.  Go for it!

Comments: This hotel is a get your money worth hotel! The rooms in the new tower are in terrific shape and have an excellent ocean view! For an All-Inclusive they had great food. The morning buffet was outstanding and I never eat breakfast food regularly.  They will make an omelet anyway you want it, and the bacon is so unbelievable. There are bars everywhere you go, so you can always have a drink. All their ice is purified, and they use bottled water if water if that’s what you like to drink. Other reviews say lunch isn’t that great but I thought the french fries were good and the hamburgers filled me up, but if you fill like going to your room and relaxing on your balcony, order room service and get the club sandwich. (room service is free by the way). My group took advantage! The shows were good and the dinner was even better, don’t miss Mexican night it is awesome (Wednesday). Get involved within the hotel, go on the snorkeling tour that is free, kayaking, windsurfing, be
 ach volleyball, pool volleyball, water aerobics, and BINGO! Karaoke is so much fun it’s at night on the second floor!The staff is awesome, they treat you so well and always have a smile on there face. They make all of $10 dollars a day, so I always tipped them a lot! Overall, i would go back to this place in a heartbeat, my number one favortive thing about the hotel that you will never forget is the staff! most knew my name by the 3rd day and we were there 7 days. Any questions just write me.

Comments: We had a great time at the El Coz.  Our room in the new section was wondreful.  The staff was awesome.  The pool and beach great.  Just make sure you eat some evening meals in town.  Breakfast was awesome.  Lunch a nice fare, but hey we loved the food in town.  The drinks were plentiful as was the food so even though we didn't always eat there we felt it to be a good value.  It was wonderful that our 8 year old could just get drinks and snacks anytime. 

Comments: Just got back from Cozumel and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the El Cozumeleno. We want to go back soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

After reading the reviews before we left we thought the El Coz  was much nicer than we expected it would be. 

The rooms are big, nice and clean, but hard beds.  We stayed in the new section on the 5th floor. Beautiful view!!!!!!!!!

The pools are beautiful. The water felt cool when you got in but I'm sure our body temperatures were up there....the weather was hot....5 of our 8 day stay was in the upper 80's at least. One post said that the new tower shades the pool in the morning.  I can't agree with that. From 11:00 on the whole pool is in the sun for the rest of the day. Where would they have put the tower if they didn't put it there.

They did a great job with the activities. Had a great time playing volleyball.

They have one of the nicest beaches of any hotel on the island. I don't understand how anyone could complain about it. One of the postings referred to abundant jellyfish.  That was the case one morning while we were there...hotel can't help that...blame the tide. Cleared up by noon.

The snorkeling was really nice in front of the hotel. We went up the beach about a 1/4 to 1/2 a mile and got in.  We floated down and really saw a lot of fish.

Everyone that works there is nice.  They put in long hours and put up with a lot at times from the guests. They're very respectful. They appreciate their jobs....some of the best jobs on the island.

We had no problems with bugs at the hotel. Didn't need to use the bug spray at all while we were there. We went to the east side of the island one day and had a bit of a problem with tiny little  bugs....they were something like knats. By the way.......the east side is fun!!!!!!!!!!!

The food was OKAY. Breakfast was always good. I really enjoyed the melons....they served assorted melons at every meal. People have to realize that the food is a great value for what you spend to stay there. If you want Pepe's Grill quality you would pay 3 times the price to stay there.  Plan a couple nights in town at some different restaurants. Beverages were excellent and always available. NO PROBLEM WITH WATER....THEY GIVE YOU PLENTY OF BOTTLES IN YOUR ROOM IF YOU SIMPLY ASK FOR IT. BOTTLED WATER IS SERVED ALL THE TIME!!!

I have pictures. Email us if you would like to see some or if you have any questions.

Have a great vacation!
Mary, Rod, & Tyler

Comments: We just got back from our 4th trip to Coz, the second at the El Coz. We were with 6 other families and it was wonderful. Having been there before we knew we liked it but after reading some of the nasty posts we were somewhat apprehensive. Collectively, we decided some people need to get a life. Complaining about ONE KIND of beer????Jeez. We never even noticed. Tasted great to us. The food was actually better than we remembered. Jose, the Capitan for breakfast and lunch runs a great ship!! Everyone was SOO helpful and friendly. As for hard beds, everyone said they slept great and one couple said they were going home and changing thier sleep numbers to 100!

We go to Coz for the diving and snorkeling, we stay at the El Coz for the huge rooms , great bathrooms for families and the awesome view.

Comments: We enjoyed our stay at El Coz we would stay again. We thought the food was fine no complaints Much variety. Would be nice to have had one more fancy restaurant. The pool area was awesome. Staff was very friendily. The floor was slippery in our room until we figured out that you need to keep the air on high and not keep the doors open to long. We were on the 4th floor nice view. Walk down the beach and coast back in the water for some nice snorkeling. Especially if your new to the sport. The main thing to remember if you need something whether it be info or help just ask and they will help you!!!! Enjoy!! We did!

Comments: Family of five stayed 3/30-4/5. Weather was lousy for at least four days, so that put a damper on swimming and snorkling/diving. All harbors were actually closed for three days! We took advantage of this and took a jeep tour through the jungle on the south east and north parts of the island. Highly reccomend, espicially if it isn't too hot. The cozumeleno is truely family oriented with lots for the kids to do. Under 12. (the teens had less fun). Food was good. I was afraid of this due to all the negative reviews on this and other forums. We also ate in town(don't miss San Miguel) several times. Great food at La Chosa and Minati. Fair food at Senior Frogs.Plenty of selections at the hotel  to make almost everybody happy. The pool water was cool but so was the outside temp. When its 100 degrees out and 98% humidity (as it is most of the time) its probably fine. Don't miss the dinner shows on Mon, Wed and Friday. Rooms were large and I understand there are larger delux
 e rooms in the old tower. Beware this is an active resort. Not the place to go if you wish peace and quiet. We didn't expect this and had tons of fun.

Comments: Stayed five nights.  Mixed emotions...

Plusses:
Loved hotel and staff. especially if you tip generously.
Loved pools and layout.
Excellent breakfast(s). I had two or three servings.
Played popular USA music.
Desserts were great.
View from 8th floor is wonderful.
Nightclub was great, esp if you are with a group.
Snorkeling was ok.  It was free, but no coral to see, just fish.
Swim up bar is cool.

Minuses:
Water was cool until you get used to it.
Lunch & dinner were barely edible. I ate enough breakfast for three meals.
Room was moldy.  They tried to clean, but humidity is so prevalent there.
Floor tiles were slippery, pool area and room.
They only had one kind of beer.  Doseckies???
Beach was small, but mosly everyone stays around pool.
Jeffyfish were abundant last day of trip.
BUGS< BUGS< BUGS>  Take along bug spray, esp after dusk.
Evening shows were boring.  Feel free to leave when you tire of them.

Comments: We stayed at El Cozumeleno for four nights in November, 2002. If mediocre food, apathetic staff, and a very poorly run kids program might effect your vacation, stay somewhere else.  The hotel also built its new tower so that it shades the pool most of the day, leaving the water cold. The snorkeling at the tiny beach by the Hotel is poor (it was great on other parts of the island).  The nicest thing I can say is that the room was large and offered a good ocean view--that's the only reason I did not give a "terrible" rating.   We have visited and stayed at other places on Cozumel, and there are much better choices.

Comments: Everything about this hotel was grrreat....except the food.I can not endorse this resort but only because of the food.Breakfast was very good but the rest of the food was okay at best.A big part of the reason we travel is to sample new kinds of food in different settings.this was a grreat resort but we won't be back because of the food.

Comments: My husband and I chose to stay at the El Cozumeleno with 18 other family members for our wedding ceremony.  When we first arrived, we waited around for a couple hours until there were rooms available.  We finally got a room in the older part of the hotel and it was terrible.  The maid hadn't even cleaned.  There was sand all over the floor, the bed wasn't made, dirty towels lying around, and mold around air conditioning vents and on walls.  Devisitated by the looks of our room I went down to the front desk to plead for another room.  I explained to the front desk that I was getting married in a couple of days and it was important to me to have a decent room.  The staff just said that they were sorry, but there were no rooms available.  I walked away crying.  Ten minutes later my uncle approached the desk put down his credit card and demanded to get us another room.  They told him that there were three rooms available and he could take a look at them.  He ended up co
 mpletely paying for another weeks lodging to move us to another room.  The second room was clean and appealing, but the air conditioner was broken and our sliding door would only open half way.  Needless to say, we didn't have a good nights sleep in the middle of July's heat.  The next day my husband went down to the front desk to try and get another room.  Our third room was finally adequate, air conditioning worked, the room was clean, and we had a decent view.  The rest of our trip was fair, but if we had known how inconsiderate the staff was to our need we would of definatley stayed somewhere else.  

Comments: Stayed at Cozumeleno from 10/6-13. Had a great trip overall. Had no problems checking in, though we did have to wait 1/2 hour. That was our own fault because we specifically requested king bed, new tower. There were other rooms available when we arrived.
The staff was delightful. From Jimmy and Tony at the activities desk to Enrique and Santiago at the bar, they made our trip worth it. I have seen on here that most everyone complains about the friendliness of the front desk staff. I can see that but since I had to deal with them a total of 20 minutes in my week, it just didn't seem to matter that much.
The weather was perfect. It rained the first night and sprinkled again while we were at the airport to leave. Other than that, fun and sun! The room was extremely large but watch out for the slick tile floor if your feet are wet. Same goes for the white tile near the pool. Almost lost it a few times.
If I have to list negatives, I would have 3. The beach itself is not very good. Too many shells, too many rocks. It's only about 15 feet wide at most. Next would be the fact that the nightclub was closed for October. That meant unless you went downtown there was nothing to do after dinner but sit around drinking (that was OK too I guess...). Lastly the food selection for dinner. During our week we only had one choice for dinner. The nights that it was in the restaurant, it was the same menu each night. A little too limited.
Overall I was impressed. I am not sure if I'll be back because the cruise ship people drove me crazy. I'll also reiterate the advice from previous posts. Bring plenty of $1 bills for tips and bring bug spray. You'll get eaten alive at sunset without!!! If you go, have a great time.

Posted by HarrySL on 10/16/02

El Coz is rated a star under Allegro.  I stayed at El Coz Jan 01.  The facilities are very good.  Breakfast is on par with other AIs, Buffet and order of the menu lunch not so good.  Inside resturant very good.  Help yourself soft ice cream very good.  Overall I like Park Royal and Reef Club better.  Will try Allegro Sunday and Iberostar Feb.

Comments: We just returned from Cozumel and I wanted to say that El Cozumeleño is a great place to stay.  The rooms are great and the staff could not have been any nicer or more polite.  I dont think we could have gotten a nicer hotel for the deal we got.  The food could use improvement, but it was edible at least.  I recommend the "Momasita" frozen drink from any of the bars as it was a nice and refreshing drink.
But my REAL kudos goes to the dive shop they have on site, Scuba Du, since we spent most of our time diving.  They are lucky to have such a great dive shop on site with them.  We met Tony from the dive shop as we were checking into our room. Right from the beginning he was very helpful in getting us what we needed to start diving the next day.  We ended up doing more diving than we planned because the prices were to good to say no to.
Tony was able to arrange for all 5 of us to dive together on our own private boat where we could go anywhere we wanted.  He recommended some wonderful places and we saw something different everytime.  His english is perfect as he grew up in the states and he is excellent at recommending restaurants and other activities to do on the island as well.  I plan on contacting Tony the next time we go to Cozumel to assist us with our diving schedules again.
The captian and crew were also very professional and helpful with the equipment and getting us ready for our dives.  And the boat will pick you up right at the hotel.
I recommend contacting Tony from Scuba Du at, antomadra@yahoo.com, if you have any questions or want any information regarding diving in Cozumel.  He is very helpful and goes the extra mile for everyone!

Comments: We took our family of five, including a two year old, on our trip to El Cozumeleno Beach Resort in Cozumel.  I have been to mexico and new what to expect. Here are my comments:

Dislikes and Warnings:

Take bug spray for after 5pm (night time) walks. Or you will get bitten!!
Take 100 in 1$ bills for tips.  You can't get US$ at hotel.
What ever you leave in rooms may get stolen. Small safes in room.
All three of our kids had ear infections from swimming pool.  Take ear plugs and alcohol!!! We had to have mexican doctor come to hotel to treat one of three kids for severe ear infection!  Total medical bills when we got home were $275 for all three kids.
Take a ton of snacks! Especially if you have kids!!!  Food is very bad.
Food has no salt, or butter,or sugar, or good flavor.  Only show nites have good food.  Indoor restaurant is "OK". 
Kids need sun hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Don't plan on getting a room whenever you arrive..may wait 1-5 hours.
Pool tile is slippery and hot. Kids need water shoes.  Sand is cool.
Water and Ice are "ok" to drink at hotel
Food is very bad, mixed drinks are included. One type of beer only.
Try the "ticket-to-fly" mixed drink. 
Service is poor from check-in to meals.  We sat in un airconditioned lobby for 1 1/2 hours with our bags and three kids at 2pm waiting on a room in the off-season.  Hotel is short on maids.
Tipping maids $1 to $5 is nice but gets you nothing.
Rooms are cool but air is extremely humid. A/C doesn't shut off all cameras/camcorders etc. will collect moisture and fail to operate for up to 15 minutes when you leave room.  Balcany camera shots are frustrating.
Our phone didn't work.
We asked for a crib (free) when we checked in and it never arrived..ever.  It was a test...lucky we brought our porta-crib.
There are no umbrellas at new pool.  We took one on the plane.  Everyone was asking where we got one while we were laying out by the pool.  Recommend you do the same if you enjoy laying by the pool.    Can be windy need base for umbrella.
Pool chairs are in good shape.
Water sports are sporatic, open and closed during the day without notice
Girls love to get hair braided at hotel pool $25 front to $45 all head.  Reccomend waiting till last day on braids.  Braids don't last as long. (few days)
Make sure you ask you new tower when you check in.
People staying at hotel can be rude and selfish.  Cutting infront of us while we are holding a baby in the buffet line is common. Reccomend you be prepared and ready to get in their face, so your child can eat. Once you have eaten this food for a few days you will see what I mean.
We found the trip to be a bargain, however we won't return to Cozumel with our children.  The Elcozumeleno Beach Resort is the nicest hotel on the island of cozumel, there are very few hotels on the island.
Visa/MC card is not accepted except at gift shop at hotel.
If this hotel had New American Style management if could be a fouror five star hotel.  I would have paid anything for better food for my family.  There are no good food choices around hotel.  Not easy to travel to town to eat with young kids.  Save trip for Scuba fanatics or couples ready for adventure.

Comments: WOW!  We stayed at the El Coz from August 3-7.  My husband and I traveled with our 3 children (14, 10, and 3) and had a blast.  This was the kids first trip on an airplane and definitely their first trip out of the country!  Although El Coz came highly recommended from our Travel Agent (whom we thanked profusely upon our return!), after reading all the negative reviews we began to worry.  However, we landed, were quickly shuttled to a taxi, dropped off at the front doors , bags taken to check-in, waited maybe 3 minutes to check-in and got a room in the new tower - 4th floor! (Yes, we tipped the front desk clerk - but it was worth it for the room and the view!)  The room was clean, the a/c worked great, the view from the balcony was breathtaking - especially the sunrise and sunset!
We weren't expecting much in the way of the food (because of the negative reviews) but we were pleasantly suprised!  Breakfast omlettes were great!  The pico de gallo was amazingly fresh (as were all the vegetables, fruits and juices!)  Even our picky-eater children found many things to enjoy.  The snack bar had good hamburgers and hot dogs (perfect for the in-between time from lunch to dinner)  The kids loved being able to go to the bar and get whatever they wanted to drink whenever they wanted!  We never once felt for their safety...the two older ones walked the property from room, to beach, to pool to bar by themselves.  They made many friends as this was a family resort.
The staff was incredible - always cleaning, always polite.  We tipped our maid also and the room was spotless, we always had extra water, the a/c was turned down and our beds were made a different way each night (the kids were always wondering what desing the maid had left?!)  The kids befriended Johnny Angel - gives spanish lessons and works in the activities center - and he was SO great with them.  Letting us know when outt putt equipment was ready, when the pool table was open, etc.  The kids thought he was GREAT and he even helped my husband and me with our spanish!
I could go on and on - but the bottom line is this - don't pay attention to the negative reivews.  This resort is amazing and we would have NO problems recommending it to anyone.  We are already planning another trip - the kids can't wait to go back (they never wanted to leave in the first place!)
Go - relax - have fun - make some unforgetable memories!

Comments: Excellent resort.  We traveled from July 27-August 3, 2002.  We stayed in the new section with my wife, 2 year old and I in one room and my mother in law and 11 year old daughter in another.

My mother in law is very picky about hotel rooms, and she was very pleased.  The rooms were very clean and the maids did an excellent job daily of cleaning, including mopping the floor daily.  We left a few bucks each day, and got more water bottles than we used.  There is no clock in the room, so if you dont have a watch then you have to turn on the TV to get the time.  The TV can also act as an alarm clock, but our wake up calls were always on time (actually about 10 minutes early each time).  But next time we will bring our own alarm clock just to make sure.  It was noisy at night, due to both the show and people in the pool, but not past about 11pm.  I asked to see a room in the old section, and to my surprise they showed me their SMALLEST room.  I was not impressed, since it was not only much smaller, but a bit run down.  I knew my mother in law would not like it.  However, the next day another guest showed me their room on the ground level, and it was VERY big and reaso
 nably nice.  My mother in law saw it and liked it.  It still didnt look as nice as our room, but it was acceptable.  She also mentioned it was very quiet at night there.  So if quiet in the late evening is important to you, then stay in the old section.

The grounds were quite nice.  The main pool was rather unique, having the water at different levels with small water falls from the upper to lower levels.  It was very pretty.  The upper level was about 1 foot deep - perfect for my 2 year old to play in, yet allowed her to get 'adventurous' when we allowed her to jump from the waterfall (about a 3 foot jump into about 4 feet of water).  The edge of some of the pool 'inlets' did get a little nasty by the end of the day (scum and trash floating at the very edge) but they did clean it very well each morning.  The only broken chairs I saw were two in the pool side snack bar.  All loungers were in excellent condition, so they must have replaced all the broken ones mentioned in previous posts.  Also, the shallow areas in the pool were perfect for taking the lounger INTO the water - a great way to get sun and also keep cool.  The main pool did have music playing, which I liked.  I saw other posts saying it was too loud and obnoxious
 , but they could have easily gone to the OTHER pool, which although not as fancy, was very mellow.  I saw very few people acting inappropriately.  In fact, I didnt even see a single thong.  And trust me, my mother in law would have commented if things were inappropriate for children.

The beach was rocky compared to what most Americans are used to, but was actually quite nice compared to most  Cozumel beaches.  Cozumel is not known for its sandy beaches, but for its diving.  However, there is an area on this beach that you can enter without too many rocks, and they had one of the largest swim areas I saw on the island.  Also, the pier keeps the water relatively calm and clean, since on the far side it was sometimes much rougher and dirtier.  The 2 piers also make an excllent place for small children to feed the fish.  My two year old loved going there with some bread to feed them.  The water is crystal clear - it was gorgeous.  The resort itself is relatively small (land wise) compared to the southern resorts, since this is in the more populated area.  However, the southern resorts typically have bungalow style rooms, where this is hotel-style rooms.

The food was so-so.  Typically, thats to be expected from most all-inclusives.  Last year we stayed at the Melia Turquesa in Cancun, which was a very nice resort, but HORRID food.  By comparison, the food here was very good.  Its not on the same level as going into town to a nice place, but it was not bad.  Breakfast was the best, but dinner was OK and, unlike the Melia Turquesa, actually changed some day to day.  It still got a bit old by the end of the week, but I knew to expect that from an all inclusive.  The outdoor buffet was actually nice.  Yes, there were a few flies (not many) and yes, the birds would fly through, but it was never a problem.  Just dont have everyone leave the table at once and the birds wont eat off your plate (duh, common sense).  It actually made a nice eating environment.  I liked sitting outside overlooking the gulf while eating breakfast.  It was a gorgous, relaxing atmosphere.  But I was dissappointed with the indoor restaurant.  My food there
 was so-so, but my wife and mother in law very much enjoyed their selection.  BUT, I did decide to be adventurous and try something different, so that could be why I didnt find it all that great.  My biggest complaint about it was the way they handle the service.  From what I could tell, they do dinner in shifts.  When we arrived for an 8:30 dinner, the place was empty and a line was waiting.  They apparently let a full-house in at once, serve them, clean up, then let the next group in.  Then they appeared to work their way around the room, with minimal waiters.  If your first in the 'rotation', then its fine.  But we were the next to last table to get service in their rotation, so many tables were done and out the door before we even got our food.  It took a very long time to get served.  But that is the only one of two times I got bad service while at the resort, and even then it was bad strictly due to speed, not because of attitude.  The other time was at one of the bars,
  since the bartender had to stop to wash the cups.  I ended up going to another one of the bars and got served immediately.  Now I must admit, dont watch them wash the cups - its just a lick and a prayer.  But again, your in Mexico.  Odds are its pretty much that way everywhere.  They dont exactly have the health inspector standards that we do here.  So overall, the service and friendliness was very good.

As for the evening shows, they have three a week listed in their information brochure - Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  But for some reason they had an extra one on Thursday.  We only saw two, since the other nights we were in town.  Each of them were a theme night.  They clear the area near the pool and setup dinner (instead of in the covered area that meals are normally served).  The one problem with this is that if you come late you may have trouble finding a place to sit as a family, since many people eat and then stay for the show.  Each show features dances related to the theme of the night.  Wednesday was Mexican night.  They started with an excellent Mayan ceremony dance, then went on to other traditional Mexican dances.  They were very nice, but by the end I found them a bit slow (due to the nature of the dances, not the quality), but the rest of the family enjoyed them immensely.  Friday was Carribean night, with most dances being fast paced.  It was very nice.  Thur
 sday I missed since my wife and I went to town for our anniversary, but my mother in law and kids went to it.  They had dance lessons on stage, and both of my daughters (including the 2 year old) had a blast!  By the way, my wife and I ate in town at Pepe's on recomendation.  The food and service were OUTSTANDING, but expect to pay for it.  Like a typical upscale restaurant at home, we spent just over $100, including appetizer and wine.  Perfect for an anniversary celebration.

For diving, we went through the same shop we used last year - Roberta's Dive Eco-Cozumel.  They also just bought out Scuba Shack, which is where most of their boats now dock.  They picked us up at the resort, and had "lockers" to store our gear so we didnt have to travel with them each day.  They have small, fast boats, and is an excellent dive operation.  Roberta and her husband Robert are exceptionally friendly.  I highly recommend them.  You can make reservations by emailing them at robertac@prodigy.net.mx.

Since we work with a dive shop in the states, we wanted to check out a few other resorts to make recommendations.  We visited the Allegro, which seemed nice, but they only allowed us to see it by participating in a time-share presentation, which was very frustrating, and STILL didnt see a room.  I was under the impression all guests must go through the presentation.  I left with a VERY bad taste in my mouth, and would steer everyone away from the Allegro, especially since they emphasized that over half of the rooms were on time-share and that they get preferencial treatment over the other guests.  We also saw the Iberostar.  It was very nice.  It is much more spread out than the El Cozumeleno (due to being on the south side of the island, away from town), which means the rooms are probably much quieter.  The rooms are VERY small, but otherwise the resort seemed outstanding.  Roberta from the dive shop mentioned that the food was outstanding and the best of all the all inclusi
 ves.  We also heard the kids program was excellent and the nightly shows were also very good.  If small rooms and being away from town dont bother you, the Iberostar would be an excellent choice.

Overall, I highly recommend the El Cozumeleno, especially if you have a family.  However, remember that you ARE traveling to Mexico.  Places outside of the US, especially poorer countries, have different standards.  Expect things to be different and it will be fine.  If you expect US standards, you WILL be disappointed, no matter where you stay.

Comments: Just got back Saturday night from our first trip to Cozumel.  We had read so many bad reviews on the El Cozumeleno, that we really didn't know what to expect when we got there.  But from the moment we checked in until we checked out, we were treated great!  We arrived at about 2:00 pm and were checked right into our room.  The room was in the new section, and we were really pleased with it.  The view from our balcony was breathtaking! The staff was very courteous, from the wait staff, to the housekeepers.  There were quite a bit of activities that were organized by the hotel staff, such as snorkeling, diving, parasailing, kayaking, and pool activities, as well as theme nights three nights a week with entertainment.  So you really didn't need to even leave the resort if you didn't want to. It was very convenient for us to be able to check out beach towels, and it was no problem getting them back at the end of the day.  The food wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best
  I'd ever eaten, and being on an island in Mexico, we really didn't expect it to be gourmet.  We ate at the resort the entire trip, except for two nights, and were always able to find something that we could eat.  But we didn't go there to eat, so it wasn't really a big issue with us.  Overall we were really quite pleased with the El Cozumeleno, and would recommend this hotel to anyone planning on going to Cozumel. We can't wait to go again! 

Comments: I personally don't know what everyone is complaining about with this hotel. My husband and I just returned from the El Coz and had a great time. We even thought our room in the old section was nice--you are in Mexico after all!! The only problem we had was our phone in our room didn't work--and who the heck cares--we were on vacation.We had hot water every day no matter what time we showered.We saw NO broken beach chairs and had no problem getting one when we wanted. Every staff member was so nice and helpful we couldn't even believe it.As for the food-sure it isn't Ruth Chris steakhouse but it was edible. Some of the stuff was actually excellent--try the avacado dip and the fish from the lunch menu. The desserts were very good too. As for the flies-you are eating outside. If you have a problem with them, make reservations at La Veranda and you won't have that problem. My husband dives and said it was the best diving with the friendliest people he has met. We saw ki
 ds having fun, parents having fun and nothing inappropriate going on the entire 12 days we stayed. The $5 for the cab ride into town is really reasonable--have you taken a cab in the states? Every day we stayed we saw the staff cleaning, cleaning, cleanin. They even have someone rake the beach every morning before the people start coming. It is a very clean place. As for the maids--they are excellent too. Our room was sparkling every day. We left a $2 tip daily and got a few extra bottles of water and great service. When we ordered a drink, we got it--and we tried all the bars. We are definitely going back to this resort next year. And this time we are bringing our son. We met many people who are doing the same. Also, we checked out two other hotels on the island and El Coz was by far the best!!!  We were very happy with our stay. If you have any questions about this hotel feel free to email me. I would love to give you some tips as to how to make you stay as awesome as ours
  was!!

Comments: I'm shaking my head as I read the negative reviews about El Coz.  It is such a wonderful place!  We just got back from our 3rd trip there and it was better this year than ever.  One of the things I like so much about the place is that many of the tourists there are Mexican families! 

Let me start by saying that we are experienced travellers- Europe, Mexico, South America and Africa.  My husband is from Italy and I am from Colombia, so we both speak Spanish and have enjoyed many types of Latin cooking and the Latin "lifestyle"- with all that implies, the smoking everywhere, the oogling of women, the flies on the food, the "different" kind of food, the music louder than in the US, etc.  So what may seem horrible to many first time travellers to Mexico is usually nothing more than cultural differences.  That being said....
1) The hotel is really beautiful.  The landscaping is pretty and well taken care of.  The staff is always cleaning and making it better.  For the theme nights, the staff totally changes the outside patio and puts it all back together for the next morning.  The beach is combed and the chairs cleaned every morning.  The pools are completely clean and inviting. 
2)There are actually three pools.  The first is in the old section, there is a little wading pool for the little kids, and the rest of the pool is quiet and peaceful.  No music.  The new pool is sunny, with a swim up bar, and has a variety of music playing.  The third pool is in the shade!  It is covered and the perfect hangout for the fair skinned and kids.  There are numerous jacuzzis with cool water, not hot.  Again, the pools are spotless.
3)The staff is amazing.  The entertainment staff is fun and make a great effort to chat and make the day happy.  "Crazy Tony" is so wacky and grows on you.  Keri in the kids club is a sweetheart.  The waiters are attentive and helpful.  We always tip, even though we're in an AI, because they do provide such courteous service and we travel with three messy kids!  The front desk staff is fine, they aren't quite as sweet as the others, but I guess they have to take all kinds of attitude.  They were always helpful to us.
4)We have always stayed in the new section and the rooms are clean, modern and attractive.  Everything has always worked, the hot water, the A/C, the blow dryers, the safe.  We would never leave valuables lying around, so we've never had  a birth certificate, money or passports stolen.  That's why there's a safe!!  We stayed on the ground floor,and it was very convenient to be steps from the beach and pool.  We did leave our running shoes on the patio and they were stolen at night.  OUR FAULT.  Stupid to do that.  Oh well...Mexico is a poor country and we should have known better.  The beds are hard.  No getting around that.  The TV had basic channels, but we weren't in the room watching too much! The TV also had an alarm clock, which we set when we needed to wake up early.  So, if you HAVE to be somewhere, take responsiblity and set your own alarm clock.  I tipped the maids $2 a day (messy kids) and always got an extra towel and more water than we could drink.  They did a gr
 eat job cleaning up...I miss them! Sigh.
5) The lobby was fine.  A busy place.  They have popcorn in the late afternoon which is yummy and makes it a fun place to have a predinner drink.
6)THe amenities were great.  The beach is a bit rocky but pretty.  We would walk about 1 mile south to the CCC, a deserted high rise hotel and snorkel back.  It was tons of fun...pretty fish.  The snorkling in front of the hotel is not great, but it's a fun swimming beach for the kids.  The scuba shop seems well stocked.  The scuba guy Antonio, is ADORABLE.  He is so friendly and approchable, I can't imagine him being rude or nasty to anyone.  He talked to me (in perfect English and Spanish) for a good half hour about fish, scuba and life on the island.  He is awesome.  The hotel equipment was also quite good, although we brought our own.  One problem...there is a time limit of 1 hour on the check out of equipment and they aren't strict about it...alot of the fins and masks just lie around and people get upset they aren't available.  There are 2 pingpong tables and a pool table.  All fine.  There is a cute minigolf, not in the best shape, but all you have to do is see some ki
 ds who run wild and pound the greens with the clubs to see why.  There could be more beach palapas..there is a mad rush in the morning to get one, but by noon there are usually several empty ones.  The kids club is an informal, drop in kind of place that my kids loved to take a break from the sun and have quality time with the nintendo.  They also would feed the fish and take nature walks, make bracelets and just hang out.  Keri, the one in charge is awesome and so good with kids. On the big party nights they bring in vendors...some of their stuff is cheaper than in town!  Also, there are some very sweet girls who braid hair outside the kids club.  They charged one girl with waist length hair $45.  Seemed like adeal to me!
6) THE FOOD.  We found the food to be terrific.  I don't understand what kind of kid would have to go into town to eat and wouldn't love the hot dogs, hamburgers, sand whiches and fries that are served continously from 11 to 5.  What did they go eat in town?  Ceviche?? OK, seriously.  The breakfast is fantastic.  Eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes, sausages, local specialties (empanadas, fried bananas, carne guisada etc), omelettes to order with everything possible, all kinds of breads, fruit, juices, great coffee (better than starbucks), cereal.  OK.  Lunch is either a buffet (the hotdogs, burgers, etc) or a sandwich bar.  There is also an alacarte lunch off  a menu that changes daily.  There are some great soups, stuffed avocados, ceviche, etc.  The main course has a choice of chicken, fish or meat.  I loved the fajitas.  Delicious.  The chicken kabobs were also awesome.  For the baby, I always ordered the grilled chicken breast.  It was always served up so beautifully.  There
 is also a salad bar and ice cream machine my kids loved.  Dinner was buffet and had a different theme every night- Mexican, Caribbean, BBQ, Tex Mex, Mayan, Spanish and Italian.  Then only one that we didn't like was Italian.  But then, why would you go eat Italian food in Mexico???  The other nights were excellent.  I especially enjoyed the Mayan night, when we got to try some interesting local dishes.  The Spanish night the paella was fantastic!  We ate in the inside restaurant one night, and the food was SUPERB.  It was served so beautifully and was just awesome.  There was also a pianist who let my son play one of his piano lesson songs...so sweet!  Oh, outside there is a trio of Mexican singers.  Very nice...but do you tip them??
The only downside to the hotel that bothers me, is that because the booze flows so freely, it does attract a few hardcore drinkers. They are definitely in the minority, though, and they tend to mellow way out after the first night of drinking.  When we were there, the families and quiet crowd far outnumbered the rowdies.  I agree with a poster who said that the El Coz needs to decide to whom to cater.  I hope it's the families..that would be their best bet in the long run.  We heard lots of griping about other hotels from the people who left them to go to the El Coz.  I kept hearing about Paradisus being not so good.  Who knows.  Part of a successful trip is having a positive attitude and being open minded.  Anyway, we were and had a terrific time! Can't wait for next year...I hope it stays as good as it has always been to us!!

Posted by Janet on 07/27/02

We just got back from El Coz.  It is a good hotel, we ended up in the older part but had a room with the balcony walking distance to the smaller pool.  We had a bar within 20 steps..but they weren't always open.  The staff wasn't that great...in my opinion.  The guy that works the front door and the bellboy that took our bags when we arrived, where terrific..actually the best people in the entire place.  The people behind the desk are a little rude...but then I don't speak spanish so I think that hurt.  As far as being clean, it was good.  We stayed AI and didn't have a problem.  We went to the other side and ate at Mezcalito's (wonderful shrimp) and went to town a few nights for dinner.  Just in drinks alone, the AI is worth it to us.  I think my family agreed next year we will try a different place.  If you want to rent a car, go to Carmen.  She sits up front by the door.  Very friendly and easy to work with.  We rented a Tracker for $60 a day (with insurance) and it was okay...got us to where we wanted to go.  BIG Notice...if you rent the beach towels from the hotel, you have to return them by 6:00 p.m. same day.  If you don't, they might hook you with a $25 charge per towel.  Snorkel equipment can only be rented for one hour at a time.  We had our mask and snorkel but thought we would rent flippers there..ended up going and buying a pair for our snorkel trips.  

We had a great time inspite of a few things but it never ruined our trip.  Can't wait to go back...Coz is a wonderful place and we plan to return many times.

Posted by Sherry on 07/26/02

We have stayed there numerous times, with and without kids, and we loved it!  the food was good in the buffets, but it is excellent in the restaurant!  they have lots of activities for everyone, mini golf, pool tables, volleyball, kids club, pool activities.  I definitely recommend it!

Comments: I could not wait to get home to warn others about the nightmare that my friend and I experienced here!  The so-called employees were incredibly RUDE and mouthy!  I speak Spanish well and was still treated like dirt!  I felt like an American in Paris!

We got there at 11am and were not given a room until almost 5pm!  This was common.  They had a large closet where they put everyone's things.  If you wanted to, you could get what you needed and change in the lobby's bathroom.  Obviously, traveling with children, you expect to be able to get settled in - not possible at this place!

My childrens' birth certificates were stolen out of the room and they would not lift a finger to help.   

The "food" was foul - we could not wait to get home for a decent meal!  The kids nearly starved - we had to go into town to get them to eat.  Good luck getting anything to drink with dinner.   

The towels - a definite issue: they charge $25/towel if you do not turn them in by 6pm and you must sign paperwork to have the charge removed.

It nearly took an act of God to get a cot for my daughter - after four calls it finally arrived at 10:30 pm.

This is not a family place.  I would not go back if you paid me!  We heard good things about the Presidente and the Allegro.

Posted on 07/22/01
From: Tia Guest

My husband and I just returned from our second visit to El Coz and enjoyed it just as much this year as last. Was it perfect? No, But you're in Mexico! The rooms were nice, the bathroom huge (we were in the new building), the A/C worked great, the view was awesome, the food was average to good, and the drinks were great. We did not try room service, but were told by a couple of people the Club Sandwich was great. There was a safe in the room, you just have to put down a credit card as a deposit. When we checked out they gave us the credit card slip. I was not aware of any broken chairs on the beach as we spent most time by the beautiful pool where the chairs were perfect. They have fun activities like water polo and volleyball and water aerobics. The cab ride to town was $5. We are divers, and we were able to arrange a boat dive through the hotel dive shop, along with four other people, that picked us up at the hotel. The operation was Scuba Du and our divemaster was Roberto. They were great. Otherwise, it is approx. $12 cab fare to most of the dive shops. We used Dive House for our other dives, divemaster Mario was great. We also did a wonderful shore dive at Chankanaab into caves that only cost $16 per person including divemaster. Bottom line: we recommend El Cozumeleno.

Posted by Allison on 07/20/02

I stayed at El Coz in January and had a great time. My brother went in February and loved it. The service is nice and helpful. My room was large and modern with BIG balcony (big enough to fit a massage table on & get a fresh air massage). I would not hesitate to return.

P.S. Ask for the new wing, as the rooms are larger and MUCH more nicely furnished.

Comments: Pros:
1)  continuous flow of alcoholic beverages, day and night
2)  good ocean views
Cons:
1)  hair dryers only blow cold air
2)  hot water for shower rarely available (even in "new" area)
3)  leaving tips for the maids had ZERO effect, still only brought one water bottle
4)  so-called scuba shop was useless, said they did not pick up afternoon divers, which was a lie, as we saw it happening
5)  guy in the "scuba shop" was extermely rude and mocked potential customers (who went elsewhere, no doubt)
6)  Towel-control Nazi will charge you for towels even if you return them on time (not immediately, they will hassle you at checkout)
7)  EVERY SINGLE beach lounger is broken!  Not just half, as others have reported, but each and every one.  This really sucks and is inexcusable.

Comments: We will not be staying at this hotel when we come back to Cozumel next year to become certified divers.  Here's my top 10 reasons:

1. Broken chairs - If you are in the business of providing people with a place to go to the beach, then you need to have beach chairs that are in good working order.  Half of the beach chairs under the thatched umbrellas were broken.

2. The hotel blares (and I mean really really loud)dance music from 11 am to 10 pm. There was no way to get a way from the music. Forget a having a siesta if you are in the new section and you are a light sleeper.

3.  Really bad food - What's worse is a lot of it was not covered - Could I have a fly with my morning pastry please?

4. No shade - There are about 10 thatched umbrellas for shade and that is it.  Think - 10 umbrellas - 20 people that can fit under the umbrellas (remember half the chairs are broken under here too)and 250+ rooms.  This is not a good combination for the fair skinned. 

5.  Poor service - about 50% of the time our request (for drinks, towels, whatever) were either ignored or were wrong.
6.  Untimely wake up call - Our wake up call was received 30 mins. late.  Thank goodness my husband made it earlier than we needed or we would have missed the ferry for our tour to Chichen Itza. There is no alarm clock in the room to act as a back up.

7. Unkept faclities - I'm suprised at how many people say this is a nice place.  There are a lot of things at El Coz that were run down.  For example, the mini golf course had ripped carpet everywhere which made it hard to play a fun game.  Many places around the hotel are in need of painting including the mini golf.  Our hotel room had a terrible stained couch (#1207), one of the lights did not work and the blow dryer blowed ice cold air.  The maintenance people did come and looked at the problem but did not fix the light or the hairdryer.  We were not offered a different room.

8. Dirty room - When we checked in, our room had clumps of sand on the floor which means the maid did not sweep or mop the floor.

9.  Rude people at the scuba shop -   I would definitely not do business with the on-sight scuba shop.  They were very disorganized and I watched them more than once be verbally abusive to their potential customers.  I watched as one guy from the shop told a customer who was purchasing flippers that the flippers were sized correctly when it was obvious they were way too big for the individual.  Also they did not have enough snorkel gear to check out and what they did have was in very poor condition.

10.  Confusion of purpose - The El Coz needs to decide if it is a party place or a family place.  On the web site its says it caters to families.  I don't have children but I never remember my parents taking me to a place where the hotel blared music with profane lyrics while everyone around me had a cigarette in one hand and a beer in another.  I even saw this old guy with his 20 year old girlfriend do the dirty in the water in front of everyone! Unless you want your kids to see the seeder side of adults, my suggestion is to find yourself a different resort.

Posted by Scott in Texas on 06/08/02

I've stayed there 3 of my 5 trips to Coz. I tried 2 others just for the experience and won't go anywhere else from now on.

Yes the food isn't the same as you would expect here in the US, but it's better than the other places I stayed, Reef Club and Coz Caribe (?). If you like to drink, the liquer and beer is name brand as well as local. And the service is MUCH better there than the other two places.

The beach/water is always clean and clear since they finished the north pier a year or so ago. If you can, get a room in the new section. It's worth the extra money. The view of the beach and pool is great, though I don't think the rooms are much different.

Talk to Antonio here on the board about the Scuba options. He's a good guy and will be happy to help you.

Scott

Posted by Deb on 06/07/02

you will get the most for your money, beautiful pools, beautiful rooms in the new tower, all with ocean view, the reservation restraurant is great, much better than buffet, but all in all, I will definitely choose it over any of the others every time! Everyone there is super friendly and cant do enough to help you! I loved it and so did everyone who went with me! You will LOVE it too!

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