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Iberostar Cozumel

Comments: My friend and I returned Dec. 13 from our one week stay at the Iberostar and were very pleased with everything. The meals were very good with a large variety of foods to choose from. The service was excellent and the staff very friendly and courteous. The rooms were small but kept very clean, always with a personal touch from the housekeeper. The property itself was a lush paradise, with winding walkways, roming peacocks and a variety of plants and flowers. The beach has nice white and, but there are large stones in the water making it diificult to go in for a shallow swim (water shoes are definitely recommended). However, within a 5 to 10 minute walk down the beach, the waters are sandy and perfect for swimming. If you want to try norkelling and don't want to out on the reef tour, you can see many fish at the end of the hotel's peer. Since there is no local transit on the island, the only ways to get around are by cab, or rent a car. The cab from the hotel to San Miguel costs $17.00 US one way, for 2 people). We rented a Tracker at the hotel for $50.00 US per day which we used to circle the entire island, as well as tour San Miguel. The ferry from San Miguel to Playa Del Carmen was $9.00 US (one way), and the local bus to Talum where the ruins are) was $2.00 US (one way). We saw dolphins while on our ferry ride, as well as a very large stingray close to shore while overlooking the ocean from the ruins in Talum. All-in-all, we highly recommend Cozumel and the Iberostar hotel for a very enjoyable holiday.

Sincerely,
Cathy

Comments: Second stay at Iberostar.  First review posted 05/20/03.  Impression of Iberostar not changed.  Everything great!  Some previous reviews mentioned stuffy rooms on  top floor.  Recommend geting a lower room if that is the case.  Had to turn off the AC at times, room was very cool, even after cranking  therostat up to 25C.  Resort was approx half full, about 50%American, 25% German, 25% French and a few Brits.  Because of the low occupany the two speciality resturants were combined into one making reservations harded to get.  Tried once, already full.  Lobster night was Wed. Too stuffed with lobster to manage a steak.  Recommend not using Dressel for diving if you do not like large groups.  Counted 26 divers off loading their boat one afternoon.  Next trip May, returning to Iberostar.  Email me if you have questions.

Comments: I just wanted to clarify the previous review I posted.....that post was suppose to be a review of the Dive shop in Iberostar --called Dressel Dive.
Not that of the hotel.
We love the hotel itself and would not stay anywjhere else when we go there.
(we stayed here last year as well)
Having said that , here is my review of Iberostar.

How can you go wrong.  Luscious atmosphere with lots of flamingos, parrots etc.  Our room was located near the pool and the beach.  The room is a little small,,but we were never there anyways.   Safety deposit box and small fridge , tv, hair dryer.  All the staff were very friendly.  Always, smiling and saying HOLA.  We tipped the maids  $3 a day and the room always looked nice and our fridge was always stocked. We also tipped the bartenders and waiters throughout our stay.

As you know the hotel is a little far from town. I think its about $15 dollars plus one way.   We rented a car for 4 days and toured the island. Definitley need to go to the east side.
 
The beach  good.  A little rocky in the entrance , so wear your booties. Not too bad for snorkelling.  You could see lots of fish under the dock.  Saw a few sting rays etc..  Plenty of beach palapas and chairs.  Go to Chankanaab for better snorkelling.

Food....is just awesome.  I have heard from other people that have stayed at other all inclusive place and how bad that food was.. but Iberostar's food was very good.  Omellete , made to your liking in the morning, lunch (we usually missed it ..cuz we are usually out and about...(so i can't say too much about it)
but dinner is also great.  We dined at the Steak house twice.  Friday nights is the best.  Not only do they have all you can eat Lobster, but also steaks (Tbone, rib eye, etc.), pork chops, fish (mahi mahi, red snapper, salmon), and chicken. 
The drinks were also good.  Ofcourse, we tried all we could think of.  My all time favorite is non other than the Dirty Monkey....yum..Please say hi to Darwin (our fav. bartender)

Night life is ok. They have a nightly entertainment ,,different every night.  Some were a little corny some were ok.  But heck, we still had some good laughs.  They do have a little club/dance place where you can hang out.
Otherwise, there are places downtown like Sr. Frogs.  This year, we never made it downtown for the night life.
The entertainment team tried their best to keep the activies going during the day. Beach and water volleyball, horseshoe games. etc.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me.

Comments: Second trip to the Iberostar, and just like last time, it was great.  There is always something to do, and you will find that there is not enough time in the day to do it all.  The staff is great and will do anything that you ask them to do.  The hotel is a little far from town, about a $20.00 ride each way, so if you plan to go in to town, you may want to find another couple that is going so you can split the taxi.  We rented a jeep from executive there on the property and got a good deal by doing it in advance over the internet.  Great place for kids also, lots for them to do.  If there are any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.

Comments: My husband and I traveled to the Iberostar Cozumel for our 4 year anniversary from May 23-26. I would highly recommend this resort to any of my family or friends.  Our trip was through Funjet and everything came off just as planned.  We arrived at the hotel at 10am, and were told through the travel agent that we would have to wait until 3pm for a room.  That wasn't the case.  The moment we walked in, we were greeted and given a room key.  I even got the room I asked for (ask for a room in the 80's buildings).  The staff was always courteous and helpful, always a friendly "Hola!" in passing.  The food was excellent, a wide variety to choose from.  The only complaint about the dining was that if you stay in an 80's room, then you have a long walk back to the lobby for the buffet.  But, that room also puts you as close to the beach and pool as possible, so it's a trade off, depending if you want to be close to the water, or the dinner buffet.  The room itself was small
 , but really excellent for Mexico.  The only complaint with the room was that the AC and even the ceiling fan were on motion sensors.  After a short time of being out of the room, everything cuts off, so if you're out of the room for awhile, it can get awfully stuffy.  The temperature is warm in May, and very humid, but it's the beach/jungle, what can you say?  We took a snorkel tour with Scuba Du (booked through internet prior to trip) and it was great.  They took us to 3 reefs and we saw some amazing fish, sting rays, turtles, and I even saw a dolphin while in the boat!  Back at the hotel, the pool was slightly warm, but very large and the pool bar lived up to its name!  All the drinks were strong, and they had lots of liquors to choose from.  Ask for a coco loco (my favorite!) if you like coconut!  The beach was beautiful.  Yes, coral/rock right off the beach, but you could walk about 100-200 yards north and come to some sandy area to swim in, just make sure to bring wate
 r shoes and you won't have a problem.  You can snorkel right in front of the hotel, and we saw a few fish and crabs, but the boat trip was well worth it.  All of the beach in Cozumel is public, so you can just take off and walk forever, the hotels don't mark off their beach, you can just keep walking through and come to a private spot all to yourself.  It can be very romantic, if you're a little bit adventurous.  We went into town Saturday afternoon for souveniers and the shopping was a little expensive for Mexico (we've shopped the borders in Texas, much cheaper).  And be prepared to battle the cruise ship crowds, which are everywhere!  But that's the good thing about the wonderful Iberostar.  It's 20 minutes from town, so you never see a cruise ship, airplane, or other tourists, ever!!!  Taxi's run $17 to town and $17 back, try to find another couple to split it with.  But we were content just staying at the hotel and laying on the beach.  What a beautiful, relaxing vacati
 on!!! We also saw families with children, from babies to teenagers.  We would love to take our 2 back one day.  Feel free to e-mail me with comments or questions.

Comments: Outstanding!! What more can you say!!

Shows: Fantastic! Excelente!  Que mas quieres?
These are really well done by the activities folks, who go out of their way to make your trip memorable; great children's shows and activities; outstanding cultural dances, including Mexico Lindo and others; great fun!

Rooms: very nice--'rainforest style" bathrooms, beds ideal, good air conditioning; good service; safes; and my favorite, the Yucatan hammock on the porch!

Grounds: excellent; well kept; good scenery and the sounds of the jungle are fantastic!

Food:  Every meal was excellent!  The servers go out of their way!! All drinks were good; restaurants were good, especially El Serape;

Pools & Beach: go snorkeling with Raymundo to Columbia and Palancar Gardens; the beach is great; the palapa idea is definitely good; the snorkeling at the beach is outstanding, although it is not a deep water dive!

Other:  Would I return?  Yes!!! No question!!!

Comments: Iv'e stayed at the following AIs, Park Royal, El Cozumeleno, Reef Club, Allegro, and Iberostar on Coz,  Cancun Palace in Cancun,  Breezes Beach and Golf resort Jamaica, and Raddison Nassau.  All have good points however Iberostar is by far best overall.  I stayed the May 11-15 with three other divers.  Comparing Iberostar with the other Ais Iv'e stayed at on Coz.  It has the best buffet with the best variety.  The most most bars and waiters.  You never have to wait long for a refill or an empty plate to be removed.  If I had one recommendation it would be to improve the resturants because the buffet were that good and then some.  Rooms are a bit on the small side but totally fine.  Hair  dryer, soaps, shampoo, etc provided along with refrigerator stocked with beer, soft drinks, sparklilng water and reg water.  Maid did fine job, didn't notice any sand in the room.  AC also plenty cold.  Ice machines are located throughout the property.  Based on cmts from this board
  we did not dive with Dressel.  Also we didn't make any floor shows or the disco (were wore out from the trip and diving).  Almost forgot to mention Lobster night was Wed.  Yes it was great, all you can eat Lobster and Steak and a ton of extras.  I gained 4 lbs more at trip end.  Iberostar is my choice of resorts when I return.  Email me if you have questions.

Comments: My wife and I went to Cozumel for the first time. With the help of our travel agent(we bought the trip 3 weeks prior) we landed an excellent deal on this trip 4 nights/5 days all inclusive,with flight and transfer for two of us was $800. If you can wait until last minute you always get a better deal and you don't have all that anticipation of going on vacation.

Anyway, so that charter flight was fine the agents were at the airport the transfer to the hotel was smooth. Little bit of a line to check in but with a free cocktail in your hand it goes by fast.

The room they gave us was one of the dreaded by the waste tank rooms. I had read about these rooms but didn't think I would get one. Definitely try not to get one of these rooms. It's not terrible but it is a noticeable.(that sounded convincing huh) When I went up to counter they changed our room no problem. Pretty much any other room is fine. Some rooms are closer to the: beach (nice), pool (fun,noisy), lobby(convenient), off to the side(quiet,peaceful), so pick your room carefully for max enjoyment. We ended up in one of the off to the side rooms which was great because we were there to relax. Rooms are a bit small, the beds are a bit stiff, bathrooms are very cool(european) and overall the rooms are clean and sufficient.Who wants to be in their room anyway.

The grounds are amazing with pink flamingos, igauanas galore, and beautiful landscaping and architecture.

Pool: Great pool. Lots of fun stuff and activities to participate in. If you're there to party get a chair close to the pool bar and bring a big to- go-cup because their cups are tiny. Overall a fun atmosphere, clean, and big with plenty-o-lounge chairs.

Staff: Great. Polite. Helpful. Tip them when they go out of their way to help you. Some people even leave tips on their bed for the maid. Not a bad idea if you want extra towels, water, beer, etc.

Lobby: Awesome. Relaxing comfortable chairs and couches. Beautifully designed.

Amenities: Massage, scuba shop, snorkel rental, katamaran, bike excursions, on  site car rental, and many more services.

Beach: Not great but it's fine for snorkeling. Definitely bring some scuba boots or water shoes and I suggest your own snorkeling equipment.

Sidenote:If you want a beautiful beach there is one about a mile north. Easy walk over and it has a restaurant/bar on it, perfectly clear blue water, and white sand.

Food: Great and plenty of it. Made to order omellettes are ideal for breakfast. After dinner coffee drinks are fun. You can take these down to the dock after dinnner and watch the shooting stars. Lobster night is great. Steaks are not bad. Mexican food and desserts are obviously excellent.

Location: Definitely not near town. About a $20 cab ride each way. This resort is on the far tip of the island. Rent a car but set it up before you go. I used a place called Carsmart or Smart cars. Not sure which but it was $20 a day as opposed to $50+ a day at the resort. We had a VW bug for three days and it ran us $60. Great deal.

Scuba: Oncec again it is a much better deal to set this up ahead of time over the internet. The diving at the resort is like cattle herding. I highly recommend www.scubawithalison.com. My wife and I dove for the first time by taking a resort course which allowed us to dive with Alison after taking a quick and easy one hour course on the beach and in the shallow water with her. One other note on this is that My wife and I did three dives for $100 each. Much better than the resort rates.

To summarize, Ibeostar and Cozumel are great. I hope to go back every year.

Comments: Apperarance: Words cannot describe the grounds on this resort.  The staff in"green" do an excellent job.  Everymorning there out on the beach raking the sand.  We were there in January, so the flowers were only starting to bloom, but I could imagine what the place looked liked in full bloom.  The pathways are just full of life.  Parrots, flammingo's, peacocks and my favourite the Iguana's and gheko's.

Beach:  The sand was wonderful. And from Iberostar you could walk quite a distance north or south. ( North1.5miles to Mr. Sanchos for free ice cream..see their website:) As for the beach and swimming, you wont be running in from the beach...too rocky.  I found it easier to jump in at the end of the dock.  If you want to see fish, snorkel under the dock, or swim out to the "orange" buoy.

Pool:  Big and beautiful, especially in the middle...that's where you find the pool bar.  Word to the wise: If youre the type who likes to lounge all day at the pool, get up early place your towel or a sandal on the lounger you would like to sit at otherwise by 8am there are no lounger's left around the pool..plenty left on the beach though.

Rooms: Very nice.  We had a choice..ground floor near the pool or upper floor closer to the lobby.  Yeah we chose the pool view.  Staff do an excellent job everyday cleaning and filling the mini bar.  With an added touch of flowers on the pillow.

Food: Awesome...breakfeast was the better of the three.  I'm sort of a picky eater(meat & potatoes) so if your not into trying new foods you will get bored for lunch and dinner.  EXCEPT for desserts. MY O MY O MY...the desserts are incredible and lots to choose from, trust me save room(peanut pie "10+")

Staff: Does one bad apple spoil the bunch.  The entire staff was so awesome except for one guy working at the bar.  I dont know if he was having a bad week or what..but I can't dwell on that one "unhappy" hombre.  The activities group are unstoppable.  All day, and into the night the go out of there way to make you feel good. Whatever activity it is get involved with these people you will have a blast.

Amenities: If this means the bar.....free pour gotta love it, drinks are not shy on the content, beer is always cold.  As for the water sports...if you what your doing great...if you have never tried windsurfing before well...it's a long day. They wont mind giving you pointers for $30usd at an ALL-inclusive.  Guess I am stubborn...got the hang of it though!!  Sorry I have a problem fo paying extra at an all inclusive and on top of that they have a tip jar!!!One or the other not both.

Location: Close to the east side far from downtown Its what i was lookinf for so it gets a 10

I would Highly suggest Iberostar for a vacation, and would certainly be a repaet visitor.

Comments: We just returned from the Iberostar (feb 4-11).

We were completly happy with the accommodations, service, restaurants, pool and beach!

Negative reviews are hard to understand, we had a wonderful experience. Although things do happen.

I've never been one for all-inclusives, but it was worth it for breakfast, lunch and drinks! 

We made it to town for dinner a few times--which I highly advise! Its a nice alternative to the buffet and gets you into town!11 

This was our first time to Cozumel and was everything we wanted! A great town, great people, great weather!  Now my favorite Mexican destination.

ROOMS: Comfortable. A little small, but comfortable. (You won't always have large rooms on a vacation like this)  Leave the maid a $5 bill everyday and you'll have plenty of towels, flowers on the bed and a clean bath and floor, as well as plenty of water and beverages. We tipped her more throughout the week-they work really hard!
Get a room by the pool. Ours was kind of on the beatin' path. Since we left in the morning, it didn't matter much. It does have a musty smell in areas, especially near the tennis courts, but you're in heavy vegitation, so it is damp. The smell in the room is minimal--we took a nice candle!

Beds are pretty hard, but we were comfortable. Be careful on the marble floors with wet feet!

RESTAURANTS: We ate at the resort 3 out of 4 nights. The buffet had pretty decent food, very good, I imagine for an all-inclusive! Bust open your wallet and tip your server! Especially at breakfast! He will remember you and take care of all your refills, clearing plates--even in the afternoon during the lunch buffet! (next to pool)
$5 a day to your server will have him at your table when you need him!
Steak house was good. No lobster night the week we were there. We didn't try the Mexican restaurant. Tipped our server heavier at dinner--we asked for special tables, pictures, etc.

Beach was nice. Lots of palapas and chairs. Plenty of room for everyone. Take water shoes; it makes for a better experience in the water! Watch for jellyfish and other stining critters! Luckily, we weren't victims.
The grounds are beautiful. Its like paradise--palm trees, ocean, hot and sunny- who can ask for anything more?

Front Desk: We were expecting documents during our stay. Front desk delivered to my door as expected.

Snorkeled at Dzul Ha. Would have done more but s/o isn't much of a swimmer. 

We did dine in town at the Mission (the one with the fountains and garden) Beautiful, open-air restaurant with a nice variety and great service. Mariachi's!!

Pepe's at sunset--loved this restaurant! Excellent food, table-side Spanish Coffee--a must! Excellent service!

Lobster Cove-ate on the patio in the sand! Watched the boats and the lights in Playa--pick your own lobster--the best! We had a lovely dinner here. We walked to the plaza afterward and joined the Sunday Evening festivities.

We avoided town on heavy cruise days. Wednesday, especially.

Took a taxi tour around the island. To us, it was worth the money. $57 for 3 hours. Stopped at all beaches, took pictures. stopped at the ruins. (this was an extra $10--he waited an hour. Tipped Carlos about $15. He made our day alot of fun)  Stopped in town at the store and back to the resort! The taxi tour was helpful, because we now know where to go on the other side of the island. Playa Bonita is worth a visit! 

We speak spanish, so taxis were fun and interactive! Drivers are very polite and accommodating. We had a lot of fun during our taxi rides! Trip from Iberostar to town is $17, but we didn't mind much.

Our visit was the best! Lots more to do and see. Can't wait to go back!

Posted by nikki on 12/05/02

It fabulous!!!  Be sure to ask for a room on the top floor - they have thatched roofs and are fun and romantic.  Also ask to be by the pool area - nicer.  I have lots more I could share if you want to email me.  We (22 of us) were just there in October and had a ball.  Resort was only 30% occupied - so we got spoiled!

Posted by Dusty on 12/05/02

Take water shoes. Bug spray . When you check in ask about where you want to be. They are very nice! We stayed in 8914 looked over the pool and you can see the ocean over that. mexican res. and the steakhouse are great but make sure when you reserve those two DON'T do it on Lobester night. The lobester is cut in slices about 1" thick and some of then are about 5"s across --huge. I've only heard one person complain about the food--and they were --well not truthful. Some people don't like the big resorts(like the ships) but I've stayed in maybe the worst place and the best El Pres and I don't care where I'm at as long as I'm in Coz.
You can drink the water they serve--just don't drink it out of the faucet. By all means see the island and eat at other places too. Try a "dirty monkey." I did the theme thing all different rum  drinks one night , all different tequila drinks the next .....Braiding hair for girls is common cost alot there between 40 and 80 $ in town my daughter had it done for $7 dollars.
Iberostar is very nice.  

Posted by Nikki on 11/14/02

Stayed here last month.  Beautiful property built right into the jungle - a cool change from big resorts.  Rooms are nice - be sure to ask for one by the pool and on top floor, as those have a thatched roof.  The food is good - stick to the Mexican varieties.  Snorkeling is so so off the beach - lots of starfish but that's about it.  Nice beach though.  Be happy to share more - email me.

Posted by Nancy on 10/02/02

We stayed at the Iberostar last December and loved it.  The rooms are great -- they're little bungalows, ask to be by the pool.  The grounds are beautiful, the food is wonderful, make reservations at the nicer resturants early -- they are a nice change from the buffet.  Don't miss the mexican coffee -- yum!  We'll definately be back and we'll stay at the Iberostar!

Comments: First time in Cozumel. I went mostly for the first class diving while I wanted an all inclusive resort because my SO does not dive. Getting there was pain free, connection in Houston then direct to Cozumel island. Travel agent picked up the transport to Iberostar 20 minutes south of airport and town.

The atmosphere around the resort was laid back and tropical, as expected. The air was thick with humidity and it did smell like a rain forest... as expected. Our second story bungalow room had the straw thatched roof and it gave the room a distictive musty smell. It wasn't horrible, but if you're a picky city dweller, you might not like it. The grounds are well cared for and manicured ,the walkways constantly swept. The rooms, pool, and resturants were clean. Mosquitos at dusk can be a bother to some people, a high strengh repellant is suggested. However, all humidity related complaints may be different in dry season (sept-november is their rainy season).

Food. I've seen people complain about the food but I don't understand why. The variety is plentiful. Burgers, dogs and fries if you have kids, fish, shrimp, lobster, ribs, etc if you like that. I found myself sampling a little of everything and their fresh salsa is excellent.

Drinks. They know a lot of drinks, and if you want something specific, just ask. The frozen drinks are very good.

Entertainment. Their all-day poolside and beach activities are fun. The resort was not packed due to the season, so volleyball games were limited. Their nightly shows are not Vegas or Broadway caliber, but give me a break, they are the daytime activity coordinators doing their best. Sunday night they had a show called Mexican Lindo which was a variety of dances from all over Mexico.. Those dancers were pros that were brought in. Very cool show. The nigtly disco was fun, the DJ was sketchy but the place had two well-maintained pool tables.

Diving. I only went on 4 dives... over two days. I first went with Dressel Divers (on site) and they are rude and overpriced (79 for a two-tank).. and even more rude when you question their high prices. One rep said, "i dive all over the world and the prices are comperable". She was seen a day later in the pool taking a scuba lesson and choking on water. Their boat was large and slow and took 4 groups of 6 divers out at once. The second day I went with Black Shark. They were polite, fast 6-pack boat, included sodas and water and gave US the choice of dive location. $55 per two-tank.


Pros of the resort: nice grounds and beach, great food, distance from town and cruise-goers...

Cons... rainy season mosquitos, smell of damp straw, rain, onsite dive operator, distance from town ($20 each way taxi),

Email for more detail.

Comments: We have just returned from the Iberostar Cozumel.  Were there Sept. 16-25 (courtesy Hurricane Isadora).  We had to stay an extra two days due to the hurricane as nothing on the island was running (ferry, planes, etc)  The staff gave us a courtesy discount of $45.00/night PP.  We thought this was a good rate considering the all-inclusive status of the resort.
The only real problem I had with the resort was during the hurricane.  We could get absolutely NO information from anyone.  The TV's in the room only show Mexican stations and CNBC which doesn't show weather!  The computer kiosks had lines and were SUPER slow.  So everyone had to call home (another problem) to find out what was going on. 
I can understand the staff not wanting people to get panicky, but it would have been nice if we had been given any information at all. 
As it was, everyone trying to leave (this was alot of people) kept on having to schlep their bags back & forth to the airport.  We would check in and check out.  Big pain.

As far as the resort itself, we had 4 days of good weather.  The resort is beautiful.  It is set amidst the jungle and the flora and fawna was gorgous.  I had a peacock who lived on my front porch.  

The beach area wasn't lare but what was there was nice.  Plenty of chairs and umbrellas.  There was alot of sand, it just wasn't very wide.   We did spend a few days taking long walks up the beach in both directons before Isadora hit.  I picked up alot of great shells.    We also took a day to snorkel.  As everyone has said, the snorkeling at the beach at Iberostar isn't the best.  We found the best fish at the end of the pier and under it.  The pier was pretty much gone though  by the time we left.  I would imagine everything is in rebuilding process as I type this.  We had planned to go to Chankanaub (sp?) but, again, the hurricane stopped those plans.  We did hear though that that was one of the best places to snorkel.  It is also super close to the Iberstar....just down the road a bit.

We did have a rental car the entire time we were there.  We rented a little convertible Volkswagon Bug and drove it all over the place for $20/day through SMART cars rental.  http://www.islacozumel.net/services/smartcar/
Clip the coupon off the internet before you go and you'll get that cheapo rate.  Worth it!!    It wasn't air-conditioned, but hey..you're on a tropical island and it is HOT!  But we had a great time.  Went over to the other side of the island where the beaches are gorgous.  Stopped at a great little bar called "Coconuts".  If you get the chance to go there, do it!!  Great margaritas!

The staff was great!!  We participated in everything they offered and had a wonderful time.  We attended all of the shows and spent almost as much time on stage as the actors did!!  We got to know the staff personally and even more so during the storm.  I just can't say enough good about these guys.  They went out of their way to make sure our visit was a good one.  The shows they put on at night are goofy but alot of fun.  We enjoyed them all. 

The Lobby was a great place to meet before the shows.  We would congregate there and have a drink or two before going.  There is a smallish gift shop, photo shop and compouter kiosk there as well.

The rooms were fine.  I had no problems with mine other than the first day my A/C wasn't working.  I called the front desk and a staffer was there immediately and fixed it pronto.  No more problems after that.  The floors in the rooms are marble so when you are wet, it is super slick.  I fell several times and I'm not a klutz generally!  I always kept a towel in front of my door which helped.  The beds are indeed hard but that part didn't bother me in the least.  I was so exhausted from all of the daily activities, that I crashed the minute my head hit the pillow.
One of the honeymoon couples there at the same time I was, had a palm tree fall through their thatch roof during the hurricane and had coconuts in bed!!  They were promptly moved out and we all had a good laugh about it.  No one was hurt obviously.

The food at the buffets and restaurants was great.  No real complaints there.  I'm sure I gained 10 lbs!!  We made reservations and ate at both the Mexican restaurant and the Steak house.  Both were great.  The night we  ate at the Steakhouse is the night Isadora was starting up.  The Steakhouse isn't protected from the elements really, so as the wind whipped up, we felt it and the rain.  But the food was great. 
My room was near the pool, so I was able to get up early and go grab a coffee at the Palapa near the pool every morning.  Then when the rest of my group got up we would walk over to the big buffet for the sit-down meal.  Anything you can imagine, they had.  Plus some!!  I did have some problems with service there. It was hard to get a second cup of coffee, but other than that, ok.

The day we were supposed to leave, everything was shut down.  Both Cancun and Cozumel airports closed.  The Palapa had to be shut down and that was a huge disappointment to us because that was the gathering place for most.  We spent many an hour there playing guitars, singing, drinking and eating!!  The pool was also closed as it was filled with debris.  I realize these are highly unusual circumstances due to the storm, but just wanted to share how well the staff handled it all.  With no pool or snackbar, we had to make due with inside activities.  The Disco became a spanish class, pool shooting contest room, Bingo room, you name it.  If you wanted to be involved in that type of thing, it was available.  The Disco stayed open until 2am.  I personally didn't care for it, but it was a nice meeting place for many after the shows were over AND it was Air-conditioned!!

I do hope that the Iberostar is back to normal now.  I would recommend it.  It is more laid-back than alot of resorts, but that was something I enjoyed.  If you have any questions, at all, feel free to email me.

Tell Eduardo and Luis Hi from Marlin, Dorothy and Annette

P.S.  Marlin was 2nd runner-up in the Mr. Iberostar Contest and his Wife Dorothy won the "Ironman" contest.  She was the first and only female to ever enter it!!  She was also the only entrant period!!

Have fun y'all.  Any questions, email me!!

Annette (who was really NOT Marlin's girlfriend)

Comments: The worst vacation ever.I have read such great reviews.This will not be one.The whole place smelled of mold and rotting materials.The rooms smelled worse and it did not go away.We had a bottom room which flooded when it rained because of faulty drainage system.At one point I was standing in 2 inches of water and you couldnt take a shower because there was no where for the water to go. Maybe thats why the room smelled so much. Plus I had to clean it up and the lady that came to help just handed me more towels and said that this always happens.The people we talked to with upstairs roofs leaked. The beds were so hard it made you think of what the Flintstones must of went thru. We actually dreaded going to bed at night because it was so uncomfortable.The pool was hot and had dead frogs in it in the morning .The beach was infaded by hungry sand fleas and they would eat you. The snorkling was terrrible. The most fish we seen was at night out on the pier by the lights.It w
 as so hot and humid you will sweat 24/7. The only A.C. is in your room or the Mexican resturant.The Food. Bring sea rations. I like food and to eat at buffets all week was a dream come true. BEWARE!!!! The food not eaten on the lunch buffet, becomes your dinner. That hotdog guy who comes around is feeding you the hotdogs not eaten at the lunch buffet.The cold salmon on the buffet is warm and made me sick on day4. They only flip there eggs on one side , so the rest is raw. I have never seen food recycled so much before. Evan the desserts were bad. Needless to say I lost 11lbs. and my husband 7lbs. The best meal we had was in town at the hard rock cafe and we would of paid $20.00 for that Cheeseburger.The island itself is very boring and we rented a car for 24 hours to see the whole island in 3 hours. Lots of scrub and brush. The ruins were not much to see and the coast is very trashy on the south and east sides. The town is crowded with cruise ship passengers and everyone wan
 ts to sell you something. You will get run over, so be careful. Do not rent a moped . The best way to get around is by Taxi. They drive 90 m.p.h.and run the mopeders off the road. But it is still safer.The only reason to go to cozumel is to dive. The ocean is beautiful, But you can only stay in it so long.  We will never go back to cozumel, or infact Mexico and we will never recommend staying at the iberostar. Would of been better off at a Motel 6 with a McDonalds next door.We were so exited about trip.It was such a let down. Next time we go back to Maui.

Comments: My husband and I went to this resort on our honeymoon and were extremely pleased... the hotel is beautiful, the food is excellent, and the staff is friendly and helpful.  We plan to only stay at the Iberostar if we ever go back or go to the mainland.  We would definitely recommend it to all Cozumel visitors.  The only drawback is that town is a $20 cab ride away... but you can always rent a vehicle on hotel premises, which is actually very reasonable.  if you have any other questions (more in depth) please e-mail me at Xgretchen80@aol.com. 

Comments: We were at Iberostar Aug 16-23, 2002.  What a wondeful hotel.  Breath taking.

THE HOTEL (fACILITY/ROOMS
The lobby had fresh flowers, the grounds were attended daily  (there are always people working on them).  Flamingoes, parrrots, parakeets, tucans.    Even though check in time was 3 pm, we got our room around 1pm.  We stayed on the first floor near the pool, beach and the restaurant..perfect.  The room was a little small but sufficient enough for the two of us. There was also a safe in the room which was very convenient.  The bed was hard, but we had no problem sleeping in it (we brought an air mattress and didn't even use it).  The showers worked well, both hot and cold water.  There is also a small fridge which they fill w/soft drinks, water and beer. The air condition also worked well.

THE FOOD--buffet..breakfast was very good..pancakes, sausages, eggs , fresh fruits and omlettes..made to order.  Lunch was ok.  Dinner, depends on the night, was also good.  We made reservations to the Steak house a couple of times.  The rib eyes was delicious.  I didn't like the Mexican restaurant too much.   One day they had a grill by the pool for lunch...a choice of pork, steak, salmon , chicken. yumm . And at night they had all you can eat grilled lobster tail..Needless to say , we did not starve.  The drinks were awesome.  We tried all kinds.  The dirty monkey was my favorite.  Please say hi to Darwin our favorite bartender for me.

STAFF--They were all wonderful.  Always helpful and smiling.  We did tip the housekeeper $2. every day and got extra water and sodas in our fridge as well as roses in our room.    We also tipped the bartenders and waiters a couple of bucks each time.  These people work very hard and don't get paid much and they do such an awesome job.

POOL & BEACH-- The pool bar is good..but the pool was very warm. The beach is rocky.  The snorkeling was pretty good at the hotel.  We saw a  whole bunch of fish, along with a barracuda, angel fish, parrot fish, stickfish and stingray.  The beach was clean and taken care of.

LOCATION--This hotel was bit far from downtown (a cab ride will cost $20 each way), but we did rent a car for 4 days, which I highly recommend..at least for a day or two.

I would defintely recommend this place to anyone.   You cant' go wrong when you choose this hotel.
We had such a wonderful time that we are definitely going to be coming back next year.

Posted by CariBert on 09/03/02

Just returned from a three night four day stay at the Iberostar, Cozumel. It is a very nice resort! For an all inclusive, it was very nice.  The worst part of the entire trip ……uh, excuse me while I drag up this soap box……..ah, there……the absolute worst part of the trip was the transportation! I mean the supposed 2 hour and 15 minute flight from Cozumel to Dallas/Ft. Worth took 8 hours!  I mean, come on folks! The airline industry is complaining because the travels are down, no one is flying any more…well, Duh, wake up. It has become extremely uncomfortable to fly anywhere any more. The Airlines and airports do not try to make traveling easier on us, the consumer, only easier on them!
Example: We arrived at Cozumel Airport 3 ½ hours early (as requested) and stood in line for 45 minutes while we stared at an empty ticket booth. Then we all lined up and they hand searched Every piece of luggage, before they would let you up to the ticket counter. O.K. searching is O.K. for tight security measures, but if they require you to be at the airport 3 ½ hours early, THEY should at least be there also to start the process. Then after all of the customs, etc, we wait for the plane, and when we do board, out come the tables again, and they search your carry on luggage again! I mean, we are in their airport, we cannot leave, only shop in the duty free stores and gift shops in the terminal. What are they searching for? Another 30 minutes before we leave the terminal. Then a similar process when we get back to D/FW Airport. Security is one thing, harassment is another thing, and what we go through at the terminals is another thing…just a s bad!

O.K., ugh…off the soap box…….let me just put it over here in case I need to drag it out again.

Sorry bout that. On with this review. The food was very good. We ate at the two specialty restaurants, Mexican and Steak. Decent meals! The drinks were good and plentiful. The best meal of the day, IMO is breakfast. Tons to choose from, every kind of egg imaginable, even omelets made to order. Fresh baked breads! Deeeeeelicsious!

The pool was wonderful, as was the swim up bar. All the bartenders were very friendly and helpful, although most of them thought I was stupid and did not know the difference between Dos Equis and Sol beer! I know the difference, and requested Sol……I got Dos XX and was told “It is same”……BS. Don’t make me get the soap box out again.

The beach was pretty good…not for swimming but for snorkeling. They do have a hellatious current in Coz…….I never “drift” snorkeled before. It was quite the workout to try and swim back to where you started against the current. Went on a two reef snorkel trip, WHOA! Went with Manta Sports. It was very nice, clear, great reefs and fish…saw a Stingray, Starfish…but, you only got to see them once…on your way past them, if you missed them, there was no swimming back! Strongest current I’ve encountered in years! Getting back on the boat was a trip! They sort of had to motor over to where you were.  I don’t want to scare anyone, but invest in a good set of fins!

Iberostar is really very nice, although HOT! No breeze or trade winds. They need to work on the fan situation in the restaurants! The grounds were lush, green, and full of tropical fauna. Birds galore. Quite nice actually. Would probably go back there.

I'll be glad to entertain any questions....actually, I'll be glad to answer them, not take them to the movies or anything....

Comments: Iberostar was just what we ordered!  We wanted a get away where we could enjoy the beautiful Cozumel water and just chill out.  We had 10 years of Cozumel diving before we had our son and will dive again when he is a couple of years older meanwhile as soon as we are off the plane we feel like we've come home.  This year we needed a good priced vacation and an AI was the answer.  Its great when you have kids too.
We had a second floor room and the rooms are cozy(yes small but very cozy especially with the thatched roof).  We loved our balcony and were always fighting over the hammock.  Bed did seem hard the first night but after all the activities the following days we didn't notice.
Food was great!  We never made it to the speciality restaruants because we were very happy with the buffet. Good desserts too, and the Mexican coffee in the lobby during the dinner hours was addictive. One night they had roses for the ladies, champagne for all when you walked into the buffet and cigars for the men.  Another night was Seafood-lobster yum, yum , flounder and other fruit of the sea.  They always has a selection of vegetarian foods( which even a non veg liked). Yes I really enjoyed the food-such a luxury not to worry about cooking, doing dishes and there was always something all in the family could enjoy.
 Breakfast was especially great because we (husband & I) could eat early, and then send our son down later to eat when he woke up (he's 12).  None of us ever got sick and I tried most of the foods.  Hubby and son stuck to hamburgers/hot dogs during lunch.
It is rocky getting into the water from the beach but the water in great once you get in.  Saw a lot of starfish--I wondered if Iberostar was planting the starfish since it is their symbol (joke).  And yes, I was disappointed in the snorkeling, there but we could have gone out on a snorkeling boat if we had wanted to leave the beach & our palapa.  But we just didn't want to leave.  Sailed in a Hobey Cat one day, next time will do it daily----nothing like seeing all the beautiful blue shades of the Coz water while skimming across the surface. And the cats are part of the package-no extra charge.
Lots of activities around the pool--water polo, volleyball, water baseball-- but the pools are divided so you don't have to be in the middle of the games.  And the noise level was not as intense as other AI's we have visited.
Theme shows at night were great.  They have a very talented group of people.  The had lights, sound effects, smoke. Shows were silly but fun.

The place is absolutely  beautiful.  Can't say enough about the landscaping, colors, birds--the word "ambience" was invented for this place!  All the Staff was great, friendly, smiling,  happy---the great Mayan people that make Coz such a special place.  Our Maids gave us swan towels, sprinkled the bed with flower petals.  Our little refrig was always full of water, cokes, Sol.
Our van from the airport did not drive thru town so we did not see downtown until we left.  Pretty busy and crowded with all the cruise ships.  I was glad we stayed down at the Iberostar away from the crowds.  But next year if our trip is a little longer we will rent a car and do the island tour again and check out downtown(hopefully on a cruise free day).  And we will go back to the Iberostar.  Just being in Cozumel is the real luxury and for us the Iberostar has captured the Coz spirit.

Comments: This was our first time traveling to Cozumel and I read many various reviews about this resort. I Must say that I am VERY pleased with the way things turned out! I HIGHLY recommend Iberostar!!! We were traveling (two families) with four adults and four kids (2, 4, 12, and 14). We all had fun and are looking forward to our next trip back!

FOOD:
Throughout the day you could either go to the Snack restaurant or to the buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food is various and good. Drinks are available all over the place! The Mexican restaurant for dinner is VERY good and the steakhouse is okay.

ROOMS:
Although small, they aren't too small because you really don't need them much more than for sleeping and resting. They come with mini-fridges which get stocked often, especially if you tip the room service. The bathrooms and showers are really clean and very well maintained.

BEACH:
If you are expecting all sand, nice waves, go to Playa del Carmen or Cancun. This beach is good for snorkeling, especially under the dock. There are lots of lounge chairs under shades on the beach which provides a nice way to relax. However in the water, it is hard on your feet because it is full of rock and coral.

DIVE SHOP:
The dive shops offers all sorts of excursions and activities. They offer deep sea snorkeling excursions, diving trips, sailing lessons, etc. I was certified by Dressel Divers there and they were great! Raymundo is really good!

ENTERTAINMENT:
There were activities by the pool from 10:30 in the morning to around 4:15 in the afternoon and at night, there are shows at the theater every night and the Star Rock Cafe (the disco) is open from 10 pm to 2 am.

There were complaints of the sewer smell which was apparent around the tennis courts but it wasn't that bad. The service was impeccable!!! The maids constantly redid the rooms and almost everyone was almost always cheery with an "¡Hola!" here and there. Definitely a great vacation!!!

Comments: This was our first trip to Cozumel and we were quite nervous about picking a place to stay.  A few weekes before we left, we switched our hotel reservations to the Iberostar from another resort on the island.  I was so glad we did!  We were there for 7 nights and did not want to leave at the end.

We spent most of our days by the pool relaxing.  Food and drinks were right there if we wanted them.  There were two pools- one just for activities.  This was nice because it gave kids something to do while adults could do more relaxing in the other pool.  The beach was great as well though we didn't spent too much time out there (extremely hot!).  A little bit rocky as to be expected when there's coral.  They have nice Hoby Cats you can take out in front of the resort.  DO take advantage of that!!

The food was much better than I expected at the buffet.  Lots of different stuff to choose from.  There was always lots of fruit if you're trying to eat on the lighter side (which I, of course, opted NOT to do).  At night, they tried to have different themes to keep the guests from getting too bored with always eating at the same place.  And the omelet station in the mornings was a definite plus!  You can eat at each of the reservations restaurants once during your stay.  The Mexican one, which is air conditioned, was great.  The food at the steak house was good, but it was SO hot out there that we left in the middle of our meal.  We just couldn't get into eating heavy steaks with it being that hot.  Granted, we were there at the end of July/ early August.  But, I think they either need more fans or some form of air condition there.

Speaking of heat, there weren't any air conditioned places you could go other than your room to cool off in the afternoon and evening.  It started to get to me by the end.  That would be one of my only suggestions for improvement- have an air conditioned common area.  We didn't always want to go to our room to cool off!

The buildings and rooms were fabulous.  Thatched roofs, lots of marble and limestone.  The decor was prefect- it gave you that tropical jungle feel.  I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend staying there rather than one of the resorts that looks like a regular hotel complex.  We were in room 8701- close to the pool but off the beaten path.

The servers were quick and usually nice.  Sometimes too quick- they'd take your plate in mid bite!  The best was sitting in the lobby in the evening and having drinks.  You could go up to the bar or have one of the servers bring you one.  Manuel was the best server!

That's all I can think of.  Overall, I'd highly suggest this resort to anyone- couples, single people, families.  There was a good balance of all different people.  Good food, good service, lots of fun! 

Comments: We stayed at the Iberostar Resort on Cozumel, and have only RAVE reviews of the place. It was our first time there, but we've been going to Cozumel since 1981. We've stayed at El Cozumeleno before they added the tower( and after); at La Ceiba (I have picture of a man setting tiles on the Tower and the pier at the steps that existed before "Hurricane Humberto") many times; the Canterell, and many more times at the "El Presidente" (which is still the Primo Hotel on the island) and yes, I have pictures before they added the North Wing on the beach. Did you know they had palm trees along the sidewalk that is now the "garden side" rooms going out to the North wing?
In any case, I can say, without reservation, that the Iberostar Hotel is a great place to visit and where my family will go again. In the first place, the food is excellent, for me, and my family's tastes (and we have a 12 year old son). On all the trips to Cozumel, I've never felt more comfortable eating the food! The buffet at the main resturant is outstanding! The service is wonderful. The staff go out of their way to serve you without implying they are servants. Smiles abound.
Even the gardeners are are happy! The ecology of the place is wonderful...I don't know who the architect is, but he/she did a great job. You can tell (if you have a construction backgroung like mine) that they did not bulldoze the place and start over with dirt or sand, they saved as much as they could, and then added flowers and tropical plants! The flora and fauna of the natural jungle is mostly intact! The sidewalks enclose and have trees still growing out of them! The "rooms" are seperate buildings of, at most, eight rooms; those being two-story; and several single-story units. Almost all the original vegetation is maintained for privacy: you actually feel private and in a jungle. The single-story and second-story rooms have thatched roofs that my wife demanded! The rooms and bathrooms are small compared to other hotels, but the ambiance, and the fact that you only have the room to nap or sleep in is a true, and equal, exchange pricewise, for me and my family. The sidewal
 ks are an adjustment since they meander through the site from the Lobby to the Pool and beach. We stayed in 4512 and enjoyed it's closness to the dinning room and short hike to the beach. They have Flamings next to the resturant (banded), Parrots, there is a Macaw in a cage near the pool, and plenty of Iguanas who live under the porches. We even found a misguided gecko in our room one night (It got away from my son, so if you stay in 4512 anytime soon...); and if your kids like to hunt frogs at night, they hang around the footlights at night to feed. 
The beach has plenty of palapas, lots of sand, but once you get into the water, you'd better walk on one of the underwater "sidewalks" or start swimming as soon as possible. Snorkeling shoes are a must for "easy" transition from water to beach. Otherwise, use one of the four ladders on the pier to get in or out. Now let's be sure we understand each other here, it's not impossible nor difficult, just be careful! Once you're off the sand, you're on REAL coral, and it AIN'T flat, or sand! I did it several times and I did not suffer any irriversable physical damage, it's just the YEOW! DAMN! OUCH! stuff you go through to start your enjoyable snorkeling trip.
The snorkeling is just snorkeling. Mask and fins, looking at sand and seaweed; or so we thought. Much of it is, but on our last evening, we snorkeled around and under the pier. In the first place, the fish stay under the pier. Out of the site of the pelican that comes to feed around noon everyday. We believe he/she/it feeds on the anchovy (schools of minnows by the thousands) you see under the pier. Mostly there are Chub, Blue Runners, juvenile Sargentmajors, and Parrotfish under the pier. On eitherside of the pier are needlefish clearly visible near the surface, almost anytime of the day. But...when we went out on Thursday evening about 5:00 P.M. we snorkled a few feet from the end of the pier and found, not one, but two eels. One brown, one spotted. A spider Crab, and as we cruised alond on the north side of the pier, six stingrays (two of which were young) and a flounder that would cover a normal dinner plate! Needless to say, we were happy with the snorkel.
Earlier, we took a catamaran out for a spin. I hadn't sailed in a few years, but it all came back soon enough. We dropped our son off so he could attend a water volleyball game (that did not manifest) halfway through the sail, but had fun anyway. The activities at the hotel are GOOD. Arm-wrestling, air-rifle shooting, volleyball in the pool and on the beach, water polo, water baseball, aerobics...you really had to try to be bored or boring. The pool resturant served buffet style but we were happy with the "make your own hamberger or hotdog" fare.
The area between the pool and beach had plenty of palapas, thatched-roofed areas for everyone. The pool area is gigantic, with an activity pool, a kiddie pool, a lounging pool, and a swimming pool, the two biggest ones seperated by a swim-up wet bar that also serves ice cream. Plenty of room for all!
The overall feeling of the place, for me, was secure and pleasant. We were in a quiet area with a walkway that led directly to the pier and dive shop. At first I wanted to be closer to the water and the beach, but everything worked out fine. The fence on the northside (where we were) gives you a good look at the jungle. It's no wonder they occasionally find new ruins! If you look at the natural setting of the island, you have to cut your way through with a machete; and if your path is forty feet from a ruin you won't see it, the vegetation is that thick. Belive me, you don't just get into your favorite SUV and start driving. An army tank, maybe, but there is nothing but tall trees to try to drive over.
Oh yes, the entertainment. Everynight they have an awards program for the winners of tournaments/contests, kids program and then the "Show". We saw a combination of shows that were "camp" comedy, but FUN! Tuesday night: Moulin Rouge, Micheal Jackson, Grease, Whitney Houston, all with the Hotel Staff members acting out the roles. Fun stuff. If you're there on Wednesday, don't miss the comic show with four volunteer ladies from the hotel guests. Wait for the Darth Vader Slow- Motion Act. Most enjoyable. They do a great job setting you up for fun. Thursday was the "Horror Show" with a take-off of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". They have fun doing it, and you have fun watching it live in accented english too! We had a great time.
I highly recommend the hotel. If you've dove as much as we have, and just enjoy getting in the water then the snorkeling is not that big a deal but the food, service, privacy, site size, ambiance, entertainment, and service, more than make up the difference. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Comments: Just returned from 4 days this last week.  The Iberostar name has always been tied to providing outstanding service and making your vacation a positive and memorable experience.  I would recommend anyone who ventures to Cozumel to stay at their IB. 
SERVICE
The staff of waiters, bell hops, bartenders, maids, entertainers, et al, are completely consumed with keeping you happy.  It was refreshing to be waited on for anything with a smile.  We rarely had an unfilled glass in front of any of us, and the staff always seemed to remember your name and what you were drinking.  The grounds are manicured day and night, so there is always fresh cut grass, washed sidewalks, cleaned pool, etc.  The appearance of the whole place is very unique, very intimate, very personal.  They are also very conscious of controlling bugs.  The facilities were sprayed or fogged what seemed like every night in between scheduled activities.  There was only one time when any of us noticed a few mosquitos.
ROOMS
We had three families travel together, and we made our reservations on what ended up being fairly short notice.  The staff there made sure we not only had 6 rooms (3 for parents, and 3 for teenagers) that were conveniently close to each other, but they gave us what we thought were the best locations as well.  We stayed in the 81, 82, and 83 buildings, which were close to the pool.  When one of our six rooms had an A/C problem, they got on it in quick fashion.  When they realized they had a coil problem which would take more time to fix, they saw to it that our couple was moved to another room immediately next door.  We personally loved our bungalow style room, with its grass thatched roof.  Expect a slight but stale odor when you first arrive, but when you turn on the A/C and the ceiling fan, it's gone quickly.  The rooms are extremely clean, and the always-important shower is great.  There is definitely an advantage of knowing which IB bungalow buildings to stay in however.  Some buildings are off the beaten track, which you may prefer, but be careful.  They may be located close enough to the property septic system to be susceptible to nasty smells.  I have more detailed info on building layouts if you care to email me.
FOOD
If you've stayed at an AI resort before, you will know that sometimes there is a risk of the food being average at best.  Not here!  Everything we ate was outstanding.  We did the buffet the first two nights, then we did the Mexican sit-down and the Steakhouse sit-down the next two nights.  Make reservations when you arrive if you want to try either of them.  The Mexican restaurant requires long pants on men, but that's the only time the men will ever have to put on something more "formal" than shorts or swimsuits.  It's a nice atmosphere in there though, and that requirement is appropriate.  We did breakfast every morning in the buffet.  You wanted it for breakfast, they had it, and it was delicious.  We usually did lunch at the grill out by the pool.  Too much fun to leave it in the middle of the day.  Different lunch fare each day, and most of it was excellent as well.  You absolutely must have a Caribbean Coffee each night just outside the entrance to the dinner buffet.  It's a flaming and impressive presentation, and the resulting concoction tastes terrific!
BEACH
I read alot of complaints on previous postings re: the beach at IB because it wasn't the typical large, solid-sand-into-the-ocean venue you see in Cancun or Playacar.  There are beaches like that not far up to the north from the IB, so you may want to check out the Allegro if that's important to you.  We personally loved this beach, complete with coral and all.  It looks like a Corona beer commercial.  I have lots of digital pics as evidence if you're interested.  The website pics don't do this beach justice.  All your typical vacation water sports activities can be obtained right here as well.  Just ask.  Our teens had a great time snorkeling right here, and found many creatures...urchins, rays, stars, squid.  We also enjoyed more than few sailboat rides.  Signing up for and obtaining a HobeyCat for an hour is easy, but get before noon.
LOCATION
Get ready to be away from all the San Miguel crowd, and the cruise ships, but get ready to be about a $20 cabride from its shopping too.  A ride for 4 to Chakanaab for more snorkeling and a dolphin swim will run about $10.  If we had stayed an extra day or two,  we might have rented a jeep to tour the other side of the island, but we frankly couldn't find a compelling reason to leave the IB.

Return business is a resort's ultimate endorsement.  Every place has ups and downs.  I understand this IB is only 2 years old, but it's already establishing a reputation for being the best place to stay in Cozumel.  We agree.  We all had a fantastic time, and we plan to go back.

Comments: We only just returned this morning!  We stayed at Iberostar for 7 nights and loved every minute of it.  You really can't go wrong with this hotel.  It is the most beautiful place on the entire island.  Believe me,  we looked around alot and nothing compares to the beauty of this paradise!  The food was great.  The pool is very nice but I rated it a little low only because the water temperature was so hot!  The rooms are very cozy.  The only complaint I have about the rooms is that they are a bit small,  dark,  and not enough storage space to unpack.  There needs to be a dresser or something.  The beach is beautiful,  but you will need beach socks as the water is rocky and there are sea urchants nestled in the rocks.  Snorkeling is pretty good under the dock.  We saw a rock fish and a few flounder as well as many colorful schools of fish.  The staff is there to serve!  The location is a bit out of the way.  Very south of San Miguel and a taxi ride will run you $21.00 each way.  It is better to rent a car.  There is car rental availbale in the lobby but you will pay more.   The PADI dive center is top notch!  That was also a bit pricey though.  (ie- 2 dives w/ equiptment for two people $194.00 US. )  The entertainment in the evenings is AWESOME!  Very funny most nights.  The disco is sooo lame!  If you want night life,  you will need to go into town.  This place goes to sleep after 11:00P.M.  Hope this review has helped you.  I give Iberostar Cozumel two very very happy thumbs up!!!!  I want to go back!  

Comments: I just got back from Cozumel and stayed at the Iberostar Resort. I can't say enough of the place! I will never stay anywhere else besides Iberostar when visiting Cozumel. The food was fantastic, the staff was so friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is spectacular. I never wanted to leave! It's far from the town of San Miguel (about 15-20 minutes) and it costs $20 one way to town but it's worth staying so far. I highly recommend renting a vehicle for a day or two to explore the island at your own pace. It's so relaxing that way!
I was also certified  right before leaving for Cozumel so when we got there we signed up for 4 dives with the Dressel Dive shop right on the resort. We had ramon as our instrustor for all 4 dives. He was fantastic. Then our last day there we had a dune buggy tour set up that we actually cancelled to go diving one more day. And of course we requested Ramon. We did a total of 6 dives each while in Coz and can't wait to go back! Dressel Divers is far from a cattle boat. There are atleast 3 groups of 6-8 people on the boat but you don't all dive together. Each group goes down seperatly and you don't see the other group till you all come back up. They are great to dive with and I highly recommend them! I hope to be back to Coz very soon!!

Comments: we just returned from a 4 nite stay at the iberostar cozumel.   we have been to cozumel at least a dozen times before but this was the first time to take the kids. the resort is 1st class, food is incredible, pool, everything is perfect except for the beach.  we rented a jeep for two days to take the island tour and stopped at all of the pretty beaches and snorkeling spots.  there were lots of mosquitoes because of the daily rains but heck, we live with mosquitoes here at home in south texas so that was no big deal.  the kids had a great time and are already talking about our next trip to the island!  email me if you have any specfic questions that i might be able to answer.
diane
thefosterfive@cs.com

Posted by Teresa on 06/08/02

Have been to Iberostar 3 times and returning 6/18

This is my 4th trip to the Iberostar.  I love it there.  The food is great...prawns one night..whole roasted pigs, lobster night...steak house and mx rest.  The food is not boring at all. The staff is great...some have been there since they opened.  The rooms are really cool...water, hot, and pressure for showers are great.  Drinks are great...they have filtered water...I have never had a problem there at all.  I have been there in Aug, July, September, and now going in June...I have never smelled anything bad now.  Now they have a sports bar with AC and at night it is the disco bar.  If you take your own music they will play it for you.  Make sure and go to the lobby before dinner during the cocktail hour...you really meet a lot of people...I have met so many people from Germany, Italy...and other countries.  The grounds are beautiful.  Rent a car with smartcar rental, reserve it on the internet.  If you do rent a car with executive at the Iberostar...reserve it on the internet because it is cheaper..take the printout because they will tell you different and you would have reservfed it on the internet.  Although it is more convinient to get a car there...it is much more expensive.  Have fun...

Posted by lacy on 06/05/02

Its a wonderful place, great rooms, pretty grounds, excellent food.Nice beach to walk quite aways in either direction.

A car IS nice to have, even if only for 3 or 4 days, it will give you the freedom to see things on your own...Dzul-Ha is a must!

Was impressed enough to want to go back again-- we leave in 2 weeks.

You made a Great choice!
(If you have time, take the ferry over and see the Iberostar Paraiso...(you get a free day pass) Its also a great place to see!

Posted by DAve on 06/05/02

Hello,
You should really enjoy the Iberostar, very relaxed, and I would have to say some of the nicest bathrooms we have seen on the island, beach is nice but does get rocky in the water so bring some aqua shoes.  Food is great, but as Ron said get out and explore, as far as renting a car, the hotel rate is expensive (55 or 60 a day).
We have used several companies (local and American) and have had no problems with either.  From the Iberostar I would use National, book online, call when you get there and they will come to the gate to pick you up and take you to the shop (3 minute ride).  Tip the maids and the bartenders a few $$ a day and it will go a long way, we like room 2213, far enough from the nightly shows and very close to the beach and pool.  If you have more questions feel free to email me.  Have fun

Comments: Just got back yesterday from this hotel.  It was great!  I have been to Cozumel the last three years and both other times have stayed at another hotel,
Iberostar was the best so far.  All of the staff is very friendly and fun.  They seem as though they want you to have a good time.  Many younger staff
members that seem like they want to party with you.  Food is good! I enjoyed the buffets more than the "nice sit down dinner"  They have two nice restuarants
A mexican and a steak house.  My group of 11 went to the steak house.  It is located near the pool they close off the area and turn it into the steak house at
night.  The food was good but I like variety and the buffet had much more to offer.  Plus we were not able to sit at the same table?  Dont know why!  you are supposed to fress up
we all did and other tables were in shorts and t-shirts. Resort was beautiful.  Had flamingos, parrots, lizards frogs.... natural wildlife in Cozumel.  Rooms are neat.
I suggest a 2nd floor or try to get a first floor without a 2nd floor.  Near the pool was nice.  I stayed in room 8312.  It was near pool and close to beach.  Beach area nice
Snorkling on site is not the best! Saw a few fish but last two days there water was really turned up by the waves and not the best to snorkle in.  I suggest renting
a car, the drive into town for 2 is $19.00 american dollars.  6 of us took a van to town and it was $40.00 dollars.  My husband and I rented a car and it was only 80.00 for three days. 
Make note when renting a car do it on line before you travel.  Keep the paper work with you.  We rented national, they were supposed to be at the air port
they werent.  There are some at the airport though!  Drinks are great there!  Usually I can not order margaritas in mexico.... here I loved them.  Order a
monosusio - a dirty monkey!  Yummy!  Make sure you watch your drink being made.  If they use the frozen stuff sometimes they do not put in alcohol.  If you ask them to they will though.
Tips are inclusive and all but I tipped and felt I should as great as I was treated.  Think about it a couple extra bucks to you could be a lot for the staff there.
There were many families there and the kids seemed to be well entertained by the staff.  I think they had a "club" all day for the kids.  Pools were nice,
everything was well maintained.  Dryers in room  - if you like your hair dry bring a blowdryer!  Free water sports - yes if on site, and for an hour for the
snorkle stuff.  I did not use the boats but maybe next time I will!  For your money this hotel is awesome!  you felt as if you were in a condo.  The rooms were decent
size but the lay out and set up of the grounds made it wonderful, as well as the staff, Felipe great bartender, Donnie very fun- wants you to have fun.  Reyes, he makes
a mean purple drink - he would not tell us the name though! - if you go in to town stop at Temptations bar - the owner there is very nice he tried very
hard to help us get the Avalanche Hockey game on - he ended up hooking up his laptop to speakers so we could hear it! it is on the south end of town
near papa hogs (across street) Thank you to all at Iberostar you were great!  See you next year!
If you have questions you can mail me at

 amber@rcinstallation.com

Amber 

Comments: Since I have written a complete and comprehensive report that can't possibly be included here, I have posted it at my own personal site:
http://www.jimmysphoto.com/vacation.htm

Let me know if it was helpful!

~Jimmy

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