 Reef
Club Cozumel - All Inclusive, south of San Miguel, on the beach
This 240 room resort sits on the longest stretch of beach
on the island. The main part of the reef is located right in front of the
property. The rooms are located in 24 buildings with 8-12 rooms each.
The standard rooms have garden view or you can upgrade to oceanview (based on
availability) for a small fee. These rooms were a decent size and very
clean. In fact the whole property sparkled with new paint, new stairways
and railings and other refurbishments. There are also two higher room
categories. The junior suites have ocean views (the one we saw was three giants strides away from
the beach), kitchens, large bathrooms, a Jacuzzi on the balcony or patio and a
sofa pullout for extra bedding. The studios are slightly smaller with only a
wet bar, but they do include a sofa bed and can be connected with a junior
suite. I was ready to move into the junior suite. By the end of July 2002 the
resort will have 24 more junior suites and studios with partial ocean views
and/or garden views. We had breakfast in the main buffet restaurant. It was a
little crowded (the hotel was full) but, the food was good with your typical
breakfast selections. The Reef Club has two pools. One is adults only and has a
swim up bar. The Sales Director said it is supposed to be the 'relaxing' pool
but, usually ends up with more activity than the main family pool. Hmm, I
wonder if the swim-up bar has anything to do with that. The health club was one
of the largest we saw. The kid's center was nice and we saw some children
contentedly coloring away. Children 12 and under stay free here. The on-site
dive shop is run by Sand Dollar Sports. The Reef Club offers a good comprise
between an in town location and the seclusion of the south end. It’s a $15 taxi
ride into San Miguel.
Fiesta Americana Cozumel - European Plan, Across the street from the beach
The Fiesta Americana has a walkway over the street to its
waterfront facilities; a man made beach, a pool, water sports center and an
oceanfront restaurant. The reef is right out front and the hotel offers guided
snorkeling tours. The rooms are either in the main high rise building or behind
it in the jungle. The Tropical Casitas are popular with honeymooners. They all
have garden views and are located in two story buildings at the back of the
property. Continental breakfast is delivered to the rooms and included in the
price. They rooms have large sitting areas and patios or balconies with
hammocks. The standard and deluxe rooms in the main building are identical
except for the view, garden or ocean. They are plainly furnished but, a good
size and come equipped with hair dryers, a safe and a coffee maker. This
property is a good bet for divers with a moderate budget. San Miguel is just 10
minutes away.
 El
Presidente Intercontinental - European Plan, just south of San Miguel, on the
beach
Before seeing this resort I often wondered whether it was
worth the price. Now, I know that it is. Of the European Plan hotels on the
island the El Presidente is the hands down leader. It earns its Four Diamonds
from AAA through thoughtful touches and attention to detail. The property has
over one kilometer of beach front and a marina. At the beach bar you can get a
cold scented towel, along with your drink to cool off. If you don’t want to get
up from your chaise lounge around the pool or the beach just put up your flag.
There's no hike to a beach hut for a towel. Towels are rolled up and placed on
the terry covered mats of empty chairs along with a single hibiscus blossom.
The standard and superior rooms are the same except for the view, either island
or ocean. The rooms are large with a big balcony and tasteful decorations.
There are also several categories of suites all with incredible views, beautiful
accents and room to spread out. Both restaurants have great views and the menus
looked delicious. The El Presidente is a member of the Cozumel Country Club and
golf packages are available. It's only about a $10 taxi ride into San Miguel.
Park Royal Cozumel - All Inclusive, San Miguel, Across the street from the
beach
Two high rise buildings surround a lush courtyard at this
moderate property. The rooms are fairly large, clean and all have a balcony.
You reach the rooms via a glass elevator that looks over the grounds. The
grounds are so well landscaped that you hardly realize you are walking under the
road on the way to the hotel's small beach. The beach and oceanfront bar look
out at the nearby International pier. The pool sits in the middle of the
courtyard. On an island in the pool is a quiet bar that you can swim up to one
on side. We had lunch at the Pescador restaurant. There was a large selection
at the buffet and the food was good. There is also an international restaurant
that is open for dinner. The children's play area has its own pool complete
with water slides. Children 12 and under stay and eat free at the Park Royal.
The atmosphere of this property is very quiet and relaxing.
 Allegro
Resort Cozumel - All Inclusive, southwestern end of the island, on San Francisco
Beach
The Allegro gets my vote for the best beach on the island.
It was a wide expanse of white sand that slopped gently down to the water's
edge. All of the rooms are located in buildings of traditional Mexican
architecture. The grounds are well manicured. The dinner we had at the Caruso
Restaurant was fabulous. I wanted to lick to bowl to get every last drop of the
cream of artichoke soup. The service was professional and the décor elegant.
This restaurant is located upstairs in the main building. There is also a bar
with a huge tile picture of a Mexican scene at one end of the mezzanine
overlooking the lobby. The Allegro has live music six nights a week at the bar
and there were several couples dancing. This area would be a great place to
finish a day spent on the beach, by the pool, at the tennis or basketball
courts, play ping pong and/or shuffle board. The children's center has a
playground and a small pool outside. Children 12 and under stay free at this
resort. The rooms are either garden or oceanview (assigned at check-in) and are
equipped with coffee machines, hairdryers, iron and safe. Guests have
reciprocal privileges at any of the other Occidental properties nearby except
the Royal Hideaway. The property is about a $20 taxi ride away from town, but
why would you need to leave?
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