Cozumel..How's the Presidente Inter Cont.?

Hi Richard,<BR>Just got back from our ninth yearly trip to Cozumel - stayed at the Presidente EVERY year. We would not stay anywhere else. <BR>The only choice on Cozumel for us.<BR>

Hi Richard,<BR>El Presidente is probably the nicest hotel on Cozumel, but it's not for the budget-minded traveler. You can get some really good package deals with the charter companies. The food there is great, but extremely expensive. My partner heard a rumor last month that they were charging people $9 US for a Corona beer, so he went there to check it out for himself. Yep, that's what they charged! We put out a Cozumel newsletter and reported that in an article, hopefully since then they have come back down to regular pricing. So anybody out there who's stayed at El Presidente lately (Nancy?), let me know about this beer/drink pricing. I have people asking me about it all the time.

This hotel is one of my all time favorites - we were just there Easter week and loved it again!<BR>One tip if you wish to go is to join the Six Continents Club before you book.You'll get a coupon for a free nite and it allows you a free upgrade.Good luck!

Wow Annie! That's not very nice that they would do that! I know they have a new manager (May 2001) who is making a lot of changes...<BR>We got back the 18th of April.<BR>We certainly drank our share of Coronas but they were not $9.00 USD. My husband seems to think they were like $4. (I guess he wasn't paying much attention.)<BR>I know they now have 1/2 and full buckets of beer - maybe the $9 was for 2? The drink prices are high for Cozumel at the Presidente, but they do have a great 2 for 1 happy hour every day also. I think it's from 5 to 7. (I took a nap while my husband went down EVERY day <BR>We rarely ate at the hotel because there are so many great restaurants all over the island. I think in two weeks we ate maybe 3 meals there. Prices are much more reasonable - and the food just as good - elsewhere on the island...

Thanks Nancy. $4 is what the tourist places in town are now charging too. Way too much, when you can get beer at the store for 5 pesos each. Quite a profit margin, huh? You are right about the restaurants in town, they are excellent and so many of them too. Don't understand why so many people stay at the all-inclusives, they are missing out and the restaurants in town could sure use more business these days. It has been a very tough season this year for most businesses, many of them aren't going to make it through the low season.

Oh, I really hate to hear that. I hope none of my faves are going to bite the dust, but I feel really sorry for anyone who does. <BR>One I think won't make it is that new sushi restaurant at Lobster Cove. We ate there twice, and it was really good, but there weren't but one or two other tables either time. Sushi is probably not for the cruise ship crowd after Carlos and Charlies! <BR>I noticed it was much easier than it ever has been to get tables at the restaurants. How sad.

It is probably because Aeromexico eliminated its Non-Stop to Cozumel as did a couple of Tour Operators.<BR><BR>Most of my clients stay at AI's because they are actually cheaper than the Presidente. I encourage them to go to some resturants in Town, because they got such a good Deal, they should not feel guilty about eating elsewhere a couple of times.

Yes, the AI's are very cheap. Sometimes it's even cheaper to buy an AI package than air only...go figure! Another problem with most of the AI's in Cozumel is that they are so very far away from town and the taxi rates were increased by 30% recently. So now it can cost $20 US just to get to town, and that's only one way. No wonder the restaurants here are hurting, but the rental car agencies are doing a booming business. Most of us here believe the economy of the entire island would benefit by having a good bus system like in Cancun. You can go just about anywhere you want to there for only 5 pesos. If they made it easier for people to get where they want to go, then maybe most people would not stay behind the locked gates of their AI. But the taxi union in Cozumel is very powerful and will not allow that to happen.

FYI - There was an article in the NYTimes online about the hotel called "Underwater Safari". It sparked my interest. I'm looking for a December get away where I can dive and my husband can snorkel off shore from the hotel. Any comments - from what I can see the hotel has some nice reefs right offshore. <BR><BR>I would love to hear everyone's thoughts. Also, is December (the first 2 weeks not over Christmas) crowded with families and children or is it considered 'off season'?<BR><BR>http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?UR...avel/COZU.html

Dawn, <BR>I just looked at the article and I think you misunderstood. There is no such place in Cozumel called Underwater Safari, that's just the title of the article, not the hotel. The person writing the article stayed at El Presidente Intercontinental, the same hotel we have been talking about above in this same thread.<BR>

Thanks Cozannie. Abolutely correct. I didn't re-read my post before sending.