Forestsal

Hello,

Could anyone tell me approx. how much we should estimate of food/drinks for a one week stay at this resort? Also, any opinions regarding the resort in general would be welcome.

ckruse

We love this hotel. I'll be there for the second time 1 week and 6 days from today. Can you tell I'm excited? Breakfast is included with your stay, so the only food costs are lunch and dinner. Last year, I would estimate that we spent $250 a day for lunch, dinner and probably 3+ drinks for the whole day each of us. I would be happy to answer any specific questions you have regarding the property. We were there last July and since then they have almost doubled in size.

marysuenyc

Hi ckruse;

My husband and I have been considering Maroma for a while now but we were nervous due to some negative postings a while back. I would love your opinion in particular, about the beach and the snorkeling off the beach. We went to Biras Creek last year and although we loved it, the snorkelling off the beach was not very good.

Thanks!

ckruse

Hi Mary Sue,
About 2 weeks ago I went to AndrewHarper.com and his monthly sample of Reports included an April issue where he re-reviewed Maroma. Andrew Harper highly recommends Maroma and because of the negative comments he said he revisited the hotel to see what was going on. Supposedly, most o f the negative comments, mainly about the slow service, was due to the change in ownership and the fact that the hotel nearly doubled in size (they went from 38 to 57 rooms). He felt most of the kinks had been worked out and still recommends this hotel. If the report is not available any longer on line I'd be more than happy to fax you my copy. I really agreed with his review.

We love the beach at Maroma! Many of the other hotels on the Mayan Riviera tend to be so rocky you can't go in the water, not Maroma. There are no rocks or seaweed, and the water has that beautiful turquoise color. No rocks or coral typically means no fish. I would not recommend the snorkeling in front of Maroma. Maroma owns a boat and they have daily excursions to snorkeling sites. I've been to Cozumel, Mexico 13 times. One side of the island has some of the greatest snorkeling, the other great beaches, to find one place with both is rare. Maroma has nice palapas and beach service and the palapas are nicely spaced so you can actually talk to your spouse without anyone else hearing. Some walking traffic along the beach from the neighboring hotel but not too much. Chris.

marysuenyc

Thanks for the info Chris! I was not familiar with the Andrew Harper reports -- what a great resource!

Our working plan to date is to do 4 nights in Cozumel (presumably at the El-Presidente -- unless you have another recommendation for a more 'luxe' atmosphere) and a week at Maroma, using it as our base for a couple of trips to the ruins.

Any other tips or recommendations from you would be most welcome.

Regards,

Mary Sue

Diana

Hi MarySue,
I'm not ckruse, but I highly recommend the Presidente.
(This was our 9th year of staying at the hotel, so I'm a little prejudiced
The service there is excellent, and the friendly staff is one of their best assets. The snorkeling off the beach right in front of the hotel is simply some of the best on the island (but there're LOTS more snorkel sites to choose from.)
There are not really any other luxury choices on the island.
Another possibility for you besides Maroma might be Paraiso la Bonita if you are big into spa treatments and personal service. (Either would be great, but I got scared off by Maroma's negative reviews also...)
Have a great time!

ckruse

Hi Mary Sue,
In regards to Andrew Harper, by joining his Q-Club for $190 I saved 15% off of Maroma's room rate. Staying for a week, the Q-Club membership already paid for itself and then some. Supposedly I'm entitled (if available) to a room upgrade at check-in.

We have always stayed in a condominium in Cozumel. The condominium has its pros and cons. The pros being: a) we take our kids (7 and 8 years old), and the 4 bedroom condo is more comfortable than a hotel room b) Cozumel has some great restaurants which staying in a hotel far from town you may not be inclined to venture out c) Definitely luxurious. The cons are a) No hotel amenities such as spa or health club. Of the 13 times I've been to Cozumel we've never stayed in a hotel, the condo has just become a tradition for us. Chris.

cardozecristina

Hey Chris - I posted a message about this separately, but just reading this chain I saw you'd been to Maroma Hotel in July... I'm going mid-July this year for my honeymoon and I'm worried about weather. Does it rain a lot in July? Is it mostly cloudy or do you get mostly nice days? Do you recommend we go or look for other alternatives? Please let me know... Thanks,
Cristina

ckruse

Last year when I went in July we didn't have a drop of rain. The weather was perfect. The nice thing about going to Mexico in the summer is that the water was so warm you could swim in it all day. That said, I read in the paper yesterday we could be experiencing an El Nina. With an El Nina comes more rain, tornados, hurricanes and unseasonably colder temperatures. Last night here in Chicago we reached a record low and I'm typing this at work with my coat on. So if this truly is an El Nina, it will be everywhere. I've been in Anguilla in June and St. Lucia in August and both places I experienced more rain than Mexico.

Lee12

We went to Maroma early last December and loved it! It is an extremely romantic resort and we also loved the Temezcal experience (Mayan sweat lodge) they have there. We've been to several places in the Caribbean and just returned from a honeymoon/wedding in Anguilla. Even after staying at some of the top Caribbean resorts, Maroma is first or second on our list of great places to stay overall. We were considering it for our wedding, but it was easier (legally speaking) to get married in Anguilla. Our next trip may very likely be back to Maroma though, as it was a really magical place. We thought the service was quite good too, lots of attention and a very friendly and helpful staff. Hope that helps.

HOS4

Can someone give a honest review about Maroma and what the rooms are like
Thanks