Cozumel Accommodations Overview

Cozumel has accommodations to fit just about anyone's pocketbook--from $35 rooms with a fan on the back streets of town to $800 per night oceanfront villa entals.Where you stay will depend on a number of factors, of course: budget, vacation style, number of people in your party. Here's a basic breakdown of the choices you have.

Naming all the accommodations is beyond the scope of this article. If you have a specific question or would like help choosing an accommodation that's right for your needs, please feel free to post your questions on the Lodgings Forum and we'll try to help you out.

Description of the Area: Quiet and very safe, beaches are mostly rocky "iron shore" interspersed with small pockets of natural or man-made sand beach. (For more info check Cozumel Beaches.) Snorkeling from the rocks is decent here but the currents can be very strong. Fins are a must.

Type of Accomodations Available: All-Inclusive resorts, (El Cozumeleño, Melia), Private beachfront villa rentals, high-rise condos and several hotels (Club del Sol, Playa Azul, Coral Princess). No inexpensive hotels/B&B's/apartments here that we can recommend at this time. Although we are hearing good things about La Fontana.

Advantages: close taxi ride to downtown, very quiet, close to a lovely, new golf course. There is very little traffic so drives into town are quick and easy.

Disadvantage: strong currents, most dive ops won't pick you up on the north end of the island. Can't walk to town or a grocery. We'd definitely rent a car if we were staying north of town.

Description of the Area: The oldest section of San Miguel. Bordered by a one mile stretch of waterfront strollway on the west and bustling, Avenida 30 on the east. The most convenient location for vacationers who enjoy the convenience of being able to get around without a car or consider shopping, restaurant-hopping or people-watching to be majorly fun vacation activities.

Type of Accomodations Available:Wide range of accommodations -- everything from $25 rooms with fans in a posada at the low end to $120/night hotels with a view at the high. In the middle are a few really comfortable In-Town Vacation Rentals which provide excellent economy and convenience for groups of 4-10 people. This is our favorite location. To read why, check out our article entitled "Sunset on the Malecon: Staying in Cozumel's El Centro District.'.

Advantages: No car necessary, walking distance to restaurants, nightlife, grocery stores, shopping. You can stroll the waterfront at sunset and take in the sea breezes. If you like a lot of variety on your vacations or are travelling with a group who has mixed interests, this may be your ticket. Convenient downtown pickup with several good dive ops.

Disadvantages: Although you are walking distance to the waterfront, there aren't any great beaches right downtown. For that, plan on using taxis or a rental car to take in the many free snorkeling and sunbathing beaches outside town on either side of downtown. See Beaches and Beach Clubs for more info on this

Description of the Area: safe, residential area of one and two-story mostly residential structures interspersed with little corner groceries that sell all the basics and the occasional fish market and produce stall. This neighborhood begins 8 blocks from the waterfront and extends back into town for 20 blocks.

Type of Accomodations Available:Smaller vacation villa rentals, usually ones that are renovations of older Mexican homes. Also some monthly and weekly rental apartment complexes and several B & B's.

Advantages: Bargain prices on vacation villa rentals and efficiency apartments. Near small neighborhood stores to pick up drinks and snacks without the need of a car.

Disadvantage: Taxis or a rental car are necessary to enjoy the many free snorkeling and sunbathing beaches outside town. The walk to El Centro can be a long one depending on where in Mid-Town you're staying. Parking downtown can be a hassle so if you plan to spend a lot of time in El Centro, consider renting a bike.

Type of Accomodations Available: Vacation rental villas, 1 B&B , two hotels (Cozumel and Days Inn). In fact, most of the intown vacation rental homes on the island are in this part of town.

Description of the Area: safe, residential area of small lots and many large homes most of which were built within the last 5 years. Area begins at Calle 11 and extends from within a block of the waterfront behind the Chedraui grocery store all the way back to 55.

Advantages: Easy walking distance to the Wal-Mart-like Chedraui grocery, Good exercise walk to the center of downtown (10-14 blocks). Two good restaurants within close walking distance (Mesa17 and El Turix). Large, pretty park with a gazebo across from the big Corpus Christi church for which this neighorhood was named. A quiet, peaceful neighborhood. A small beach club with decent snorkeling called Girasoles is close enough by to walk to easily from most parts of this neighborhood..

Disadvantage:Although most rental villas in this area advertise that they are "3 blocks from the ocean", the ocean is not visible from this part of town due to high rise construction and existing hotels that now completely block views of the water in this section of town. As with elsewhere in downtown,taxis or a rental car are necessary to enjoy the many free snorkeling and sunbathing beaches outside town.

Description of the Area: Quiet area now that they've built a bypass.The old road cuts very close to the ocean here. No sand beaches to speak of except man-made ones at the two hotels. But this is the best easily-accessed shore snorkeling area on the island..

Type of Accomodations Available: Only two hotels in this area: the venerable El Presidente with a beautiful beach and great snorkeling right on the waterfront and Fiesta Americana which is about 1/4 mile further south and just across the old road from the beach. A few rental villas are beginning to crop up in this area also.

Advantages: Good snorkeling in this area and currents tend to be much milder than on the north end of the island. Short drive to several famous beach clubs (Dzul Ha and Playa Corona) and lovely Chankannab National Park. Close to the marina (La Caleta) where the vast majority of the island's dive and fishing boats moor.

Disadvantage:The two hotels here have nothing else around them so you must either take a rental car or taxi to town to eat, or eat all your meals at the hotel which, for some, will become boring, expensive or both. Taxis from these hotels will run $5-8 each way.

Description of the Area: Fairly quiet area now that they've built a bypass.The old road cuts in from the ocean and there are a number of large, new Beachfront Vacation Rentals between the ocean and the road.

Type of Accomodations Available: Beachfront (and one beach area) villas for rent some on rocky bluffs above the water others on a natural sand beach. Also one all-inclusive: Reef Club.

Advantages: Quiet, short taxi or car rental drives to Chankannab Park and a variety of beach clubs with good snorkeling and lots of water toys. Some rental villas are on a natural sand beach. All have great views

Disadvantage:Snorkeling is not good directly in front of any accommodations in this area and you are a 20 minute drive from town. Rental car is your best option for getting around as taxis are expensive to this location.

Description of the Area: Out in the boonies. Nothing here but all-inclusive resorts.

Type of Accomodations Available: There are three all inclusives in this area. Allegro, Iberostar and Occidental Grande.

Advantages: Quiet, lots of beach toys, near some of the best reefs. If you're a diver this means you could be talking about a 5 minute boat ride instead of a 30 minute one.

Disadvantage:You are a Looooong way from downtown and very isolated from the rest of the island. If you're exhausted, just want to spend a week lying on a deckchair and have pretty deep pockets, one of these locations may suit you. But you will scarcely know you are in Mexico.

Detailed discussions of individual lodging options is beyond the scope of this article. However, we've just added an article on Staying Downtown that goes into some specific rec.s for the downtown El Centro area for both Groups and Singles or Couples. And we are also specialists on both intown and beachfront villa rentals. For villa and condo info check our sister site, Cozumel Vacation Rental Homes.