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Lodging & Accomodations Overview |
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What Sort of Accommodations are Available? |
Similar to the variety of the sea life that can be found in the crystal blue waters of Cozumel, the lodging and accommodations alternatives of Cozumel come in every size, shape, and color.
With everything from hotels, all-inclusive resorts, boutique inns and hostels to B&B's, condos and vacation home rentals, travelers are sure to find a lodging option to suit their vacation needs.
The hotels tend offer a more "touristy" view of the island simply because vacationers do not have to venture far from the hotel for anything. The flip side would be vacation rentals and condos which tend to encourge visitors to explore Cozumel beyond the tourist zone for restaurants, shopping and activities.
Where are Accommodations Located? |
Cozumel's vacation accomodation choices are located in various sectors of the island but in general, these sectors break down into 5 areas:
Southern zone
Northern zone
Downtown area
Midtown (San Miguel) area
Corpus Christi area
It goes without saying that there is a good selection of lodging options in the area which is excellent if travelers want to be near the main shopping and dining and nighlife areas. However accommodations in downtown are not large, spreadout, resort type properties but rather 3 - 6 story facilities with limited (if any) garden / outdoor areas.
Both the and Southern zones have an excellent variety of lodging to choose from but both areas suffer the dilemma of their relative isolation from Cozumel's main downtown district. It turns out the majority of leisure activities including shopping, dining, and nightlife can be as much as a $10-$20 cab ride away way.
Corpus Christi area (located between downtown and the southern district) while closer to downtown still involves a taxi ride to get there since it's a good distance from the main plaza where everything tends to happen. This added distance doesn't offer the ability to leisurely stroll among the many daily and nightly activities typical of the Cozumel experience. In addition, this area is subject to some zoning laws that prohibit the location of shopping, restaurants, and many other types of tourist driven businesses. That being said, the Corpus neighborhood is home to one of the largest supermarket and shopping plazas on the island: Chedraui and visitors can easily walk to this commercial center from anywhere in Corpus.
Midtown district of Cozumel is now one of the most desirable locations for travelers wanting to immerse themselves more into Cozumel's culture. Because of the growth and expansion of the city over the last 5 - 10 years, Midtown doesn't seem as "far back" as it used to seem to some vacationers. Since the city developed the historical district downtown in 2007 and all streetside parking in the main downtown area, folks are venturing farther back into town looking for restaurants, shopping and such where parking is FREE and not such an issue. Because of this, Cozumel's midtown area is emerging as the islands best value in terms of accommodations and restaurants which don't sport "tourist zone" pricing. It is possible to reach Cozumel's main plaza from anywhere in the midtown area with a quick 10 - 15 minute walk through some of the safest streets on the planet.
For the best deals in lodging look to venture to Cozumel in the off-season. Mid-August to mid-November, and then again during the months of May through July offer the best prices for accommodations. Don't be surprised by the 12% hotel tax.
Vacation Home Rentals, Condos & Guest Houses |
The many beautiful vacation villas, condominiums, and guesthouse that line Cozumel's streets offer an excellent alternative to the commercial area hotels and resorts. Fortunately for visitors, vacation properties are scattered throughout most of the zones described above. Some are beachfront properties while others are located in town in regular neighborhoods to allow for a more "island living" experience. There is such a variety of options available in fact that travelers typically have little difficulty finding a property within their budget. Many of these vacation properties offer their own swimming pools, jacuzzi's and meal plans and are definitely worth considering for those travelers anxious to move beyond the tourist zone hotels and really get to know the island better.
Check out our complete list of Value vacation rentals!
Vacation Rentals
And don't forget Sherri has places to stay, too!!
IslaMar Vacation Villas
Of course we can't end this section without asking you to consider staying with Sherri at IslaMar Villas! After all, Cozumel Insider was originally built to help Sherri's IslaMar Guests find their way around Cozumel!!
Two of the most popular all-inclusive resorts include Allegro Occidental Grand (southern
district) and Melia Maya (northern district). Both of these self-contained
resorts offer meals and beverages within the all inclusive price
in the restaurants located on their property. In addition, they
offer daily activities both in and out of the water including scuba,
snorkeling, and tennis amongst other activities. Beyond that, the
all-inclusive resorts have nightly entertainment with local talent and
staff members. Remember, all of this falls under the umbrella of
one convenient price.
All Inclusive properties are an excellent choice for first time travelers not familiar with the area enought to want to venture beyond the hotel and they are also great value options for vacationing families. Some folks just like the convenience of not having to worry about anything once they arrive ~ everything is already paid for and ready for use!
The hotels of Cozumel have something to suit every type of guest possible.
Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, 5 star luxury inn, small
bed and breakfast, or proximity to entertainment and shopping, you can
find something to suite your needs. All districts have a variety
of hotels to choose from as well.
Review & Print Cozumel Insider's Handy Hotel Reference Chart!
If considering an "all-inclusive" resort, remember that to fully take advantage of your dollar you should never leave the resort. Unfortunately, with the convenience of one price comes the lack of exposure to the many wonders (entertainment, restaurants, shopping, and culture) that Cozumel has to offer. With the location of each resort being roughly a $15-$20 cab ride away from town when staying at a southern island resort ($5-10 from northern resorts), your dollar might be better served by staying closer to the heart of Cozumel if you truly want to experience the island culture.
The hotels of the northern and southern districts face the same issue as the resorts. With a variety of accommodations available, you are still a $15-$20 cab ride away from any form of cultural activity in town. In addition, with the best beaches located on the southern end of the island, plan on renting a car if staying in a hotel in the northern zone.
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IslaMar Oceanview Condo # 2WM Melgar 1BR/1Bath Vacation Rental |
A spacious second floor waterfront bungalow with lots of light and gorgeous bedroom ocean view. Cozy living area, custom kitchen cabinets with built in electric stove top and eating bar. Enjoy the convenience of being right downtown on the malecon & parade route for Cozumel Carnaval!
$ 115/night, $ 805/week
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IslaMar Oceanview Condo # 3WM Melgar 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental |
A spacious second floor waterfront bungalow with lots of light and gorgeous bedroom ocean view. Cozy living area, custom kitchen cabinets with built in electric stove top and eating bar. Enjoy the convenience of being right downtown on the malecon & parade route for Cozumel Carnaval!
$ 115/night, $ 805/week
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IslaMar Vacation Rental Condo Studio #1 Holiday Rental |
This spacious 1 bedroom / 1 bath efficiency studio sleeps two and has a fully equipped traveler's kitchen. Enjoy the water jets of the spa or just lounge by the pool and listen to the waterfall in the background.
$ 69/night, $ 483/week
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IslaMar Vacation Villa #2 Norte 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental |
This lovely second floor vacation rental apartment with bedroom equipped with a king-sized bed and ensuite bathroom is spacious and bright with a lovely front veranda on which to enjoy your morning coffee and listen to the songbirds.
$ 79/night, $ 553/week
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IslaMar Vacation Villa #3 Sur 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental |
This lovely second floor vacation rental apartment with bedroom equipped with a king-sized bed and ensuite bathroom is spacious and bright with a lovely front veranda on which to enjoy your morning coffee and listen to the songbirds.
$ 79/night, $ 553/week
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IslaMar Vacation Villa #4 West 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental |
A wonderful ground floor vacation rental apartment with lots of light. Spacious living room, granite countertop kitchen and a shaded porch with hammocks and outside tables and chairs.
$ 79/night, $ 553/week
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IslaMar Vacation Villa #5 Norte 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental |
For those who like a little more space this lovely one (1) bedroom and one (1) ground floor vacation rental bungalow is roomy and has a large private patio in front and extra big patio and private garden in back.
$ 89/night, $ 623/week
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IslaMar Vacation Villa #6 West 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental |
A spacious ground floor bungalow with lots of light. Big living area, granite countertop kitchen and a shaded porch with hammocks and outside tables and chairs.
$ 79/night, $ 553/week
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IslaMar Vacation Villa #5 Norte 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental
IslaMar Oceanview Condo # 2WM Melgar 1BR/1Bath Vacation Rental
IslaMar Vacation Villa #2 Norte 1BR/1Bath Holiday Rental
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(05/24/2015) - Our first visit to Mexico and we loved it! IslaMar was perfect for us laid back and very quiet people. Far enough away from all the tourist traps but close enough when we needed that part of it. The staff we met were Nidia, Andrea and Juan - all very helpful and friendly. We used bicycles to get to and from the beach a lot (30 minute rides) and to go to the grocery store and to tour the area! We visited four (4) local restaurants - El Super Hit; Chilango's, El Mission for lunch and San Carlos for fish - all were very good and helpful with our broken Spanish. Love Cozumel and hope to come back soon! Loved the, the pool, etc.! We used Cozumel Rent-a-Bike - great bikes and door-to-door service! Great service from Martin as well as he arranged a rental car for us very last minute from Bonefish - Awesome Service! G. & F. Bungay ~ Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Stayed in this wonderful gated area located outside the tourist side of Cozumel and loved it! Located in the local's neighborhood we felt very safe and welcomed by the people on the streets and the wonderful hotel staff who were so easy to work with before our arrival and during our stay. Many good restaurants within a short walking distance, as was downtown and we were able to park our rental car right outside the entrance. We were a bit worried about being off the water during our visit in August but found a wonderful breeze coming through the compound the whole time both upstairs and down in the courtyard. Our room was very comfortable, there was a really comprehensive folder of recommendations on places to go and see, the pool was wonderful and the refrigerator was stocked with beer at $1 USD a bottle! Can't beat that! IslaMar is definitely worth considering for a stay and we will be back!!!! J. & D. Dannecker ~ White Lake, MI USA
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IslaMar became our home for 10 weeks! Everything was wonderful! The villa was spotless, we found it to be great fun living in a neighborhood. IslaMar staff were always helpful. Thank you Jackie & Sherri! We also met some lovely people during our stay! We'll be back one of these days, that is a definite!! Barbara & Jerry D. ~ Farmington, CT
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Dear Sherri & IslaMar Team! Thank you so much for making us feel so welcome! We really enjoyed our stay and if we're lucky enough to be able to visit Cozumel again, we would definitely stay here again. All the best to you and lovely greetings - Nicole & Patrick! P. & N. Bischof ~ Gaiserwald, St. Gallas, SWI
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Hubby and I stayed at IslaMar for the Month of February (as we did last year) and are already missing it. Sherri and staff are awesome, very accommodating. We met some new friends and got in touch with others we had met over the few years. Love that we are away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area, but still within a good walk. Checked out a few new restaurants to add to our list and still lots more to try. C. & J. Wood ~ Saint Catharines, OB CAN
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