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Dive Review of ScubaDu/Wyndham Cozumel Resort in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

ScubaDu/Wyndham Cozumel Resort, Jun, 2009,

by Allan, WI, USA (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 8 reports). Report 4903.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 2 stars Food 2 stars
Service and Attitude 2 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 2 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Every June, after school adjourns for the summer, a group of us takes a dive trip with our sons as a reward for an academic year of hard work and results. This year was no different other than the destination. Last year we went to the Bahamas (see reader report Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas/Wyndham Nassau Resort 2008/06). This year, we returned to Cozumel.

The dive operator that we have always used while on Cozumel is ScubaDu which is the on-site dive shop at the Presidente InterContinental Resort (the island’s only true 5-Star resort). The only thing I can say about ScubaDu is that they are the best dive operator on the island without questions.

However, because we were traveling with 3 teen-age boys, we chose to stay at the Wyndham Cozumel because it offered an attractively priced all-inclusive (not including diving) option. The Wyndham Cozumel is rated as a 3.5 star resort by several of the travel rating sites. So we thought, our experience at the Wyndham Nassau Resort notwithstanding, that we would give Wyndham Resorts another try.

The one thing that I will say about Wyndham properties (at least the two that we’ve stayed at) is that they are consistent. Consistently UNDERWHELMING.

Our disappointment began when we checked in. We booked what were called “beach front” rooms and asked that the rooms be right next to one another because we were traveling as a group. One room was “beach front” on the second floor with the view obstructed by the tops of the palm trees. The other room was on the back side of the “beach front” villa with a view of the courtyard, not the beach. The rooms were not adjacent as we had requested and the resort was nowhere near capacity.

The rooms that we stayed in were for the most part clean, that I will say. However, in one of the rooms we had no hot water, and in the other room the A/C did not work. We also were given 1 room key per room even though there were 3 people in each room. When we inquired about additional keys we were told that they barley had enough keys for each of the rooms at the resort that were currently occupied. Again, the resort was nowhere near capacity. 1 key for 3 people per room - a bit inconvenient to say the least.

Our disappointment continued with the dining experience. There was 1 “sit down” family restaurant on the property called “Roberto’s”. It is billed as Mediterranean Cuisine, which given the 1 time we were able to actually get a reservation, was pretty good. The reservation was difficult to get at best. They take reservations from 9:00AM to 1:00PM only, and only for reservations for that day. When the dive boat leaves at 8:30 and returns after 1:00, it is impossible to get make a reservation by their rules. It wasn’t until after considerable discussion that we were allowed to make a reservation for the following evening which they failed to put on the following day’s reservations. Again, after considerable discussion, we were allowed to have dinner.

The buffet option (with the exception of breakfast choices) was pretty much the same thing every day with very little variation. The quality was ok and there was always plenty available, but not much to choose from. Breakfast was always good even though the menu didn’t change. The snack bar “El Marinero” was the better of the two anytime dining options but it closed mid-afternoon.

All things considered, for a place for us dads and our sons to eat and sleep (dive gear was cared for and stowed by ScubaDu), the Wyndham Cozumel served its purpose – but we won’t be back. One thing I wish we had done was keep a closer eye on our electronics. My son had his cell phone and I-Pod stolen from the room the day before we departed. We notified hotel security and they promptly came to our room, searched our room and bags, and left with “we’ll be in touch”. I emailed them the portion of the cell bill that itemized the calls that the thief made before I had a chance to idle the line with my cellular carrier when I got back stateside. 1 month later, the “investigation” continues. I also notified the Wyndham Corporation of our experience at the Wyndham Cozumel Resort and they passed the buck back to the local resort operator.

When traveling to Cozumel, dive with ScubaDu, dine with El Morro on the east side of San Miguel, and think twice (maybe even 3 times) about staying at the Wyndham Cozumel Resort.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Bahamas, USVIs, BVIs, St Marten, Florida Keys, Great Lakes, inland midwestern lakes
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas choppy
Water Temp 82-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 100-125 Ft/ 30-38 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Dives were all guided and limited to recreational limits and 750psi.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments All dive boats with ScubaDu have dedicated camera buckets and the crew is very good about assiting with equipment into and out of the water.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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