Just got back a few days ago. Me, my wife, and my 2 and 4 year old girls. We stayed 5 nights, which ended up being the prefect duration.Here are my recommendations:1) RENT A CAR. The money lost on rental is more than made up for by the convenience of having a car. $48 a day at the Executive Rental desk in the airport (insurance included)- we showed up without a reservation and it was no problem.2) NO NEED TO PACK ANY SNACKS. After checking in at the Presidente, drive back up the main road and stock up on water, beer, and other essentials at the Chedruai (pronounced Shed-Roo-Ay-EEE) supermarket (you can't miss it- its huge and literally as sophisticated as an American Walmart- a fascinating presence for anyone interested in economics). We were shocked by the selection of goods (anything you can get here in the US- you can get there plus there's an AMAZING bakery full of yummy stuff- the kids were VERY happy). I filled up a shopping cart with what seemed like at least $250 worth of groceries. The bill? 330 pesos, or about $30 bucks. This saved us a fortune on little incidentals that we would have gotten through the hotel. This is the store where all of the locals shop, so I knew I wasn;t paying tourist prices.3) BREAKFAST. Without question, the buffet at the hotel is luxurious. We went three times, but the bill was about $55 each time (plus tip!). It was worth it because the food was so good and the kids ate really well. But, a couple mornings I woke up before the kids and drove up the main road to Ernestos. You can get a nice plate with Eggs, homefries, and toast for $5 to go (yet another example of the rented jeep panning out).4) THE PRESIDENTE. They really have the service aspect down. Nice friendly people everywhere (and VERY kid-friendly). The highlight is sitting at the Cabana Bar and ordering a delicious appetizer, a 'Bohemia' (remember that name- it is the BEST beer in all of Mexico), and enjoying the beautiful ocean view and the pleasant company of the staff. Rooms are VERY spacious. One note: the 5-star rating is more appropriate relative to other Cozumel properties, but I think 4 stars would be more appropriate on a worldwide scale. Still, a fanastic place to stay- no question the best on the island to date.5) San Miguel (downtown). I have to say that San Miguel is horrendously touristy. Duty-free shops, T-Shirts, American restaurants, and Cruise ships. I wouldn't spend more than one afternoon here (except evenings if one is inclined to party). The goods for sale are real junky touristy items. Don't count on returning with anything exotic or authentic unless you pan out $18 for a handmade blanket on the east side of the island.6) RESTAURANTS. We ate at the hotel more than I would have liked (hard to help it with the little ones). But the hotel food is excellent... we also ate at Pancho's Backyard (I wouldn't recommed it- no local charm to it at all) and Ernestos (don't bother with any meal other than breakfast). There were some really charming restaurants in town away from the water but we were wary of stomach issues with the girls. There are some VERY nice looking restaurants on the east side of the island. I regret not being able to go (again, the kids).7) The EAST SIDE. Absolutely breathtaking. Set aside at least 2 days of having the gorgeous eastern beaches all to yourself. Just drive until you find a spot you like. We met a beautiful local family there (there are next to not tourists), and my girls played with theirs. Language barriers did not stop them from having a good time. A wonderful experience. You can buy cold beer and drinks from one of the roadside stands. No need to fill a cooler or anything like that. PACK LIGHT. We didn;t even bring towels- just a couple of little $2 blankets we purchased on the way. I hope to God this side of the island stays as quaint and natural as it is now.8) SNORKELING/DIVING: We didn't get to dive (the kids), but we snorkeled quite a bit. It is easy to take a casual snorkel right out of the hotel (there are some nice fish to see- great for the kids), and Chankanaab is nearby.OVERALL, a wonderful vacation. So glad we chose it over a couple of other Carribean destinations. ENJOY!

My wife and I decided to try out Cozumel in April because we were told that the drift diving was excellent, the water clear, and the atmosphere relaxing. We arrived at the Presidente direct from the airport prior to noon April 17th, 2003, the service to the hotel was quick and efficient, and upon arrival at the hotel we were greeted and escorted to the front desk where they were preparing the necessary paperwork to get us into our room.The rooms were spacious for us; they were clean and very comfortable, we had air conditioning and plenty of storage, even for us which carry more gear for diving than clothes. The restaurants on the property had very good meals, but as in any good resort, dont count on fast service, and quit frankly, I kind of like it that way.The diving was excellent, Scuba Du in on site at the property, they will take your gear (we had them take our wet suites and BCs) after the first dive and have it thoroughly rinsed and hung to dry, then store it for the evening, in the morning it will be at the boat dock awaiting your next dive trip, this was the best for us, we have always cleaned our gear after a days dive, but this expedites your ability to get to happy hour, go into town, or go to an early dinner and enjoy it.The service was great, the staff made you feel welcomed, the people you met were friendly, all in all, very relaxing, thats why we are going back in November this year.

Stayed at Presidente July 15-22d... Yes, it is a bit pricey but we fully agreed it is worth it.. Only two minor gripes (see later), but the beach, snorkeling, diving, staff, food, service and location are second to none. Food was good, but definitely worth the short taxi ride to town, it saves a few bucks and it adds to the experience to try the restaurants in town. We ate at Casa Mission, Prima, and French Quarter in San Miguel, and were not disappointed with any of them. No problems with food/water anywhere. Dived with on-site operator (Scuba Du). Boats were clean, uncrowded, well-staffed and divemasters were great. Highly recommend the night dive. It's a unique and thrilling experience.
Gripes: Beware of the "upgrade" level of your room. When we arrived we thought we had an "upgraded" room but it looked like the "concrete box" a previous reviewer wrote about. He was absolutely right. Staff explained there are six different room grades, first two are nothing to rave about. Start with a deluxe ocean-view, beach-front or reef suite (upgrade levels 3-5) and you won't be sorry. Avoid the standard or superior rooms unless you are on a budget. They are very ordinary.
Secondly, if you have any kind of meal deal such as kids eat free, be sure to explain it to the wait staff when you order. In our case the staff was very confused over the meal deal we got with our package, leading to some extra work to get the billing right. Don't let these minor things deter you-- we loved the Presidente and highly recommend it. We have stayed in other places in Cozumel and Riviera Maya, and agree that it doesn't get any better than the Presidente. Enjoy !!

We travel often to the islands and Mexico and my wife and I think The Presidente is just about as good as it gets . The beach is wonderfull with very calm water and the service is the best . You will be very satisfied if you stay here. We wanted to visit the Presidente again for a few years now and it met or high expectations again. You can snorkle right of the beach so no need for extra trips