This was our 5th visit to Cozumel over 25 years. As far as I'm concerned, the Presidente is the only place to stay if you like top drawer amenities. The dive operation is great. The shore dive right off the beach is great and it's a good snorkel too. There's beachfront restaurants and a spa. Everything you want is steps away. The woman next door to us arranged a sunset dinner on the beach with 3 musicians for her husband's birthday. I have to remember that next time we go. If you're looking for a mega resort experience with party people and a lot of noise, this place is not for you. But if you would like to avoid the loud drunks smoking in the pool and relax and dive in style, this IS the place. We've been all over the Carribean diving and this is the only place we have come back to more than once. We love Cozumel and this hotel. P.S. Make sure you rent a vehicle and take a ride around the island. The beadh drive is beautiful and the little restaurant/bar stops along the way are a bit of paradise.

We went on our honeymoon to Cozumel and stayed at the Presidente from June 27- july 3. I must say i was quite impressed with it. The staff was wonderful and very friendly. They will help you out with anything. The rooms were very clean at all times. The room that we had was the ocean view room, which gaves us gorgeous sunset view..i think its in the 1500's. with our own balcony to sit out and watch. They also gave us a bottle of champagne because it was our honeymoon.The hotel has wonderful restaurants...the only thing is that there are alot of pesky flies that are around...but the food is very good. The downtown area is not that far at all. By cab its a 5 dollar ride. no more than 10 minutes away. This hotel has a wonderful snorkeling area....beautiful fishes, great place for this..and i think its one of the few hotels that actually has a beach of its own. The water is amazing..so clear you can see the bottom of it. The hotel also has a tour group and a rental car place...but honestly you can get better deals if you look around. But you have the convenience of having everything right there. There is a gym thats open 24 hours, and recently a new spa too. There is also a pool with plenty of chairs to lounge around...same with the beach area while we were there. The only other thing you should ask is about the resort fees...make sure that when you book to mention if it is included with your price. because you will have to pay it. I found this place beautiful and romantic. I would come back again without a doubt! Hope you enjoy your stay!

We stayed at the Presidente Hotel this time around, last year we stayed at the Melia, so that is what I have to compare.
I found the staff at the Melia much friendlier, The "all Inclusive" at the melia much cheaper, and the overall hotel of the Melia much nicer......but....you cant beat the ocean reefs at the Presidente!
Im having trouble writing this because I dont really have anything terrible to say about the presidente other than they had a very limited menu, high drink costs, and lots of mesquitoes at night, after being there for a few days we learned a couple of tricks, you can have free coffee with your wake up call. 2 for 1 drinks between 2 and 4pm. and if you eat in your room you dont have to pay a $2.00 "sitting "fee. YES a fee to sit and eat in the restaurant!!!. So long story short, either take a lot of money and injoy the ocean reefs or stay elsewhere and pay less for better service.
During our stay we went to Xcaret Park and swam with the dolphins, that is a must do for children and adults. I have been to the dolphin swim in cozumel and the Xcaret is far better with calm water, pretty views , and much more hands on time with the dolphins.
As for first time Scuba divers the "Scuba do" is the tour group to do.
As for fishing we went with Tony Loeza. (-------) and had a fantastic time and we actually caught a white marlin!!!!
We also rented a taxi for 3 hours ($50) to take us around the Island and show us the sights, that was really cool and we took pictures of all the hotels so we can try yet another place again next year. (trying to find that great hotel and great beach all together)
Love that Cozumel and will go back again and again, I have flown into Cancun and done the ground-ferry route twice, I think next time it will be a flight into cozumenl, you spend so much money trying to get from point A to point B that in the long run it is worth the few extra bucks to fly direct.
Again, bring tons of $1's and 5's and even 20's you use them alot for taxi's and tipping. I love to hear about Cozumel and welcome your e-mails with any Questions I might be able to answer, I even have some pics I could send of different places.
perichad@msn.com
Peri

We stayed at the Presidente from the 17-24th of June in Rm 5210—must have overlapped with the folks from NC (see “Restful Retreat” review).

In general, I would 100% agree with their review. Overall, the hotel is nice, well maintained and has a great location—close to town, but far enough away to avoid any feelings of being crowded. In fact, this is one reason we love Cozumel. Unlike Cancun, you can look down the beach and not see 10 hotels in either direction.

Presidente Pros:
The hotel is located on a nice property that is well maintained and gated. It has a nice beach area (unlike some other hotels) that offers nice snorkeling right off the beach. The on-site dive operator, Scuba Du, does a good job and will offer you a discount for using cash. We did several dives with them, and they were all very good. Surprisingly, the dive on the “Coast” was on of the better ones, we saw multiple turtles and ran into a large school of Tarpon near the end of the dive.
Additionally, all of the restaurants were good. If you eat lunch there, I’d recommend the Mahi Mahi ($14), which is served with fresh veggies, or if you want to go a bit cheaper, the Club Sandwich is good for the money. Moreover, the “formal” restaurant, Alfredo’s, was surprisingly good. The pasta was fresh, and prices, with the exception of the absurd mark up on wine, were very good (most of the pastas were in the $9-$14 range). Most folks dressed well (slacks, dresses), but they are liberal with the dress code and shorts and tennis shoes were allowed.
Something I have not seen mentioned here much was the Spa. My wife and I had a couples massage and it was pretty good. Surprisingly, Lupita, who is rather small in stature, can get in deep and really get those knots to loosen up. We’d both recommend a day there.
And last, I would certainly recommend, for those so inclined, to congregate during happy hour (5-7). We meet several couples and had dinner & drinks in town with a group of them (cheers to our friends from Austin, Jersey and Philly—what a mix!).

Presidente Cons:
Yes, one of the first things that occurs on check-in is the time-share pitch. The folks that greet you with Champagne or water are with the “Presidente Club”. Word of advice: if you are not interested, sit down with them and tell them no. If you are: set up your time, haggle on price, and be prepared to spend more than the promised “one hour”.
Noise: I’m surprised no-one else has commented on this, but noise on the south wing is an issue. The otherwise beautiful solid wood doors make a hell of a boom when carelessly slammed or caught by the draft. In addition, room service can be heard clattering down the walkways as the service bike/cart clatters over the rough surface of the walkway. For some odd reason, the architects designed a covering that is slopped at ~60 degrees and goes down to the first floor. It serves as a very effective conduit for sound.

Things to note:
Some of the earlier reviews I’ve read are clearly from folks who don’t understand the Mexican culture (e.g., “manana”). They take things more slowly, and thus, you should enjoy and embrace that. If you expect true 5 star services, say similar to the Ritz, you’re just not going to get it. And frankly, that’s one of the appealing things about Cozumel. Take it easy. If you want over-the-top service, you are in the wrong place, and in fairness, you are also not paying for it either.
Go into town. Explore the town square, but if you see a lot of cruise ships sitting in the harbor, go another day. The town offers some good food, and if you get off the beaten path there are great places that are cheap. There are also good places that are touristy but good. La Choza is good for lunch, La Veranda is good for dinner, and El Foco has some great tacos. I’d highly recommend the marinated pork tacos, and the green sauce is fantastic….if you like your salsa with a kick.
Also, if you have time, I’d highly recommend either renting a car or taking a jeep tour on the windward (east) side of the island. It is very pretty on that side of the island, and there are much fewer people who venture that way. Try the Rasta Bar at the first stop and/or Coconuts. Both offer nice views and drinks at fair prices. In addition, if you take a Jeep tour, you may want to consider one of the smaller tour companies. We did a great tour with Amazing Tours. The jeeps range from crappy to nice, but our guide was great and allowed us to customize our tour as opposed to moving us along with a horde of other folks. Moreover, he cooked us one of the best meals, maybe the best, we had the entire time on the island for lunch.
Also, try to speak at least a little bit of the language. I think the locals appreciate it, and if not, they at least think it’s entertaining. Trust me, a simple “cuanto” will get you a discount in most cases, but also keep in mind they are not going to give you things for free. Taxis from the hotel to the town square should not cost more than $5. Also, keep both forms of currency. In some cases, you get more with pesos, in others, dollars.

Well, that’s it. If you enjoy the water, like to snorkel or SCUBA, and like a slower pace, I’d highly recommend Cozumel. Just to calibrate, we’ve been to Cancun, Cabo, Isla De Mujeres, Kauai, St. Martin, Saba, and Singapore. For the money, Cozumel cannot be beat, and the Presidente is a great place to stay. On a relative scale to Cozumel, The Presidente is a 5 star, but in truth, it’s not really a 5 star in the true sense of those ratings.

And remember, vacation is about relaxing….let the little things go……..