We returned yesterday (4/5/08) from a 7 night stay at El Cozumeleno. Husband, me, 15 year old girl and 8 year old boy. We had a great time. As most of the previous reviews state, the food is fine. I was nervous before we left due to some bad reviews, but it was good. Breakfast was awesome, and one of my favorite parts was the juice bar - everything from pineapple juice, watermelon juice, sometimes papaya juice, others I can't remember... My favorite was to make a mixed punch every morning. Steak fajitas at lunch were awesome. Dinner a couple nights at the reservation restaurant were terrific. Service almost everywhere was outstanding. Of course, no matter where you go there will be a couple grumps, but most everyone at this hotel was awesome. We did tip a lot, but honestly don't feel that got us better service - everyone got good service and I didn't see a lot of people tipping like we did, it's just what we do. Dinner buffet was fine - didn't love everything but always found something. Ate in town a couple nights to ward off boredom with the buffets - no matter where you go a buffet for a week gets old.

Rooms - we started out on the 3rd floor on the south side. Room was fine, not much of a view (I paid for a deluxe ocean view), bathroom great, beds really hard. My problem with the south side was that it was REALLY LOUD! Maybe because we were on the third floor, but it was hard to siesta in the afternoon from the pool music, and my 8 year old cried the second night - he couldn't get to sleep as they were playing Jumanji for family movie night around the pool. Seriously, it might as well have been played in my room it was that loud. So, the 3rd day, I knew it was going to bug me enough, so I requested a room change. 45 minutes later we were in a new room in the north tower with a perfect view - no troubles, no questions asked. Beds still hard, bathroom fine, very spacious room. I would totally recommend the north tower if at all possible.

The pools were great, not much if any shade though. Snorkeling in front of the hotel was so fun! I admit, I'm a novice and don't have a lot of experience, but we had so much fun snorkeling at the hotel! My daughter and I went on the 3 reef manta snorkel tour offered at the hotel dive shop which was a lot of fun, but were still thankful for the wonderful snorkeling in front of the hotel. We had some friends staying at the Melia next door that couldn't even get in the water there and would come over to El Coz for snorkeling. There's a resident barracuda that we named Barry - saw him every day, both from in the water and from standing on the dock. No coral or anything like that, but even just looking at the wave formations in the sand and just floating about was so relaxing. Saw an eel, water snake, more fish than I can name, just so much fun. I wanted to try the resort dive course, but they wouldn't let me as I marked that I have mild asthma. Not that I blame the dive shop - they were only looking out for my safety. Just be warned that if you have any medical condition at all (asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes that I remember from the questionnaire) you won't be able to do the resort course. Just be aware to look into it before you leave so you won't be disappointed when you get there. Looked like the dive shop runs a top quality and safe operation, though. Can't wait to go back and give it a try with doctor's approval!

The mini golf was a HUGE hit with my 8 year old. By day 2 he was even going off on his own to play. They did run out of balls by the end of our stay, but I think some people that had just come in were hording them and not returning them, as the rest of the week there were plenty. It was very fun and well maintained. Watch out for hole #18!!

Kids club - not sure what ages it was for, but a few times we checked our son in there (turns out he had a friend from school at the same resort to play with!) to get out of the sun - he enjoyed it and had some good "down time". It's air-conditioned, very clean, with a great staff and plenty to do, and right next to the main pool so you can easily check on younger ones if you want to.

Entertainment - just fine. We saw 3 shows the week we were there - same shows as any other AI in Mexico. Other nights they had family movies, which as stated before were loud, but entertaining if you were outside watching them. They had a disco I never went to, and they also had a Casino room that we went by once, not sure if it's open every night, but the people in there seemed to be having fun.

The exercise room... Hmm... I wouldn't bother bringing my gym shoes if that's the only reason you would bring them. 3 or 4 very old looking bikes, and 1 elliptical that looked and felt like it might have come from a garage sale about 10 years ago. I hope I don't sound too harsh, but it could use some updating.

All in all - a wonderful, way too short week! I would definitely recommend to any family or group looking for a vacation. Super clean place, friendly staff, good food, good drinks, and very safe. Hopefully I will be back soon!

After staying at Iberostar, no comparison. Only one hot tub (of the two) worked on the first day, and by day2 neither worked, and neither fixed the entire week we were there. Luke warm water. Not enough bartenders. Sometimes found yourself standing in line to get a drink. At one point during they day, bartender ran out of the tiny glasses they give you. I would suggest bringing your own insulated MUG! Entertainment was lagging, not much staff around to lead activities. Not much food selection, got old real fast. Have putt putt golf, but not very many clubs, so hard to use the course very often. Tennis raquets they had were broken. TONS of TEENAGERS (w/ no supervision). One night, teens hanging out in the hall untl 4 a.m. Called lobby, they warned them once, but it was not successful. Seems to be the place parents go w/ teens. If you're going w/ adults, I would stay clear on this resort. Go to town for fun with $6 taxi ride. Beds were hard, and hallways/stairways were trashed every morning (probably from the teens/kids ) as there was food, blood, etc. in hallways, elevators, and stairs. One pool was not cleaned very well either, filled with leaves, etc.

Don't fail to read the tiny print on the balcony door...it may alter the course of your vacation. The slamming hotel doors should have been our clue, but it was Day One and we were so happy to be warm, we didn't notice and left our hotel room with the balcony doors open and didn't return until late evening. Unfortunately, my 12 year old son was the first to return to the room and when he unlocked the door, the open balcony doors and the open hotel door created a wind vacuum that resulted in the hotel door slamming on, and SEVERING, his middle finger. After being told by a hotel employee that my son "hurt his finger", I had to run up 4 floors to retrieve the fingertip from the hotel room floor, race to the bar for a glass of ice to put it in, and race him to the clinic to seek medical attention. The doctor surgically reattached the fingertip and we spent the next 7 days of our trip making daily visits to the clinic for therapy in hopes of increasing the chances for a successful reattachment. (Doubtful)

Upon returning from the hospital that first night at 4am, the hotel clerk was only interested in making sure I filled out an accident report and signed a waiver absolving them of responsibility. I had to negotiate for 3 free phone calls to insurance provider, credit card company, and pediatrician. We met another girl at the hotel the same week with an enormous, swollen finger--another victim of another room door.

There is plenty to fix at El Cozumeleno...the mediocre food, the hoarding of lounge chairs, the redundant entertainment shows, the exhorbitant fees if you misplace your room key or towel card,
but nothing is more urgent than to address the slamming doors to make sure another guest, possibly younger, doesn't endure the loss of a finger...or worse. No vacation is worth it.

We just returned from "Spring Break 08" at the El Coz and had a great time. The weather was great with the bright, hot sun and intermittent clouds appearing just at the right time to give us a welcome break from the heat. We had a nice, relaxing vacation and plan on returning.

The El Coz is a very nice resort. We booked our travel with MLT and had no trouble at all. The transfers to and from the hotel were well coordinated and right on time. When we got to the resort, the desk staff was friendly and efficient. When we explored the beach for the first time, we were a little disappointed. The El Coz is not a place if you want a long expanse of white, sandy beach. There was a nice, clean beach available for sunbathing, but not one that would allow you to take long walks. (If you desire wide sands that extend into the water, El Coz is not for you.) What was nice was the ability to snorkel right off the resort. There is a long pier that acts as a breaker, allowing the fish to swim close to shore and providing great snorkeling. The water is warm and when the wind isn't blowing strong, is very nice to swim in.

In previous reviews, alot was said about the food, so I should too. The food was not bad. There was always a nice variety, with plenty of kids type selections. Of course, breakfast was the best, with make-to-order omelets. Lunches and dinners had pretty much standard buffet style food, with some specialty each night. There was always fresh fruit, which is what we all liked. My daughters loved the room service and the club sandwiches. The best part was the La Veranda restaurant. We ate there twice and had wonderful meals each time. The waiters were courteous and attentive and the food was wonderful.

The resort was kept very clean and the rooms were very large compared to other resorts. Be careful if you need anything from housekeeping in the evenings. The staff on the night shift does not speak English, so if you need something, you are better off calling the front desk for assistance; we did this one night to get extra towels. We were in the tower rooms in the resort and did not have a problem with noise, although we were in a room toward the end of the tower. The view of the resort and sea from the balcony was great. We could hear the waves at night which was very relaxing.

If shopping is your thing, the city was only a short taxi drive from the hotel, $5.00 for two people, $1.00 for each additional person. There are some nice jewelry shops and many tourist shops from which to choose. However, be aware, Cozumel is a port for many cruise ships. From 8 am to 5 pm, the ships release their passengers and it is very crowded. If you want to shop, go into town after 5 pm.

We did not explore the night life in Cozumel, but hearing from others, it is very lively. There are several clubs for all to attend.

Bottom line...We had a great time in Cozumel.