We stayed at the Iberostar from October 16-21 because the short getaway was all we could manage with our schedules. We spent two days on Cozumel several years ago and we always meant to return and see the rest of the island.

The other reviews pretty much say it all and it was a positive experience for us. We would return in a heartbeat.

Yes, we experienced the clouds and rain and that is nobody's fault. We did bring our umbrellas and were glad we did. You never knew if it was going to rain for five minutes or three hours. They aren't kidding about the bugs. I thought we knew all about mosquitoes in Wisconsin but the ones here were smaller and far more vicious. They come out promptly at dusk. The resort does spray an environmentally friendly fog for them but I don't know how much good that does.

The snorkeling is awesome. It's quite nice going right from the pier but be sure to book one of the trips to the reefs.

We did walk down to Alberto's, just down the beach late one afternoon. The food is wonderful. Go in the late afternoon so you are finished before the bugs enjoy you for their evening meal.

I have to mention that I booked a snorkeling trip with Chala, available at Alberto's. He's friendly and personable. He is concerned about his guests' safety, taking you to shallow water to make sure that everyone gets the hang of snorkeling. Then we visited two reefs (only two due to our own time constraints). He will stay right with the group, diving down to point out items of interest and to bring up items for us to see. I enjoyed snorkeling with Chala far more than the trip we booked at the hotel.

The pools were clean and warm. The beach was clean and well kept. The room was always immaculate.

We will gladly return.

We had a great week at the Iberostar (10/29 -11/5) and would happily visit this resort again.

Accomodations
We were in room 7311 which is secluded and quiet; ask for a room in the 10s or 80s if you want to be right in the action of the pool/beach area.

Dinning
The buffet food was very good. We only ate in one of the ala-carte restaurants (Rock Star Cafe) and enjoyed our meal there as well.

Staff
We don't participate much in the resort life - shows etc. - but everyone we did work with was friendly and very courteous.

Bugs
Contrary to some reviews, I didn't really think the mosquitos, sand flies, etc. were much of a problem. I only used my bug spray one time, and I came home with only one bite. I think a sand fly got me while we were watching a beautful Cozumel sunset.

Getting There
We flew from Chicago to Cancun and then took the bus/ferry combination to get to Cozumel. It went very smoothly.

This is going to be long....sorry, but hopefully very informative!
We stayed at the Iberostar Cozumel October 18th-25th and were very sad to leave!! It was a very relaxing time and seemed to be a great time of year to go. It was wet all but 2 days we were there as this is part of their rainy season, but we still made the best of it. One thing about the weather is because of it being a small island, it could be raining on one side but be sunshine all day on the other. You just really don’t know what’s going to happen with the weather there. But there were never bad storms, it was just rain showers.
I had done a lot of research (locations and resorts) before booking our trip and am very glad that we chose to go to Coz and stay at IB...it is money very well spent! I also tried to find out as much information before we went to see what the locals and prior vacationers suggested. It would have been nice to find ONE website that told us everything...but I couldn’t find it. I would recommend visiting cozumelmycozumel.com for some very good information for first time visits. As for the reviews on this website (trip advisor), most are pretty right on, but you have to keep an open mind and realize that there are just some people who will NEVER be happy…no matter what you do for them. Life is what you make of it, and I feel very sorry for these type of people.
The resort…absolutely wonderful! The food was always good, the Mexican and the steak house were great. The staff throughout are a true pleasure, they are there to make you have a great time and truly enjoy yourself. If you ask for it they will do their best to make it happen! Something I forgot about reading before we went was (upon check in) to ask the front desk for a mattress topper on your bed. I quickly remembered after two nights of sleeping on the hard bed. Yes they are hard, it is true, but if you ask at the front desk for the topper they will have it on your bed before you go to bed that night! Tipping is not required but it is recommended by past visitors…a couple dollars here and there goes a looooooooooooong way in Cozumel! A couple dollars every morning for your housekeeper is greatly appreciated and ensures your fridge gets stocked every day instead of every two days! Again if there is something you want (i.e. all diet coke instead of 2 diets and 2 sprites) leave a note with your tip and your wish will be granted.
The nature and wildlife are fantastic to see. Beautiful plants , exceptionally manicured grounds, and awesome exotic animals! Very refreshing just to walk around the resort. The sidewalks are very winding so after a few drinks in the lobby you might feel as though they moved your room to a new location when you try to get back to it…relax and enjoy the scenery!
Some items that are a must to pack in your “2” 50LB suitcases…some people didn’t realize they could bring 2 on flight from US.
1. A PEN…for the flight in, so you can fill out your forms on the plane before landing in Coz…don’t be the one holding up the line!
2. BUG SPRAY…at least two bottles…they can get pretty bad. I got lucky but I saw lots of others that didn’t!
3. Sunscreen…this should be a given, but you would be surprised! And don’t just bring it WEAR IT!!!
4. UMBRELLAS…nothing like spending 45 minutes getting ready for dinner and walking to dinner in the rain!
5. ELECTRIC POWER STRIP…there is only one outlet in the main room and one in the bathroom. One outlet period...so there is no making coffee and knowing what time it is!
6. WATERPROOF CAMERA…if you plan on doing any snorkeling or scuba…it’s amazing down there!
7. WATERSHOES…yes it’s rocky getting out in the water from the beach…think lava rock!
8. TYLENOL or equivalent…you might find yourself with a slight headache the next moring!
9. STOMACH medicine…you should be fine if you drink and brush your teeth with the bottled water, but better to be safe than sorry. (Recommend Pepto-Bismol and Immodium AD) We didn’t need it, but it was something I read on another review and think it was a good idea.
10. AIR FRESHENER…great thing to have to help with the musty smell of your room…helped ours a lot! Once again though…there was only one outlet so I couldn’t keep it plugged in all the time (see item 3 above)
11. A LARGE TOTE for shopping downtown if you plan on going…makes carrying all your bags a little easier…unless you buy one downtown.
12. Good walking shoes (not flip flops) if you go sight seeing and shopping downtown.
13. MP3 player with YOUR music! They don’t play the most up to date music and it was nice to chill at the pool and listen to our own music. Also, if you have portable speakers to listen in your room while getting ready…TV channels are limited. Just something we were really happy we had!
We rented a Jeep while there to ride around the island and drive into town, good choice. The rentals at the hotel are a little pricey compared to what you can find downtown. But you also have to keep in mind you do get what you pay for. You will find the Jeeps at the hotel are around $80 but if you go into town you can find them half the price. BUT…the ones that are cheaper are not going to be as nice, i.e. no back windows=no security when parked. For some this is not a problem, for us it was because when we went out we took all of our snorkel stuff in case we wanted to stop somewhere and snorkel…well when we ended up downtown shopping we found ourselves carrying all of our snorkel gear, towels, etc. because we couldn’t lock it up in the Jeep. That stuff gets heavy! Just trying to explain the big differences in prices all depends on what you want. I can tell you having no back windows in a Jeep was not a problem when it was raining, as long as there is no one in the back seat…actually allows for good airflow while not getting driver and passenger wet! If you are looking for bargain deals on cars/Jeeps…try Less Pay or Smart Car Rental. Less Pay is located in the Barracuda Hotel. Smart is downtown near all the other car rental places. Tell taxi driver you are looking for a good deal on rental car and he will drop you off downtown in the middle of all the rental places so you can walk around and check out rates.
While we were in town we ate at a restaurant I had read about on line and was highly recommended…I too would highly recommend eating here. It is called La Choza…you can find directions on cozumelmycozumel.com or ask any of the locals…GREAT FOOD and good prices! We also ate at Mexcalitos while going around the island…another GREAT choice. If you pass by, stop in for a bite to eat or just a drink…and check out the naked beach!
I believe this is quite long enough, hopefully it will even post! I hope this is helpful to you reading. We hope you choose Iberostar Cozumel and are as pleased as we were! Wherever you choose to go, enjoy yourself and live life to the fullest!!!

Stayed at the Iberostar from 11th Oct - 25th October we had 12 days of very heavy rain but all was not lost as staying at the Iberostar was a delight, food, rooms, service and the never ending supply of cocktails made the whole experience a good time. We did the three reef snorkel trip which was abit of a wash out, hired a car for the day to see the island which was enjoyable even in heavy down pours of rain. We also did the royal experience dolphin trip which was fantastic and worth every penny. Not to impressed with first choice after taking our money for leg room on the return flight which we didn't get, I am now in the process of trying to get our money back. The gardens and wild life lived up to all expectations although I could have done without the appearance of a tarantula strolling into the welcome meeting first day, we never see another I am glad to say. Thought the red sea was better for snorkelling and wouldn't return to Cozumel now we have been there the once.