Subject: Occidental Grand Cozumel

We just got back from a two week stay on Cozumel at the Occidental Grand Cozumel. The setting and landscaping were probably one of the best that we have ever encountered.....lots of lush vegetation throughout the property, including a mangrove that crosses the property near the beach. The three story buildings with 8 units per floor are set back from the main walkway and are surrounded by bushes, flowers, tropicals. There are many water fountains that are situated in the middle of the walkways and there are frequent sightings of iguanas throughout the property.
The rooms are clean, the showers fantastic and the beds were comfortable for sleeping. It was amazing how many different towel sculptures could be created during our stay by the cleaning staff. Each night we found chocolates and a daily newsletter for the following day awaiting us after our return from dinning or the evening entertainment.
Evening shows were usually performed at the main open air plaza and the chairs were covered with white linen chair covers both there as well as on the loungers at the Relax Pool. That was a nice change from the white chair look at many hotels. The shows were short, usually between 30 - 45 minutes and included international, Mexican, musical shows, a fire juggling performance which was outstanding as well as an family evening to view and purchase souvenirs and play games with prizes. Outdoor bars were open at the two pools during the day as well as at entertainment venues in the evening.
A couple of nice features were the afternoon tea off the lobby bar where small sandwiches, cookies and tea, coffee as well as alcoholic drinks were served. In the evening that same room was the location for a classical guitar performance by a local performer. My only complaint was that the lobby bar which was located adjacent to this room was often noisy with guests enjoying a drink and the company of friends.
The hacienda style of the main reception area and adjacent areas were perfect for sitting, reading, relaxing, eating, chatting...and there were many places to do this. Having an outdoor breakfast or dinner on the outside patio area was a treat each day. The staff was always friendly and eager to attend to guest needs.
The main buffet room was used for breakfast and dinner in the evening. The lighting could have been brighter in the evenings. Selection and quality of food was good but at times I found myself looking for plates, cutlery, for bowls to be replenished or replaced and the omelette lineup could be long some days. Salads, desserts, pasta and fish dishes were excellent. Having smoked or shaved salmon for breakfast was a nice treat.
There is a pizza restaurant on the roof and the setting is great in the evenings. However, it is listed as an a la carte restaurant in the early evening and is open again after 9 as a place to go for a late night pizza....They serve about 12 varieties of thin crust pizza and soup or salad is also available. Two groups of friends of ours, on different evenings, had long waits for their food when they booked that restaurant as an a la carte venue.
The other two a la carte restaurants, Mexican (Sonoma) and Mediterranean (Los Olivos) served great food with excellent presentations. Everything that we tried the three times that we were at Olivos was terrific. The Meditteranean had an varied salad bar, as well, and is decorated nicely.
If you like to go suba diving or snorkeling..then this is the place to be. The hotel has its own wooden pier and the boats leave from here for excursions to the offshore reefs. Check out the evening sunset...it really is fantastic especially if you capture a cruise ship in the picture as well.
We tried the beach and the main pool but stayed at the Relax Pool almost exclusively. The quiet setting and piped music was conducive for chatting and relaxing. In fact the music could be heard along the main pathway from speakers hidden in the vegetation along the path.
We booked a car on two separate days to travel around the island. The east side is very different from the west and some beaches can be coral or sandy. The road is narrow but the views are very picturesque. We stopped by a couple of places to have a beer and lunch...Coconuts and Marley's.
I would highly recommend this hotel.

My friend and I took a last minute trip to the Occidental when we realized we had some vacation and hated Boston weather in late February.

Our flight and transfer from Cancun (last minute travel seems to force you to go through Cozumel) was not too painful, but long. Our arrival at the hotel went well. People were helpful and friendly, and the common areas in the evening are quite pretty.

Our room was on the first floor of a building and in a great location between the lobby and beach. It was musty smelling, but we just got over it as everything else was very positive! The room set-up was great. Roomy and a great bathroom. A bit of wear and tear, but also evidence of strong maintenance. My only advise is to those people who expect a big balcony or patio. These are small and with inexpensive Lowes furniture. The good news is that you are never in your room.

Food -- we thought it was just great. We were there for 4 days and did not bother with any reservations. We just found what looked good at any buffet. Maybe if we were there longer it would have gotten old, but we had great finds with with each course.

Service -- aside from from timeshare folks, who actually were minimally invasive the staff was great! We left tips and spoke with everyone and everyone was great.

Company -- some great people, mostly from the Canada or the Midwest. Many people with bad sunburns who had not seen sun for a months. A few less tank tops on hairy guys even in the dining areas is needed. I felt bad for the staff you needed to be polite and dressed -- they were serving some folks who did not seem to understand that being dressed like you are mowing your lawn or having dinner at Applebee's is fine. These folks are putting in the effort -- some sleeves and decent clothes really are needed. I talked with a few other guests who were upset their efforts to look nice were seated next to folks who were not even nice to staff.

We returned from the Occidental on 3/10/08. The grounds are gorgeous and it was nice to see a resort with some wildlife. There are plenty of chairs on the beach and at the pools. The only problem we had was a smell of sewer, which the last night came from our shower terribly. The food is good - don't order a steak. We tried the Sonora Grill - the staff are wonderful and the food is good and presented so nice. There was no problem in getting reservations although we didn't know till we got there that we weren't allowed three reservations - only two. This based on the number of nights you stay. The buffet has lots of choices and the fruits are especially good. The weather was our only problem and that isn't the occidentals problem. If you dive or snorkel - cozumel is a great place to go. Don't rent a moped - there were almost three accidents on the way to the resort and we saw one person injured. Overall the staff are wonderful - the rooms were clean and we had a great time.

My wife and I recently returned from 10 days in Cozumel.

The hotel is located on a fabulous beach and reef. Snorkeling and diving access is extremely convenient. The staff are very anxious to please in every area.

We highly recommend renting a little car (not a moped, people get whacked every day) and cruise around the island. Lots to see:
* Stop and explore the beaches and beach bars on the Eastern seaside of the island.
* The ala carte restaurants are pretty so so. Visit Alberto's south of the hotel for great food and music.
* Spend a day at the Parque at Punta Sur. Well worth $10.
* Our friends loved the Dolphinaris. Pretty spendy though.

The rooms were very clean and comfortable. Huge bathrooms with big walk-in showers. The house keeping service is wonderful. Tip generously and you will be well taken care of.

The food was generally good. I'm reluctant to be critical, but it just gets boring after a while. That's why I'd supplement the buffet food with beach bar lunches. You're really not missing anything lunch-wise at the hotel.

It's really my only knock on AI's, is the lack of variety. No matter how hard they try, it's still a buffet. The beach bars have some really great fresh local seafood. A lot of folks raved about Coconuts, we liked Punta Chiqueros.

Last note: as with any beach club, get up early and put out your towel to stake your claim or go out late at night if that works better for you. You'd think there would be plenty of chairs, but that's the beach.