Let me first say my review of the Grand is from 2004, I post it because I have stayed at several hotels on cozumel over the past 5 years. The Grand is most likely an ideal hotel if you want beautiful scenery close to the best dive sites around. It is one of the last hotels on the South side of the Island, so if you want to go to town the cab fare gets a little pricey.
Rooms were immaculate and clean. Cozumel is an island though, and it is considered to be jungle.. therefore your clothes will absorb ambient moisture and become damp by the 3 or 4th day (even if hanging in the closet).I do not advise putting your worn clothing in a closed suitcase or it will get musty! That is the way it is, in a high humidity environment. There was no mold in our room though.
As far as the resort, it is beautiful... my fiance and I stayed here and absolutely loved the property. We took full advantage of all the resort had to offer... especially the onsite Dive Palancar.
As far as a dive operation, they run a solid shop. My fiance finished her certification dives there and I purchased the 10 tank package which they allowed us to share between us. Boats range from midsize to small depending on divesites. Actually we prefered the small boat because the groups were smaller and we saw more in the smaller groups. I suppose if you go to one divesite you might not see what you are looking for, but Palancar Caves and Palancar Gardens were perfect for us. If you truly want a personalized experience, hire your own personal divemaster. It really was worth it and was quite economical. The DM asked us what we wanted to see and directed us to that part of the reef. Best of all the reef is only 10 mins away! How good is the diving? Well, it is considered to be among the best diving around... if not THE Best!

The Grand beach is like every other resort beach there is. Yes, if you want a prime beach seat, be prepared to get up early in the morning. This should be considered the norm of beach resorts. You will find seats later, but the palapas will be taken by 9am guaranteed. We found ourselves hitting the beach at 7:55 am and leaving at 1 to do our dive trips... back in before sunset for a shower and off to dinner.
Dinner reservations were not a problem when I visited, I stopped at the desk on the way to breakfast and made reservations a couple of times. Overall the restaurants were very good. Even the pizza parlor was romantic, a local band played several songs for us... and the lighting on the roof was spectacular. It is our favorite picture from that trip and our last night there.
We were unable to get back into the grand in Jan 05 due to bookings and stayed elsewhere. We definitely will be back in '06!

A couple of things I recommend... If you are like us, we like to experience the culture and beauty of the places we visit outside the tourist traps and resorts themselves. IF that is your thing- Rent a car;spend the time and visit San Geravisio ruins on the north side of the island for a morning. Ruins here are wonderful and give you a glimpse of Cozumel's past. In the afternoon visit the East side of the Island and eat at one of the local restaurant/bars on the beach.
Personally Mescalitos is my favorite place to eat and enjoy the sounds of crashing surf (yes the East side of cozumel has crashing waves... DO NOT SWIM here. Currents are too strong and jagged rocks make this too dangerous). I have eaten here 3 separate occasions and NEVER had any problems. In fact the seafood sampler platter for 2 was $25! and contained the freshest snapper, shrimp, octupus, konch, and calimari you will ever have. In the US the same dish would have been at least $50-70 depending where you live.
As the sun begins to fade... Coconuts has the best Pina Coladas and spectacular sunsets. It makes a spectacular day trip and trust me, if you are seeking total relaxation you will find it there- we shared the beach with 2 other couples most of the day.
The restaurants on the east side of the island close at sunset as the only electricity they have is generator powered. So when the sun sets, head back to the grand and enjoy the rest of your vacation!

All and all... I was not an AI type of person when I visited the Grand. However, I would recommend staying here and plan on visiting again next year. It is my favorite hotel on cozumel!

I had no expectations for this resort after reading all the horrible reviews, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The resort is beautiful, with charming buildings, immaculate landscaping, and a wonderful sandy beach with calm waters. The rooms were large and attractively decorated. My favorite part of the resort was the shady hammock area on the beach. So relaxing. . .

Meals were good. The buffets always had a nice selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. I also appreciated the changes to the daily menu. The specialty restaurants didn't offer better food, but the dishes were beautifully plated and it was nice to be waited on. I don't understand the reviews that criticize the food so harshly. Everything was very fresh and pretty tasty. I wasn't expecting Jean Georges every night. Also, I had no problems booking reservations. There was no line, I just walked right up to the guest services woman and booked reservations for the whole week. It took about 3 minutes. Los Olivos, the Mediterranean restaurant, was the best of the three, I thought. I was always stuffed to the gills afterwards, but some people have complained about the portion sizes. If that's an issue, you can always ask for another portion or just run to the buffet or the pizza place, La Piazza, afterward.

I'd never been to an all-inclusive resort so I was a bit apprehensive, but I think I might consider it again in the future. It's nice not having to think about the bill everytime you order a drink or sit down to a meal. All-inclusive means most activities at the resort. We paid separately for spa treatments. I got a mud wrap, which was wonderful. And my husband got a massage. I'd recommend getting a massage by the beach, which I didn't realize was an option until my last day there.

For other activities, we rented a car for two days, visited some of the sites on the island, Chankanaab, Punta Sur, and the east side. We also went on a day trip to Chichen Itza, an old Mayan site, which was just amazing. Those are all extra.

All in all, it was a great getaway, and, I think, a very good value.

After reading the reviews prior to our trip, we too were a little hesitant, but for no cause! We experienced probably the best vacation we ever had on this 5 day trip and only wished it could've lasted longer. The room was immaculate and beautiful with marble floors and a spacious bathroom with glass shower for 2. As for the musty smell you read about, it's there inititally but after the first day, you don't smell it at all.

The food was very good. Other resorts in Mexico do not compare. The buffet was good, breakfast probably being the worst meal (but still good). The reservation restaurants were very good, comparable to Philly. The beach/water/snorkeling were amazing. Very peaceful, and beautiful surroundings. Not a great place for those who don't like to be in a natural setting. There is a tropical feel to the entire place with many sightings of birds and lizards.

As with most island vacation spots, the packages to do day trips or such, are a little costly. We only did one, and spend the rest of the time just enjoying the grand.

All in all, thumbs way up for the place and the staff. We would definitely go back if we return to mexico.

We stayed at the occidental grand cozumel on our april 2005 vacation. For the price, in comparison to the other 4-5 star hotel on the island you get alot for your money. My husband and I are not all inclusive type people, so when you read our review keep this in mind. The grounds were absolutely beautiful, immaculate and the overall feel of the property was great. The staff, especially the maid service was terrfic. We did not love the buffets that they offered as opposed to the specialty restaurants. At times on the buffets, the food did not look so fresh. Especially at the beach bar buffet for lunch. Be sure to get there early so the food is fresh, otherwise you will see many flies etc. The seating and lounge chairs on the beach and around the pool was great. We loved the tiki huts on the beach for shade. Here are only a few downsides of the hotel. Our room was extremely musty. Other people on this site have also commented on this. I guess the AC units dont filter out and moisture leaving your room smelling like a damp basement. So strongly that since our return home, we have washed our clothing 2x and we can still smell it. i have been to other places in mexico and never had this. also rent a car---very far from town and cabs are really expensive- we rented a car at the airport and just asked locals where to park. People were very friendly and helpful in cozumel. hope the helps and enjoy your trip---