Just returned from the Melia, Cozumel. It was an excellent resort. The size was perfect. The beach was so close to the hotel. We had a room on the 10th floor in the tower. The view was great. Try to get one of these rooms! The hotel was very clean and the staff was very helpful. Great frozen drinks at the pool bar. We tried every one off the menu and they were great. Extra bananas by request! Be sure to get reservations for the two specialty restaurants, you will not be disappointed. The hotel is very close the the airport so you don't have to waste time traveling. Beach is very clean, water is murky. We did walk down to the next hotel and snorkeled. It was beautiful. We also enjoyed the free kayaks. Be sure to walk down the beach towards the private homes (opposite the Cozumelo resort). The beach is wider, no rocks and more private. It is a great walk and the beaches down there are perfect for swimming. Anyone looking for a super nice 4-5 Star resort, the Melia is it! Have fun!

The Melia was great. I couldn't recommend a better place. We had the junior suite and we couldn't have asked for a more spacious room. The views were amazing. Although there is lots to see in Mexico, you are very tempted to stay on the resort and enjoy the beauty of it.

Just returned from MELIA COZUMEL. The weather was EXCELLENT! For a reasonable price, the Melia has everything you need for a relaxing all-inclusive family beach vacation: Beach, Pool, Pool Bar, 3 Restaurants, Daily activities, 10 minutes to downtown for shopping. Cozumel is more for divers, etc. We have been to Cancun many times and wanted to try something different. We are glad we went, but probably will not return to Cozumel as we are not divers, nor to we snorkel, etc.

We went to Cozumel on a family trip. We were 6 adults and two 15 month olds. We had 3 separate studio rooms. There were couches in the rooms which we turned around and put the pack 'n plays behind them to give the illusion of a separate space so the babies could sleep more peacefully. The two families with babies has adjoining rooms on the ground level. Rooms 102 and 103. This was very nice because the babies could play together, but there were doors to shut at nighttime or for privacy, etc. Being on the ground floor was also very convenient when the babies were napping during the day or sleeping at night. The adults could sit outside the rooms on the patios (with baby monitors and the room doors bolted of course). We took turns making runs to the pool bar and jumping in the pool during the hot days. The staff seemed to do their jobs, but none of them seemed to be too eager to please.

There are 2 POOLS: an adults only pool and an activity pool. Many activities everyday. I did water aerobics and stretching on the beach. My husband took the free scuba lesson. There is also a free snorkeling tour offered everyday.
There is a privately owned SPA on the premises. Overall, the resort is relatively quiet during the day. Many people are out diving, etc.
THE BEACH was good enough. A little murky on some days due to the pier. They did have workers out there cleaning it up daily. Very hard work! The water was clearer down on the other side of the pier. Worth taking the walk over. The babies loved to play in the sand and run along the tide. We rented jet skis and if you go far enough out, the water is an AMAZING BLUE.
**TIPS** There are stairs everywhere! The resort is NOT stroller friendly. Do yourself a favor, and just leave it in the room. The food at LA IGUANA was excellent. Make sure you make your reservations at least once. A cab downtown was only $4.25 per couple. A complaint we all had was that we never were explained to about all the available activities, etc. We had to find out everything for ourselves. Don't waste your time on the timeshare breakfast if you don't intend to buy. It is just a waste of your precious vacation time!

My girlfriend and I recently stayed at the Hotel Melia for three nights and loved it. The hotel is great and the staff is extremely accomodating. How great is this hotel you may ask? It is so good that my biggest complaint is the following: their straws are too flimsy. It makes it very difficult to stir your daquiri/margarita/pina colada or whatever other mixed drink you may have.

The beach is extremely close to the hotel (I've been to places where the shorefront may be up to 100 yards away from the hotel), probably only 35-45 yards away. Yes, the water immediately in front of the hotel was a little dark, but it's a non-factor as long as you're willing to walk 100 yards down the beach past the jetty. There the water was crystal clear and great for snorkeling. My girlfriend and I also really enjoyed the arts & crafts hut that they have at Melia. They have all of these ceramic pieces that you can paint for a small fee ($5-$15 depending on its size, and the only thing you will find a fee associated with at Melia). When you're done painting these pieces, the woman who runs the shop touches them up, adding accents and details and then glazes them. They look amazing - - maybe too good since there's no way I'll be able to convince anyone I actually painted my pieces.

As far as all-inclusive resorts go, the food was amazing too. Other reviewers mentioned the "poppers" that they serve there, so I tried them myself. They truly may be the greatest thing since sliced bread. They're not like your normal popper, which is going to be a whole fried jalapeno with cheese stuffed inside. These are more like small balls of fried cheese with diced jalapeno. Since its diced jalapenos and not a whole jalapeno, its great for people with milder tastes. As far as food goes, Melia also has two restaurants (Cafe Paraiso and La Iguana Grill) that you have to make reservations at to attend. We ate at Cafe Paraiso one night and it was great. A four course meal with decent wine - - and all for free. Highly recommended.

The staff was very friendly and prompt with their service. They don't expect tips, but it is appreciated. One afternoon, after a half day excursion to Isla de Pasion, we came back and found we couldn't get into our safe, which had our extra cash and passports. We found out that in our rush to be on time for our excursion, we had left the safe unlocked. When the maid came to our room, she realized it was open and called security, who relocked it so no one could get in. When we returned, we waited for security to come to our room and when he unlocked the safe, everything was there - not a single thing missing. We felt like the experience really showed how trustworthy the staff there is.

While other parts of the island still showed the effects of Wilma, Melia was in great shape. Don't listen to what any of the negative reviews say - - those people are just too hard to please.