 |
|
Occidental Grand Cozumel —  
Location: Beachfront - 25 minute drive from Cozumel Airport
All-inclusive - 252 rooms
Description from resort website: Experience the authentic Mexican design and upscale comfort of our Grand accommodations, or upgrade to our Royal Club, a hotel within the hotel with personal concierge service, hydro-massage bathtubs and other exclusive amenities. Dive packages include daily trips to the underwater caves of the world's second largest reef system, home to loggerhead turtles, eagle rays, and Cozumel's native toadfish. Every Occidental Grand Cozumel all-inclusive vacation includes dining in any of our six specialty restaurants and daily sport and water activities, including windsurfing, kayaking, and scuba clinics in the resort pool. When the sun goes down, have cocktails in one of four bars or head for the disco. Cozumel's expressive pastel sunsets are the most incredible backdrop for an unforgettable wedding or honeymoon. Our secluded location and state of the art infrastructure make the Occidental Grand Cozumel the perfect site for business conferences and company functions.
 ~ Reviews posted on this page — 11
 ~ Mexico Resort Reviews Index
 ~ Mexico Travel Forum
Have you stayed at this resort? Share your vacation experiences with others.
Don't forget to send your review to Debbie by using an easy form
|
| Occidental Grand Cozumel | Karen ~ Ontario |
February 2009
Arrival
Our arrival in Mexico got off to a really shaky start. We flew Sky Service with Signature Vacations. Apparently, the pilot usually announces on Signature Vacations' behalf a warning about the time share sales people that accost you at the airport. Our pilot did not make this announcement. I talked to several other people who confirmed it was announced on their plane. When we arrived, we were approached by a young girl who asked us which hotel we were going to. She then took us over to someone who vaguely indicated he was with Signature Vacations. He indicated that our bus was full and we would need to wait for the next bus and then proceeded to hold us for 20 minutes trying to sign us up for a time share presentation. I finally decided to walk away and see if another bus was ready for us outside. At that point, I found the real Signature Reps who proceeded to berate me for stopping at the time shares. I was so taken aback, I just asked them to please get me a bus to my hotel. I already felt stupid, I didn't need Signature making me feel worse. We did get to our hotel and from there I decided to start over again, putting the rough start behind me. Just to conclude, the next morning I found Freddy, our Rep and told him how upset I was and he did apologize for his behaviour. He explained that the pilot did not make the announcement and again he was sorry. So we parted friends, but this was my first Signature vacation and I am still a little burned and not sure I will use them again. Note to anyone flying into Cozumel - I cannot emphasize this enough - walk through the airport, ignore everyone until you get outside to find the real reps. I had read this on this site, but it did not register with me in time.
Rooms
We were in building 12, back from the beach, with a jungle view. I received top floor as I had asked, non-smoking with a king bed. The room was quite lovely and large. The balcony was very small and not inviting to sit out on. There was no musty smell, as I have read so often. I had read that the beds were hard as boards, but my bed was quite comfortable. The a/c worked well, plenty of hot water and plenty of towels and pillows, which I truly appreciated. The maid service was excellent and she left a different towel animal every day. The mini bar was kept full each day with plenty of bottled water. Be sure to use the bottled water for brushing your teeth. My only complaint about our room would be that the walls are paper thin. You can hear absolutely everything anyone says in the next room and fully understand it. Be careful not to gossip about your neighbours because it is like they are in the room with you. Luckily for us, our complex was pretty quiet and only a few times did I awake because someone came home after the disco closed.
Restaurants and Bars
We actually came to Mexico over Cuba this year because my husband's coworkers kept raving about the food. From my perspective it was ok. It was typical all inclusive fair and nothing special. There is plenty of food and lots of variety, so if you have any concerns, don't. There will always be something to eat. I just didn't think it was fantastic, just ok. Some things that stood out for me, included, a BBQ night that included BBQ in fajitas and that was very good. It was held at the Beach Bar and was a nice change. I had a very nice filet mignon at the Mediterranean Restaurant and a nice chocolate dessert. Ironically, my husband then ordered a New York Striploin at the Steak Restaurant that was actually a Salisbury Steak. This was disappointing as was their Creme Brulee. At breakfast they served tortillas that were fried and then coated in sugar and cinnamon. They were like a Mexican beaver tail and I found them quite addictive. Drinks were always available. Mostly, the waitress brought them to us at the beach beds (oh yes, the beach beds, I will get to those). She was awesome at her job. The bartenders were very good and I don't think they ever get a chance to slow down. The waiters and waitresses are very friendly and all speak excellent English.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The ocean is great. It is clear swimming for several metres inside the bouys. We snorkeled in there and there were lots of fish and coral to see. If you want more, you can get a boat out a little farther. There is an activity pool which is always hopping and there is a relaxing pool which is very quiet. This pool is only 4' deep all around and it was great just to walk in and cool that body temp right down. The iguanas hang around at the relaxing pool, so make sure you stay long enough to see them.
The beach is well groomed but I will say, nowhere near as nice as the Cuban beaches I have been to. You can walk for miles though and visit several other resorts. This resort does have one feature which I found EXCELLENT. They have 4 poster beach beds, with bamboo roofs and white cotton curtains and a comfortable beach mattress and neck roll. They look like something Cleopatra would have sat on. They are fantastic for privacy and shade. The wind blows through them nicely keeping the temperature down. As you lay on them you have a clear view of the ocean. I found them very relaxing and comfortable.
There was no shortage of beach chairs or palpalas. However, I did find them to be cramped together very closely. I preferred the privacy of the beach beds and luckily they were not difficult to come by either. Only one day, we arrived to the beach a bit late and had to wait until after lunch for a bed.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We took the ferry to Playa del Carmen and met up with friends. Again, trying to get to the proper ticket booth for the ferry, I was accosted by time share people offering me free ferry tickets. By now, I was proficient at ignoring them, but for me, I just found it really annoying. Anyway, the ferry ride was quick, easy, comfortable and fun. It cost us $20USD each round trip.
The last night, I could not face down another night at the buffet, so we walked down the beach to the south to Alberto's. He has beach tables and serves what he caught that day. We watched the sun set and had a great lobster dinner. We spent about $50USD. Alberto puts out solar lights along the beach that light your way home back to the Occidental. It was definitely worth it.
Other Comments
Just some other points, I read that others needed bug spray. I never did. Probably I could have used some at Alberto's as I did get bit that night but in general, never saw a mosquito or sand flea.
My only complaint about this resort would be that the time share issue just never goes away. You sit and watch them take people on tours all day long and every time you go near the front lobby someone is trying to sign you up. As I said before, for me it was annoying but for others, it didn't bother them at all. They used it to their advantage.
Now I have tried Mexico and I think I will return to Cuba next year. The difference in food was not great enough to draw me away again.
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Mike & Laura ~ Toronto, Canada |
April 2008
This was our first Occidental hotel (stayed with the Royal Club) and we loved it. The best thing was the peace and quiet. This is THE place to relax. The lush tropical gardens all around the grounds make you feel like you’ve gone back in time. Tons of unique butterflies are everywhere. It really is a peaceful, relaxing place. Not great, if you want to party, though. This place best suits families and couples who want to get away from it all.
Our room was beautiful and faced the mangrove, so it was extra quiet. We were on the top floor of one of the 3-storey buildings scattered throughout the massive grounds and just loved sitting on the balcony in the morning to hear all the birds.
The staff were superb, and the food was excellent. Room service included with Royal Club was fast and amazingly presented. The different restaurants were all good, but our favorites were the Royal Club restaurant, and the restaurant down by the beach.
This hotel has two pools, one for those who want to participate in the many activities, and one for those who just want to lounge, read, or snooze. We loved being at the quieter pool and enjoyed watching the iguana come out to visit every so often.
The beach was beautiful, and we can’t say enough about how sparkling clean the water is!!!! Snorkling is AWESOME right in front of the resort, and there is no need to take an excursion to see amazing and numerous fish. Snorkling equipment is free to use. The beach is good for swimming, and you can walk quite a ways in either direction. Compared to the other hotels that we could walk to, the Occidental had the best beachfront.
Although there was a problem with our room one day, hotel management and administrative staff addressed the matter immediately, and did it to our greatest satisfaction.
This resort deserves 5 stars for sure, and we will hope to get back as soon as possible!
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Clint ~ Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
January 2008
We stayed at the Grand Jan 11 to Jan 18/2008. It was Grand and then some! We had come here via a recommendation from a good friend of ours, so we had pretty high expectations! And we were not disappointed at all.
We arrived at approx noon on the Friday and check-in brought us a pleasant surprise. The front desk informed us we had been bumped to the Royal Club. Thus we were whisked off to the Royal Concierge to get ourselves checked in. They provided us with a glass of champagne and we were promptly checked into our rooms. Seeing that it was before 3pm our room wasn’t quite ready, so we were told to come back in a couple hours and they would give us our room key, and the bellman would bring our bags to our room then. We also were able to book an evening to the Royal section restaurant at this time.
We were then off to the pool to soak up some rays, drink some cervaza's and enjoy our holiday. And right off the get go we met "Broant", fellow Trip Advisor, and her girls. We all hit it off and ended up hanging out most of the week. So far great resort and new friends!
The main pool, beach buffet and beach are over the mangrove via a bridge. We did not find any smell in regards to the Mangrove at all! It is cool to see the turtles and ducks hanging out here, the resort tries to be as eco friendly as possible. We also at one point in our trip saw a big iguana swim across the water and into one of the trees in the middle of the mangrove, who knew they swam that well??
Our room was ready at 3 when we went back to the concierge, Building 19, second floor, 1924. King size bed, huge bathroom, killer shower, which we want to have installed in our basement now! And a huge bathtub, which the wife enjoyed! We faced the jungle with a partial view of the ocean. The room could not have been better. Super clean, mini fridge, which was always full of pop, water and beers. The cleaning girls always did a great job in cleaning our room and providing us with towel art most days! We did tip them everyday as we saw them working early every morning and till late in the day! There was also a turn down service every night with chocolates left and the next day newsletter. We did use the room service one day and it was quick and very good.
As far as the restaurants and buffets we could not have been more impressed. I am a fussy eater in regards to not eating a wide variety of items. But not once did I find it hard to find lots, and I mean lots, to fill my plate with! The food was always a good temperature and very tasty. We have been to other resorts where the food was cool or warm to taste, never found that here, including breakfast which can be hard to keep hot. People I think that complain of the food here need to either not goto an AI or realize that it is hard to make every meal with lots of spice. These places are trying to appeal to the masses, not that keen one on one order that one would get at a true 5 star restaurant!!
The Royal restaurant was very nice and had a nice atmosphere. I had some issues here, as it was a little too different here in regards to my tastes. But my wife enjoyed everything immensely. I did too on what I had, its just I stick to the things I like. We also went to the seafood ala carte. This was also very good from start to finish. The grouper was a hit!!
As for the beach and bar service, very nice. We never had an issue in getting a lounger, no towel games here! The sand was soft and we never found a need for our beach shoes. We saw a few varities of fish from shore. A barracuda, corral stingray and a variety of other fish. The pools were a little cool but once in it was all-good. We also played some of the pool games and my wife did the aquasize. The entertainment staff was very good and would try to get people involved, but not overly pushy! The bar down at the pool was good and became better as the week went along, new bartender that was a little more talkative. There is also a girl that went around the pool and beach taking drink orders, which was great! She worked very hard taking drink requests.
The nightly entertainment was ok, your typical AI entertainment. We did find the Friday night show quite funny, Mr. Occidental contest! We didn’t catch all the shows but they were ok from what we saw. There is a Mexican market one night, where you can barter for some items that was nice. There is an artist that paints plates and pictures onto a feather, very cool. We bought a painted feather painting.
We also went down to Alberto's 2 times. The first time we walked the beach, very safe and about a 10 minute walk. This place was amazing. We had a crab and lobster that we split between the 2 of us. These things were huge and very good. Good enough that we went back again and had the crab and shrimp the second time! When we went back the second time we took the road as it was raining a little that night, so it was a faster walk via the road. Highly recommend checking this place out!
We took part in the timeshare meeting, to get a good deal on a jeep! We did not find the timeshare boys out front to be as aggressive as anticipated. And once we had done the meeting they seemed to still want to help us out, and no we did not sign up either! With the timeshare discount the jeep rental was $40 including insurance. We went around the island, stopping at Playa Palancar, great beach, but on this day, Sunday, they were not operating the snorkel boat. Then we cruised the east side, some really amazing sights and beaches here. Worth the drive over here. And we had to stop at Coconuts for lunch.. The food was great, nice atmosphere and view. We left a t-shirt here, so will be interesting if they put it up? If you go, look for a black t that says HyperActive Watersports with a big Canadian Leaf on it! Let me know if it is up?? And no the wife would not go for a free tequila shot! Bummer!
We did a snorkel tour thru the resort also one day. It was great as there were only 4 of us on this tour, which took you to 2 reefs. Lots to see down there. At the second reef, our captain, Jose, joined us in the water. He would point out some of the fish that we didn’t see ourselves. Lobster, baby nurse shark, eels, rockfish, starfish and lots of others. He also drew in a nice big barracuda to give us a chance to see a big Mexican piranha, lol
The staff at this resort are beyond reproach! They are always acknowledging you while you are out and about, with a “hola” or “another cervaza?”. They honestly do care about you and the time that you are having. It was nice to have someone want to give you good service for a change. It is something that we don’t see that often anymore back here in Canada or even the USA. Another big bonus here is NO wrist bands or towel cards!!
In closing, I am glad my friend told me about the Occidental Grand. It is a great resort to check out if you are looking to have a nice relaxing vacation with enough to keep you going and provide you with the opportunity to do more if you so desire! We will be back here one day and will not hesitate to tell our friends about this great holiday retreat!
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Martha |
December 2007
Our stay started out great with a quick direct flight and cab ride, and got better as the week went on. Check-in was a breeze as was the golf cart ride to our room. The room was very neat, clean and comfortable: Marble floors, bright colors, new furniture, bathtub and a separate shower.
The grounds are very well kept and clean with lots of walking paths between the main buildings, room buildings and the beach. There is a separation of the main resort area from the beach by a path thru nature reserve full of wildlife. At the beach is the main pool, activities area and beach club restaurant.
The beach is to die for, if you like snorkeling this is the spot. You don't have to take a snorkel boat out all you have to do in put on your gear and swim out 50 yards to see thousands of fish, barracuda, squid, and lobster. There is a dive shop and tour charter company on the beach but there’s no hassle from these guys at all.
Lunch at the beach club is all you could ask for. Yes, its buffet style but you’re on a white sand beach with clear blue water and more selections of food and drinks then one would want, for lunch.
The staff was great, very friendly and helpful. Everybody always greeted us with a hello, how are you? day and night... The restaurants were good, clean and the Mediterranean restaurant is the best by far. The breakfast buffet is huge and fresh with a cook at your disposal.
The cocktails were available at 5 different bars on the property and they have a great selection; something for everyone. If we wanted to take a walk down the beach, to the East, the next hotel over is owned by the same company and their bars and restaurants were available to us as well.
As with most resorts of this size and type they too had the "Timeshare" sales pitch. But for the hour we gave them, in return they gave us a rental car for 24hrs. It was at a discounted rate, but we would have not have got one otherwise. Taking a drive around the island and into town was worth the sales pitch as well.
In the conclusion, we enjoyed our stay so much that we have bought another vacation package thru this hotel with a savings of over $500. and we are already planning our trip there next year.
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Ivona ~ Canada |
August 2007
Country: Mexico
Area: Cozumel Island
Hotel: Occidental Grand Cozumel
Rating: 4.5 *
Meal Plan: All Inclusive
Tour Operator: Air Canada Vacations
Airline: Air Canada
Date of Visit: July 2007
About us:
We are a couple in our 40's and 50's who love to travel to sunny locations 3 or 4 times a year. We have stayed at basic 3 star hotels as well as upscale 5 star full-service resorts. We are normally drawn to quiet, laid back resorts; even in areas not necessarily associated with 'quiet', such as Puerto Vallarta or isla San Andres. We have come to learn that a hotel's star designation does not always reflect the quality of the resort, nor our overall satisfaction with the vacation. We have visited over 30 resorts in various countries in the Caribbean, central America and Mexico and we wish to thank websites such as this one that enable us to properly research the myriad possibilities. We often wonder how we ever planned our vacations before the advent of the internet!
Flight and Tour Operator:
We have visited Cozumel for a day excursion several years ago, and ever since then we have wanted to return to the island for a vacation; the high prices and lengthy travel times have prevented us from doing so. This summer Air Canada Vacations was offering direct-flight Cozumel packages at reduced rates so we couldn’t resist. I am pointing this out simply because some tour operators do not fly directly to the island, but instead fly to Cancun, bus over to Playa del Carmen, and then transfer by ferry to Cozumel. This can add several hours to your travel time, so it pays to check!
Air Canada in its never-ending quest to nickel and dime its passengers to death has more or less given up on providing food on their flights. Sure they advertise food to purchase. Unfortunately they seem to stock just enough food for about half the plane. If you are unable to go without eating for the duration of the flight, do yourself a favour and either eat before boarding or bring your own food. They did offer water and small plastic glasses of drinks.
The Area:
One of the reasons I chose the Occidental Grand was for its location. While it’s only a 10 minute drive to San Miguel (the island’s only town) it is located on a lovely stretch of beach with only a few other hotels close by. The nearest neighbouring hotel is the Allegro (about a 5 minute walk along the beach) and the Iberostar about a 10-15 walk in the opposite direction.
Yes there is a mangrove ‘swamp’ between the hotel rooms and the beach. For those who are bothered by this, please keep in mind that mangroves are an extremely important part of the eco-system. The walk on the wooden bridge gave us the opportunity to view all sorts of water birds and turtles. Please show respect for your surroundings and do not throw garbage into the mangroves!!
The Resort and Clientele:
The Occidental Grand is a visually beautiful resort built in Spanish mission style. Rooms are located in several 3 storey round buildings with an open courtyard decorated with stately palms that reach to, or beyond the third storey. Each building has its own concierge who has a desk on the main floor. The gated Royal Rooms reside in several of these (same style) buildings closest to the beach and pool area.
For us, one of the highlights of this resort was the abundance of flora and fauna. We found that next to our trip to Costa Rica, this hotel has had the most ‘critters’ we have ever seen at a hotel. We saw all sorts of lizards, iguanas, katydids, snakes, tortoise, turtles, fireflies and an abundance of water birds including Roseate Spoonbills, egrets, herons, ibis, not to mention all the tropical fish in the water fronting the hotel. It was quite the show every day.
I was surprised at how busy the hotel was during July, it must have been almost at full capacity during our stay. The clientele was made up of mostly families with older children and teens, as well as couples. Nationality wise, there were North Americans, Mexicans and few Europeans. The staff all spoke excellent English so it was a challenge to practice my Spanish.
The Room:
We were extremely pleased with our room in building number 17. We requested a top floor with king bed and that is exactly what we received. Standing on the smallish balcony, no other buildings obstructed our partial sea view. Bring binoculars so that you are able to view the birds and iguanas!
The deluxe rooms, continuing with the Spanish mission style, are lovely. The bathroom comprises about half the room! The bathroom has a separate tub and walk in glass-door shower, huge sink area, closet (which contains the safe, a small fridge, ironing board, iron and large umbrella) and the toilet is tucked behind a half wall. The hotel provides a coffee maker (coffee replenished daily), hair dryer and some basic toiletries. The fridge is stocked with water, beer and soft drinks which were replenished as needed.
A dresser with drawers and large mirror, table with two chairs, and two night tables round out the room’s furniture.
The A/C unit worked extremely well during the humid days of July; in fact we had to keep the temperature fairly high (mid 20’s) because otherwise it just got too cold for me (I love the heat : - ))
Beach and Sea swimming:
The beach at the Occidental is quite wide with soft white sand. I was surprised at its great condition after the hurricane devastation. It’s also great for those who enjoy long walks on the beach; I believe you can walk quite a distance before you get ‘stuck’ by rock outcroppings. The hotel provides palapas for shade on the beach, and umbrellas at the pools. During high occupancy if you want a shady spot on the beach you need to do so by mid-morning or you will be out of luck. Finding shade at the pools, especially the quiet pool, did not seem to be as much of a problem.
The sea was gorgeous! The clarity of the water in Cozumel is second to none. During July the water was oh-so warm and extremely calm. You could float for hours. Due to the high boat traffic, you are limited to swimming in the roped-off area however. The water does get deep very close to shore so keeping an eye on young children would be a must. The sea bottom is very sandy with few rocks. The sea grass grows beyond where you can touch the bottom, so this is not a problem either. We did not see any jellyfish or black urchins.
If you take your snorkel out to the buoys, you will see thousands of tropical fish including the fairly large resident barracuda.
Pools/Jacuzzis:
The hotel has two medium-sized pools for all the guests, the one closest to the beach being the active one, and the second one just past the mangrove bridge, is the ‘relaxation’ pool. In addition, the Royal Club room guests have the exclusive use of a large Jacuzzi. Both pools have a small bar located close-by. The pools were kept meticulously clean, although at high chlorination.
Food/Drinks:
As all-inclusives go, we found the Occidental Grand to be one of the best in this regard. We were happy to be able to eat Mexican food while in Mexico (a strange concept in far too many Mexican resorts these days). Hot sauce was available at all meals at the Mexican station. We ate at both the a la carte restaurants once; mostly for the ambiance and service since we found the buffet offerings perfectly fine. Please note that there is a dress code for men at the a la carte’s. The hotel does advertise this fact very clearly; so no excuse for not being aware. You can make your a la carte reservations with your building’s concierge.
The drinks available at the Grand were always tasty. They carry several brands of tequila and beer (this is pretty much all we drink) but not necessarily at each bar, so you may have to bar-hop if you’re picky about brands. The red and white wines served at the restaurants were from the Baja region, and since we like Mexican wine, we were very pleased. We had no trouble getting Xtabentun for our nightly post-supper ‘digestif’.
Things to Do:
You can be as busy or as lazy as your heart desires in Cozumel. The island is small and flat and as such perfect for exploring without getting lost (one highway!). The best way to see the numerous sights is to rent a car. The highway is in great shape and the signage is excellent. There is a car rental agency right on hotel premises. We rented a small air-conditioned Huyandai for one day, and we could have used at least another day to see everything we wanted to (oh well, next trip!! : ^ )).
We spent several hours at the Punta Sur national park. The beaches and snorkelling there are amazing! We saw eels, nurse sharks, rays and turtles and all sorts of colourful tropical fish. You can also stop by and visit the crocodile habitat I highly recommend it. We also toured the mayan ruins at San Gervasio. This archeological site is less busy and touristy than Tulum or Chichen-Itza. We took our time and really enjoyed reading the plaques and admiring the various excavated structures.
The beaches, as well as the general landscape of the island’s Atlantic side are simply stunning and not to be missed. While the sea was rougher than on the Caribbean coast, the waves were certainly not too dangerous to preclude safe swimming and we saw many people in the water body and board surfing.
Diving and snorkelling are extremely popular activities on the island. Diving can be arranged with the dive shop at the hotel or other dive operation in town; there is no shortage of dive shops. There are snorkelling sites all over the island and these are well marked by signs. Or, if you wish, you can arrange a snorkelling boat trip through the hotel or any of the dive shops.
San Miguel, is approximately a 10-15 minutes drive from the resort. There are numerous restaurants and bars to suit everyone’s tastes. If you are looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant where many locals eat and drink, try the La Choza. We really enjoyed lunch (and margaritas!) there.
Shopping:
San Miguel is a shopping mecca. Many stores, restaurants and bars are located along the main waterfront malecon. If you enjoy fine jewellery than you will have a field day. There are numerous jewellery stores specializing in gold, watches and silver.
The town also has a market area where you can purchase Mexican handicrafts and souvenirs at reasonable prices.
We were lucky in that during low season the town receives only two to three cruise-ships per day; therefore the streets were not overly crowded. However, during high season this number swells to 8 to 10!
Weather:
During our stay mid-July, the weather was hot and humid as expected : ^ )). Of course that is also rainy season, so you can expect rain. It rained on occasion, usually not for very long, and it never spoiled our enjoyment of the outdoors.
In Conclusion:
The Occidental Grand is a great place to stay if you are looking for a quiet all-inclusive resort away from the hustle and bustle of town; all the better if you can get it on sale!
If you still have questions, email me at: Ivona_Lancaster@hotmail.com
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Freedom Ryder & Wossa |
June 2007
Arrival & Customs
We arrived via Air Canada late Saturday night, and had absolutely no problems getting through customs and locating our Air Canada rep. Customs were well organised, dealt with everyone very quickly and efficiently, and some seemed to be laughing and joking with the holiday makers as they passed through, to get their passports stamped. Our luggage was already on the carousel by the time we had completed the customs entry procedure.
The Resort
The Grand Occidental was everything we hoped it would be. The resort is laid out well, and the grounds are kept immaculate. Mature vegetation every where and the buildings were painted nice and bright and well maintained.
Our room was in block 17, which was located in the middle of the resort, not far from the beach and pools to the left, and equal distance from the restaurants, buffet, and evening entertainment to the right. Also far enough away, that you would not hear any noise from either direction day or night. The rooms where very spacious, 2 x double beds, large bathroom, and a balcony area, with chairs and a small table. The room had all amenities you could possibly want and was spotlessly clean. The maid service was very good, and they restocked the fridge and changed bedding and towels every day.
I would personally ask for a 1st or 2nd floor room, as the balcony areas on the ground floor are almost non-existent. Also, we did see tarantulas, large lizards and other critters all over the resort, due to the lush vegetation.
Restaurants
We visited both a la carte restaurants during our stay. Los Olivos is the’ Mediterranean’ restaurant, with an Italian feel to the place. Large paintings on the walls and statues, bright and airy, the food and service were fantastic.
The second a la carte is the Senora Grill, which is a steak house. Again no complaints, good service, nice food and they made you feel welcome.
Snack Bars
La Piazza is a pizza snack bar situated upstairs from the lobby area. This we found to be a real awesome place to kick back in the evening and relax. It was a romantic kind of place on the roof of the resort, and the food was great. Pizza’s cooked with traditional style bases and cooked in a stone oven, all home made, fresh.
One small minus, as it is outside, and on the roof of the building, there are a few bugs which you might expect.
La Posada - Main Buffet
Massive selection of all kinds of freshly cooked food. They provided a huge selection of choice each morning for breakfast, fresh fruit, pastries, full cooked breakfast including omelettes. You name it and it was there.
Evening time, again, huge choice of meals available, with traditional Mexican dishes and awesome desserts and the wine was free flowing too. Spacious, lots of tables and good service. The buffet does close at 9.30pm, and they were turning people away if you didn’t make it in time.
Beach Club - Buffet
Open everyday between 12.00 and 4.30, served a good selection of hot and cold food, burgers cooked on the grill whilst you waited, and pasta dishes being prepared to order. Seating is right on the beach with wonderful views of the ocean.
Bars & Disco
La Mision is the Disco. Opens at 10.15PM until 1.30AM, and plays a mixture of music.
Lobby bar OPEN FROM 11.30AM until 11.00PM.
Pools
There are two pools at The Grand, the main one situated over looking the beach. Popular area during the day, lots of activities, but there never seemed to be a problem with getting sun chairs. A bar (not swim up) nearby, and you can exchange fresh towels from here as well.
A smaller pool is set further in from the beach. We preferred this pool as it was always quiet, and not many people used it. They piped really relaxing music into speakers by the sun beds, and it was so easy to just fall sleep. They also have a small bar here and they would come round frequently to take your order.
Beach
Great beach, nice and sandy with warm clear water to swim in. The water remains waist high for a long enough distance to safely swim, then drops quickly. The beach is popular out the front of the resort, but we never saw it fully packed, and there was always sun chairs available. A small walk right of the resort, and it’s not long before the beach becomes deserted and you can relax and swim alone if you wanted. To the left, and the beach does become slightly rocky, and is not so ideal for swimming.
Diving
One of the main reasons we wanted to come to Cozumel was to dive. The resort has a dive operator on site called ‘Dive Palancar’. We had booked 10 dives prior to arriving, as we had managed to secure a good dive package back in Canada.
Dive Palancar where ok. I guess you pay your money and they take you diving. However, there are some awesome sites in Cozumel, and we found that if they could, Dive Palancar would take you to the nearest reef, and drop you in for 40 - 45 minutes at the most. Most dives you would be back on the boat with 1750 PSI, or, 125 Bar of air still in your cylinder. The divemasters where a little lazy, and seemed to be just going through the motions of leading a dive.
Cost is 1 x dive = $ 32 U.S. 10 x dives = $290 U.S.
They do return after each dive to either The Grand or the sister resort, The Allegro, so that you can use the bathroom, and so they can exchange empty cylinders.
However, we have dived with other operators in Cozumel, and would recommend walking a short distance up the beach to the left, locating Dressels at the Iberostar, which is next door to The Grand. I am sure Dressels would pick you up each morning from the dock at The Grand, the divemasters where awesome with Dressels, wide range of locations, and they offer free Nitrox if certified.
Conclusion
We had the time of our lives here and enjoyed every second. To pick any faults with the resort, you would have to be going some, and be extremely fussy. There are time share salesman waiting to sell to you in the lobby, but we did not find this an issue and were left alone after a simple ‘no thank you’. There is a ‘marsh’ area which they called a natural nature reserve or something, between the resort and the beach, which is crossed by a wooden bridge. This area did smell sometimes during the evening, and night, but you could only smell it when walking over the bridge, it was not so noticeable during the day.
We would both return here ‘within a heart beat’, and I am sure at some stage, we will.
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Leslie ~ Canada |
November 2006
Hotel
Is definitely Grand. What a beautiful place. Around 10 - 3 storey yellow buildings surrounded by lush gardens and water fountains lead you to the 1st pool. Cross the bridge over the lagoon with many life turtles to the 2 nd pool which overlooks the ocean.
The beach area is a narrow but sandy beach. No rocks. Gets deep quickly. Great for swimming. Saw some fish. Go next door to the Allegro for more fish.
Rooms are quite large. Fridge stocked with beer, water and soft drinks. Re- stocked everyday. Iron and small ironing board, alarm clock (that works) .
The Kids club is shaded with a playground and it’s own little pool & indoor play centre.
“Sunset Post” issued daily. Events of the day. You can find out what’s the buffet theme for that evening.
Activities:
Tennis court, air conditioned gym and spa. Karaoke nights, bingo, snorkeling & diving leesons. Dance & Spanish lessons – more… but I didn’t notice people doing anything besides diving lessons. Many activities listed.
Restaurants
2 a la cartes opened due to off season. Sonora Grill - Steak – great. Did not try the Los Olivos - Mediterranean. Buffet – La Posada was open breakfast, dinner and late night snack. Lunch at the beach restaurant. Buffet style with someone to grill fish, hamburger and chicken. Salsa & tortillas everywhere.
The roof top pizzeria was closed. Pizza was served at the buffet as late night snack. I believe there is also a Mexican a la carte but also due to low season not open.
Staff
The best I have ever experienced. You wait for nothing. I was very surprised. I did not tip till the last day intentionally to see if this would make a difference. They went out of their way. (tipped at the end) Not used to this very prompt & courteous service in Cuba or Dominican Rebublic.
Tours I did:
1) San Maguil - trip to town - $17 for 1 or 2 people. Every additional person $1 extra dollar. Great shops & restaurants. A must do.
2) Jeep tour $75US and $8 admissions.
Snorkel , jeep through town and visit mayan ruins. Includes tequila tour and lunch. Jeeped down the “wild side’. Swam on the beach. Great snorkellng spot on this tour.
3) Tulum & Xle- ha $117 and additional costs.
Had to find your own way to the ferry ($17US) Ferry across and the transportation to & from Tulum was included in the price. Spent an hour in Tulum visiting the ruins. There is a gorgeous beach at the bottom of the ruins but we had no time during this tour to go into the water.
On to Xle-ha. Guide picks you up and drops you offer. I recommend going on your own to Xle-ha. You need to spend a whole day there. There was not enough time to properly enjoy this place on this tour. I believe the all –inclusive (without the dolphin swim) was $59 USD. Includes the admission, snorkel gear and locker rental, food and drinks (alcohol too) at 5 different restaurants. Great place to bring the kiddies. Snorkeling, lazy river, diving, caves, play areas, sonatas, bicycle riding.
Guide picks you back up and drops you to the ferry. You can either take the ferry back or go shopping in Playa de Carmen. Either way – you pay extra for the ferry and the cab back to your hotel on the other side.
I stayed in Playa de Carmen. Great shops and restaurants. There was a ferry at 7:00 , 9:00 & 11:00 pm to take us back.
I recommend you do this on your own. With the additional costs, the tour is not worth it. Not enough time spent at Tulum or Xle-ha.
4) Snorkeling & Sunset Cruise – 3 reefs $45USD - Catamaran includes snorkel gear.
Overall
Hotel was the nicest place I’ve stayed. Staff were the most efficient. Cozumel is a great place. Would definetly go back.
The only things lacking for me was bicycles and latin music. They play English music.
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Phil and Sharon ~ Nova Scotia, Canada |
April 2005
Just returned from a one week all inclusive to the Grand Cozumel by Occidental. This was our third all inclusive and our first time to Mexico. We did a lot of research prior to booking our holiday as we prefer 5 star resorts mainly because of the food I guess. Food is a major issue for us when on vacation. Knowing you are going to get good food makes the trip more worthwhile especially when you pay more for the vacation! This was an Air Canada Vacation and they rated it a 5 star resort however after being there we would probably rate it as a 4 star!
Travel: We went via Air Canada Vacations and the flight was great! Left on time, arrived on time and customs at Cozumel Airport was fairly quick. Air Canada Reps were there to meet us and point us in the right direction. Told us to avoid talking to anyone mentioning time shares! They are quite common here! Bus ride to resort was approximately 20 minutes. Arrival at the resort was good - champagne upon arrival and check in went quickly. We had requested a room with a king size bed and got one with two doubles. There are only two rooms per 24 in each building with kings but they arranged for us to have one the next day with no problem. Another couple we talked to never got theirs!
Grounds: The grounds would definitely rate as a 5 star! They are beautiful and well kept. There was always a staff member cleaning or sweeping. The buildings holding the accommodations were laid out nicely throughout the property. The main buffet restaurant as well as two of the a la carte restaurants were just off of the main lobby as was the lobby bar and upstairs was a pizza place. The other buffet also served as the Mexican a la carte and was on the beach. Really nice to watch the sunset!
Rooms: The rooms are very roomy and decorated with a Mexican flair! Each has a balcony or terrace depending on the level. Each building has three levels. We were on the third floor which was nice and quiet. The bathroom was marble with a huge glass stand-up shower as well as a full sized tub. No serious complaints about the room. The air conditioner worked well but you have to insert your room key in a slot to get the lights to work. The combination safe gave us trouble a couple of times but each time we called about it someone came right away to reset it for us. The water was smelly just one day when taking a shower which was a little annoying.
Food: We would definitely not rate the food at a 5 star level. We were allowed three nights at the a la carte restaurants. We only went to two - the steak house twice and the Mexican once. Both of these were excellent- good selection and everything was well prepared! The filet mignon at the steak house was delicious! The buffets on the other hand were a different story! Breakfast was for us the best meal of the day. Always had the made to order omelettes or an egg any way you wanted it, lots of fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt and fresh juices. Usually sausage or ham but bacon only once! The french toast was to die for! We went to the Beach Club buffet for lunch.It was just okay to us. Everyday they had barbecued hamburgers and then the buffet would vary from chicken dishes to fish dishes along with rice, french fries, onion rings, and mixed vegetables. Salads were different then what we are used to and didn't appeal to us! Nachos and guacamole were good! Desserts were various cakes- pretty good but try their ice cream - it is absolutely delicious! The major complaint that we had of this buffet was that there were a lot of house flies around the food! They had netting around the salads and desserts but that was it. A lot of times you had to fight to keep them off of your food while eating. There is a swampy area with a board walk before the beach, maybe this is the cause of all the flies? Only the main buffet by the lobby was available for dinner as the Beach Club turned into the Mexican restaurant at night. Every night they had a different theme like Oriental, International, Gala, etc. Always a selection of beef, pork, chicken or fish, usually in some sort of dish depending on the theme for the night, but if all starts to taste the same after awhile. Always rice or pasta and other vegetables, the desserts were always good and lots of variety. Just didn't taste like other 5 stars we have been to. It would be nice to have the option of ordering a la carte at lunch time. This is available at the two other resorts we have been to.
Pools: There are two pools, a relax pool and the main one by the beach is the activity pool. A bar is set up by the relax pool with most drinks available. The bartenders are great! They come around to pick up glasses and take orders! The Beach Club housed the bar for the activity pool! Both pools are really nice and well kept. Had to get up early though if you wanted a chair in the shade.
Beach: Same goes for the beach! All of the loungers were taken under the huts by early morning. The beach was narrow and a little steep. We got a day pass and went twice to spend the day at the beach at the Allegro by Occidental about 200 feet or so down the beach. It is rated a 3 1/2 to a 4 star but the beach was much nicer there! Really wide and level and a few more chairs.
Entertainment: It was a little disappointing for a 5 star! There is a disco that was open every night and a kids club. Other then that they had dance shows 3 of the 6 nights in the main square. A "Mexican" a "Caribbean" and a "Las Vegas" night. They were good and had some audience participation but we would have liked to see a bit more variety. Not really that much for a 5 star resort!
Overall we were pleased with the resort but would have been more satisfied if we hadn't paid for a 5 star! We probably would not return to the same resort but maybe would try the Allegro next door.
One final tip - don't pay the $32 - $34 US round trip taxi into San Miguel for shopping. You are much better off to rent a car for about $80 US a day. Then you can tour the island and go into town to shop on your own. There is basically one road that goes around the perimeter of the island so you can't get lost and parking down town is no problem. We took the taxi one day because we were nervous to drive, but after going into town we saw how easy it was.Then we rented a car and did the sight seeing thing on our own! You only really need one day to see the whole island as it is not very big, but it is beautiful, especially on the east side where nothing is developed. There are only a few restaurant/bars and gift shops scattered along the way and lots of deserted beaches with huge waves! Absolutely breathtaking! Cozumel is a must to see! The people are so friendly and easy going!
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Rick & Karen ~ Canada |
March 2005
Flew West Jet out of Toronto on Saturday afternoon. Great flight on a new plane, with more leg room then other tour company airlines. Landed in Cozumel around 7:30 Saturday night
Cleared customs quickly, and were in a van to the resort before 8:00 PM. Trip to resort, thru San Miguel took about 25 minutes. Upon arrival at the resort, were greeted with a glass of champagne, and proceeded to the front desk for check-in, which took less then 5 minutes, then off to the room
(1621) to unpack.
Other then a fairly noisy fan on the AC (which we got used to after a couple of nights), the room was great. Mini fridge stocked with beer, water, and pop, along with a in-room safe are all included. Our room had 2 double beds which were quite comfortable. Even the pillows, which I often have trouble getting used to were great!
Shower in the bathroom is HUGE, and other then having to get used to the odd blast of hotter water, showers were one of my favourite rituals morning and night. There was also a full size tub.
The grounds are made up of 20 three storey buildings, with each floor containing 12 rooms. Buildings 10 and 11 are closet to check in, while 19 and 20 are closet to the beach. Grounds are beautiful and well maintained, and the buildings are spread out amongst the grounds, accessible using the small paths off the main pathway to the beach. Other then hearing our upstairs neighbour walking in high heels one night, rooms were very quiet.
The pathway that leads to the beach crosses over a "Green Area" which separates the beach from the complex. From the main lobby to the beach is about a 3 minute walk. Before the bridge over the Green area, there is a quiet pool, which was never crowded. A portable bar appears each day with most of the drinks which are available at the main bars.
There is a second larger pool at the beach area of the resort, with umbrellas set up around the deck if you want to get out of the sun. The beach itself is fairly narrow, but there is still lots of room for all who prefer sane to the pool deck. There is a buffet restaurant for lunch and drinks throughout the day. This restaurant becomes the Mexican Specialty Restaurant at night.
Drink selection is excellent, with a large variety of specialty drinks, and International brand liquors. The bar opens around 10:00, and each morning we enjoyed a few Mimosa's (Champagne and Orange Juice) to start the day! The wine available throughout the day and at dinner is very good. At dinner, you can choose from various types of red or white.
While we have had better buffet selection at other resorts, the food was still good. The specialty restaurants however, we incredible! The menu selections were quite varied, and all food quality and presentation was the best of any resorts we have stayed at! The three themes are Grill (Steaks - Fillet Mignon, Strip Loins etc) Mediterranean (Pastas, Lamb, Scallops,
Shrimp) and Mexican (Pork, Chicken etc - Not spicy at all but very enjoyable). You can only book for the current day or the next, but this did not pose a problem, as the reservations went very quickly in the morning. There is also a Pizzeria above the main buffet restaurant with made to order pizzas (Very Good) which is open until 1:30 AM - Great for a late night snack!
While there is no swim up bar, you can get a day pass to the Allegro next door, which is about a 10 minute walk down the beach. We did this twice, and was a nice to change to the more relaxed atmosphere at the Grand. They also have a Hot Tub right at the beaches edge which we also enjoyed.
We rented a Geo Tracker one day for under $80.00 US and drove around the island, and I would highly recommend this. Our first stop was at the southern tip of the island, where we took a tour of the lighthouse (133 steps to the top, great view when you get up there), some small ruins, and a Saltwater Crocodile Sanctuary, where they feed the crocs. After this we continue up the East side of the island, heading north, stopping at various bars for a refresher throughout the trip. The San Martin Beach was INCREDIBLE! Miles of talcum powder like sand, and totally deserted when we were there. Large waves to play in, then dry off enjoying the sand. If you were into "au natural" bathing, this would be the spot. Make sure you stop at the bar/restaurant at Chen Rio. Food was excellent, and the salsa was the hottest I have ever enjoyed! They offer a Lobster Dinner for 2 for $40.00 US, and I will be taking advantage of this next time. The tables are nestled among the palm trees, right on the beach. Waiters were friendly, and they served the best Pina Coloda I had all week. You can upgrade to the "Royal Club", which offers a few extra's, but I could see no reason to do this. They may have a separate restaurant available to them, but not sure of this. They do have a separate pool located between the two Royal Club buildings, but it would have been far too hot, as there would be no breeze at this location. We have stayed at various 4+ and 5 star resorts, and everything about this resort impressed us, and we will be returning in the future.
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Dale |
June 2004
We just returned from Occidental Grand Hotel on Cozumel. The mosquitoes where horrible and the staff really didn’t care about our comfort. The service poor and the food awful. The location was good, the snorkeling good, the room was nice but not cleaned and restocked unless you requested extra service. We never could get extra pillows. The calls to the front desk are continually busy. They have a Royal Club- & timeshare- area and we felt everyone who was not in the Royal Club was treated as a second class citizen. It was hard to get reservations at the nicer restaurants. The excursions were nice but no trips offered into town from the hotel-taxis were pricey. The night-time shows were absolutely the worst we’ve seen at any of the all-inclusive, plus they did not bring in crafts except the spray can and tile painters. I would not recommend this location to any of my friends or family. Playa del Carmen was much nicer.
Top of Page
| Occidental Grand Cozumel |
Suzanne |
June 2004
Two days back from 6 in Cozumel and I can't wait to go back. We stayed 6/19-24/04. Started at the Occidental Allegro but found that to be below my standards (rooms impossibly small, 25 watt bulb in bathroom, all fixtures in bathroom totally rusted and only a trickle from the shower - even in the middle of the night!) so we stayed only one night. As this is an all inclusive resort, and less expensive than the Grand Cozumel, it tends (well at least the day we were there) to attract some lesser deserable characters and by 4pm on the day of our arrival the place reeked of Corona while the noise level (from the adults) at the pool was intolerable.
Switched to the Grand Cozumel and although it is also an all inclusive resort, and even though it's only about 1/2 a mile down the road from the Allegro, the place is a 360 degrees change for the better. I'd say it was like going from a Motel 6 to a Ritz Carlton. Fortunately the Allegro was overbooked so we were able to move with no increase in cost - all 6 of us.
The rooms at the Grand Cozumel are large, clean and the bathroom is all marble. They do have a strange arrangement in some rooms where the toilet is in the shower room. Our son got a big kick out of that. All rooms have a well stocked (included in the price) mini-bar and they replace the contents and our three large bottles of water daily. I kept forgetting about the tap water warnings but at this place it was no worry. I ate everything at the resort and never felt sick at all. The rooms have air conditioning as well as ceiling fans and modern in room safes. The only thing they lack is something to hang your wet stuff on -which with the humidity in June is eventually everything you bring.
The food at the Grand Cozumel is fabulous - I would recommend even skipping trying to make a reservation at the 'specialty' restaurants where you must dress up (a problem for us as we did not bring long pants for our 11 year old - he wore some of mine) as the food at the buffet is heaven for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you could probably show up in your PJs just so long as you had something on your feet.
The staff are all extra friendly and go out of their way to make you feel extra welcome. Most speak at least some english. We did go during the rainy season though, so next time we will opt for the high and dry season of March or April - if we can get in. The mosquitos were fierce even though the hotel did fog twice during our stay.
We had a fabulous time on the Glass Bottom Boat/Snorkling tour where the driver took us out to two wonderful reefs. Saw eels, sharks (nurse sharks) barracuda and all sorts of other tropical creatures. The water was so clear and warm - like a bath!
Mid-week I took the ferry to Playa del Carmen to visit a friend that was staying at Xcaret and doing that convinced me I made the right choice by going to Cozumel. The Myan Riveria looks like Los Angeles compared to the rural feel in Cozumel - which is so much more relaxed. Our 11 year old and his 12 year old friend took off after breakfast each day and were out of our sight for hours at a time doing the various activities at the resort and we never once gave a thought about fearing for their safety! Now that's a vacation.
Top of Page
Last updated: February 21, 2009
|
