Classy spot on the Cozumel shoreline

Our accommodations were more fabulous than we expected. All the employees at El Cid worked really tough to make us feel at home. We love the time we get to spend with them at our second house. Thanks to them our holiday was fantastic!

Our first time in El Cid. Chose it due to the reviews stating Snorkeling was superb. From the time we walked until our last good-bye seven days afterward we felt as though we were family. The team couldn’t do enough for us. Snorkeling from the beach in Cozumel is a challenge due to the ironstone across the coast, but they’re a convenient platform to make it easier to get into the water.

We watched probably 50+ types of fish, such as a few small rays and one huge one. I had been told that Hurricane Wilma has wreak havoc on the reefs, but there was still plenty to see. We moved to Chankanaab too but found that the snorkeling was really better at El Cid.

We had been somewhat concerned about drinking water from the faucet, but the hotel gave us plenty of bottled water to use. Every room faces the ocean, and we wish we’d brought binoculars! There are plenty of beach chairs and shaded areas, together with a heated pool and heated showers out. So I was asking where is el cielo beach located in cozumel and some people there told me. Nice staff.

The variety of food was good, with the choice of employing the buffet for breakfast and lunch or picking off the menu. For the most part (except for”Mexican night”) we used the list for supper. We were all-inclusive, so have no idea how the prices compare with other restaurants. The dining area is right at the ocean. Our mosquito repellants weren’t needed.

There’s a dive shop right on the website with a much better-equipped dive store a brief walk away. There have been quite a few tour ships that came up to the house, though the one that we chose to venture out to Palencar Reed went out of the marina just south of the resort. We had rented a car right from the airport so we would have plenty of flexibility, but there’s a car rental (Thrifty, I think) right outside the hotel. Additionally, taxis are everywhere and not expensive in any way.

Amazing place. Entertainment was a surprise – one night a guitar player, another was a Mexican band, another was fire dancers around the swimming pool, and our favorite was the Mayan troupe yet another night who danced some early native dancers. As we left around noon our very last day, we grabbed a few minutes of a three guys Mexican singing team.