Occidental Cozumel — Hotel in Isla Cozumel

The dive shop there is seriously the worst dive shop that I have ever met in my 10 years diving history. First, there is no camera room, no air guns, not even a towel for us to wipe the camera. Second, the dive shop arrangement is absolutely not transparent. My package included 10 dives during my 7 nights stay but I only ended up having 5 dives. I checked with the dive shop multiple times on the timing of each day’s dive, I was told with different answer each time I asked so we missed some dives. Another reason was the bad weather, no dives were allowed for 2 days because of strong wind. I understood that it’s out of everyone’s control but the way they announced the dive cancellation was mind blowing. They asked all the guests to be ready at the dive shop at 8am to wait for them to confirm if we could dive or not, so end up everyone stayed there for like 45 mins (some of us even in wet suit) until it’s confirmed as a no go. I asked why couldn’t they just give everyone a call to their room, they said they didn’t have phone line. After the 2 days closure, I still have 1 more day left before my return flight, so I planned to go for another 2 dives, the dive shop rejected me right away saying because the boat was fully booked. It didn’t matter even if I had already paid for 10 dives. On top of that, they even try to charge me with extra marine park fee which is like $7 per day per diver. My original dive schedule was to have 2 dives for 5 days, so they helped the government to charge both my buddy and I 5 days marine park fee, which we paid on my second day of diving. But then given I only ended up diving for 3 days, I asked the dive shop to refund the overpaid marine park fee. The dive shop rejected my request right away saying they had to talk to some offices first but it couldn’t be done before my departure, so just no. I insisted because I believed it was a fair ask. After I said I would reserve all my right to complain to PADI, they changed the wording, saying they rejected my requests because they thought I paid by credit card, which I didn’t and I had no idea where that assumption was coming from, they also suggested giving me voucher instead of refund, which I rejected right away because I am very certain that I would not stay there again. After like 30 mins of debate, they eventually refunded US$35 to me. It’s just $35 and it’s not even their revenue, I have no idea why they dragged for so long. The most amazing thing was that in a dive, my BCD valve broke at 18m depth, after the dive guide leading us to a reef tunnel. As my BCD couldn’t inflate, I couldn’t fully control my neutral buoyancy so I decided not to enter the tunnel to be safe. I told my buddy but couldn’t inform anyone else in my group as they had already entered the tunnel by that time. So my buddy and I tried to rejoin them on the other exit of the tunnel but no luck. Then we planned to do our own safety stop and then surface. Before we finished the safety stop, we met another dive guide of the dive shop so we informed him with what happened, he helped deploy the SMB but then he kept giving us hand signals to surface without safety stop. We insisted to finish the safety stop then surfaced. The moment we surface he said he asked us to skip the safety stop because he was an instructor, and he knew that within the first 20 mins of diving, safety stop is not required. We could have surfaced earlier. Maybe because I am not an instructor, i still believe for my own safety, I should complete the safety stop first. After that, we stayed on the boat. I thought the general protocol for missing dive buddies was to surface, so we expected our dive guide would surface and look for us. Interestingly, he continued the dive with other folks and surfaced after 30 mins. On the boat, we told him what happened, he said I shouldn’t lie to him saying everything was fine if it’s not. I didn’t know if it’s because of language or not, but I was shocked that I was...

Beautiful Grounds, but Frustrating Service and Poor Management at Occidental Cozumel

My wife and I visited this resort for relaxation and scuba and it was a mix of highs and lows. The scuba diving is great, but that was about it.

While the grounds are beautifully maintained and a pleasure to walk through, the experience was marred by disorganized service, poorly managed amenities, and an overall lack of care for guests' needs.

Check-In Confusion: Upon arrival, we were confronted with confusion surrounding dinner reservations. Despite being told that reservations were required, none of the restaurants were available for booking. This left us unsure of how we’d handle meals during our stay, a stressful start to what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. Although this issue was eventually resolved, it set a negative tone right from the beginning.

Disappointing Dining Experience: The food quality was one of the biggest letdowns during our stay. While there was some fresh fruit available, the majority of the food was fatty, greasy, and displayed with little attention to presentation. We often saw the same dishes recycled from previous meals, and it was clear that freshness was not a priority. Incredibly, despite being in Mexico, finding authentic Mexican food was nearly impossible at this resort. The dining options felt more like a makeshift operation than a collection of proper restaurants. Adding to the frustration, the breakfast buffet, advertised to open at 7 AM, often didn’t open until 7:15 or later, leaving guests waiting. After the buffet closed, finding a simple cup of coffee became a difficult task. We were repeatedly directed to different locations, only to find no one available to serve us. No guest should have to struggle for basic services like coffee at a supposedly all-inclusive resort. Outside of buffet hours, there was nowhere to find food, and staff offered little guidance other than sending us to empty, unattended areas. I won’t even go into detail on how the last night there (main) restaurant lost its air-conditioning and the heat was so bad. We had to leave our meal early to sit outside.

Service Shortcomings: The service at the pool was similarly disappointing. On multiple occasions, we waited for drink service with no staff in sight, leaving the bar completely unattended. Even when the bar was operational, it was disheartening to find that alcohol was stored in direct sunlight, resulting in drinks, including tequila shots, being served at an unpleasantly hot temperature. Enjoying a simple drink in Mexico should be a highlight, not a struggle. It became increasingly apparent that guest convenience was not a priority, and we felt more like an inconvenience than valued customers.

Uncomfortable Accommodations: Our room was far from comfortable, with inadequate air conditioning and a pervasive moldy smell. This issue wasn’t isolated to our room—our friends experienced the same discomfort in theirs. It’s shocking that a resort aiming for a five-star rating would have such poor accommodations.

Management Issues: Overall, it’s evident that the problems at this resort stem from poor management. The staff seems unorganized and unmotivated, likely due to a lack of proper leadership. This resort does not live up to its advertised luxury status and certainly does not deserve a five-star rating.

Final Thoughts: While the grounds are undeniably stunning, the overall experience was deeply frustrating. The constant struggle to get basic services like food, coffee, and drink orders left us with the impression that everything we wanted was an inconvenience for the resort. It’s a shame that such a beautiful location is undermined by poor management and a lack of care for its guests.

I would not recommend this resort for anyone seeking a true all-inclusive or luxury...

During our recent stay at the Occidental Cancun Resort, we had the pleasure of being served by Danny Meneses, the head waiter, and his exceptional service truly made our vacation unforgettable. From the moment we arrived, Danny went above and beyond to ensure our dining experience was nothing short of spectacular.

Danny’s attentiveness and genuine warmth stood out immediately. He was incredibly accommodating, always anticipating our needs before we even had to ask. Whether it was customizing our meals to suit our preferences or suggesting the perfect pairing from the menu, Danny demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and passion for providing top-notch customer service.

Highly recommend seeking out Danny Meneses during your stay for an extraordinary dining experience!

Review for Guadalupe Silvestre, Waitress at the Occidental Cozumel Resort

Our dining experiences at the Occidental Cozumel Resort were made truly memorable by the incredible service provided by Guadalupe Silvestre, our waitress at the restaurant in the Royal Level. Guadalupe was absolutely fabulous from start to finish, delivering the same exceptional level of customer service that we experienced with Hector.

Guadalupe's warmth and attentiveness made every meal a delight. She consistently went out of her way to ensure that all of our needs were met with a smile and a friendly demeanor. Her attention to detail and genuine commitment to making our dining experience special were evident in every interaction.

Thank you, Guadalupe, for making our stay even more special with your fantastic service!

All that being said it wasn’t all fun and games. Review: Occidental Cozumel All-Inclusive Resort and Vacation Club Occidental Cozumel All-Inclusive Resort: Pleasant Stay with a Few Hiccups

Our recent stay at the Occidental Cozumel in the Royale Suites was enjoyable overall. The resort is beautifully located with lush surroundings, and the staff were genuinely friendly and accommodating. Our room was spacious and comfortable, although the AC struggled to keep the room cool, and despite several requests, it remained a bit warm throughout our stay. The resort offers a good value for its all-inclusive package, with decent food options and fantastic diving experiences that were the highlight of our trip.

However, communication was a recurring issue. There were some mix-ups with our dining reservations, and the hotel's coordination with the dive shop was lacking, which caused some initial confusion about our dive schedule. Thankfully, these were minor inconveniences, and the attentive staff did their best to assist us whenever possible.

Occidental Vacation Club: Be Cautious

The Occidental Vacation Club, however, was a different story. Upon arrival, we were approached by a man posing as our "Concierge," who later turned out to be a representative for the Vacation Club. We were offered a discounted car rental if we attended a presentation, but this turned out to be a timeshare pitch that lasted over two hours—much longer than the promised 90 minutes. We later learned that the "discounted" rental price was actually inflated, which felt misleading.

Overall, while the resort itself offers a pleasant stay with beautiful surroundings and friendly service, we found the Vacation Club's approach to be less transparent and overly aggressive in their sales tactics. Guests should be aware and make informed decisions about attending any presentations or accepting...