Occidental Grand Cozumel All Inclusive - Cozumel

Spent a week at the Occidental to attend a conference. Facilities very good and clean. Would have given the hotel a better rating but for the food quality. The main eating area offered good food with almost endless choices. The specialty restaurants definitely weren't. Service was painfully slow, even for Mexico. Maybe the wait staff was trying to delay […] the delivery of the abysmal food. Unfortunately, given the rather remote location of the resort, there wasn't a lot of easily accessible alternatives to the resort food Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We will be back for sure! Staff was very helpful and friendly!

Genuine Expedia guest review

This is a gem! The grounds are marvelous! The staff is friendly and courteous! Upgrade if you want VIP treatment to the Royal Club! The rooms are large and clean! We have stayed here for many years and are never disappointed in choosing to do so!

Genuine Expedia guest review

All in all, it was a pleasing enough vacation, but mostly because of the nice beach and the warm tropical weather. However, I think that the hotel is over rated. The grounds are nice, there are iguanas everywhere, we saw small wild pigs, an armadillo, a small croc. The entertainment programs are quite lame and I wish they had none at all, since the […] noise was annoying for us, as we had the room close to the main gathering area. The beach was the hotel's best feature and you could snorkel from the shore. The main disappointment was the food. While the breakfast and lunch were bland, but edible, dinner was mostly bad. You wouldn't starve, but don't expect quality food or much care for food presentation. Eventually we discovered the town and we went in town for diners. Another extremely annoying thing for us (but maybe not for other people) was the Internet connection that we paid for and it was mostly unusable for me. Also, the time share salesmen are very aggressive and deceiving. They will not pronounce the word time share and, by just wanting to book an activity (diving for instance), you might very well find yourself trapped for a 90 minutes with one of the MANY representatives without understanding exactly how. Awful!The rooms are just ok, they look better in the pictures. One day I could not get beach towels the WHOLE afternoon! Compared to other hotels that we stayed at in Playa del Carmen, the overall quality of food and services seemed lower at this hotel. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Recently painted, but horrible food even on the restaurants that you have to book in advance. Small TV in the rooms, and not even hand lotion in the bathroom, you have to bring everything or buy it at their shop. Tried to book a massage and it was impossible, not enough people. We were given a tour in the "luxury" area, much nicer of course, but when […] we said we were not interested, we were basically kicked out of the sales office... not very polite Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Beach was beautiful. Staff of Diving shop on the beach was very kind and friendly. Foods was not 4 star level.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Excellent Hotel. Staff was very friendly. Would recommend if you want a decent stay in Cozumel. There were a few minor mishaps but nothing that wouldn't happen anywhere. The heckling gets a bit annoying but other than that, great stay. This is an enormous hotel, if you are looking for local, personal experiences and relationships, you may want to find […] something a bit smaller. However, everyone was extremely friendly. Diving was very nice, especially at ~44$/day dive (rented BC, tank, & regulator). Recommend the night dive especially. Only did the shallow dives for the longer bottom time (~60')(~45-55min). Very clear water. Lots of turtles, octupi (night dives), reef crabs, large lobsters, ~8' nurse sharks, southern rays, etc. Also recommend the snorkeling trips (~2hrs, 2 reefs) (Water ~20-30' deep). Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Food GREAT Could use more maintenance and upkeep Great value Look for the BEST scuba diving in the world, on the property and easy access The snorkeling equipment was very worn but free to use Happy vacation to you

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were treated very poorly after we rejected the help of their "concierge" who was really just a salesman. They kept us waiting and waiting for our hotel room. Other members of our group had an upgrade and they were treated extra special. This was a once in a lifetime 5 star resort experience for us and we expected we too would get the royal treatment […] but there was definitely a class system in the way people were treated. My once in a lifetime experience was really disappointing. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

My husband and I are scuba divers and booked this all-inclusive hotel primarily due to location, price and the fact that they had a dive shop on the premises. Food: I am a foodie and love to cook. Selection & quality of daily buffets was great. There were plenty of fresh vegetables and salad bar, excellent soups/breads, great hot selections and good […] desserts. I never had trouble finding something tasty and well-prepared. Highlights were fantastic fish tacos, beautiful vegetables and produce, and very tasty pasta dishes. Dined twice in the a la carte restaurants. No trouble making reservations. If trying to decide whether or not to do the lobster, save the money. Sometimes had trouble keeping plates and glasses and bowls in stock and you'd have to wait. Room: Best water pressure I've ever experienced in a shower. Room kept immaculate. Comfy bed with nice linens. Surroundings: in the middle of a nature preserve so it's beautfiul. Loved the iguanas. Very well-manicured and thoughtfully planned out to keep it from feeling too big, even though it was a sizable property. Dive shop was fantastic - we did our Advanced Open Water certification. Many thanks to instructors Gustavo and Chiaki. Professional operation and reasonable prices. Beach was gorgeous and clean. Heed the other reviews and avoid the high pressure sell on the time share. I firmly said "no" and they respected that. We drank the water and used ice all week - zero problems. Amazing for Mexico. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The food at this hotel was very disappointing. Breakfast was the best meal there, but it's hard to mess up breakfast. Lunch was not in the main buffet, but at the caffeteria on the beach, which is nice for a view but messes with food temperatures. Because the caffeteria is so opened and the breeze from the water flows through, the food gets cold very […] fast. Also, lunch menu did not change a lot, we just kept eating hamburgers all week because it was the only option for hot food. Dinner varied every night, but the quality of food was very very low. Also, during breakfast and dinner in the main buffet they were always running out of plates so we had to wait a while for them to wash dishes and bring out clean plates and glasses. We tried the steakhouse restaurant one of the nights and that was not very good either, although service at the reastuarant was much better than in the buffet. The beach was very nice at this hotel and so was the pool area, although, an in pool bar would be a nice addition. Beach towels were not always available. In general, the service of the hotel staff was very mixed level. Some staff was nice and some just didn't really care, the latter being most of the time. Overall we still enjoyed our vacation, although, we would probably enjoy it much more at another resort with much better food and service for much less money. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

good value for money, staff tried to meet all requests-except King bed-food in Royal Club was awesome house wine (red) there was great-no problem getting into restaurants-not that many people here-18 to 23 oct 2012- diving was awsome-walk to the boats and short boatrides to most dive sites-Tip the waiters and divemasters it will make a difference for […] you and them Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Overall i had a great experience at the hotel. However, when i checked in the guy at the front desk was very nice and explain to me schedules, activities and all the things i needed to know about the resort. Five minutes later i was asking for a drink while i was waiting on my friend and i could not find a waiter or staff. Finally I did get a hold on […] a guy but he never got me my drink. Finally I decided to go to my room and grab a drink at the pool bar. Also, the night before i checked out the guy at the fron desk that had checked me in offered my an upgrade in the restaurant if i fill out the review at his computer, which i refused to do. I belive rewiews are important for the next traveler trying to book this resort. They need to know what really happens there. That is why i take very seriously writing reviews. This resort does not have a great beach. The room where i stayed was very clean and a huge bathroom. Overall i did enjoyed my stay there. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

I was very impressed with the way the grounds were kept. Everything was always neat and clean. The staff were constantly tending to the various plant life and fountains. The rooms were very clean also. The service at the restaurants and pool bar was excellent. Any time you needed something there was always someone "at your service". My husband and daughter […] were there for diving while me and my daughter's boyfriend were the landlubbers. There were lot's of activities planned throughout the day which we participated in and we had our "family time" later in the day. On the non-diving days we went horseback riding with a stop at the tequila factory and we went to the National Park in Cozumel which was a great experience. We went swimming with the dolphins there which was awesome and saw a sea lion show. There was also snorkeling and a beautiful beach. Overall experience was great! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

a little over priced. If not for staying at the royal club I would have been disappointed. very quiet and pretty in its own way. food at the buffet was not very good- not a good selection comparitivly speaking. staff was very friendly. not a good greeting with the (vacation club) offering.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Very nice resort. Everything was excellent. Quiet rooms, food was good, and the beach was beautiful. nice white sand allowing you to walk into ocean unimpeded. The resort itself sits on Mangroves and they built around existing trees, etc. Absolutely beautiful. My only complaint would be the bed was a little hard but the hotel will place a foam topper […] on the mattress if you ask. we will return to this hotel. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Pros: Closest peer to best dive sites. Nice grounds/landscaping. Great beach. Free drinks. Room clean and bed comfortable. Cons: Service is not great. Not at all on par with other resports on the island. Employees don't seem happy at all (I view this as a sign of poor management). Food quality is somewhere between a high school cafeteria and a budget […] cruise ship. Check-in is horrendously inefficient. It costs $20 and 20-30 minutes by taxi to get to town for a decent meal (why would this matter at an all-inclusive?--see comment re food). Entertainment and activities less than exciting. Pool not very clean. They have "upgrade" restaurants that require a reservation, and you can only use them every third night. But they require men to wear long pants and close-toed shoes. Seriously? I never pack those to CZM. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The grounds are beautiful and well kept as are the beach and pool areas. However, the food is absolutely terrible. The only option for breakfast and lunch as well as half of your dinners are buffet-and it is the same food every day. At the beginning of the week, you don't mind it so much but by the time you leave your are just sick of it. We were served […] raw hamburgers and room-temperature food all week long. We were pleased with our room and the beach activities. The resort has a GREAT dive shop, but if you book through the hotel concierge, he will send you off-campus, which is just ridiculous. DON'T fall for the "concierge" who will try to sign you up for a meeting in return for discounts-it's a time share scam and they will have you touring the property and listening to their presentation for HOURS. There are tour companies next to the gift shop who can sign you up for any excursions you would like to go on-use them and NOT the "concierge". They are BULLIES. Other than the food and the time-share crap, we really enjoyed the hotel, the beach, and all the activities available. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Good resort, great service. The resort is modest by many standards (only 1 restaraunt open at night, pools are just ok, not many activities, etc...), but we had a great experience. As vegetarians and traveling with a 1 1/2 year old, the staff went out of their way to make sure we had good food (the standard options were not sufficient). The rooms were […] nice, sit down restaraunts were decent (though limited), and facilities were good. We were able to kayak, snorkel, and arrange activities quite easily. Certainly the flexibility the staff in catering to us was the biggest plus, but the resort itself was quite nice. The only negatives I would say was the abundance of mosquitos (not sure if its season or not), the fact that the snorkeling is bad at the main beach (seaweed only), and the main buffet food was just ok (think its typical of all inclusives). But overall - we were quite happy with the experience and recommend it. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

My wife and I recently visited this resort and I cannot express enough of how hospitable and helpful the staff was. The rooms were spotless and the service was unmatched. I have and will continue to recommend the occidental to anyone who inquires. Thank you for everything you did for us to make sure our honeymoon was the best it could be.

Genuine Expedia guest review

It was good. I am going to write more at the tripadviser site.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Nice place to stay with 2 pools, one by the beach which is the activity pool and another for relaxing. All inclusive means no need to carry money while on the property.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Pro's: Large King Size bed - firm and comfortable Well manicured attractive grounds All inclusive is AWESOME! La Posada restaurant food was great and great selection every day and good for vegetarians. My wife is gluten intolerant and she found plenty of food to eat and supposedly this is not the most occupied season either. Quiet and family pools Great […] dive location Great for deep sea fishing - caught 4 Mahi Mahi and other fish in 3 hours Expedia and other reps take good care of you Potential to buy into the "Royal Club" is an attractive option (take the tour. just not right for me at the time due to debt load) Well located Room A/C worked great as did the fan Con's: I'm a vegetarian so the selection at the reservation restaurants was not good, but La Pasada Restaurant was excellent - LOVED the fresh Papaya daily :-) Some bad smell when they water the lawns localized around the sprinklers We liked this hotel and had a great time. We'd go back if there weren't so many other great places in the world. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Air conditioning throughout resort was not working is the Only negative. Food was great.Staff worked hard at making our stay comfortable. I will go back ASAP.

Genuine Expedia guest review

It was wonderful. Everyone was excellent at their jobs. Well be back with more friends.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Generally speaking my wife and I enjoyed our stay at this hotel. Let me preface my review by saying that I've stayed in a lot of different places, so I rate based on what you pay and reasonable expectations depending on the location. Overall the food was ok, not terrible, but not great. My wife liked it a bit more then I. I thought lunch was good, but […] dinner was not so great. I didn't eat in the sit in restaurants however and so maybe that was better, since I didn't bring pants. That seems strange that you have to wear pants in a tropical environment. The room overall was nice, but the air conditioner did not work well even after someone came to try to fix it. As a result the humidity was excessive and so everything was damp and smelled like mold as others have mentioned before. The floor stayed wet the entire stay. The shower was nice with good water pressure and hot water. The pools and beach were very nice. I didn't use the on site dive shop because of other reviews and I used the one next door at the Allegro Prodive. They were excellent and would definitely use them again. The hotel was also quite noisy. I expect it to be noisy at the pool etc, but at night when we were trying to sleep because of the way the rooms were designed with a circular courtyard and the thinness of the walls you could hear constant slamming of doors, kids running around. I would try staying here again hoping for a working air conditioner and a little more quiet because its an ideal location. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The staff was freindly ,and the hotel was wonderful ,pools ,food and drinks were more than we had expected ,we had a great time .

Genuine Expedia guest review

My wife and I had a blast at this place. We met many people who had been to Coz several times before, and they said that this place had the best beach on the entire island. Staff was friendly, grounds were super cool, and the food was delicious (not 5 star but very good). It is a must to walk down the beach for dinner one night to Alberto's. The food […] there is outstanding and quite possibly the best fish I have ever had. Also they will give you a complimentary ride back to the resort Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Excellent place to stay. Very clean and the staff was great. The only staff member that was some what difficult to work with was when we were trying to schedule dinner reservations. Other than that, it was a perfect trip!

Genuine Expedia guest review

This was our first time staying at the Occidental, and an all-inclusive. During our 10 day stay the only negative I have is that the beds are hard as rocks. We asked for a bed pad and our sweet maid Aurora brought padding for the bed. It was much better after that. We were in building 19 which was great for us since we were diving and it's the closest […] to the beach, and Palancar Dive shop. We've been diving with them for years. This resort is a short boat ride to the best dive sites. The food was good, plentiful, and too easy to get to! It's was hard to come back home and have to fend for ourselves again. Seriously, anyone going to an all-inclusive and expecting all 5-star food all the time needs to skip any all-inclusive. Although it would have been nice to be able to get a pizza before 9:30 at night. The Los Olivos dining room was the best, and we spent our 20th anniversary night there. That was as close to 5-star as we expected. Both the grouper, and steak were perfectly prepared, and served. We would stay here again. It was like a land based cruise. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The staff were definitely not very nice. The food was not very good, and there were guaranteed to be lots of bugs flying around the fruit at all meals.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Enjoyable and relaxing stay! I recommend the Royal Club for anyone who wants a quiet and relaxing stay. Remember that the Royal Club doesn't necessarily mean better service, it just keeps you away from hustle and bustle of the other restaurants and pools.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Hotel was gorgeous, very nice people, everyone around us had an amazing time. Hard to get dinner reservations, I recommend the minute you check in, get your dinner reservations!!! I'd probably go back: )

Genuine Expedia guest review

We paid for an upgraded room called a romantic package and we didn't recieve many of the extras that were supposed to be included such as bathrobes, upgraded toiletries, upgraded room. The room was a little shabby much in need of some serious updates, balconies are not private at all and don't look very sturdy lots of large cracks in concrete and rails […] desperately in need of paint and more support. The breakfast and lunch buffet were very good the evening not so much. It was difficult to get reservations for the a la carte dinners we were only able to get them for one night---so make your reservations early. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Not able to get into rooms until 3pm PERIOD! Very long wait for us after arriving at 11am and traveling thru the night. The rooms appearance is nice, the view is of the jungle there is no ocean views at all, bed is extremely hard. The maid came to clean between 1pm and 2pm, for us ended up being an inconvience because that is usually the time we were […] returning from the beach. The food was good but long lines, only one buffett open for breakfast and lunch, dinner only one buffett available if you didn have reservations at the other resturants which you had to make on arrival and if you didnt (which we didnt) there were none available. There were absolutely no snack bars during meal times and were unable to take anything away from meals, so you were required to go to the a sit down dinner for every meal or go without.The beach was very nice, a little coral on the sand and could be brown water if it was choppy; had to get up around 6am to get a beach chair. In 8 days the nightly entertainment was only different 4 days............. Overall the resort was ok, service was not great and by the end of my week I was sick of waiting in line for everything. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Pros: Los Olivos restaurant, Big towels, real nice beach, beautiful pools, water pressure in the shower-awesome, mangoes are delish. Cons: If you have allergies- would not recommend this resort- Rooms had awful aroma- smelled musty and air conditioner needed cleaning ,we had building 15- 2nd floor room.beds are hard, next to impossible to get a chair […] on the beach unless you got up by 6 am and save one. Reserve restaurants ASAP. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

All staff were helpful and attentive to needs. The only thing i would request next time is to be on a lower floor.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The Occidental Grand has some of the most beautiful grounds of any of the resorts we have stayed at in Cozumel. I liked the way the buildings were spaced apart and surrounded by greenery and jungle. We actually saw a wild boar run across our patio. Our room was spacious with a huge bathroom. Not much drawer space though and the beds were very hard. […] The noise level coming from adjacent rooms was rather loud. It sounded as if they were right in our room! Surprising, since the walls seem to be block and plaster. If you're a light sleeper, bring ear plugs. WiFi was available for about $10 per day but it was slow and unpredictable. Maid service was difficult because of our schedule. We were wanting a siesta when it was time for them to clean our room, so it got cleaned once in 5 days but that was OK with us. We called for clean towels and more water and were fine. Food was just OK here, nothing spectacular but you won't starve unless you're a very picky eater. We ate at the steakhouse one evening and my husband said it was the best beef he had eaten on the island. The beach was very nice with palapas for shade, lots of white sand and it was easy to enter into the water. If you want a space under a palapa better get to the beach early or they will all be taken. Reports from those snorkeling said there was some fish but nothing spectacular. Everyone at the resort was very friendly and eager to please. We would probably go back. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This was our first "all inclusive package," because we always believed quality might suffer...we were wrong! The accomodations were superlative. The room was kept immaculate and was extremely comfortable. The grounds were well kept. There was a wide choice of restaurants on campus, and all were excellent. The activites were diverse and the staff took […] a geuine interest in our relaxation and enjoyment. Thank you! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Wonderful hotel. I would recommend that guests make reservations for dinners as soon after arrival as possible as we waited until the second day and were not able to get reservations for 2 of our 3 reservations required dinners.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Definately not a party place. Hotel is absolutely beautiful, and there are always staff cleaning the grounds, but not obtrusively. The reservation system for the restaraunts was not explained well. Staff was exceptional and very helpful. Food was great in the buffet and the bars were very well stocked. Beware of the fine print! Booked a king but was […] told that when you arrive you are given a king IF one is availiable. And I guess there are just a handful of king beds to be had at this resort.... So they pushed our doubles together. Not horrible, but by no means would this stop us from going back. Check out Coconuts bar on the east side of the island! Take a lot of US dollars for tips! We took $150 and ran out in 5 days! An amazing trip and already looking forward to next year! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Hotel and staff was amazing, but the food at the buffet was just ok.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The grounds, beach, pool and bars are all wonderful. The food provided at the breakfast buffet was passable but lunch and dinner was NOT good. In the end we eat at a wonderful restaurant down the beach that other reviewers recommended - Alberto's. I would recommend their food any day of the week over that of the Occidentals. But there resort is one […] of the most beautiful I have seen and the drinks are great too. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The beds were not comfortable, felt like I was sleeping on a rock. I thought it was all inclusive, they don't bring you drinks by the pool or beach, or take your order for food there, I will not go back

Genuine Expedia guest review

If you're a diver and you like to roll out of bed and be at the dive shop then this place is for you. Dive Palancar was great - very helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. However, if you're not a diver then you may want to research other locations, especially if you're into food. The food quality was average at best and inedible at worst. Their […] buffets were uninspired, bland, and limited. I've had TV dinners with more flavor. And the reservation-only restaurant system was frustrating and obnoxious. And once you got a reservation the food was not worth the bother. Lastly, the hotel management made odd decisions - like having the entire grounds under construction during peak vacation times. All-in-all, if you're picky or expect a 5-star experience do not go here. This is a 3-star at best. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We spent the week before Christmas 2011 at the Occidental Grand and had a very lovely time. The hotel was clean and the rooms and accomodations were much nicer than we anticipated for a budget vacation. The staff was very helpful, especially with our child who is a very picky eater. They went out of their way to help us find things, or to make special […] things for him to eat. The staff at the dive shop were great, and we did several excursions with them. The sailboats, kayaks, etc were in excellent condition. The only downside is the consierge in each building trying to sell timeshare. We just established from day 1 that we weren't interested, but it still felt predatory every time we walked into our building. We were careful to book our excursions, and ask our questions from people NOT part of the timeshare process. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

A really nice smaller resort. Beach was beautiful and diving first class. The food was good in the buffets and daytime beach restaurant but the restaurants you had to reserve, the food was not much different than what you get in the buffet. We were there during Christmas week and although it was enough for us, we did feel a lack of presence in staff […] at the hotel. The pool bar was only served by one bar man and closed at 5pm in the evenings so there was always a line for a drink. You needed at least two people at the bar at all times and have it close a little later, after all we are on holiday and it was Christmas. The evening entertainment was just OK. bigger resorts have better entertainment so you did not have much to do after dinner with the kids. The rooms were OK but very musty and damp not sure why. Over all the hotel was a nice relaxing time but if you want more fun I suggest you book into a larger resort. The diving is top rated here though and the dive shop was right on the beach at the resort so it was really great. It is considered a 4 star but I would rate this a 3.5. Need some improvements Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The grounds were BEAUTIFUL! So was the beach!!! I think that the language was a problem. One day we had no towels, we asked 4 people but never got them. The next day we had extra towels and the kid's room had none. If I could have asked the right person, I would have had towels. So, since that was the only problem we had, it wasn't a big problem at […] all. (we got towels from the beach supply!) The food was very good!! The people were nice. We had no trouble with any part of our trip. Loved the Christmas music. Save yourself the headache and don't go to the Occidental time share talk. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

My wife and I just got back from a week at the OG and we loved it. The rooms are very nice but do have a bit of a damp smell probably because it was +90% humidity all the time. The beach and diving are great. We spent all morning on the beach went out for two dives after lunch and then sat on the beach again until sunset. We will definitely be going […] back. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We liked the seclusion of the hotel and the jungle like surroundings. The wildlife were a part of the charm of the place. We'd go back for sure since the staff was terrific. We only had a couple of complaints. The beds were very hard and there was not enough pillows. The Timeshare schtick started the moment we arrived. There seemed to be quite a bit […] of it. One staff member even told us how they were compensated for daily pay and successful timeshare invites. However, once we put our foot down and said we weren't going, they left us alone. The food. The variety seemed to be good at first, but it quickly repeated. And dried out and usually cold. They have to do better on the food. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review