Arrival Info
At the Cozumel airport - when you exit from the customs area you will be approached by official looking people asking where you are going, where you are staying, would you like a free dinner, snorkel, parasail, etc. These people are timeshare sales representatives. The best thing to do (unless you want to go to a timeshare presentation and get the free gift) is to firmly & politely say “no thank you” and just pass through them. Then turn to the right while still inside the building. Walk until you get to the last booth on the left that says Airport Transportation. This is the only official airport transportation and is by shared vans - no taxis are allowed to pick up at the airport (only drop off when you leave). You buy a ticket at the window (tell them El Cantil and it should be about $9 per person). Take those tickets and continue outside and you will see a bunch of white vans lined up and guys in white shirts (they work for the transport company). The guys in white shirts will ask what hotel, and they will guide you to a van going your direction and load your luggage. You then have to wait until the van is full with enough people going your way (usually no more than 10 minutes or so).
The van will drop you off in front of El Cantil (tip the driver $1 per bag). There are two buildings. You will be in the South (Sur in Spanish) building. DO NOT ENTER THE OFFICE WITH THE RED TARP. The first number of the condo unit numbers corresponds to the floor the condo is on, the second letter is the unit on that floor, and the letter (S or N) at the end corresponds to either the South or North tower. Our unit is 4CS (the third unit on the fourth floor of the South Tower). If you are not immediately greeted by the property manager, give your name to one of the doormen (in yellow shirts) and they will give you access to the elevator and assist with your bags (it is appropriate to tip them if you desire), and inform the property manager of your arrival. Once at our door, enter the code provided in the lock to enter the condo. Please do not share the code with anyone that is not a representative of our management company (Caribbean Beach Properties). If you have any problems getting the door open, please contact the management company (using the information below or from the instructions that we e-mailed to you after your booking), or ask anyone in a yellow shirt to help contact the property manager.
Property Management Contact Information
Our property manager is Caribbean Beach Properties. Here is their local contact information (this same information is on the instructions that we e-mailed to you after your booking). 9am to 5pm: 044-987-118-5917, Emergency after hours: 044-987-878-6811. From the USA 1-719-531-0002.
Check in and check out times - Check in is 2:00 PM. Check out is 11:00 AM. If you plan to arrive prior to 2:00 PM, or if you plan on departing after 11:00 AM, please contact us. If we do not have a guest checking out the same day you check in, or if we do not have a guest checking in the same day you check out, we can likely make an exception for you to accommodate your schedule, but we have to inform the management company so that they can schedule their procedures correctly. If the management company enforces the check in or checkout times, these instructions must be respected. If we have guests checking out the same day you check in, the housekeeping staff may still be cleaning the property when you arrive. If we have guests checking in the same day you check out, housekeeping may have to begin cleaning the property as early as 9 AM on your checkout day. When you leave the condo, simply leave your elevator key cards on the kitchen counter.
Questions, Problems or Maintenance Issues
If you have any questions, problems or maintenance issues (including light bulbs) with the unit, please contact the property manager using the local numbers above from the local phone in the unit.
Towels
Bath towels, beach towels and linens are provided and laundered at no cost to you. To help us conserve cost and to help the environment, do not throw clean towels on the floor. Do not use towels to clean. Please do not hang beach towels from the balcony! Before entering the condo building, shake as much sand from the beach towels as possible. Do not leave towels at the beach or at the pool. You will be charged for any missing or damaged towels. Towels are specific to each condo and are not shared by everyone in the complex. If you lose towels, please report this immediately to the property manager.
Maid Service and Tipping
Housekeeping is typically provided twice per week during your stay. Times and frequency of housekeeping may vary. Housekeeping will include throwing trash, changing towels and linens, sweeping and mopping, and cleaning dishes. Please note that this condos is privately owned. It is our second home, and we ask that you treat the condo as you would your own home. As much as possible, please keep the condo clean and tidy during your stay. A significant portion of the housekeeper's salary is based on tips, so if you feel that they did a good job, please leave a tip at the end of the week. An appropriate tip is about $3(US) per person per times cleaned (usually two times) for the week depending on how many people are in the unit, how many bedrooms you used, and your kitchen use (please add more if you used the kitchen a lot or had messy children). If the maid performed additional services that you requested (such as cleaning clothes) please tip an additional amount at that time.
Laundry Service
The housekeeper can do small amounts of laundry for you for an extra tip. The closest laundry service is Margarita Laundry on Ave 11 between calles 5 and 10 (a very short walk from the condo) where you can do your own, or leave it and they will do it for you for later pick up.
Security
Cozumel is a safe area but petty theft is common in Mexico (just like all tourist areas). Use good judgment at all times. Do not leave valuables unattended while at the pool, the beach or while in town. The management company does their best to hire reliable and honest staff, but please do not leave any valuables visible in the condo. Safes are provided in the condo and instructions on using the safe are provided in the unit. Use the safe to store all valuables and your passports! The management company, and the owners of the condos are not responsible for any items that go missing during your stay.
Elevators
There are two elevators. One directly in front of our door. You can use this to go up and down to the street (Lobby) level. From the street you need to scan the key card for the elevator to open (this is good security). If you want to go to the beach/pier/pool area you need to use the elevator at the other end of the corridor, and push "S". The S level is one level below the street/lobby level and only that elevator goes that far. When the elevator opens at the S level you might think you made a mistake because it opens into the garage and dive locker area, but that is correct. The garage is under ground. Walk through the garage and you will get to the beach area. Again, that is for security and privacy. No one can get to the beach/pool area without having a key card. It insures that only owners and guests can use the pool and beach, and that you won’t be bothered by people selling trinkets. Don’t be alarmed about the security measures. Cozumel is very safe. We have never observed a crime, just use your common sense. Most of the security measures are for privacy really.
Air Conditioning
Electricity is very expensive on the island, and we have to pay based on what is used by our unit. So please help us out by not leaving the sliding glass doors open* while the air conditioners are running, and please turn it down when you go out for an extended period. The property manager should show you how to use the controls. *During the summer months we have automatic door closers on the sliders.
Wi-Fi
The unit has a free Wi-Fi internet connection. The password for the Wi-Fi is written on a piece of paper taped to the end table that the router sits on. It is also written on a piece of paper taped to the inside of the desk drawer.
Free Phone to US
There is a VOIP phone system in the unit. It is the one sitting next to the Wi-Fi internet router (left side of the couch). You can make free phone calls to the US using that system. Also friends and family can call you directly in the condo unit. In case you want to leave a number with people back home … the number is 860-613-5423. So when people call you it is as if they are calling a Middletown CT number. If they have any long distance charges it will be a charge based on CT not Mexico. If they have nationwide (US) toll free calling, it will not cost them anything to call you at that number.
Local Phone
The other phone (the one not connected to the internet router - on the right side of the couch) is for local Cozumel calls only, which are also free using this phone ... the number is 878-4754. For an emergency (police, fire, & ambulance) dial 911. If you are calling a local Cozumel land line you only need to dial the ten digit number. If you are calling a local Cozumel cell phone you have to dial 044 + the ten digit number. How do you know if the number you want to call is a cell phone? Good question. If you got the number from a card or advertisement and it starts with 044 than it's a cell phone and you should dial the whole number. If you don't know try dialing the 10 digit number first. If you get a message (it will be in Spanish) saying your call can not be completed, then try again dialing the 044 + the ten digit number. Any long distance charges attributed to the use of the local phone will be charged to the renter, so please use the VOIP phone for calls back to the US.
Electricity
Electrical outlets are the same size and voltage as the U.S. There is no need to bring any adapters.
Bluetooth Connection to the Stereo
You can play music from your Bluetooth enabled wireless devices through the stereo system in the entertainment center. After turning the power on, hit the button directly to the right of the power button that has the Bluetooth symbol on it, then pair your Bluetooth device to "SC-AKX-100" in the search list.
Television
We have flat screen TV's in each bedroom and the living room. The TV in the living room is a "Smart TV" connected to the Wi-Fi so that you can watch Netflix (if you have an account - you need to sign in using your credentials - be sure to sign out before you leave). The TV is also connected to the AUX input of the stereo so you can have the audio of your movie or TV show play through the stereo system. The building has Dish Network satellite TV service from the US, including HBO, Showtime and the normal line up of cable channels.
DVD Players
We have two DVD players connected to the television. The Sony (the larger one on the bottom) has regular DVD and VHS tape players in it. The Toshiba (smaller one on the top) is a Blu-Ray DVD player. You need to select the proper input on the TV. The regular DVD/VHS player is connected to Video. The Blu-Ray player is connected to HDMI-1. We have a very small supply of DVD's on hand, so bring your own.
Kitchen Garbage Can
Is under the kitchen sink on a roll out platform. Housekeeping will empty it during their visits. If it fills up in between bring the bag downstairs and hand it to one of the doormen (in yellow shirts). Additional bags are under the sink.
Hair Dryers & Toiletries
Yes! There is a hair dryer in each of the three bedroom bathrooms. Soap is included at each sink and shower. Other toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, etc) are not included, so plan accordingly. There is a grocery store across the street that has most name brands.
Ice
The freezer has an ice machine which is feed from filtered water.
Games
We have several board games in the unit. They are in the cabinet under the television in the living room.
Dive Locker
We have a dive locker assigned to us in the garage. It is the second one on the left as you step out of the elevator on floor "S". Our unit number (4C) is painted in white on the front, and labled above. The locker should have a combination lock on it. The combination is on a table top sign on the kitchen counter top and the foyer buffet (on the back of the sign). If you use the locker please be sure to leave our lock on the locker in the locked position when you leave (if you bring your own lock please put ours back at the end of your stay)
Tipping
As mentioned above we suggest that you tip the maid about $3 per person per times cleaned (usually twice) for a week (or more based on the factors listed above in the housekeeping section). In restaurants you should tip at the rates as you would in the U.S. Restaurant staff are paid very little (and some not at all) and rely on tips. For dive, fishing, excursion trips, etc, you should tip about 15% of the cost +/- based on the quality of the service, or extra tasks performed. At the grocery stores tip the baggers a few peso's.
Exercise
There is a gym just a very short walk from the condo. Ego Gym is on Avenida 11 at Calle 5a. They have exercise machines, showers, and air conditioning. The drop in price is 100 pesos per visit.
Map
At the bottom is a good street map of the town of San Miguel. El Cantil is located on the water side of the main avenue right across from where it says “City Hall” (See the red arrow between the green park space and the supermarket). The numbered Avenida's (Avenues) run North to South and are numbered in 5’s. So 10th Avenue is only one block up from 5th Avenue. The Calle’s (Streets) run East to West. The odd numbered streets are South of the square (where El Cantil is). The even numbered streets are North of the square. The square is the main hub (shown as the Plaza on the map). The main waterfront road (on which El Cantil is located) is named Avenida Raphael E. Melgar, also know as "the malecon" (sea-wall street in Spanish).
Restaurants
This is one of our favorite topics and high up on the list of things that made us fall in love with the island. It is very hard to find a bad restaurant. Here are links to lists that we use (we are still on a quest to try every one of them) and have found the descriptions and reviews to be very honest and accurate.
- www.cozumelinsider.com/Restaurants.html
- www.cozumelvillas.com/dining.html
- www.mxtravel.com/cozumel-mexico/cozumel-restaurants.html
But be warned. Things change fast, and restaurants come and go. We have occasionally sought out one on the list to find it closed or under a new name. For example; French Quarter and Prima no longer exist. The following is a list of some of our favorites (in no particular order). Unless a taxi is mentioned they are all in very short walking distance of the condo:
- Casa Denis - in the square. The most authentic old Yucatan restaurant around. Price is very good. This is a don’t miss for us every trip.
- La Mission - on the way to the square on Adolfo Rosado Salas ( would be Calle 1 if the numbering continued) just off of Melgar. Great seafood. Also one we hit every trip. Our favorite is the seafood platter - grilled fish, lobster & garlic shrimp. Potent margarita's.
- La Casa Del Mojito - Very small quaint Cuban food. Nice people who we have gotten to know. Tell them that Pat & Gary sent you. The mirror just to the right of our bedroom door came form there. If you go to the toilet at the restaurant you will see many more similar (but each one is custom hand made). On 5th Ave just south of the main square.
- Rock N’ Java -Very close to El Cantil. Just past the Barracuda hotel on the way (North) into town. Good any time of the day, we like it for breakfast. They will even deliver to the unit (take out menu’s are in the platter near the front door of the condo). Another friend of ours. Tell Ernesto or Lisa, that Gary & Pat from Rotary sent you.
- Roanldi’s - Also close to El Cantil. The next set of building walking North towards town. A little fancier than the rest (also more $’s). Good if you are looking for a more upscale dinner. Good Italian food when you get tired of fish and Mexican food.
- Ernesto’s Fajita Factory - Our favorite fajita’s on the island. You will need a taxi for this one (or a very very long walk). It is in the Southern hotel district.
- Casa Mission - Sister restaurant to La Mission. Need a taxi (on 55th Ave). If you want to leave the kids behind one night and have a romantic dinner with you husband, this is the place. It is an old estate turned into a restaurant. You dine on the veranda. Relax and enjoy the atmosphere. With desert ask for “Sexy Coffee” and you will get a great show (and great coffee)(tip the guy who makes the coffee a couple of $’s). They also have Sexy Coffee and La Mission mentioned above. So if you only get to one of them try it at one or the other.
- El Moro - Way off the beaten path, you will need a taxi for this. Good traditional Yucatan food. Large portions at a reasonable price.
- Buccanos at Night - www.buccanos.com Looking for something very special? Great ocean side restaurant only open Wednesday to Sunday. Reservations required. High end of the price scale, but worth every penny.
- New Especias - Calle 3, between Ave 5 & 10. Italian with a local twist. A few lion fish dishes which we like. Francesco, the owner & Chef will come to your table and explain the dishes. Inside and outside seating.
- Le Chef - An eclectic menu. Inside seating or on the sidewalk at the corner of Calle 5 and Ave 5. Make sure at least one person in your party gets the bacon and lobster sandwhich and gives everyone a taste!
- Machete - Typical regional tacos and fajitas in a very casual outside only, on the sidewalk, seating. Corner of Ave 5 right at the south side of the square. Great people watching, fun wait staff. Oh, and good burgers with Mexican fixings.
- La Cocay - Can be walked, but you may want to cab it. On Calle 8 between Ave 10 and 15. Mediterranean food in a backyard Mexican courtyard atmosphere.
- La Perlita - At Ave 65 and Calle 10 you will need a cab. Traditional Mayan, Yucatan, and other regional dishes. It's a funky place with a casual atmosphere away from the tourist area. On Thursday nights they have 2 for 1 lionfish dinners. Try the coconut lionfish.
- Guido's - Right on Melgar between Calle 6 & 8. Good Italian cuisine. You can eat inside, or in the covered courtyard in the back yard. Watch for the turtle that lives in the courtyard and walk around between the tables.
- Poncho's Backyard - A little on the higher end side. You might think we mislead you when you realize you have to walk through the Los Cinco Soles store (on Melgar betwee Calle 8 & 10) to get to the restaurant, but once you get back there you will understand. A good place for a quiet dinner. Mexican and seafood menu.
- Kinta - 5th Ave between Calle 2 & 4 (north of square). Contemporary Mexican menu. Front room is inside seating, or go out back to sit in a covered courtyard.
- Kondesa - Another higher end place. Menu has lots of influences; American, Asian Fusion, Mediterranean and or course Mexican. Try the In Guak We Trust (Guacamole trio sampler). On 5th Ave between 5 & 7. Outdoor garden seating.
- El Foco - On 5th Ave between Calle 5 & 6. Taco's and other Mexican food cooked to order in a funky atmosphere. Friendly service, great food and excellent drinks at a very reasonable price.
- That's Amore - Another good Italian place run by a very nice couple from Italy, so the recipes are authentic. Great ocean view. On Megar, south from us on the ocean side across from Villablanca hotel.
- Sal de Mar - Calle 5 between Ave 5 & 10. New Mexican eclectic is the best way to describe it. On the higher end of the price scale.
- Los Otates - On Ave 15 near Calle 5 is a good place to go to get away from the tourists and eat with some locals. Not fancy at all, but really good tacos.
- Jeannie's - Also very close to us, directly across the street from Mega. Great ocean view. Good for breakfast (the pecan waffles are wonderful), lunch or dinner.
- Lobster Shack - On Calle 3 right off of Melgar. Small place, good for lunch. Basically lobster rolls. But they are great! Especially if you order it with bacon on the top. Buttered hunks of lobster (not a salad).
Activities
Lots of things. Just do a google search, or go to trip advisor. Depends on your interest. All the normal island things like horseback riding, para sailing, paddle boarding, etc. are available. Or take the ferry to Playa de Carman to explore that town, visit Mayan ruins, cenotes and more. Claudia has brochures in the office. Here are a few things that we have enjoyed doing on Cozumel:
- Dolphins - There are two swim with Dolphin’s places. One is just a very short walk south from El Cantil (just past the Palace resort next door). The other is at Chankanaab.
- Chankanaab - If you want to do the Dolphin thing and make a day of it, take a taxi to Chankanaab. There you will find a great beach, the Dolphin’s, zip lining, snorkeling, botanical gardens, nature walks, beach and more.
- Mayan Steam Lodge - Kind of a funky woo-woo type thing, but you can’t do it many places. www.temazcalcozumel.com You need to make reservations, and they will pick you up. In addition to the steam treatment you get a wonderful educational lesson in Mayan culture. We really enjoyed the time we spent there with Petrus.
- A Day at the Beach - There are several beach clubs way at the southern end of the island. For an all-inclusive price you get all the food and drinks you want, and full access to activities. The kids will love climbing the floating rock walls and falling back into the ocean. We like Mr. Sanchos Beach Club, but they are all good.
- Buccano's Bar & Grill - A beach club on the north side of town.
- A Drive Around The Island - You can rent a jeep or car for the day and take a drive across to the other side of the island. Follow Av. Benito Juarez (in the middle of the map above) to the Island Crossroad. On the way you can stop at the San Gervasio ruins (see map below) and get a guided tour of this ancient Mayan city. When you get to the "other side" you will find it most uninhabited with a few funky beach clubs. Continue on the road and you will wrap around to the southern side (which has a lot of resorts and beach clubs), continue north, pass the southern cruise ship pier area, and eventually end up right back in front of El Cantil. You can do it in a few hours, or take all day, depending on how many stops you make.
- If you don't want to drive (especially if you want to consume adult beverages) there are several alternatives; Bar Hop (by bus to the other side), Pirate Pub Crawl (downtown walking tour), or design your own tour using Cozumel Tours by Cab.
- Pirate Ship - Booze cruise or a steak and lobster dinner cruise on a pirate ship
- Massage - There are many spa's offering a variety of spa and massage services. We have been very happy with Spa del Sol a short walk away on Calle 5. www.spadelsolcozumel.com
Other Information
A good source of information about the island is Cozumel 4 You www.czm4you.com. They also host a forum and Facebook page where you can get in touch with others already on the island or headed there to exchange useful information. The Cozumel Sun www.thecozumelsun.com is a weekly local newspaper in English
Diving
This is the reason we came to Cozumel! See all the dive sites on the map at the bottom. There are many good dive operations and most will pick up at the El Cantil dock on our property. We have used Dive Paradise for many years www.diveparadise.com . The main office (to book and pay for dives) is a very short walk from our condo. We recently discovered a smaller boutique operation called Blue XT~Sea run by Christi Courtney www.bluextseadiving.com. Christi gives very personalized service, and requires reservations in advance.
Rinse tanks & dive lockers; there are nice clean rinse tanks just 100 feet from the dive dock, and just steps away from the dive lockers. We have a dive locker assigned to us in the garage. It is the second one on the left as you step out of the elevator on floor "S". Our unit number (4C) is painted in white on the front. The locker should have a combination lock on it. The combination is on a table top sign on the kitchen counter top and the foyer buffet (on the back of the sign). If you use the locker please be sure to leave our lock on the locker in the locked position when you leave (if you bring your own lock please put ours back at the end of your stay). They are very large with room to hang all of your gear and have it be dry by the next day. The garage is well ventilated being open to the air, but secure (gated) and only resort key holders can get to it via the elevator or stairs.
Grocery Shopping
There are two large grocery stores with in walking distance of the Condo. Chedraui is almost directly across the street, they carry a full stock of food, beer, wine, liquor, household and personal items. Mega is about two blocks away to the north on the same avenue, it is larger than Chedraui and closer to a US Walmart type shopping experience (good or bad depending on how you look at it).
Please be cautioned that the plastic bags that are used are very thin and rip very easy. Hold them from the bottom. Even better, use the cloth bags that we have stored in the lower cabinet to the left of the stove. Also tip the bagger a few peso's (they work only for tips).
Cinema
There is a 7 screen movie theater (Cinepolis) right next to Chedraui (so you look out of our kitchen window and see what's playing!). It shows many first run US movies with the audio in English (and Spanish subtitles). Very comfortable seating with prices much lower than the US for both the movies and popcorn.