Intercontinental Presidente Cozumel Resort Spa, An Ihg Hotel

“great and convenient resort for scuba diving”

This our 5th or 6th trip at the Presidente Intercontinental and once again it did not disappoint. We love the resort, great staff, great food and the beach front rooms that are well worth the splurge. We love the easy access to Scuba Du for all diving activities, so convenient, and in my opinion … more

This our 5th or 6th trip at the Presidente Intercontinental and once again it did not disappoint. We love the resort, great staff, great food and the beach front rooms that are well worth the splurge. We love the easy access to Scuba Du for all diving activities, so convenient, and in my opinion one of the best scuba facilities around. Special thanks to Victor for taking such good care of our gear. We will be back soon.

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“Paradise at the Presidente!”

My husband and I spent 16 days at the Presidente to celebrate our 25th anniversary and my birthday. This was our second time staying at the resort so we knew it was a great choice. We wanted a low key resort, with shore snorkeling, good food/drinks, and a kind staff. The Presidente delivered on eac… more

My husband and I spent 16 days at the Presidente to celebrate our 25th anniversary and my birthday. This was our second time staying at the resort so we knew it was a great choice. We wanted a low key resort, with shore snorkeling, good food/drinks, and a kind staff. The Presidente delivered on each of those aspects! We've been to Cozumel many times and this resort remains our favorite. The Presidente is a welcoming resort that allows you to fully relax and enjoy the magic of Cozumel. Here's a breakdown of our memorable stay at the best resort on the island! Check in: We arrived prior to check in time, which is 3 p.m., so we anticipated waiting for our room. We were greeted with cool towels and a refreshing welcome drink. Check in went smoothly, the front desk employee was very welcoming and she gave us early access to our room. The bellhop who took our bags to our room gave us helpful information about the resort and our room, I wish I got his name! He was so kind, just like every employee we encountered moving forward during our stay. Room category: We booked a premium ocean view king room through Costco (premium balcony ocean view on the Presidente Intercontinental website). Our second floor room was located on the south side of the resort with a balcony that overlooked the sandy area and sweeping ocean views. I would classify our room as being ocean front vs ocean view. On our previous stay, we had a second floor ocean view room that was located on the north side of the resort. We preferred the south side room better as the north side room had a walkway between the balcony and the ocean view so you could hear people talking as they walked by.  Bathroom: We had a spacious dual sink vanity bathroom with plenty of storage, lighting and natural light. A frosted floor to ceiling window provided natural light, which was great during the day. However, it made sleeping in tough once the sun rose as the light would shine into our room. There isn't a door to close to eliminate the light. We didn't have that issue with our previous room on the north side. We eventually got used to the light. :) The shower and vanity were in an open area and the toilet was in a separate/private room. Pump bottles of nice quality shampoo, conditioner and shower gel were provided in the rain shower. The oversized shower also had a handheld shower head along with a large niche to store toiletries. Additional toiletries included: a shaving kit, toothbrush/toothpaste kit, small bottle of Scope mouthwash, Evian water facial spray, natural mosquito repellent, after sun cream, large bottle of hand soap, and a large bottle of body lotion. Based on the little note on the vanity, if you used up the small toiletries provided and wanted a replacement, there would be a charge for that. You weren't charged for shampoo, conditioner, soap, or shower gel refills. A glass canister held additional things such as cotton pads, cotton swabs, etc. There was also an illuminated/magnifying make up mirror, which was helpful! Each side of the vanity had a small shelf to store essentials. Under the sink area there was an open area that offered additional storage. Depending on the day, we received 1-2 large water bottles for teeth brushing.  Closet: Just off the bathroom area was a closet with sliding doors. One side had an area to hang your clothes and had two robes. The other side had a programmable safe, hairdryer, storage shelves, shoe rack, and two sets of slippers. The water closet was located at the end of this area.  Room: There was a tray of sliced fruit and along with a bottle of mineral water in our room, maybe for our anniversary? I thought that was such a nice touch! Our bedroom had a console table with a Nespresso machine and pods, mini bar (stocked with 2 small cartons of water, one tiny Diet Coke and one tiny Regular Coke), and a TV mounted above (never turned it on). During our last stay in 2022, the mini bar had 2 small cans of beer and a few more cans of pop. I thought maybe the mini fridge stocker missed our room, so I asked if we were supposed to receive those additional items and was told the resort no longer provided them. Between the console table and sliders to the balcony there was a round wall hook that held a straw beach bag with two beach towels. Above that there were a few small wooden floating shelves that we used to store small items. The only thing our room was missing was a ceiling fan. The bed had a pretty heavy duvet on it, I don't like to be hot so I asked for a lighter blanket and we received two lightweight cotton blankets, which were greatly appreciated! The mattress was firm and we slept fine. We each had a bedside table, one table had an alarm clock with a phone charging pad on the top. The A/C worked well, it went as low as 18 C. There was a large black out shade as well as two light filtering shades. We loved the large balcony! It had a small wooden drying rack, two cushioned chairs and a nice sized wooden table. The glass railing provided unobstructed views of the ocean. We saw so many beautiful sunsets from our balcony. After dinner, the balcony was the perfect spot to relax with a drink and read while listening to the sounds of the ocean and sometimes the rain.  Beach: There are three sandy areas. The north side of the resort has a sandy beach area with maybe 10 palapas, a shower, towel location, and two piers to enter/exit from for snorkeling. The center of the resort has a good sized beach area with 10-12 palapas and some lounge chairs with umbrellas closer to the pool area.  Snorkeling: We found the best snorkeling on the north side of the resort. There's two piers to enter/exit from. There were a lot of purple fan coral and other coral growth, we saw plenty of fish such as trumpet fish, rays, triggerfish, tangs, trunkfish, cowfish, yellow stingrays, butterfly fish, grunts, barracudas, flounder, and unfortunately a lionfish. You can also snorkel on the south side of the resort and see the sunken catamaran. However, we found there wasn't as much to see there in comparison to the north side. You can also snorkel along the edge of the cove area, there isn't much to see but it's a good area for kids to try out or beginners. Be careful and go slow on the ladders, they are slippery. Pools: There are two. The main infinity pool overlooks the ocean and has mesmerizing views of the turquoise ocean. I got lost staring into the ocean on many occasions. The first few days we were there the pool was warm like bath water. The heater must have been turned off for the rest of our stay as the water was refreshing. There's background music at the pool that could be played in the US/Canada. I wish the pool music had Mexican flavor to it since that's where we were. There is also a quiet pool area tucked into the north side of the resort between three room buildings. It's not for adults only as some guests have mentioned, however there's rarely anyone using it. Near the towel area of the quiet pool there's a QR code where you can order food/drinks from Le Cap. Nice touch!  Staff: The Presidente staff are top notch and we were treated like friends! We got to know quite a few staff members during our stay and enjoyed our conversations. It was nice to brush up on our Spanish and so many of the employees helped us with that. Cristina always greeted us at breakfast/lunch with a smile and a warm welcome! She shared the Dia de Muertos event schedule with us, which we greatly appreciated. Cristina really seemed to care about each guest and has such a kind heart. We also interacted with Guillermo and Diego quite a bit, they did a great job and we enjoyed getting to know them. Yazmin, the manager at El Caribeno, is the best! She knew I was vegan and couldn't have queso, so she went out of her way to ensure I had frijoles without queso in the morning. It was a pleasure getting to know her too! Yazmin is incredibly kind and a valuable asset to the resort! She even asked an employee, Joselyn, to track me down on my birthday to give me a birthday cake. He and Lucia (pretty sure this was the hostess's name?) sang happy birthday to me. It was totally unnecessary but it was so thoughtful of Yazmin and her team. We spent quite a few evenings at Le Cap Israel where Israel was the bartender. Israel makes great drinks and we enjoyed our conversations with him and Armando, who is a server there. They both helped us out with our Spanish and we shared quite a few laughs together!  Beach servers: Genaro and Imanol were so friendly and were always checking in to see if we needed drinks or food. We loved these guys! They also helped us with our Spanish and we enjoyed getting to know them. We ordered lunch on the beach twice and both times it was way too much food, but very good! My husband ordered the shrimp burger, which is huge! He couldn't finish it! We made the mistake of ordering guacamole, for two people it's way too much. I'd recommend ordering a half order for two. The veggie tacos were great, you get four of them so you could definitely share! I also ordered the quinoa salad (very good!) beachside off the vegan menu one day. The resort's fresh pina coladas were so good, a server asked us if we'd want to upgrade the rum to Tropicana (I think this was the name?) and it was really good!  El Caribeno: The daytime setting at El Caribeno is stunning as the palapa style building overlooks the turquoise ocean with 180 degree views. At night it transforms into a different vibe with beautiful interior lighting and bistro lights near the ocean. We dined al fresco next to the ocean one night and it was magical. No one else was around us, we were able to hear the sounds of the ocean and it was perfect! The breakfast buffet was included with our Costco package and was worth it. I loved the freshly made tortillas and the fresh fruit. I wish the resort would consider not putting cheese on potatoes or frijoles and just have a dish of cheese out for those that want to add it. Vegans and those with dairy allergies would appreciate that so much! Yazmin also told me about a homemade vegan burger option that wasn't on the menu, which I tried without a bun and it was really good. At lunch and dinner you are given complimentary tortilla chips and a salsa trio. We loved the roasted habanero salsa! It was easy to fill up on chips before the meals arrived. For ambiance, I wish that the restaurant played music with a Mexican influence.  Le Cap: This open air restaurant with a wood fired oven and charcoal grill was great for lunch or dinner. You're greeted with views of the ocean at this restaurant too! The staff is excellent with dietary restrictions. I let them know that I'm gluten free and was provided pre-packaged Salmas (thin corn crackers similar to tortillas) with the complimentary pico de gallo, which was delicious! From the menu, I had the vegan sushi but usually I ordered off the resort's vegan menu. I had the quinoa salad many times throughout the resort, for some reason it was best at Le Cap. I also had the roasted cauliflower steak, which is served on wilted spinach and a tomato based sauce, I added Kalamata olives to it. My husband liked the pizza, gyros, sushi, shrimp wrapped with zucchini, and hamburger that he had here. If you are one person ordering the pizza you might want to order the kid's portion instead, which is still a good size as it's as big as a dinner plate. The regular pizza was close to a 14-inch in the US. We also enjoyed the evenings at Le Cap's bar with great drinks from Israel. Alfredo Di Roma Trattoria Cozumel: We dined at Alfredo three times. The hostess was very kind/welcoming and after our first visit, she remembered us. I wish I had her name! The staff brings you complimentary bread, hard breadsticks, pesto (not vegan), sundried tomato pesto (vegan), olive oil/vinegar, and an assortment of olives to start out. I informed the server on our first visit that I was GF and was given and individually wrapped package of bread. I was able to modify a vegetarian pasta dish GF and vegan and then I added the complimentary olives to it. It was good! We enjoyed the wine we ordered. Each time we dined at Alfredo our service was excellent! I made a reservation online the first time and we walked in for our other two dinners.  Faro Blanco: We dined here early during our stay. I made an outdoor reservation online. The food wasn't as memorable as Alfredo. I had a vegan pad thai, which was good but I preferred Alfredo better...just a personal preference! Our service was very good at Faro Blanco though.  Vegan Menu: I love that the resort has a dedicated vegan menu for lunch and dinner, you just have to ask your server for it. There are quite a few options on it. I tried the spring pasta, vegetable yakimeshi, pad thai, quinoa salad, roasted cauliflower steak, mushroom soup, and tofu fajitas. I liked everything but the fajitas due to the tofu. I'm sure they would make veggie fajitas if you asked as the staff seemed very flexible on meals. There were a few dessert options on the menu too, but I didn't try them. We were told that a gluten free menu is coming out in January 2025.  Smoking: We experienced second hand smoke many times, which was disappointing. The resort claims it's non-smoking, yet there was a couple smoking at El Caribeno (outer edge of the restaurant but still, why?) and they had an ashtray. People were smoking at a table in the sand at Le Cap when we dined there. At the quiet pool a guest was smoking on his patio near the pool. A guest walked by us smoking a cigar by the cove beach area. We decided to close our tab from the beach one day due to the second hand smoke, we let our server know why and he told his captain. I'm not sure if anything was done about it. I hope the Presidente cracks down on smoking, that was the only negative aspect of the resort.  Guests: I was surprised at how many young families were at the resort this time of year. Most children were well behaved. ;-) There were guests from all over the world as we heard many different languages spoken.  Taxis: Easy to get, just let the bellhop know when you need one. We went into town quite a bit. It's $10 US one way. There's a TV monitor in the lobby area that lists the taxi rates.  Resort Layout/Design: The resort itself isn't huge, but we love how spread out it is in comparison to other resorts on the island. It never felt crowded during either of our visits - our first stay was during a spring break/Easter week. I like that the two story buildings are in the front near the ocean and the taller building is set back.  The walkways are beautifully landscaped and you'll see occasional iguanas, lizards and geckos. The design throughout the resort is simple, comfortable yet modern, while embracing the surroundings. The minimalist design allows the beauty of Cozumel to shine through.  Umbrellas: If it rains, the resort has several areas where they keep umbrellas for guests to use, including at the restaurants. So no need to pack one! We've traveled to Cozumel many times and the Presidente is definitely the best on the island. The Presidente allows you to relax without the backdrop of loud music and someone encouraging you to join in pool activities. We loved the palapas that you can lounge under with a margarita while reading a book. The snorkeling was awesome! We didn't want to leave!  Although we came home fully rejuvenated, we still wish that we were in paradise at the Presidente. Thank you to the wonderful staff at the Presidente for helping to make our vacation incredible! We look forward to visiting again!

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“Staff and Property Extraordinaire”

My wife, Mary and I stayed 20 nights this year and absolutely love Presidente Intercontinental. We have stayed several times over the years. The beautifully maintained resort with incredible rooms is amazing, from the oceanfront beach and pools to the restaurants, bars and other amenities. The emp… more

My wife, Mary and I stayed 20 nights this year and absolutely love Presidente Intercontinental. We have stayed several times over the years. The beautifully maintained resort with incredible rooms is amazing, from the oceanfront beach and pools to the restaurants, bars and other amenities. The employees are very well trained, knowledgeable and very hospitable. We love the brunch buffet with Yazmin, Sebastian and their many terrific staff members including Christina, the host with the most, Nichita on the egg station, as well as all the servers, Alejandro and multiple others. At Le Cap, William, Israel and Heiler are fantastic. We will return.

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“Would rate 5 stars but the accounting is very questionable with no explanation one week after check out.”

I would love to give this hotel 5 stars but I have a warning regarding the billing process. They take the room fees upfront in full but still put a room's charge as a hold each day in full! Then they credit you the same day less 20-60$. I have called the hotel front desk who told me that it would g… more

I would love to give this hotel 5 stars but I have a warning regarding the billing process. They take the room fees upfront in full but still put a room's charge as a hold each day in full! Then they credit you the same day less 20-60$. I have called the hotel front desk who told me that it would go to accounting 2 days ago and still have not heard anything and the charges are still on my card. They did this 3 times. I emailed the resort and then they gave me another website instead of an email to contact. Now I have to go to visa to dispute this. So disappointed as we actually did like the resort but this really took away from the experience.

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