I've always been a fan of El Presidente Hotel in Cozumel and first stayed there in 1986! We've stayed here multiple times over the years and were last here in 2021, and we had a fantastic time.
Unfortunately, the hotel has undergone some changes and shouldn't be considered a 5-star establishment.
The rooms are in desperate need of maintenance.
They're dirty, rusty, and have a mildew smell.
The customer service is lacking on all levels.
Tonight is New Year's Eve. We had an amazing dinner at Buccanos in town and came back to the hotel to celebrate the New Year with our family and friends (who were all staying at El Presidente). Sadly, there wasn't a single place in the hotel for us to go. The bars were all closed, and all the restaurants required reservations. We asked if we could sit at an empty table to have a drink and celebrate, but we were told that our only option was to go back to our room and order room service?!
Meanwhile, the largest restaurant in the hotel had empty tables and a live band. It's ridiculous to turn away a group of paying hotel guests with nowhere else to go! The hotel is quite far from town, and there aren't any other options nearby. It would have been great if the staff had mentioned that reservations were required for New Year's when we checked in. But unfortunately, this just shows that something is not right about this hotel. I would definitely avoid staying here during the peak season. The nightly rates are high, and they're not worth the prices they charge! The rooms are neglected, and the customer service is non-existent.