Where to stay in Cozumel that doesn’t break the bank? A central place not too far away from the hustle and bustle on the beach with a pool... I found a Cozumel hotel for you! Have a look at this El Cantil Cozumel review and I show you what the place is like from the inside and around.
You must think that all hotel reviews on this ravel blog are sponsored but that is not true! No one asked me to write this review of El Cantil Cozumel, I didn’t even work with them directly. I just happened to stay in one of the El Cantil Cozumel Condos in February 2019 and got so many great photos of this place that I decided to write this blog post about it. Basically I wanna show of my photos skills, while at the same time helping you out finding a good and trustable El Cantil review for your next trip to Cozumel.
My trip to Cozumel
In the first week of my Yucatan Peninsula trip I stayed 5 nights in El Cantil Cozumel. In total I stayed around for almost 2 months in Yucatan and got the see most of the peninsula. One of my favorite places was Cozumel and mostly because of my heavenly stay at El Cantil. Another reason was my adventure exploring this island on a scooter. If you are looking for scooter rental Cozumel tips then click on the link and I tell you what to see, where to stop and where to rent one.
Other places that were really to my likes in Yucatan were: Isla Holbox, Rio Lagartos, Valladolid, Puerto Morelos and Costa Maya. You could actually visit all these places on a day trip from Cozumel. Renting a car is cheap and easy and when you take the ferry over you could hop in your car and drive around Yucatan for a day.
Location El Cantil Cozumel
This is not your standard Cozumel hotel like any of the big beach resorts and mass tourism hotels, no this is the perfect place where you go when you want to escape mass tourism. The El Cantil hotel is right on the water only 0.6 miles (1km) away from the hustle and bustle of San Miguel de Cozumel. There are places to eat within walking distance, scooter rental places, the cruise terminal, the ferry to Playa del Carmen is just 12 minutes by foot and there are two huge supermarkets just across the road.
El Cantil Cozumel Condos
El Cantil Cozumel is not a hotel, so there is no reception. When checking in someone will personally meet you or you will get check-in instruction through email. Checking in was very smooth with the instructions we got, but you can also choose to let someone personally check you in and show you the apartment. I felt that as professional travel blogger I didn’t need this. I travel around the world 365 days a year I should know how to check-in myself by now.
There are two building El Cantil Sur and El Cantil Norte, but both are the same. At the main entrance there is a security guy kind of checking who comes in and out of the building. I mean he never really asked anything, but to make the elevator work you have to have a keycard. I assume the security guy would only start asking questions when you have no keycard right?
The El Cantil condos have either key cards or key pad entry locks, which makes you not run around with a physical key constantly. Perfect!
Condominiums El Cantil Cozumel
The apartments are huge from the inside and that is something I always love. When walking in it felt like damn I could throw an awesome party here, you know that feeling? Of course it is officially not allowed, but damn this would have been the perfect apartment. I was only staying there with two other friends and it was a 4 bedroom condo. As two rooms actually had two double beds you can easily stay here with more than 8 people, but on paper 8 is the maximum. I mean if we would have been with 12 people no one would have really noticed!
When walking in another thing that caught my attention was the absolutely breathtaking view! It was actually the first thing I did: opening the doors to the balcony and be in awe! Absolutely one of the best things about my trip to Cozumel were the sunsets right in front of our balcony.
Every room has its own private bathroom and two rooms have direct access to the big balcony, these two bedrooms of course also have ocean view. There was one master bedroom that was super spacious, other rooms were just normally spacious! :)
Having a beer for sunset on the balcony of El Cantil to me was one of the best things to do in Cozumel. I stayed on the 7th floor, so the views were unobstructed!
The interior was rather old fashioned, or at least not my taste. The furniture was a bit too classic for me, but fair enough I did not sit inside for one minute! This is probably also why I did not take a single photo of the interior! ;)
This is a picture from booking.com, where you can also find more interior photos of the El Cantil Cozumel Condos.
The kitchen was extremely well equipped and there is basically everything you can imagine. Most of the days we would cook for ourselves. Eating on the balcony is actually far better than the view of any restaurant in Cozumel.
Jacuzzi on the balcony
Did I actually already mention that the spacious balcony also has a jacuzzi? It looks super cool and perfect to advertise a place with, but I actually didn’t even use it. I guess when you are there with a lady alone you strip off your clothes and you both get an ice cold drink and watch stars at night. That actually sounds like a lot of fun though. May be next time! :)
The condominium got cleaned every day, but in my opinion it took way too long. If it was up to me I had sent her home after she just cleaned the kitchen a little. I simply don’t like having strangers walking around. It was not at all that I didn’t trust her, it is more that I wanna do whatever, wherever and walk around in my underwear. You know what I mean right!? After all you are going to be on a Cozumel holiday and it should be the best week of the year!
Pool El Cantil Cozumel
El Cantil has a private infinity pool and it has a lot of sun hours. It is facing South so in the early morning there is shade, but the rest of the day there is sun. The pool is very refreshing, simply perfect water temperature. There is also a whirlpool that is heated. There are opening hours for the pool, which kind of sucks. I didn't try to go in at night, so Im not sure if that works. But I reckon if you are quiet you can! Sunsets at the pool with drinks aren't bad either. As El Cantil Cozumel is not a hotel you can bring your own drinks to the pool! Cheers to that!
Beach access
There is actually no beach in front of El Cantil Cozumel, but there is a stretch of sand with beach chairs that could make you feel like you are on the beach. There are stairs for direct ocean access and snorkeling out there is pretty fun.
El Cantil Cozumel review
When looking where to stay in Cozumel with a group of friends I think that El Cantil is a perfect option. Not only is the location great but also the very relaxed vibe. This is not a Cozumel hotel where you have to play by the rules of the big hotels chains and where a million staff is watching you. At El Cantil you can just go your own way as long as you don’t bother other guests. The price for these Cozumel condos is also very affordable. If you split the bill with 8 people it is less than $50 per person per night! Click on the link to have a look for the best deals for your trip to Cozumel.
Although the El Cantil Cozumel apartments are amazing, don’t forget to go out and explore. Rent a scooter in Cozumel, or take day trips to Playa del Carmen and around. Do a Tulum and Coba tour to see the Maya ruins or go on a jungle adventure at Selvatica? There is so much to do in Quintana Roo or if you have more time then check the 21 best places to visit in Yucatan PEninsula.
Thanks for keeping up with the adventures of Traveltomtom. Let me know if you have a question, just leave me a comment and I will try to help you make the most of your Cozumel trip.
