Los Alcatraces Cozumel: Farewell to a Scuba Landmark and the Story That Lives On at Stingray Villa
Some places are more than just buildings, aren’t they?
Have you ever walked past a place you once loved: a restaurant, a bookstore, a quiet little corner of the world that felt like yours? Then to only find it closed and empty? There’s a specific kind of hollow feeling that comes with that moment. It’s not just disappointment. It’s like discovering a small hole in the map of your memories.
For many scuba divers who found their way to Cozumel over the last decade, that hole now sits on 25th Avenida, where Los Alcatraces Cozumel once stood.
If you know, you know. And if you don’t, this wasn’t just another place to stay. It was a scuba-diving landmark in Cozumel: quiet, unpolished, and deeply loved.
A Dive Guesthouse Built With Heart (Not Luxury)
Back in 2011, we opened Los Alcatraces with no grand plan. Just a dream, two rooms, and a deep love for this island and the diving community that keeps returning to it.
Los Alcatraces wasn’t fancy, and that was exactly the point.
No infinity pool. No glossy lobby. What it did have was a soul. It was built by people who understood divers. We knew you needed:
A solid rinse tank for your gear
A safe place to hang wetsuits
Quiet mornings before boat departures
Even quieter evenings after long drift dives
Word spread the way good dive spots always do—quietly and among the right people. Over time, Los Alcatraces became an unofficial clubhouse for Cozumel divers. Guys like Adam from Scuba Tony (yes, that Scuba Tony) and Scott Harrell from Scuba Luis were regulars. Stories were swapped in the courtyard. Tanks clanked in the early morning stillness. Friendships formed between surface intervals and sunset beers.
That kind of magic can’t be manufactured. It grows organically—like coral.
Why Los Alcatraces Cozumel Meant So Much
There’s a concept called a “third place.” Not home. Not work. But the place where the community lives.
For many divers, Los Alcatraces was precisely that.
Dive trips shrink your world down to tides, tank pressure, and bottom time. Being surrounded by people who speak that same language (without explanation) means everything. Los Alcatraces wasn’t just a guesthouse. It was a home base for a transient tribe united by the ocean.
Passing the Torch and Weathering the Storm
After eight unforgettable years, our journey evolved. In 2018, we passed Los Alcatraces into new hands as we began building something new just a few blocks away.
For a while, the spirit continued. Divers still gathered. Ironman athletes found quiet focus there. The DNA of the place held firm.
Then came 2020.
The pandemic hit Cozumel hard. Dive boats stopped running. Tourism slowed to a trickle. Add the ongoing challenges of sargassum and shifting economic tides, and many small, heartfelt places couldn’t survive.
Today, Los Alcatraces Cozumel is permanently closed. The building stands with a “For Sale” sign, a quiet ground that feels sacred to many of us who have passed through its gates.
From Los Alcatraces to Stingray Villa: The Dream Lives On
But this isn’t just a goodbye story.
Everything Los Alcatraces taught us lives on at Stingray Villa.
When we found a larger property on 15th Avenida, we knew it was our chance to take everything we learned and build something more spacious, without losing the intimacy. The vision was clear: a boutique, diver-friendly mini-resort that still felt like coming home.
Today, Stingray Villa offers:
Four thoughtfully designed apartments
A central pool and garden that naturally brings people together
A relaxed, social atmosphere is perfect after a day of diving
Guests from over 100 countries have passed through since then. Stories are still shared, now poolside rather than in the courtyard. The laughter sounds the same. The sunsets still stop us in our tracks.
A Farewell—and a Thank You
If you ever stayed at Los Alcatraces Cozumel, you remember it. The room. The shower tile. The spot where your gear always dried. You remember the people, even if you’ve forgotten their names. Most of all, you remember the feeling of belonging.
Los Alcatraces Cozumel will always be part of Cozumel’s dive soul.
And while the doors on 25th Avenida have closed, the spirit that lived there didn’t disappear. It simply moved a few blocks away—and kept growing.
Here’s to the memories. And here’s to what comes next.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Los Alcatraces Cozumel permanently closed after years of serving the scuba diving community. Economic challenges, the pandemic, and changes in tourism contributed to its closure.
No. Los Alcatraces Cozumel is permanently closed, and the property is currently for sale.
Los Alcatraces Cozumel was founded and originally operated by Greg and Silvia Lupone, who ran the guesthouse from 2011 until 2018.
Yes. Stingray Villa was created by the original founders of Los Alcatraces and carries forward the same diver-friendly philosophy in a larger, boutique setting.
Many former Los Alcatraces guests now stay at Stingray Villa, which offers a quiet location, diver-friendly amenities, and a strong sense of community.
Yes. Stingray Villa is designed with divers in mind, offering comfortable accommodations, space to relax after dives, and easy access to Cozumel’s dive operators.
