Coco Reef Resort - Review Page 4

Entertainment

In previous years we had been accustomed to two live entertainment performances each evening. This year, entertainment was limited to a single act, normally between 9 and 10:30pm. The same act, a very talented local girl called Jade, performed most evenings. Her repertoire changed each night and she had a lovely manner that struck exactly the right tone for an establishment of this nature.

Our reviews have always warned readers that those expecting an active night life should look elsewhere. The hotel is almost totally deserted by 11:00pm. By midnight you will seldom see another guest up and about. This is not limited to the Coco Reef – we have experienced exactly the same at every hotel on Tobago.

Beach

When John Jefferis purchased the old Crown Reef Hotel in 1991 and started the massive rebuilding project that eventually became the impressive new Coco Reef Resort, the beach was a scrappy little affair largely only visible at low tide (click here to view a 1960s postcard view of the old hotel). Then, in 1999, tidal waves and tropical storms associated with a hurricane further north swept what little beach there was away and caused extensive damage to the beach-front. In response, the hotel built a 300m rock wall to protect the bay and then created a new beach with 7,000 tons of powdery white river sand from Guyana.

It has to be said that the sea wall is not exactly a thing of beauty. However, it undoubtedly protects the beach and has created a lagoon that offers guests the safest swimming on the island, no matter how rough the sea conditions outside. Strong swimmers are not disadvantaged; they can swim through the lagoon’s sheltered entrance and enjoy full sea conditions in adjacent Cable Bay.

Another major advantage of the sea wall is the marine life it supports. We could do without the noisy gulls that roost there, but following construction the wall rapidly became a full-blown reef in its own right. It is home to a wide variety of fish and sea life. Guests regularly feed the many beautiful fish that can be seen from the walkway at the southern end of the wall. During our stay the lagoon was home to a huge shoal of tiny minnows basking in the shallow warm waters. The shoal can be clearly seen in the photographs on this page. I will refrain from casting opinion on the guest who made a fuss when two local fishermen had the impudence to bring their pirogue into the lagoon and tried to catch bait fish with their cast net. I wonder whether he had fish for dinner that evening.  

The lagoon offers an excellent and safe training ground for snorkelers. Snorkelling outside the wall is not recommended due to the dangerous and inconsiderate behaviour of the non-regulated local Jet Ski operators who regularly speed past the hotel with total disregard for others.

In our previous (2006) review, we raised the issue of sand being brought into the lagoon on every tide and stated “at this rate, it will be little more than a pond in four years’ time unless some serious excavation is done.” I’m glad to report that the problem is not quite a bad as I envisaged. However, around 50% of the lagoon is now less than waist deep. The other half is deep enough for proper swimming – in fact deep enough for the dive boats of the on-site dive operation and for visiting powerboat tour operators, such as CocoMotion, who come into the lagoon to collect or drop-off guests.

For many years, detractors regularly decried the man-made beach at the Coco Reef. In truth, the only way you would have known that the beach was not natural was from the bright white sand, so untypical of most beaches on Tobago. Well, this is certainly not the case now. The new sand brought in by the tides has not simply filled the lagoon; it has also largely covered the beach. So, you now have a mixture of ‘natural’ golden coral sand covering the imported white river sand. It has to be said that it is one of the finest beaches on the island and unfair to describe it as ‘unnatural’.

The numerous palm trees planted when the beach was created (and which directly led to the creation of this website. Don’t ask!) are now mature and provide lots of welcome shade. There are 30 or more thatched roundels and a huge stock of comfortable sun loungers. Despite this, some people still rush to the beach first thing in the morning to ‘bag’ their favourite positions. The truth is, however, that there’s a perfectly adequate stock of sun loungers and sun parasols, with even more in reserve.

Beach attendants operate from the Bacchanals beach bar and make occasional patrols along the shoreline over the course of the day, taking orders for chilled water and drinks. Being a private beach, guest need have no fear of being ‘hassled’ by beach traders.

Activities

The activity facilities at the Coco Reef Resort are relatively limited and possibly reflect the expectations and requirements of the average guest. The hotel is not a ‘family’ or ‘activity’ resort and visitors seeking extensive sporting facilities will be disappointed in both the hotel and the island.

Complimentary snorkelling, paddle boats and kayaks are available. Water sports are operated by the highly recommended Derek Chung of Undersea Tobago, one of Tobago's very best dive operators, who are based at the hotel.

Given the wonderfully safe and gentle swimming conditions in the lagoon, a swimming pool seems totally superfluous to requirements. However, the hotel does have a small but attractive pool. The pool deck has a good stock of sun recliners, so guests who don’t want sand between their toes need have no fear.

The hotel has two floodlit hard-court tennis courts and lessons can be arranged. They can also arrange various other tours and activities, including golf on the excellent Tobago Plantations course or older Mount Irvine Bay Hotel course. We would recommend that you book tours and outside activities either directly with the operator concerned, or through the services of the hotel’s Social Director. Tobago is not best suited to large-party tours. Personally, I would prefer to negotiate a day-rate with a friendly taxi driver rather than going on a tour in a party of more than four other visitors.

The small Coco Spa is housed in an attractive complex at the top of the hotel and offers a range of services including aromatherapy massages and various forms of beauty treatment. The complex also features a small gym with a basic range of fitness equipment.

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