Coco Reef Review - early May 2005

[Joanna Gray]

My husband and I stayed at the Coco Reef for ten days from Friday 29 April until Monday 9 May as part of our honeymoon. We absolutely loved it and have no gripes or negative experiences to relay. We had been concerned about some of the posts on the net before we arrived – impossible to get loungers on the beach, surly staff, tacky entertainment, trouble with safety deposit boxes and various other issues. While there, we decided that perhaps if you were extremely rich and only ever holidayed in 4 and 5 star hotels, then you might have a good basis for comparison and maybe could spot faults. But we’re fairly ordinary folk and we just lapped up the luxury, feeling like we were in paradise!

I should also note that the hotel didn’t appear to be full while we were there –this is perhaps a good time of year to visit to avoid fights over sunbeds, etc?! While we did have a few rain showers, the temperature was always roasting and it wasn’t prohibitively hot.

The hotel is patronised mainly by English and German holidaymakers – we were quite a novelty being Irish and unfortunately I think perhaps the fact that the English and Germans have something of a reputation abroad puts other nationalities off. However, we met a number of English and German guests who were lovely and most people were very friendly. Some of the older guests seem intent on subtlety turning every conversation into a competition about who’s had the bigger and better previous trips, but this just added to the entertainment for us!

We thought the food, drink and service were amazing (we were AI) – we never booked Tamaras before 12pm (we’re late risers and if we did make breakfast we kept forgetting) but never had a problem getting a table. As smokers we always got a good table as the smoking area looks over the sea/ terrace. On the last night our menu was personalised – which had me in tears! – and we got extra special treatment. We also ate in Bacchanals a lot and found it always to be fantastic. My husband loved the fact you can help yourself to seconds and thirds! The staff on the terrace and in Bobsters were amazing – ask to try their strongest rum which could run a small car. Particular thanks to Lisa who became a great friend to us. A word of advice – remember to ask the staff their names if you’re talking to them. They really appreciated it if you remembered their names as they seem to miraculously remember all the guests’!

We were worried about kids as we are not too keen on them (to say the least) and saw quite a few on arrival which worried me but they were all extremely well behaved and actually gave me a renewed belief that perhaps kids aren’t so bad. I do still think it seems very selfish of parents to take new born babies (of which we saw two) on holiday to such a different climate from the UK though.

Overall, the hotel is amazing – we arrived alone as we travelled from New York and were treated like a King and Queen on arrival by the staff with drinks and a tour of the hotel. The room staff had written out ‘congratulations’ on our bed and we had a brilliant view over the beach to the side of the hotel. As most of the front of the hotel is taken up by restaurants and some suites, I think we must have had one of the best views for a deluxe sea view room – I did hear a few others comment they didn’t have much of an ocean view. It was 221 and the first room from the front on the western end of the hotel. (I did email the hotel before we left to say how much we were looking forward to our stay and politely ask if we could have a room with a good sea view.) Our room was huge, but didn’t have an actual balcony – although the doors still open right up. We had a glimpse into one of the standard rooms opposite and it still looked bigger than your average purpose built hotel room. The rooms are cleaned twice a day and beach towels are changed in the evening which was great. The room staff are lovely and we made our own ‘thank you’ out of some saved leaves and petals with a tip on our last day.

The beach is the best part – as it’s a private beach and has a waiter service. OK, if you want a constant drinks service, you’d be better to sit in the bar, but as an extra little service it was great to be served drinks as you lounged. We had no problem getting sunbeds – if you’re planning a days boozing you’re better to save one early to get near the bar, but otherwise we arrived on the beach some days after a morning out in the car and still found loungers in the shade and/ or sun. The ‘mini reef’ which encloses the swimming area is great and snorkelling with an underwater camera is a must. Also check out the beaches either side if you want some breakers! My husband went on a diving lesson with Undersea Tobago and thought it was brilliant too – so check them out at the end of the beach.

One last point – I had read a complaint that repeat visitors get special treatment and we met a couple who were on their second visit. They had a free upgrade and did receive extra special treatment, but why not? It will encourage us to go back knowing that our custom is appreciated! The staff treated us so well, and I do think that just a little consideration and a lot of courtesy made all the difference – I heard one man very rudely complain to the entertainment director about a lack of newspapers in the morning (they don’t arrive until evening from the UK) and it made me wonder why some people seem to sabotage their holiday by getting upset about ridiculous things. Just relax and enjoy – treat the staff like friends and you will in return be treated to a fantastic holiday in wonderful surroundings!

Of course all of this is just about the hotel – don’t be misled into thinking Tobago is a beach holiday only – you have to get out and see the island too as the scenery, the people, the history, the birds, the rainforest and the villages are all amazing. See my other reviews of the island on the car rental and sightseeing tour areas.