Guest Report

[Julie L]

Have just returned from 2 weeks in the sun (and a little rain!) and thought Tobago just a fantastic place!! We did some brilliant snorkeling at Coral Gardens,Castara and Arnos Vale- and the hotel's beach bay was great too- we even had a turtle swimming around in the shallow water there.

Coco Reef is an extremely nice hotel -we had a suite overlooking the bay and the rooms were very spacious, well furnished and clean. Maid service twice a day was great.

The hotel is well staffed- all (apart from one girl) couldn't have been more friendly and helpful and made an especial fuss of our two children.

To be quite honest, I enjoyed the first week of the holiday more than the second, as the second week was half term and the hotel must have been at full capacity. Unfortunately I'm not sure that the hotel beach / restaurants can cope with the amount of guests there are when the hotel is that full. I found the beach quite claustrophobic, and do like more than 2 feet of space between myself and other people! Also - breakfast and lunch could be hit and miss with food / glasses / plates - waiting for items to be replenished/ replaced.

Don't get me wrong - I'm definitely a glass half full type of person (if you know what I mean)and we had a great holiday and have come back with some brilliant memories! I'm sure we will certainly go back to Tobago at some time, but probably not to Coco Reef at half term!!

[Ian Newell]

I know exactly what you mean about the beach.

I did enjoy my stay in March 05 (is it really a year ago), but the beach was a bitter disapointment.

It's very safe for the very young and very old, but the lack of any swell and horizon made it a very un-Caribbean beach.

Living in Plymouth, I have a beach not 3 minutes away which I far prefer.

Still, I never go back, and this year (06/02/06) it's the Maldives.

[Steve Wooler]

Ian

I'm intrigued to know why, if you wanted 'proper' swimming, you didn't simply swim out of the right-hand lagoon entrance into Cable Bay?

[Ian Newell]

Ian

I'm intrigued to know why, if you wanted 'proper' swimming, you didn't simply swim out of the right-hand lagoon entrance into Cable Bay?

Steve,

That's what we did almost every day I was at the hotel (I did hire a jeep so I went to almost very spot on the island, which we loved).

My point was, that the beach was not what I'd expect in Tobago.

Barbados, as you no doubt know, has a "thing" about no beach being private, and yet Coco Reef's could certainly be classed as that.

As I've said, ideal for those who like to be extra safe, but beaches (im my view) are better for being open and subject to the swell.

Just a personal thing I think, but I was merely backing up Julie's point.

I would add that all photographs of the beach that I have seen in the brochures are very "clever".

Don't even get me started on the barbed wire!!