Coco Reef Resort and Spa

A 10day holiday at coco reef hotel and to be honest it was very poor only two helpful staff and the rest didn’t want to be there no enthusiasm and energy or happiness, they ran out of plates bowls for breakfast very slow in serving you tea and coffees , lunch time service was slow and unorganised getting orders mixed up , dinner in the evening was about the same and half way through are holiday there was not more rose wine no tonic for gins and brandy , finally after 4 more days we finally got some , rooms are tired and need updating and when you walk from your room to reception it smelt of sewage, on your last day nobody was offered a room to get refreshed for travelling home as probably haven’t got the staff to clean them , the manager had no enthusiasm and didn’t change a thing , this place could be so lovely as the setting of the hotel is in a beautiful place and the private beach is lovely , the whole of the staff except 2 members and the manager needs to be completely changed.

We have just returned from a 10 night stay at this hotel. Overall we were very pleased with the location, clear blue waters and the hotel itself was immaculately clean. The shower heads could do with updating as the operation of these are a bit cumbersome. Plenty of sun-beds around both the pool and the beach, however they are not comfortable and could be upgraded or at least provide some cushions. Now the disappointing side. We were all inclusive and for the first 6 days food and drinks were ok, although very slow, but was to be expected. However, after that things went from bad to worse for some reason. The food when it arrived was not what we ordered or it was cold. Staff hanging around and not serving, having to go and get our own cutlery and condiments. Lunchtime we would go after the rush, although the hotel was not that busy and having to still wait up to an hour for our food. One order we placed, the same waiter came and asked us what we wanted 4 times, only to be told that they had misplaced the order an hour later!Everything is hand written down and in this day and age, tablets should be used, but they are very behind the times. Also drinks were not available, we asked for 4 days either for some Rose or Sauvignon Blanc wine and were told there was none. Tried to order a gin and tonic, but was told again they had run out of tonic water. The BBQ held on the last Saturday we were there, was no BBQ so don’t know what happened there, and on Sunday the beach bar closed at 6.30pm but as they had nothing available probably just as well! We heard other guests complaining about these issues also, but nothing got done and it was if they didn’t care or couldn’t be bothered, which is disappointing, because if it was run correctly and efficiently, with the work force having the correct attitude then it be a tropical paradise gem. We will be keeping an eye on the reviews to see if anything gets changed before we consider booking this resort again.

Perfect location almost impossible to better. Hotel has a charm of its own but could do with some maintenance and up dating. The sea view rooms have a great outlook but would benefit from some modernisation, especially to the bathrooms. They are, however kept very clean and the hotel is in a quiet location. The best value is bad and breakfast as there are lots of restaurants within easy walking distance. The food in the restaurant does vary, sometimes very good other times the service is slow and availability of dishes can be an issue. My advice is go bed and breakfast, upgrade the room to a seaview, preferably an upstairs room. Do be aware that there are no lifts to upper floors if mobility is an issue.

We stayed in a deluxe seafront room Jan 26th to Feb 6th on an all inclusive basis. The hotel is built in a Colonial style in lovely well cared for grounds, right on its own picturesque private beach. There are a lot of paintings on the walls and the hotel and grounds have gold painted statues in classical styles in numerous locations. There were a small number of places to walk to in the surrounding area. The rooms were old fashioned which was charming in some respects but some aspects needed upgrading e.g. bathrooms with cracked tiles and plastic shower curtains. Due to the old design of the hotel there were steps everywhere. It is not possible to reach either of the restaurants or the Bobsters bar without climbing steps. There is no lift. The old design was probably behind the strong drainage smell in the main passage to Bachanals restaurant. There were two restaurants. Tamara’s and Bachanals beach bar/restaurant, though only one was open at any time. Tamara’s restaurant was à la carte most evenings (but see below). The food in the first week was excellent. Including good quality steak and fish served in various ways with a new menu each night. Although the house wine included with the All Inclusive option was not very good. One problem was the slowness of replenishment of buffet service stations at breakfast and buffet dinners. For three or four days a large organised group were at the hotel which usual emptied the buffet before we arrived some items were never replenished. There was a small pool and a beachside area all provided with plenty of sun beds. We found the bar area to have a very limited music playlist. Celine Dion/Leona Lewis/Ed Sheeran, repeated every few hours. After the first week we noticed various shortages of food started to arise eg no yoghurt at breakfast, certain ice creams running out. The lunch menu being temporarily shortened at the beach restaurant and worst of all the evening À la carte menu at Tamara’s switched to a buffet on Thursday with menu very similar the previous days lunch. We were told there had been ferry breakdowns causing supply issues. Maybe understandable but annoying that we were not receiving what we had paid for. Bobsters bar was the only air conditioned public space and it was only open from 6pm. There was no table service in the Foyer/terrace area and these lovely areas were a long walk from the Bachanals beach bar via numerous steps. On buffet nights at Bachanals restaurant the bar was not open in the Foyer/terrace for pre or after dinner drinks which wasted a large space. Entertainment on the Wednesday Managers buffet night was a steel drum with backing track. On the Saturday evening there was an excellent lady singer and a saxophonist. Nothing at other times. Most of the staff were very friendly and helpful but sometimes they appeared tired due to the long hours they worked. It was good to be able to see some of the senior management around at times. We were told that a change of management was happening while we were there so there may be some changes soon. Overall we had a lovely time in Tobago just a pity the food didn’t maintain its great start.

I would echo everything the last 2 reviewers have said (Lydia from Bristol/UK & John from Peterborough) about this hotel. We have just returned from a 10 day stay here. We have stayed at this hotel before and will come back again because of the many positives but the negatives do also need to be mentioned in the hope that these will be actioned by management. The location of Coco Reef is the main reason we stay here. It is a few minutes drive from the airport, but amazingly there’s no air traffic noise. It has its own private beach which is perfect for swimming & snorkelling & because it is private you don’t get any hassle from beach vendors. There’s no load music either, just the background music from the beach bar being a mix of local & popular songs. There are always plenty of sunbeds & shade to be found under the palm trees. The entrance to the hotel is stunning with beautiful gardens. As we were walking down the drive one day we congratulated the gardeners as they are doing a fantastic job. The rooms are very spacious (albeit they could do with a bit of an update (more of that later) and we had the most fantastic view overlooking the beach. Our room was cleaned daily, housekeeping do a really good job except we had to keep asking for fresh towels even after a few days of using them. Now turning to the dining experience. Breakfast is fine with plenty of choice although it does seem to take a while for certain items to be replenished when they run out. A big shout out to “Niahla” on the egg station. She is so lovely, always has a smile & is so helpful. She’s an absolute joy. We have never had lunch here so can’t comment on this. Our main area of concern is with the dinner service. Against our better judgement we decided to eat in the main restaurant one evening as we had been on an island tour all day so didn’t want to venture too far in the evening. The food when it eventually came was ok but the service was dire. We waited an hour for our main course. We had to chase it up. There were no apologies from the staff for our wait, just a comment from the waitress about them being understaffed. There were other people complaining too. Because we have had this experience on previous occasions staying here, it would be our recommendation to stay on a bed & breakfast basis. There are plenty of good places to have dinner outside the hotel and it is safe walk around. This hotel I’m afraid to say is not geared up to the standard required & expected of an all inclusive resort, which is a shame because it’s in such a lovely setting. Our only other negative about Coco Reef is that it needs a bit of an upgrade, nothing major, just some TLC. It needs re-painting for a start and a lot of the tiles along the walkways require replacing. This hotel is now 30 years old so it’s not surprising that she’s showing her age but with some improvements this hotel could be so much more than it is. Management please take note & give her the upgrade she deserves.

I will preface my review by saying that if you stay at coco reef, it is important to go in with reasonable expectaions. Everything is very much on caribbean time and although it is a very charming hotel, it isn't without it's faults. The hotel very much looks like it hasn't been touched/updated since it first opened. The lobby perhaps not so much, it is very charming and pretty, but the rooms and some of the dinner/bar areas really do need an uplift. For context, we went as a family of 6 (all adults) for a special holiday, as Tobago is very special to my in-laws and it was wonderful to see the island through their eyes and relive some of their memories. I will start with the highlight of this hotel, the lagoon. This is by far the crown jewel of Coco Reef. We've done a lot of snorkelling in our time but this really did take the cake. The lagoon is incredibly easy to access (we had a nervous swimmer in our party and by the end we couldn't keep him out of the water) and has a beautiful array of fish and sealife. Very special indeed to have that right off the beach of the hotel. The current can be a bit strong in the mouth of the lagoon but don't let that put you off going all the way around it as there are some adorable box puffers tucked away in the rocks that we loved spotting - they are so cute! You cannot feel more at peace than on that private beach dipping in and out of the water as you please, stopping for lunch and being drip-fed cocktails all day. Generally the service here is slow so do keep in mind that you will need to manage your expectations and not expect to be waited on hand and foot. The staff that welcome you to the hotel are a delight (particularly all the reception staff, there wasn't anything they weren't happy to help with!) and there were a few stand out staff for us. We had the pleasure of being served by the wonderful Ria at lunch a few times, Michael who delivers the cocktails on the beach is so friendly and always happy to help, Alicia, Beverley and Junette are all wonderful, the lady who runs the egg station at breakfast whose name escapes me is lovely, and the housekeeping staff do a brilliant job. However, dinner service on our trip was very disorganised. We suspected they happened to have a lot of trainees at the time we were there but we did have a few mishaps where our order wasn't taken, drinks didn't arrive and we waited a long old time to order dessert after our main courses. Most of the staff would disappear entirely for large parts of dinner service and you would have to go and seek someone out to order another drink or your next course. Most evenings we were also greeted quite coldly which, based on our other experiences on other caribbean islands, is just generally the caribbean way (unless they already know you or become more familiar with you throughout the week). So keep in mind that staff aren't immediately friendly and it can be percieved as quite rude at times. This area definitely needs work, but after the first few days of adjusting expectations we just laughed it off and took the view that we didn't have anywhere else to be - why would we be in a rush on holiday! Breakfast is fantastic. So many options of sweet and savoury in the buffet and an egg station where you can order an egg however you like it and the lady who runs that station is lovely. The lunch menu is also fantastic, you can't really go wrong with whatever you order (I can't recommend the pizza or paninis, however the fish and chips was our favourite by a mile, followed closely by all of the salads and the catch of the day). The food at dinner was generally underwhelming for me, it just didn't quite reach the expectations I had when breakfast and lunch are so good. The desserts were very strange compared to how they were described on the menu so after the first couple of days we just stuck to the ice cream after pretty much every meal - the coconut and chocolate flavours are sensational! The buffet dinners are much better than the sit down dinners, the bbq food, salads, rice dishes and chowders are pretty delicious and there is always a wide variety of dishes available. Breakfast is also accompanied by the wonderful Kelton who rescues all sorts of birds and brings the birds of prey to keep the smaller birds from becoming a nusance around the food. He knows everything there is to know about the ecosystem on the island and what all the wonderful birds, insects and animals do. If you are a nature enthusiast - he is your guy! I cannot recommend the staff who manage the water activites enough - Derek, Ellis and George. If you are visiting this resort - I highly recommend you book to go out for even just an afternoon with Ellis and George to the special spots such as nylon pool, the mangroves and the reef for a snorkel! They are wonderful and that was a huge highlight of the holiday for us - they even stopped for us to watch some turtles which was very special and unexpected. Some reviews have mentioned water pressure and as someone with very thick curly hair I was a bit worried but it was absolutely fine so perhaps they've had some work done to improve it since the previous years. Generally I think the island doesn't have a large amount of financial investment and this is where the hotel could use some support to be able to make the necessary changes to give it a bit of a face lift, improve customer service and make a few tweaks that would really boost the customer experience. I've not doubt being the hotel manager here at the moment is a bit of a thankless task as without the cash flow, most things people complain about/are disappointed by can't really be improved. We seemed to land in a holiday period where it was predominantly British retirees staying at the resort and I must say, some were extremely rude and complained a lot about things they should have expected (or got over within a day or two) with just reading a few reviews and having a small bit of understanding of what caribbean customer service is like. Being miserable for your entire trip because you aren't being waited on hand and foot or something isn't exactly as you had in mind seems like an awful waste of time! Anyway, to end on a positive note, if you are a keen snorkeller - you will love this place. All day every day to have that lagoon available to you is really unbeatable.

We had 2 weeks at the Coco Reef in January 2026. I'll get the, disappointing negatives out of the way first We were pretty tired on the day we arrived and decided we'd have a pizza in the hotel. The wait, in the very quiet beach bar restaurant, was excessive. We then received what were the worst pizzas we'd eaten for many years. Bland and barely lukewarm. For some reason we seemed to encounter difficulties with a young man on reception. Nothing had happened to justify the attitude shown. The first time was after we went to pay for an evening meal at reception (we always pay in cash as we go along) The cost was 513-11 TT$. The receptionist charged us 514TT$. To be honest I wouldn't even have mentioned it had we not experienced further problems. If the hotel does not have the appropriate change they should not increase the bill. The receptionist felt that rather than the hotel loose 11 cents!! it should charge us an extra 89 cents The second bad experience with the same employee happened after the Friday night happy hour. We'd had a drink there the previous Friday. Two Nylon Pool cocktails at 45 TT$ each. The second time we had the same two cocktails at a total of 90 TT$. The lady behind the bar confirmed the cost and I confirmed we'd pay cash at reception. When we went to pay, 2 minutes later, the same receptionist said the cost was a total of 136 TT$. He would not accept that, as we'd been told, the cost was 90 TT$. He kept disappearing and after a while the friendly lady from the bar arrived at reception. She confirmed again that the cost was 90 TT$. She was very apologetic although it wasn't her fault. There was absolutely no apology, or acceptance that he was wrong, from the receptionist who kept us waiting for 15 minutes when we were going out to dinner. Very poor service Let's get on to all the great positives about the hotel The large grounds are absolutely superb. There are dozens and dozens of beautiful trees and lots of attractive and colourful shrubs as well as several grassy areas. The private beach is fantastic. It's very safe and great for swimming. You can get kayaks and paddleboards at no cost. The sand is lovely, there are loads of sun beds and there are plenty of palm trees for those looking for shade Our room had great views from our terrace - several palm trees and colourful shrubs just outside then views across the Caribbean Sea. The room was spacious with a large comfy bed and plenty storage space, We had a kettle, a fridge and a safe. There was also a TV but we didn't watch it. The bathroom was a little dated (still had a shower curtain around the bath) but other than that was very good with a great shower Breakfasts were very good indeed. Lots of choice with plenty of fresh fruit, yogurts, breads, pastries, French toast, pancakes, banana bread and fantastic freshly made omelettes. Also several fruit juices and really good coffee. I think you could also get fried breakfasts but we didn't have any. We came into contact with lots of staff and they really are a huge credit to the hotel. Sadly we didn't have names for them all but I do want to make mention of- Security staff - the ladies and gentlemen on the gate always had a wave or a word and a smile when we passed Cleaning staff - we seemed to have a different room cleaner every day but without exception they did a great job and left our room sparkling. Thank you Gardeners - they kept the hotel estate looking fantastic and we never ever saw any litter Taxi service - we took one of the hotel taxis to Scarborough for a few hours. Our driver was Ford. He was able to give us loads of useful and interesting information. He was a very good driver and a real nice guy Breakfast staff - we were always well looked after so thanks to Arianne, Ria and the others and especially Nyanda whose smile lit up the whole restaurant Reception - thanks to Kern who was always so helpful and to the ever smiling Jennings Car hire - we had a car from the hotel for a couple of days and it was very good value. Mamood (the finance director) sorted everything out for us and we had a couple of great chats with him Sorry I don't know the names of all the other great staff but thank you for helping us have a great holiday

Coco Reef is in a beautiful, tranquil location with a lovely, sheltered, private beach and beautiful grounds. While the decor could do with some updating it is quite charming and our room was large and comfortable. The food was excellent throughout, with a nice mix of buffets and à la carte dining. Breakfast is lovely and the lady at the egg station works incredibly hard and does a great job. The main downside was the service at lunch and dinner which at times was so slow and disorganised that sometimes we had to wait over an hour for one course, and on another occasion I had to ask for my starter 3 times and it eventually appeared with dessert! This wouldn’t put me off coming back though - I will just manage my expectations and reset them to Tobago time!

Relax and Unwind. 3rd 🥉 time staying at this hotel in Jan(24,25 and now 2026). Booked through British Airways Holidays, amazing value. My wife and I stayed for 10days and loved the faded colonial style of this hotel. Staff are fabulous, management look after your well-being, always a smile, food was great, it’s all a matter of taste but we enjoyed what we ate. Rooms are clean and tidy, house keeping keeps to a good standard, plumbing is old but functional, this is Tobago, Wi-Fi ran my Apple TV without interference. The private beach, sea & sun is what it is all about, 5 star. Treat the staff well and they are lovely back. Great selection of drinks, would always recommend all-inclusive. We are returning in May, why, because we love this place. We cancelled Dubai 5 star in May lost deposit to come back to Coco Reef. I cannot understand why the negative reviews, look to the bigger picture and don’t be small minded. Thank you the good people of Tobago and all the staff at Coco Reef.

On the outside, Coco Reef Resort and Spa is elegant, picturesque and inviting. We booked dinner only and were not hotel guests. We sensed serious customer relations issues when we tried to make a reservation for a milestone anniversary. This was where we spent our honeymoon several decades ago. It was going to be a once in a lifetime experience and a highlight of our visit. The problem is the hotel is effectively inaccessible - by phone, email or online. We went in person and got the reservation. Upon arrival at the restaurant, we were bluntly told it’s not open and come back in two minutes. Strange greeting. The best part is we were seated in a beautifully set table to suit the occasion. After that, there began a string of blunders by the hostesses and servers. Orders taken in the wrong order, given a course intended for the next table, extremely long wait for our orders, no check in about our orders, mix up with drinks, no bill at the end of the meal, sent to the hotel reception desk to pay, still no bill - just a handwritten note of our order. Other than the elegant table setting, we did not feel welcome by the staff nor our anniversary acknowledged. Needless to say, we will not return nor recommend Coco Reef Resort. It appears there are serious management issues as well as employee training issues. We will still cherish our memories of our original visit.