Coco Reef Resort & Spa

Lydia G

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. 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. 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 (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 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 turtles, nylon pool, and the reef for a snorkel! 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.

Andrei Petrescu

I did a one-day trip to Tobago from Trinidad and needed a nice spot to hang out before my afternoon flight back. The closest public beach to Crown Point airport is only about 4 minutes walking distance, but right next to it is Coco Reef Resort & Spa, and choosing that was honestly an amazing decision. The beach itself looked really good: clean sand, beautiful clear turquoise water that stayed calm and was perfect for swimming. They had plenty of chairs and loungers set up under the palms, outdoor showers to rinse off the salt and sand, easy access to toilets, and a beach restaurant/bar area just steps away where you could grab drinks, snacks, or a proper meal without having to leave the beach. Everything felt well-organized and made it super easy to just relax and chill for the day. The vibe was calm and laid-back, exactly what I needed for a short stopover. If you're in the same situation (quick day in Tobago near the airport), this place is definitely worth it. Made my short visit feel like a proper mini-vacation!

Lewis Gordon

Coco Reef is a special place. I have been here three times over the course of the last 15 years and it hasn't really changed visibly at all (bit leakier and more tired each visit). The hotel was only built 30ish years ago but you could be convinced into believing it was a lot older. Part of the issue with Tobago is the lack of love and maintenance that goes into everything, largely due to never having the surplus cash flow that other wealthier Caribbean islands have. It is undoubtedly a flawed gem. And to my mind Coco Reef hotel is the embodiment of this. Flawed but special. The hotel itself has a real charm to it, beautifully maintained gardens sweep from the front gate to the entrance to the magnificent lobby and main structure. Gorgeous colonial style throughout with artwork that really fits. The rooms are very tired and dated but do share a good degree of the same charm of the lobby. Water pressure good, bar soap and shampoo provided. Hairdryer also. Air con works well in the rooms we used (4 total). The restaurants serve a mix of buffet and menu based dining throughout the week. A little hit or miss but largely we all came away thoroughly enjoying the food. Lots of fresh fish and tasty soups on offer. Steak surprisingly good too! Service is classic Caribbean - don't go in expecting service like anywhere else in the world! Generally staff start off standoffish until you get to know them and then there is a 50/50 chance they will really open up and get a lot friendlier... Or they won't. Not unique to this resort or island in my experience. Some gems that deserve shout outs - Michael the lad working at the bar ferrying drinks is an absolute delight and hard worker. Ria the server is very charming and stands out amongst the waitresses. Nyanda the chef you see in the mornings at th egg station is an absolute delight and clearly a huge asset to the team. Ellis, George, and Derek at undersea Tobago are all absolutely brilliant and you should 100% book something with them during your stay. The final secret sauce of Coco Reef is the fabulous lagoon. So good I almost don't want to share it. Best snorkeling I have seen in the Caribbean. Day one I saw two stingrays, parrot fish, box puffers, squid, barracuda, the list goes on. Truly amazing and the reason we always come back here. I believe some rooms are undergoing renovations currently which is great news. If this hotel had a huge cash injection to fix the underlying issues and modernised without losing the charm - and could bring the food consistency up by 20% - it would easily be a 5* in my books. Just go in with your expectations set appropriately or you may find yourself picking at the edges which honestly just doesn't need to be done at a place like this. Enjoy it for what it is and have a great time!

Christian Ramnarine

Extremely overpriced rooms that haven’t been renovated in over 20 years. The ACs don’t work properly, the hot water isn’t hot, the service is sub par. The breakfast is nice though. The car park is horrid. The best part about this stay is the calm relaxing beachfront availability, it’s like your own calm private beach with your own personal space to go swim with the fishes. However, being one of the most expensive places to stay in Tobago, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it.

Anneke Ward

Check-in: in 2025, Guests are required to fill out a paper form & write your credit card # for incidentals or pay cash deposit. Room keys won’t let you in before 3pm sharp Room: Rattan furniture with years of dust in crevices, hard water blocked up the shower head, shower tub really small Beach: hoping the green specks in the water are seaweed & not waste(cuz there was a smell) Beach towels : old rags Pool: closed Hallway of shops: Sewer/Dead Seaweed smell I’m not sure who the target market is for Coco Reef It’s outdated. check-in , Towel and Food policies are inconvenient. Crown Point is half the price and the rooms are nicer. I wouldn’t say service is better in either one but the price is fair