Playa Coco Hotel

Got back from Playa Coco 18th August and in general had a really good time. During the day we lazed about doin not much next to the pool and sometimes on the beach which was beautiful. Really hot weather bit windy on the beach but good for tanning! Had one evening with the biggest storm ever, power cut and all but returned back to normal after a couple of hours. Entertainment during the day was limited and you couldn’t play volleyball because the entertainment team wanted to play … but the winners of darts and that got a bottle of rum so it was worth it (or not)!! Actually most of the entertainment team were not very good. Only time “Ary” talked to us (18/20 yr old girls) was to ask if he could come back to our rooms… lovely. A couple of them were sweet, especially oscar, always chatting to people. The showtime was pretty poor but the highlight of the evening was the PERCHANGA!!! Anyone whos been will know what I mean it’s the dance that everyone does! Once we’d learnt it we did it anywhere… in the pool, lobby it’s addictive an we haven’t stopped doing it since we got home! After the entertainment the parents went to the lobby and we went to the disco. That was wicked could make any requests and the dj had most up to date music. It is a case of it is what you make it. We ended up in a group of 10 and had a good time together. Late night swimming was also a must… even if not actually allowed! Waiters are really slow and a bit slimy (I was asked to go fishing late night…hmmm) but Lewis is a legend, really helpful, friendly and seems to be always around. Food was average, nothing special but could always find something to eat. Horse riding down the beach has to be done you get to see a lot of the coastline and we went on the dolphin excursion … amazing experience dolphins were ADORABLE and came up and kissed you! We met some really good friends at the hotel that weve stayed in touch with. Only bad things were being bitten by mosquitoes – was bitten 48 times on way home! Take loads of repellent. Also, we ended up with little frogs in our room quite a lot … urgh. Although we don't know if we'd go again we had a really good time and the hotel is not as bad as the reviews say!

We just got back from this resort on Saturday night (Aug. 28th). We spent a week there. We were pretty pleased with the resort. We didn't get the rooms we had asked for, but they were quick to try to solve the problem (no tipping was necessary). The pools were wonderful, and the beach was breathtaking. The food was ok, there was lots of variety but the taste is so-so, but for a Cuban resort it was pretty good. The service was excellent. I guess the only complaint we have, was that the rooms could be cleaned a little better. They were very clean where you could see it, but under the bed, the rugs, under the dressers, etc... We have actually stayed in 2 star resorts in Cuba that were cleaner. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't disgusting or anything, but for a 4star+ hotel, they should make a bigger effort. The grounds were constantly cleaned, and if you find it dirty, it's the workers' fault, it's "our" fault. People left cups, dishes, garbage everywhere, except in the garbage. It drove me crazy. Overall, we loved our vacation.

Me and my Girlfriend travelled to Cayo Coco on Aug 11th to Aug 25th.We were a bit worried at first because of all the bad reviews but I think most of these have quite a few half truths because we had an amazing time and we'll never forget it. We booked the holiday through Thomas Cook and we flew with Monarch Airways. The flight was on time and we had no problems. When you get to the airport make sure you keep an eye on your luggage off the conveyor belt because there are cubans taking it off and placing it randomly on the floor, we were looking for our suitcases for a while! Outside the airport we were quickly shown which coach was ours and the driver took our bags and put them on board. Our transfer time was about 20 to 30 minutes not long at all so don't worry about sitting on a bus for ages. When we got to Playa Coco we were very Impressed the lobby is huge and the decor is brilliant. We were greeted by a Cuban band singing and a waiter handing out Cold San Franciscos ( A Non-Alcoholic Fruit Cocktail ). Our check-in was smooth we went to the desk they give us our keys straight away and a porter took us and our luggage to our room by means of an electric buggy! Our room was beautiful and very spaceous ( We had a ground floor aparment in the Los Flemencos block which was very nicely situated to basically everything! ). We had a huge bed all the extras like Hairdyer, Iron, Satelite TV, etc and Air Conditioning which was a godsend. The maid came everyday and she tided up made our beds, replaced our towels and left a bottle of water we tipped her a few times but sometimes she didnt leave our towels and we had to go to reception to get them. The Pool is really nice and theres lots of it to go around its pretty big, theres also a smaller pool thats really shallow right next to the bigger pool and this one has a swim up bar which is nice to sit at in the late afternoon with a beer as theres lots of shade. The pool and poolside is very clean so ignore what you hear about it being dirty and never cleaned. You might wanna get up about 7 or 8 and put your towels on some sunbeds under an umbrella, the pool gets quite busy and by 11/12'o'clock theres no sunbeds left, it gets stupidly hot in the day, unless your a pure sun worshipper your gonna need some shade. They usually play music by the pool but this is also where the animation area is and the animation team practice during the day and the same songs tend to be played over and over again although this is not a big problem unless your looking for total relaxation. The pool can tend to get a bit loud but its touch and go, it depends if its a travelling day or not. All in all the pool is the best place to get your tan and its right next to the bar for refreshment. The Beach is outstanding, its white sand with turquoise water about 300 yards out then its navy blue which is rock and coral. there is a mini coral reef on the beach which you can snorkel in if you took your own snorkel gear. We took Bananas from the restaurant at lunch and fed the fish they love it! You may want to get up early to snap-up your sunbeds again as the umbrellas are limited. I went down at 7:00am and there were only a few left. There are also some really friendly staff that help you pick-up your sunbeds and put them where you want so take a dollar down with you to give them. The beach is probably the better choice than the pool for chillin' out theres no music or loudness just the sun and a lovely breeze ( Don't be fooled by the breeze it keeps you quite cool but you don't know your burning ). The weather is out of this world in Cayo Coco It kept between 30◦c and 40◦c for the two weeks we were there even at night! You may want to take a Factor 30 with you for the first couple of days because you WILL burn otherwise ( We had never used 30 before but we took it just incase...good job! And we didn't go below Factor 10 even on the last few days ) There is always a slight breeze in Cayo Coco as its an island and ocassionally it can pick up a bit but its nothing to write home about. On two days we had pretty bad tropical thunder storms with minor flooding but they are an experience aswell we'd never seen anything like it! They only lasted an hour or two though then the day went back to normal. At night it is extremely humid so ( Blokes ) take a pair of flip-flops to wear at night, and make sure you generally take cool clothes I had sweat dripping off me where it was so hot at night. Mosquitos are a big problem in Cayo Coco they do spray insecticide at night but this doesn't do any good. We bought Jungle Formula from Tesco or boots and this stuff is brilliant also look for some aftersun that has repellent in it. If you sit down outside or in the lobby ask for a glass of lime pieces and rub them on your bites it stops the itching and stinging and it should keep them away. The food in Playa Coco is ok, it took us a few days to get used to it and you have to broaden your horizons if your a fussy eater like us you may have problems. Ill start with the main buffet first. Breakfast is not bad. Scrambled Egg, Omelettes, Fried eggs, Sausage, Bacon, Toasties or Toast, lots of fresh Fruit, Pancakes and Cereals, quite a good choice there is also freshly squeezed Orangle, Pineapple, Mango and Papaya juice, Lots of different teas and coffee. Lunch wasn't very good. It was mainly rice, salad and fish. We always went down to the beach bar buffet for lunch which was really good. Burgers, Hot Dogs, Pizza, Chicken, Chips and there was salad and fruit if you wanted also the service was excellent here they got you drinks straight away and as soon as you finished they replaced it quickly. If you miss breakfast and lunch for some reason ( A lie-in or a trip ) you can go to the snack bar opposite the Main Buffet which opens at 3:30-4:00. Dinner was touch and go theres always chips, salad and rice and theres lots of shellfish i.e. Crabs, Shrimp, prawns, lobster you might find chicken, pork, beef and different pasta dishes but the best thing to do is go to the chefs at the back they usually have a carvery or they cook steak, chicken and fish in front of you, we had chicken quite a few times which was lovely ( my girlfriend was so pleased she tipped the chef he was so surprised, they musn't get many tips! ). Desert was quite good and im not a very big fan of desert. they had lots of different cakes and gateau and very nice ice cream. Occasionally they had Champagne and Sangria as you walked in which was a nice touch. At night you basically have to make your own entertainment there is a show but i think this is more of a family thing. We met two english couples and a Canadian couple who made our holiday ten times better we had loads of fun. At night we sat in the lobby bar and took advantage of the drink, be warned the lobby is the hottest place in the whole resort its open aired but its a heat trap so dress cool. Be prepared to wait here because these barmen work very slowly, us boys would send our girlfriends up as they got served straight away ( I wonder why? ). They have alot of drink to choose from and they are also very willing to learn cocktails, my girlfriend taught them how to make Sex on the Beach! They only had one bottle of Malibu for the two weeks and i think the girls must of polished that off in an hour. Don't expect to get Bacardi i didn't see one bottle in Cuba or an adverts although they have lots of different White Rums that taste just the same. The local brew isn't bad either but you do need a few! you can drink either Bucanero or Cristal ( Not the Champagne! ) both exactly the same in taste so just ask for a beer dont specify your order, the taste is quite light like Budweiser or Corona. We ventured into the disco a couple of nights we checked to make sure it was busy first as we didn't want to be the only people in there. The music is ok and the DJ will play what you want its also Air Conditioned which is very nice when your sweating more than your drinking! If you want a late night this is the place to be as it shuts at 4:00am if your a total party animal the lobby bar is 24hr! You may get itchy feet and want to leave the complex for a day on your own if you do go out in the day not at night theres no where to go and people don't use lights on the road! We went to another hotel to buy gifts on the local bus With the couples we met ( We were a bit hesitent going on our own ) as our gift shop isn't that great. It was only $5 and they take you to any hotel you want. We also went to Playa Pilar beach which i highly recommend we ordered a taxi which was $60 for 6 of us and he waited till we wanted to go which was great. This beach is the most beautiful beach in Cuba a local told us even Fidal Castro thinks so! We thought it was the most beautiful beach in the world when you get there you walk over sand dunes for 5 minutes and see lots of lizards and Marauder Crabs there is a small ethnic restaurant on the beach it looks very picturesque on the white sand. We had a meal in there and it was gorgeous Chicken, Cuban rice and salad for $2.50! The beach is breathtaking sand like baby powder and 3 different colours of blue in the sea. There is a small exersion hut on the beach and you pay a dollar each for sunbeds and for $8.00 they take you out to a small island about 2 miles of shore called half moon island on a small speedboat. When you reach the island a guy there gives you flippers, a snorkel and a mask ( We took our own as they come in handy ) and he leads you out into a coral reef to a shipwreck, you see so many fish and it truely is amazing. The guide doesn't take his eyes of you for a second and its very safe. After the tour of the coral reef we got picked up on a small catermeran and taken back to the beach we gave the tour operaters a tip for looking after our bags and giving us such a wonderful experience. We did 3 excursions while we were there all through Thomas Cook ( Your told all about the trips on your Induction Meeting ) We did the Catermeran, Dolphin Delights and Jungle Tour all of them were excellent. The catermeran was excellent we got picked up by taxi in the morning an went to the Marina in Cayo Guillermo we travelled out on the boat to two Snorkelling spots, It wasn't as good as our Half Moon snorkelling because the boat makes the sea quite choppy but it was still good, I got stung by a jellyfish but it wasn't bad at all you can touch them but if there in distress they sting it's only like stinging nettles so nothin to worry about. We saw a pod of dolphins swimming by our boat and some of the most amazing views ever. We stopped at a small shipwreck where one of the sailors dives down and picks out 5 huge starfish you get to hold them for photos then you throw them back this is also where you have lunch which is Lobster or chicken,There is also shrimp, rice and a seafood sauce, i tried the lobster and it was delicious on the way back you stop at playa pilar beach for a little while ( If you really want to experience this beach I strongly suggest spending a day there ) then you take the journey back to the marina the captain sails out into deep water and you sail back this is a good time to relax and top up your tan, all in all this is a brilliant trip. We also did the Jungle Tour which involves driving a speedboat through a maze of mangrove trees you also snorkel in a fish breeding ground this trip is only 2hrs so it really is only driving a speedboat and snorkelling thats it but it is excellent and its only $72. The Dolphins was our best trip it involved a flight to the city of Cienfuegos about 45mins and then a coach trip to the dolphin centre. You see a show which is excellent ( Where a hat if you want a real dolphin experience I wore one and got picked by the host and had an experience ill always remember! ). You then get to swim with the dolphins in groups of 4 which is out of this world. My girlfriend paid an extra $30 to swim with the dolphins on her own as it was a dream of hers and she really enjoyed herself, two of the other girls we met did it with her aswell. You then get a meal of chicken or pork and after that you get a little tour of the local city which isn't that great as there are alot of beggers in the city and you feel a bit intimidated there are some good gift shops though. The trip overall is excellent. You then fly back to Cayo Coco for about 5:00pm. We bought some gifts but there wasn't that much to get i totally suggest getting some cigars as they are the best in the world and they are very cheap ( From the right people! ) Are holiday in Cayo Coco was truely amazing and we'll never forget it we did some unforgetable things and met some amazing people. Don't listen to the bad reviews because its brilliant and we'd go again tomorrow if we could. I hope this review helps and puts your mind at rest, look forward to your holiday and have a wonderful time, like we did. If I left anything out or didn't explain anything enough or you want some advice on buying cigars do feel free to email me I would be happy to answer your questions also ive got my photos on disc so if you would like a look just ask and ill send them through. Have a great holiday!!!

were can i start firstly got there given wrong room had to change next day if you have kids nothing for them just a half hour disco at night .beach very nice pool nice and cool but i never saw it cleaned. bar staff very ignorant very poor service you could stand there for 15 mins before any response even if you tip them . on the other hand if your canadian loud and i mean LOUD and shout you may get served . please give the gardeners a drink or a tip they work hard for what little they get i got the runs on the third day and had it for two weeks the food not that good .the mosquitos wait for you with knives and forks don't bother with sprays its just like sauce for them watch the kids these buggers bite. go on the excursions havana/ jungle tour/ catamaran / fantastic and it breaks the bordem up the tour reps are local to cuba and are brilliant so please tip them . now for the animation team the only time we saw them were sat at thepool bar all day having a crafty drink what a load of crap they try and sell you a cd with music on at 15 dollars its only worth 50p don't bother rip off . we met some brilliant people and had a good time with them one man made us a curry /jazz/ it was fantastic as we got fed up with the food.well done mate. they say it will get better in five years time they going to have to work bloody hard to get there i would go back to cuba but it would have to be the main land as havana and the people there are so good .so if your going here try and enjoy but you may have to make your own entertainment.

This is not a real 4 and a half stars... The beach is perfect, the weather was wonderfull... The service, the food, the cleanliness, ... were terrible!!! I've been in other places in Cuba and it is the first time I'm that much deceived!!!

Week of July 25-1 Aug. we were apprehensive before going as a result of the many bad reviews that we had read. All I can say is that so much must have changed by the time that we visited. The hotel, rooms, pools, bars, beach everything was clean. We arrived at 9:30 pm. We were two families ( 8 people ). At the airport, we were assigned our rooms and received our bracelets, info., etc. - We travelled with Conquest. The rooms were basic, clean, big bathrooms. A word of caution make sure your balcony door is closed at 6:30 a.m each morning and at around 7:00p.m each evening when they spray for mosquitos. Our rooms were cleaned regularly, very clean. A faclitiy capable of holding up to 307 rooms has approximatley 450 guests in total, for the week. Service at the swim up bar was quick and firendly. The children spent even more time at the pool, staff was always friendly. The Food: Buffet Breakfast -The food was quite good for a Cuban resort, plentifull. Fresh omelettes and pancakes were made on the spot, fresh squeezed juices, Lunch -2 buffets open; one right on the beach which served hot dogs,hamburgers,fries, salads,fish, rice and desserts ( okay ) The other buffet offered pasta,different meats,rice,salads,soups,fresh bread, wine, beer,ect. There was also a little snack bar open that served fries,chicken and burgers in case you missed lunch Supper- consisted of various meats, vegetables, rice, fruits and desserts. Very good. almost the same as the lunch, the only difference was that there was shrimp or lobster, fresh fish and crab I would have to rate the food 8 out of ten . However be advised that the food was repetetive. Three 'a la carte restaurants: The Japanse restaurant is by far the best, loved it, great food and entertaining too. Cooking right at your table of 8 was absolutely amazing and very entertaining. Italian- small restaurant 60 seats, a 5 course meal live music 1-10 (12) Sea food restaurant picture this on the beach having a classy supper with wine and good company at sunset. Do not go too late - could find mosquitos a problem. The beach was beautiful, clear turquoise water. After 4 p.m not too hot, best time for the beach, soft sand.aprox.250 ft. of clear sand in the Ocean. A few little rocks at the beginning only. low tide max. depth 4 ft. high tide 7ft. luke warm, as was the sea temperature . Make use of hotel equipment such as the catamarans, pedal boats snorkle gear etc.a few meters off shore there was a little mini coral reef...a must see! Bring your underwater camera! The huts were all reserved by about 8:00 each morning so go early to get one. They sure could use more. Pool temperature was cooler than the ocean aprox. 75 deg. 1 Overall impression the lobby bar is very nice, and always has fresh coffee and treats available The game room and store are nearby. One thing that does need work on is the night life of the hotel. although kids did love it because of the mini disco every night. The Bar service could be a little quicker at night, the entertainment at night was somewhat enjoyable, the staff was extremely kind and always willing to please. They were all very hard working and go out of their way for you. we got to know some of the staff and they were great. 2 Overall impression This new hotel is absolutely gorgeous. The grounds are still in progress. They are doing their best to plant trees, flowers and grass to mask the barren look of the place. I am sure within 6 months or so, everything will be grown in. By next year, the resort will look a lot more welcoming. I found no fault with anything and had a wonderful week there . I would definitely stay in the Playa Coco again. Don<t be deterred by the many bad reviews, its not bad at all, in fact above average 4 star and I think it will get better every other week. If you’re looking for a relaxing vacation I would recommend Playa Coco to you. e-mail me if like more info.

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Playa Coco hotel between 14 and 28 July. Like many others we were pretty aprehensive before going as result of the many bad reviews that we had read. All I can say is that so much must have changed by the time that we visited. The hotel, rooms, pools, bars, beach everything was clean and lovely. The pool temperature was so soothing, no where near freezing, more luke warm, as was the sea temperature. The beach was beautiful, and it is well worth making use of hotel equipment such as the catamarans, pedal boats etc. One thing that does need work on is the night life of the hotel. There are a few shows and stuff but not exactly to be desired, although kids did love it. We met a great crowd and just hung around the piano bar most nights and made our own entertainment. The staff are great, so so friendly, however there was one gay male entertainment guy who tried to get a bit too friendly with some guys in our company, but I think it was just a joke. Bar service could be a little quicker at night, sometimes it was really hard getting served, don't think there are enough bar men at night to cope when the hotel is at its full capacity. Went on the jungle tour, overnight trip to Havana and swam with the dolphins - would recommend all, all so worth the money and very very enjoyable. The Japanese restaurant is by far the best, loved it, great food and entertaining too. The Italian is great too, and the buffet was ok sometimes. There was the odd occassion that we struggled to find something to eat, but we never starved and just headed to the snack bar for some chips. If you are seafood and fish lover then you will love this hotel and buffet. Breakfast and lunch were always really good. All in all I loved my holiday and would definately stay in the Playa Coco again. So please don't be deterred by the many bad reviews, its not bad at all, infact above average and I think it will get better every other week.

My boyfriend and I decided to go away for a week and chose to stay at the new playa coco resort. after reading some reviews on it we were a bit leary, but upon arrival our worries were definitly put at ease. This new hotel is absolutely gorgeous! we were greated with some refreshing fruit drinks as soon as we were off the bus.the lobby is very nice, and always has delicious fresh spanish coffee and treats available. attached there is a lovely piano bar,game room and store. everything offered in this resort ( i.e beach,pool,restaurants,bars,theater etc) is nice and close in walking distance which we enjoyed. the pools were very inviting, the temperature of the water was always just to our liking. the beach was absolutely beautiful! white sand with clear turquoise water.a few meters off shore there was a little mini coral reef...a must see! bring your underwater camera! we would bring a piece of banana when we went...the fish love it! there was also catamerans,pedal boats and kayaks available to you which were fun! i got to realize my dream of going horseback ridding on the beach! it was so great!i'll always remember it! our guide was very nice and offered to take pictures of us with our camera at the most beautiful points along the beach( this however was not free, 10$/hr- which is very reasonable compared to the price of ridding back home) the grounds were still in progress, but im sure within 6 months or so, everything will be grown in. we opted for a standard room but was very surprised to discover that our room was very spacious and well equiped!... we had a kingsize bed, a sitting area, two desks a clothes drawer,a nice sized closet,an iron+ironing board, a safe, a t.v with satelite,cd player,balcony, a big bathroom with a tub/shower, hair dryer. the chambermaid made cute little animals or flowers with our towels and bed sheets everyday:) the staff was extremely kind and always willing to please. they were all very hard working and go out of their way for you. we got to know most of the staff and they were of great! we especially got along with the aquabar barman! he not only made great drinks ( we drank his specialty drink all week!) but he made good conversation and was quite amusing! the buffet restaurants were pretty good. at breakfast there was always freshly squeezed orange,papaya and mango juice, omlets and pancakes were made infront of you ( they had yummy jams but did not have maple syrop or peanut butter, so if you are an avid user i would suggest that you bring some from home) toast,french toast, sausage,bacon , lots of fruits, great coffee. for lunch there were 2 buffets open; one right on the beach which served hot dogs,hamburgers,fries, salads,fich,rice and deserts. the other buffet offered pasta,different meats,rice,salads,soups,fresh bread. there was also a little snack bar open that served fries,chicken and burgers in case you missed lunch.at supper you had a choice of 3 a la carte restaurants japanese italian and seafood ( we didint go to the seafood resto but we really enjoyed the other two) or the buffet. the japanese restaurant was very entertaining as they cook the food right infront of you. there were a very entertaining and talented singners at the italian resto. after supper we would always go to the lobby and have our coffee, then go to the piano bar followed by a nice night time pool swim. the entertainment at night was somewhat enjoyable, but still needed a bit of work. we still enjoyed it! during our stay we did a few excursions. we met a few couples while we were there and one day we decided to rent 2 jeeps (which are available on the resort)and drive to the closest village called moron. it was quite the experience! bring your camera if you go, along with candies,gum,paper,crayons and other treats for the children there. beware there are no traffic signs or lights of any kind in the village so drive with caution! we accidentally started to drive down a one way street! the people of moron were all very kind and appreciative. some of the locals even allowed us to enter their homes! i'll never forget it! our second excursion we decided to take the resort tour to the half moon island tour. it cost approx 49 $ which included transportation(half an hour there and half and hour back), the guide,snorkle gear,catameran ride and a lobstertail lunch! the beach there was out of this world! we were with an older couple who have traveled everywhere and even they had said that this was one of the nicest beaches they had ever seen! once at the beach we took a catameran ride to the half moon island we got our snorkle gear ( we brought our own) and went out into the water. the coral reef surrounding that island is undescribable! the fish we saw! wow! after splashing around for a bit we went up to the restaurant (which was included in the 49$ we paid) it was open bar-beer,soft drinks etc and we had our lunch! the lobster was the best meal i had! there was also shrimp,fish or chicken available if you didnt like lobster. after lunch you had the option to go back out it the water to snorkle or go back over to the beach. everyone that we spoke to was very glad that they took the tour! it was worth it for sure! anyways playa coco is a wonderful resort which we really enjoyed and recommend!we would definitly go back next year!if you have any questions feel free to email me at megan-akiko@hotmail.com

We stayed at playa coco from 30 th june 04 for two weeks we had a great holiday. Staff at the playa coco were so friendly and helpful. The full complex is lovely and clean, the rooms were spotless. Animation team were very entertaining especially if you get to meet ARY what a great, funny guy.The dancers were especially good and will have you up and dancing in no time. Shows need a bit more practise but were quite funny. We had a great time at playa coco and made some great friends from all over the world.

had bad experience with the food at lunch time. after the first day, the noon lunch had to be taken on the beach and the fare was not up to par, not hot enough and on occasions not enough of it.