The Reef Coco Beach

Plus for:

• good location at the beach and within easy walking distance to 5. avenida.
• good food, plenty of variety and tastes. Lots better than other all-inclusive hotels we have tried. Also a good thing that not only the buffet restaurant but also the Italian and the Mexican is included. You should definetly try both.
• nice pool, and fun activities daily.
• big plus for bikes to explore town, although had to bring them back by 5 or 6 pm (why?).
• resident raccoon brought much joy. As did the spidermonkeys we saw from time to time in the jungle next to the hotel.

Could be better:

• I personally prefer softer beds.
• Also quite basic rooms, but who stays in their room when in Playa anyways:-)
• the Japanese restaurant isn’t worth it if you have kids with you, as they aren’t allowed at the table where the chef cooks. They couldn’t see anything behind the wall of adults sitting there. The food itself was good but not worth the extra cost.
• Think twice before visiting in sargazzo-season. The hotel does what they can to minimize the impact (net in the osean, beach clean up every morning), but some of it escapes the net, the water is murky and it smells like rotten eggs. A shame, as you can see where the water is crystal clear about a hundred meters out. Tried to rent cayaks to paddle out to the good stuff, but had to fight 20 meters of sargazzo stew to even be able to paddle, as you can’t paddle in the enclosed area in front of the hotel. We swam in the sea anyways and it was okay, but if you want the instagram-friendly turquoise be prepared to pay up for boat trips or taxis to ex. Akumal where there was no sargazzo.
• The kids missed ice cream, which was not available anywhere at the hotel. Had to run to the 7/11 next door a few times:-) Small worries I know, but this has been available on other places we have been and was a disappointment to the kids.
• if you want to book excursions, consider buying from the nice guy at the beach on the left hand side of the hotel (cheaper than the hotels own agency and basically the same trips).

All in all, a place we would like to come back to someday, but def not in sargazzo-season:-)

Overall, our stay at Coco Reef Resort in Playa del Carmen was decent, but it fell short of the expectations we had from an all-inclusive experience.

The rooms were comfortable, though definitely dated. They were clean and functional, but the decor and furnishings could use an update. We opted for the VIP upgrade, but honestly, it wasn’t worth the extra cost—the perks were minimal and didn’t add much to the overall experience.

The grounds were beautifully maintained—lush, green, and very photogenic. The resort has a charming, relaxed vibe, but it lacked the lively atmosphere that many other all-inclusives offer. Service was basic, efficient enough but not as engaging or fun as we’ve experienced elsewhere. It felt more like a standard hotel than a vibrant resort.

The evening shows were okay, but they would have been much better with drink service available during the performances. Little touches like that can really elevate the guest experience, and they were noticeably missing here.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad stay, but it didn’t stand out. Would I make a point to return? Probably not

What a cracking location, right on the beach. The staff in all areas were extremely helpful, offering helpful advice on places to go. The food in all restaurants was all to a high quality with the exception of the desserts. Unfortunately, they were all rather bland and tasteless. However, a must-visit is the Japanese restaurant. What a delightful experience is to be had there. The large pool ensures that it is nerver over crowded, with plenty of room for all. There is also a private beach; however, it is a little small. The Mexican and Italian restaurants are only open on alternate evenings. A pity that there was no ice cream available. As there are limited facilities for kids, there weren't too many at the time of our visit, making it a lot more peaceful than it could have been. The three biggest issues we noted are:

1. No brew kit in the rooms. This, surely, should be standard in all hotels of 3* and higher.
2. No air-conditioned bar. Once the pool bar and buffet restaurant close, the only bar is in reception. For some reason, there is no air-con here, and the bamboo furniture is extremely uncomfortable.
3. The events theatre also had no air-con. As a result, we both found it impossible to stay in there more than a few minutes.

Despite the above issues I would highly recommend this as a great ho;iday location.