- Mexico Holidays
- Playa del Carmen
- The Reef Coco Beach
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The Reef Coco Beach
Mexico, North America
Playa del Carmen
The Reef Coco Beach benefits from a picturesque, beachfront location with the shopping, dining and entertainment options of 5th Avenue within easy reach. Hotel guests can enjoy a variety of beach activities from snorkelling to kayaking, while numerous on-site facilities include a large swimming pool, a range of restaurants and a sports bar. The ferry to Cozumel Island is located nearby, providing easy access to the island's idyllic, white-sand beaches.
Accommodation at The Reef Coco Beach:
Standard rooms are air-conditioned with en suite facilities and a private balcony or terrace. Additional in-room facilities include a hairdryer, TV, telephone, alarm clock, iron & ironing board, safety deposit box and Wi-Fi (at a fee).
Facilities
- Swimming pool
- 4 restaurants (2 at a fee)
- 4 bars (Bar & Mar Lounge Bar at a surcharge)
- Spa*
- Fitness Centre*
- Wi-Fi*
- Sun loungers and umbrellas
- Non-motorized watersports*
- Billiards and board games
- Tour desk
- *Some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
The Reef Coco Beach benefits from a picturesque, beachfront location with the shopping, dining and entertainment options of 5th Avenue within easy reach. Hotel guests can enjoy a variety of beach activities from snorkelling to kayaking, while numerous on-site facilities include a large swimming pool, a range of restaurants and a sports bar. The ferry to Cozumel Island is located nearby, providing easy access to the island's idyllic, white-sand beaches.
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.0 Very Good8,478 reviews
Excellent
45%
Very Good
29%
Average
14%
Poor
7%
Terrible
6%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Mixed experience - enjoyable holiday but not a 4 star hotel!
I recently stayed at this hotel with my 8-year-old daughter as a single parent. Overall, we had some enjoyable moments and there were definitely positives to our stay, but unfortunately there were also several issues that left me feeling that this property is closer to a 3-star than a 4-star hotel.
On arrival, the first thing I noticed was the car park directly opposite reception, which was also being used as a dumping/storage area with diggers and other equipment. It was quite an eyesore and not the first impression I would expect from a 4-star property.
The check-in itself was smooth, and I have to say the reception staff were extremely helpful, friendly and polite. The bellboy also helped us with our luggage and showed us to our room, which was much appreciated.
Unfortunately, the room was where our biggest problems started. I had paid for a Superior Double with Pool View, but our room was directly opposite a construction area that had been covered with a screen. Despite this, it was very noisy, and workers would regularly come through the rear entrance directly opposite our room to access the construction site. I found this particularly disappointing during the peak summer holiday period.
The room itself also had a very unpleasant smell. I'm not sure whether this was damp or possibly related to the seaweed, but the ceiling had visible black mould, which was extremely concerning. I went back to reception and asked if we could move rooms, but was told there were no rooms available and to return the following day to see if anything had become available.
The beds were also extremely hard and uncomfortable, while the pillows were very lumpy and felt like they had seen better days. On a positive note, the minibar was stocked with drinks, which was a nice touch.
The pool area was definitely one of the highlights. It was lovely, and the staff worked incredibly hard to keep everything clean and tidy and to help guests with sun loungers.
The pool bar was a little more mixed for me. Rosembi was brilliant, always smiling, friendly and happy to help. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about one of the other men working at the bar.
On several occasions, he would take my order and then simply walk away without serving me to serve someone else. On one particular occasion, my daughter and I were sitting in the pool at the bar and seemed to be the only foreign tourists waiting to be served. He came over and took everyone's order around us except ours. He then came back and took another round of orders, again completely ignoring us. At this point, the lady sitting next to me noticed what was happening and asked if I was still waiting. I said yes, and she spoke to him. I'm not sure exactly what was said, but he made a hand gesture and walked away. In the end, my daughter and I had to get out of the pool and walk around to the front of the bar so that someone else could serve us.
The hotel does also allow day-pass guests, and unfortunately I experienced some behaviour from other guests that made me feel very uncomfortable, particularly as I was travelling alone with my young daughter.
On one occasion, while my daughter and I were in the pool, a guest sat on our sunlounger. When we returned, they didn't apologise, move or even acknowledge us, despite us standing there waiting. They simply continued sitting on our towel talking to their friends on the lounger next to ours.
On another occasion, we had reserved one of the four-poster loungers. We briefly returned to our room, and when we came back, a group had placed their bags and towels on top of ours. Initially, I assumed they had simply put their belongings there temporarily while looking for another spot. However, one of the women then came over, dried herself with her towel and threw it directly over my daughter's towel and belongings before walking away.
My daughter later came back to dry her hands and accidentally used the woman's towel, as it was covering hers. A man then started shouting at me from the pool before storming over and continuing to rant while gathering his belongings. I tried to explain that we had reserved the lounger and that they had placed their things on top of ours. I found the whole situation incredibly intimidating, especially as I couldn't understand what was being said but could tell from the shouting and body language that it wasn't pleasant. I've never experienced anything like this at any other hotel.
The animation team were fantastic and deserve a special mention. Borris and his team were friendly, welcoming and always made an effort to involve guests. There were plenty of fun activities throughout the day and some good evening shows.
One word of caution regarding the fire show: it takes place on the steps in front of the restaurant, and unfortunately while watching the show, someone stole my purse from my handbag. Obviously this isn't the hotel's fault, but it's something I'd strongly recommend guests are aware of and take extra care with their belongings.
The restaurant staff also deserve a mention. Roberto and the other members of the restaurant team were all very friendly, polite and welcoming throughout our stay. The buffet itself had a good variety of food and we generally enjoyed it. We also tried the Italian restaurant, but personally found the main buffet restaurant to be better, so we didn't try the other speciality restaurants.
I don't want this review to focus entirely on the negatives, because there were genuinely some very good aspects to the hotel. There were friendly and hardworking staff members, the pool area was lovely, the animation team were great and the food was good.
However, it is difficult not to mention the negatives when you've saved and spent a significant amount of money on what is supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime. You don't expect everything to be perfect, but you do expect the basics — a clean, comfortable room, reasonable service from all staff and to feel comfortable and respected during your stay.
Unfortunately, some of the situations we experienced are things I have never encountered at other hotels, and they did have an impact on our overall experience. For a hotel advertised as 4-star, I expected a higher standard and based on my experience, I personally wouldn't recommend.
Review by Nicola L Ipswich, United Kingdom
The perfect place for vacations
A good place to be with the family and to relax, 100% I highly recommend this place, good cleanliness, good attention and above all delicious food
Review by palmadebbi Villahermosa, Mexico
Very Bad Experience
The beds in my room squeaked and creaked horribly; I couldn't move or get up without disturbing everyone else.
Upon arrival, I found out that the Japanese restaurant and one of the bars were not included (apparently, I paid for an "all-inclusive" where not everything is included). Access to that bar and restaurant is sold separately—I've never experienced anything like this at any all-inclusive before.
The mini-fridge in the room is only stocked with drinks when you check in; nothing is added for the rest of the stay. I asked at reception and was told it's only complimentary once (at other resorts I've stayed at, they restock the mini-bar daily).
I wanted to order a pizza at the pool snack bar to take to my daughter in the room, but the cook told me NO, that I had to sit at the tables, order from the waiter, and eat the pizza right there, because taking food to the room isn't allowed. I've never had restrictions like that imposed on me at any other resort.
The pool restaurant snacks were terrible: they offer a steak burrito that had only 5 tiny pieces of meat with the rest being just beans and rice, and the pizza was super thick with barely any cheese.
Excellent Family Resort with an Unbeatable Location
We just returned from a week at Reef Coco Beach as a family of six (four kids and two adults), staying in two rooms. We specifically chose this resort because of its location and family-friendly atmosphere, and overall we had a fantastic vacation. No resort is perfect, but I hope this review helps future guests know what to expect.
Rooms
The hotel had no problem accommodating our room arrangement (adults in one room, kids in the other), which was appreciated.
The rooms were comfortable and had everything we needed. Each room had two double beds, although we found the beds a little on the small side and the pillows weren't the most comfortable. The mini fridge stocked with soft drinks was a nice convenience, even though it wasn't refilled every day.
Food
The buffet isn't the largest we've seen at an all-inclusive resort, but the quality more than made up for it. There was a good variety of food throughout our stay, and we always found something we enjoyed.
One of the biggest surprises was the traditional Mexican chicken with spicy chocolate (mole). Chocolate and chicken sounds like a strange combination, but it was absolutely delicious.
We also tried the Mexican and Italian à la carte restaurants. Both were very good, but don't expect huge portions.
Drinks
The drinks were good overall. The house red and white wines were decent—not exceptional, but perfectly enjoyable with dinner.
I only had a few margaritas during the week, and they were well made without being overly strong.
The biggest highlight for me was the beer selection at the pool bar. They served both Modelo and Negra Modelo, and as a big fan of Negra Modelo, I was very happy!
Staff
The staff were one of the biggest reasons we enjoyed our stay. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely seemed happy to help.
One thing we really appreciated was that we never felt pressured to tip. Unlike some resorts we've visited in the Dominican Republic, the staff remained just as friendly whether or not you tipped every single time. That said, tips are definitely appreciated and go a long way, especially at the pool bar, snack bar, and buffet.
Beach & Sargassum
Unfortunately, during our stay the sargassum situation was pretty bad. Coco Beach was heavily affected by seaweed, so don't expect crystal-clear turquoise water if you're visiting during a heavy sargassum season.
This is obviously not the hotel's fault, and I want to give credit where it's due. The beach crews worked tirelessly every day cleaning the shoreline, and the resort had barriers in place to reduce the amount of seaweed reaching the beach.
Even better, during our stay additional offshore barriers were being installed about 100 metres from shore all along Coco Beach. They weren't finished yet, but we could already see some improvement, so hopefully they'll make a noticeable difference for future visitors.
The biggest downside was the smell from the decomposing seaweed. On some days it was noticeable as soon as we stepped outside our room and occasionally reached the pool area, although it wasn't constant there.
Pool Atmosphere & Activities
The pool area had a very relaxed vibe, which suited our family perfectly. There were lots of families staying at the resort, and the atmosphere during the week was calm and enjoyable.
From Friday through Sunday afternoon, however, the resort became noticeably busier with larger groups of local guests. The atmosphere became louder and more crowded. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that—it just wasn't our preferred vibe, and we enjoyed the quieter weekdays more.
The entertainment team did a great job. We had a blast playing the music trivia around the pool. We played twice, and it turned into a fun, friendly competition between guests.
We also participated in bingo and won a complimentary photo session that included one free digital photo. We ended up purchasing the full photo package because we liked the pictures enough that we felt it was worth it.
Pool & Beach Chairs
Finding a chair on the beach wasn't a problem during our stay, probably because the heavy sargassum kept many guests away from the beach.
Pool chairs were a different story, but honestly no different than most all-inclusive resorts. By around 9:00–10:00 a.m. most loungers were already reserved with towels, and on weekends it seemed to happen even earlier.
Location
Location was one of the main reasons we chose Reef Coco Beach, and it definitely lived up to our expectations.
Fifth Avenue is only a few blocks away. The section closest to the resort is quieter, and it gradually gets busier as you walk toward the town centre.
We also spent quite a bit of time on 10th Avenue, which we actually preferred. It has a more relaxed atmosphere and far fewer vendors trying to sell tours, tequila, or massages.
We always felt safe walking around Playa del Carmen, including in the evenings. On weekends there was noticeably more police and military presence, which added to the sense of security.
The only uncomfortable moment we experienced was when a restaurant employee discreetly offered us illegal drugs while we were walking with our four kids, which honestly seemed ridiculous. We simply declined and continued on our way without any issues. It only happened once during our stay, but it's something to be aware of, particularly if you're travelling with older teenagers or young adults.
Tips for Future Guests
- Bring plenty of sunscreen. It's surprisingly expensive in Playa del Carmen, even at Walmart. The cheapest small bottle we found was around 320 pesos, so it's worth packing extra from home.
- If you're planning to buy souvenirs on Fifth Avenue, don't be afraid to negotiate. Many smaller shops don't display prices, and bargaining is expected. We bought several lucha libre masks and negotiated the price from 1,600 pesos down to 1,000 pesos simply by politely saying that was all we had budgeted.
- If you're travelling during sargassum season, check current beach conditions before your trip. The hotel works hard to manage it, but it's a natural issue that can significantly affect the beach experience.
- Take advantage of the location. Being able to walk to Fifth Avenue and explore Playa del Carmen was one of the highlights of our trip.
Overall
Reef Coco Beach isn't the biggest or most luxurious all-inclusive resort, but that's exactly what we liked about it. It has a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, the staff are genuinely wonderful, the food is consistently good, and the location is hard to beat.
Yes, we had to deal with heavy sargassum, but that's a natural issue and not something the hotel can control. What the hotel can control—its staff, service, food, cleanliness, and atmosphere—it does very well.
We came home with great memories, and without hesitation, we would stay at Reef Coco Beach again.
Disappointed
Our holiday was ruined by a lady who worked there,constantly trying to talk my wife and i into going to a 90 min breakfast meeting presumably to sell us a time share, evan after explaining we had 3 children and it was not possible. I lithad to tell her to ef off!! Rooms are basic but spotlessly clean. Food was nice but repetitive. Beech was covered in sea weed which was cleared by an army of of workers by the end of our trip.
