Coco Reef Resort & Spa Tobago

Turning off the main road into Coco Reef’s 10-acre property feels like you’ve passed into the grand old days of Hollywood’s Golden Age. A long brick driveway lined with tall palm trees, blossoming hedges, statues, and fountains leads to hotel’s covered entryway. There’s a vintage Rolls Royce parked out front that's used to ferry guests to the airport (for a fee), a nod to the kind of opulence the resort once sought after. The open-air lobby has triple-high ceilings, gilded planters, and a small waterfall surrounded by tropical plants. There’s also a grand staircase that leads to the upper-floor restaurants and guest rooms. The resort’s walls could be in a museum and are covered with the owner’s amazing collection of Caribbean artwork. 

Situated right on the beach, ocean views are a big deal here, which is helpful as interiors all feel a bit past their prime. The wicker furniture and floral-print fabrics in the lobby can't help but look a little tired and are a clue as to the dated aesthetic throughout the property. Additionally, the “elegantly casual” dress code in Tamara's Restaurant could be a big turnoff for some visitors -- shorts and shoes are required during the day, and pants at night. During our visit, the resort wasn’t too crowded, and guests are mostly couples in their 30s and older. According to the hotel, it's not uncommon for celebrities stay in one of its suites or villas. 

Coco Reef’s location is one of its best assets. It’s located in northwest Tobago, on a beautiful oceanfront with a great beach. There are multiple bars and restaurants -- including Trinidadian, Middle Eastern, and ice cream -- within a five-minute walk of the resort, as well as a casino, liquor store, and pharmacy. The nearest grocery store is a five-minute drive from the hotel. Coco Reef has on-site tennis courts and the nearest golf course is an 18-minute drive. Beach lovers should head to Pigeon Point, one of Tobago’s most beautiful beaches, and an eight-minute drive, or pleasant 25-minute oceanfront walk. Scarborough, Tobago’s capital and governmental hub, is 25 minutes away by car. There’s also amazing hiking at Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve, the oldest legally protected rain forest in the world, an hour-and-a-half drive from the resort. Getting to the Coco Reef, visitors usually take the two-and-a-half-hour ferry from Port of Spain to Scarborough or alternatively, a 25-minute flight to ANR Robinson International Airport, which is only a five-minute drive from Coco Reef. 

Compared with its well-maintained, elegant grounds, Coco Reef’s rooms are a big disappointment, especially for the price. Rooms don't look like they've been updated since the late '90s, and have wicker furniture, floral curtains and bedspreads in bright pastels, and tube TVs with cable channels. Low wooden ceilings don't do much to create a grand impression in Double Oceanview Room that we saw, and the gaudy art looks out of place for a seaside property. Beds are mix of king and queen mattresses and all rooms have tile floors, and furnished balconies with ocean or garden views. Other standard amenities include irons and ironing boards, minibars, and bug spray. Some rooms have safes and hair dryers, but if not, they’re available to borrow from the front desk. There’s spotty Wi-Fi in most rooms (but not all) and it isn’t free. Bathrooms are tiled with delicately painted floral accents, stand-up showers, and include Gilchrist & Soames bar soap, shampoo, and lotion. The hotel’s choicest offering is the Sunset Villa, an big oceanfront bungalow with vaulted ceilings, a Bose stereo system, and a big-screen TV (no -- not a flat-screen unit). Like all other rooms at the resort, its interiors are also dated. Even the bathroom with marble walls and floors, big soaking tub, and fluted faucet and handles give away the room's age.

There’s no doubt that Coco Reef’s beautiful beach is its top draw. The long, sandy oceanfront is lined with lounge chairs and thatched umbrellas, and waiters ferry drinks from the bar. Free kayaks, paddle bikes, and snorkeling equipment are also available. The resort’s big freshwater pool is framed by blossoming hedges, though the arrangement of seating causes visitors to miss the ocean views and sit with their backs toward the sea.

The resort has multiple dining and drinking options including Bacchanals Restaurant and Bar -- the casual beachside option -- and Tamara’s, an upscale buffet restaurant that serves the free included breakfast and pricey dinner buffets. It's worth noting that Tamara's has a strict dress code that is enforced. The outdoor Gallery Bar overlooks the beachfront and is perfect for sunset watching. Indoors, Bobsters is the hotel’s Champagne and cigar bar that feels readymade for well-heeled fisherman, with its giant bottles of champagne and unintentionally kitschy bamboo furniture.

Coco Reef’s full-service dive shop is a big plus and offers daily dives and PADI certification courses. Coco Spa and Gym is one of the island’s brightest gyms, and is open 24 hours a day. It has arched ceilings, accented tiled floors, and Cybex workout machines and dumbbells. Spa services include massages, facials, and mani-pedis. The resort has two Har-Tru tennis courts that can be lit up at night, and free tennis balls and rackets. Tennis lessons can also be arranged (for a fee).

The front desk offers currency exchange. Next to the lobby, a cavernous guest lounge has a computer with free printing, book library, and board games. The resort’s Social Director works out of the lounge and can arrange tours, babysitters, and car rentals (including Rolls Royce airport transfers). There are many meeting and banquet rooms, an on-site salon, and a few boutiques as well. Wi-Fi is spotty throughout the hotel, but isn’t free.