The Reef Coco Beach

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.

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:-)