Cocos Hotel

My husband and I stayed at Cocos for our honeymoon in early June. I honestly could not have asked for a better place to spend a week relaxing and away from the business of life. The food was incredible. They only have one menu for breakfast and one for lunch, but there is enough variety that you can eat something different every day. They also offer a special or two for every meal. Dinner menu is never the same, there are usually 3 different entrees. We were blown away with how unique and amazing the food was. Our room was the full sunset view, and it was worth it! The view was gorgeous! Crystal blue waters and stunning sunsets. The room is simple, no TV and wifi was pretty spotty. But you can't beat the outdoor shower! I've never showered so much in my entire life. The staff was amazing. My husband and I really connected with a view and had great conversations. They worked on remembering us, our favorite food and drinks and details about our lives. They were always friendly and willing to serve in whatever way they could. The beach was nice, decently private although vendors would come and ask you to do their excursions. It got annoying when you were napping and they woke you up or pressured you. But it was nice to have options to experience the island more. These excursions were expensive and we did not bring enough money to do very much sadly. The only down sides were the sand bugs were awful and hurt when they bit. We came in the hurricane season and it was terribly humid. We had a hard time laying out at the beach for very long. The hike to the room could be exhausting but we also got a workout after the amazing food! Besides those downsides, everything was a dream and we want to return! We loved Cocos!!

If you are looking for a rustic stay with beautiful scenery and a friendly staff Cocos is good choice, but is not a luxury resort by any means. Pros: Beautiful views everywhere - you cannot find much better views than Cocos especially on a sunny day in the late morning. The water is beautiful and there are beautiful flowers everywhere. I couldn't stop taking pictures. Staff is very friendly- some of the staff go out of their way to get to know you. Most seemed very caring and wanted to get to know guest. Request were always followed up on. I also believe that the staff knew where most couples were at all time for safety reasons from the past. Private - very laid back and quiet (with exception of construction). Atmosphere is relaxing and romantic. You can always walk to jolly harbor resort if you want to listen to music or party a bit. Rooms- rooms are basic with deck, bedroom and bathroom but I really liked to be separated. AC worked great (I saw new units being delivered for other rooms). Bed and mattress could be better (old springs), but sufficient. Beaches- there are beaches and bars on both sides of the resort with great service. We preferred the valley church beach and often had it all to ourselves. The new rooms are being built here so there is some noise. Cons: Wear and tear of existing buildings: the resort is in serious need of some upgrades to existing public structures. Instead of building new cottages they should really focus on replacing rotted wood at restaurant and lobby area. Chairs are rotted and cushions are stained all along the property. A piece of the deck broke off on my first day and was still there a week later not picked up or fixed. This is the first area new guests see. Make it stand out and look amazing. Construction ongoing at site- every morning at about 8:30 construction started on new buildings and refurbishment of existing buildings. If you are staying by them don't plan on sleeping in as the workers are pretty loud and the sound is amplified off the cliffs. By the pace of the workers this will be ongoing for quite some time. Water: 3 nights we stayed at the resort there was no hot water to shower in the evening. One night we didn't have any water at all in room for a couple hours . Not sure if others had the problem but plan on either showering in morning or taking a shower with no hot water in evening. Litter: it's unfortunate the amount of litter everywhere at such a beautiful place. There is garbage over flowing a dumpsters and all along the construction areas. Not sure who is at fault but overall people appear not to appreciate and take care of the resort. Other comments: Food- food is pretty good but only one place to eat. We went out every other night to try something new. Sheer Rocks is very good. Bugs/Frogs: there are lots of bugs with sand flies being the worst. I put bug spray on ankles in morning and mosquito spray all over at night and had very few issues. I loved the sound of the frogs at night and left room doors open every night, but they are very loud. There are other animals everywhere and we were woken up 3 nights to something scratching the roof of our hut. Still not sure what it was but luckily it never got in. :-) Hills: as others have stated there is quite the hike to some rooms. About 5-6 cabins still have great views and the walk isn't as bad. You may want to suggest if staying. Shirley Heights: if your looking to get out and enjoy a night of eating, drinking and dancing (or watching others dance) check out Shirley heights on Sunday. We were hesitant to go as I figured it would be a tourist trap with nonstop harassment to buy things but really enjoyed and stayed longer. I think the resort is nice for newlyweds in there 20s-early 30s who are looking for privacy to relax and not looking to be pampered or have super high expectations on luxury.

I had an amazing time here. Definitely recommending Cocos to friends and family. So much to do within walking distance or short walk. Fun water activities on the other side of the beach with, Peter! The hotel room itself is very "hut - like" but very clean and cute. Gives off total island vibes. The wifi worked great in the rooms, lobby and surprisingly even on the beach! I know they want you to relax and turn off from the electronics, but I would recommend putting the in the hotel rooms for rainy days/nights like the first day I had when I arrived. The staff is very friendly and genuine. I vacationed here alone, so they always made sure I was safe and ok and enjoying my stay. Ms. Green on the security team was amazing and so gentle and sweet. She made sure I was safe when venturing off the resort and that I made it back to the resort. It really felt like a home away from home. A little piece of heaven. The water and views are unbeatable. I've been to several different islands and this has been the most beautiful so far. I also enjoyed a lovey massage by, Patricia. A very serene experience and my whole body felt amazing afterwards. You definitely want to visit her on the resort at the Serenity Cottage while you're there. The food on the resort was great, but I went off the resort for some meals as well, as I like to explore. On the other side of the beach there is the "Nest Bar". Great food, ask for the coconut shrimp... it will blow your mind! Cant wait to go back!

We spent arguably one of our worst vacations at COCOS Hotel last December, and I couldn't wait to return because the people working there were so nice. My husband's health has improved (the reason we had a tough time previously), and we had a much better experience overall. I believe COCOS has the best location on Antigua, and while it's not a luxury hotel, it has its charms. We were greeted, literally, with open arms by the staff who remembered us from last year. It was so good to see them! The new faces were also great. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to ask. They really want you to enjoy your stay. We splurged on one of the rooms with a plunge pool, and loved it. Those rooms aren't cheap, but you'd be paying at least twice as much for the same type of room at one of the higher-end resorts on the island. The sunset views were fantastic, and the outdoor shower was fun. We definitely felt spoiled. The hotel has a new chef who's working on updating the menu. There were occasional service glitches, and the soups seemed a bit bland, but most of the food was delicious (the pancakes were excellent). COCOS isn't for everyone: The climb uphill to the rooms is still daunting, the insects were ever present, though not as voracious as last time (we were more diligent about spraying), and the wifi was slow as molasses (usually a vacation-killer for me). When we finally spent time at the beach, we had a defective umbrella (though the wifi worked pretty well there, go figure). Plus, almost every winged insect imaginable was as attracted to our pool as we were (talk to the front desk, and someone will take care of that). Ultimately, it didn't matter. The views and the staff made it worthwhile. We had a great time. Chances are, so will you.

We booked at fairly short notice (5 weeks), taking advantage of a British Airways sale which included flights, hotel and transfers. It was a quick decision, taking us about an hour of rapid research before booking, and leaving us slightly wondering what we’d done! However, we’re experienced and frequent travellers, and simply set our expectations fairly low just in case. Airport arrival was painless, and we quickly and easily made contact with the transfer company Rep and our mini-bus driver: we shared the journey with another couple staying nearby. On arrival at COCOS, we were told to leave our cases at the ‘bus shelter’ and we were escorted up the hill to Reception - efficient processing and a cold drink set the scene for the week. We were in Cottage #9, the “Standard View�, as that was what BA were offering. We’ve spent enough time in the Caribbean [and elsewhere] watching sunsets, so the view wasn’t that significant to us. #9 sits above the swimming pool, with a decent view through the palm trees to the beach and, apart from some steps to reach it, it avoided the steep hill climb that others have commented on here. Plenty of space in the room and on the balcony: I get the feeling most cottages are the same size, so we were not disadvantaged. So … COTTAGE. Decent size, reasonable furnishings, acceptable bathroom and very efficient outside shower [another shower also in the bathroom, but not used]. As with most areas, the varnished woodwork showing many signs of wear. Bed very comfortable, air conditioning effective, ceiling fan quiet [we turned the aircon off at night]. Balcony seats comfortable, plenty of space and shade. Mini-bar replenished effectively, although beer bottles were going out of date and one was undrinkable [the other one was fine]. WIFI. WiFi didn’t reach the cottage, so any communications needed a visit to the Lounge area … where if you were lucky the Internet server was also working. Very unreliable connections, but then we’re on holiday, not working! NOISE. If you don’t want to hear tree frogs or crickets, don’t go to the Caribbean :) Cottage #9 suffered on 2 successive nights from massive “Disco Noise� from the Jolly Beach Hotel, which faced us along the beach about 500 years away. Fortunately local law prohibits outdoor music after 23:00, so we did get to sleep eventually. LOUNGE. Comfy seating, some tables in a very poor state [see photo]. Ashtrays hardly ever emptied: most guests seemed to self-empty at the Bar, if they even bothered. Constant cooling breeze/wind! and main area shaded. Covered ashtrays might be a good idea? BAR. Modest but adequate. Bar service seemed to be carried out by whoever is available rather than a fixed ‘expert’: I had to explain on a few occasions what ingredients were required! Empty glasses on tables infrequently collected, as with the ashtrays. RESTAURANT. Very pleasant environment [and we like cat/kittens], and with simply excellent staff: thank you, all of you, for enhancing the experience with your smiles and efficient service. Food acceptable and fresh, if a little lacking in “excellence�: more like good home cooking than 'fine dining'. House wines [Chilean] perfectly drinkable, as is the ‘Champagne’. The evening musical entertainment in the Restaurant was pleasing, appropriate and tasteful ... completely in character with the environment. BEACH. Clean sand, plenty of loungers and umbrellas, water warm and clear [watch out for a few small patches of exposed stones underfoot]. Beach Bar service nice, but not helped by Akil also having to serve the southern beach as well [long walk with hill-climbing], leading to long absences and irregular service. Beach Hawkers [with licence tags] occasionally present, but we were never pestered - they probably realised older people don’t want to jet-ski! WILDLIFE. OK, a few mosquito bites despite taking precautions [a dozen on my wife, one on me]. No sign of other bugs apart from a few flies. Various birds, lizards and mongooses were pleasant reminders that this is the Caribbean! The ‘Restaurant Cats’ have been commented on frequently: they were well-behaved and begged very politely [think ‘appealing eyes’]. CLIENTELE. Unsurprisingly, most guests were what we would call 'young' - 20s/30s, with a small number of the 'more mature'. Very mixed nationalities, but most either European or North American continent ... Hello Gerry, read your review [with which we agreed entirely] and it was great meeting you both ;) WOULD WE RETURN? Yes, we would, if the price was right. The BA Sale, including Business Class flights from UK, cost us GBP 5,200/USD 6,500) for the 7 nights. The rack rate for our stay would have been GBP 4,760/USD 6,000, so the flights were almost free!