Just got back from a relaxing week staying at Cocos, Antigua. I can honestly say it was the most relaxing, memorable holiday we have had. Memorable for all the right reasons.
I've just spent some time re-reading the reviews,and I must admit some were a bit worrying before we arrived, but I needn't have ! I can only presume that the owner has taken on board some of the complaints and made the necessary changes to make this, for us, a perfect holiday. ( He can't do anything about the location of Jolly Beach resort. Yes, it was quite noisy most nights, but finished at 11pm - plenty of time to get 8 hours sleep before breakfast at 7.30am (if you wanted))
It was the first time we had gone all inclusive - but there was no wearing a plastic bangle all week and being herded into the dining room for canteen type meals. To be honest we tend to avoid hotels for holidays - preferring a nice apartment/villa and trying the local restaurants - so maybe I haven't a 5 star hotel to compare it with. The food was delicious, with a reasonable choice of starter and main but very little for dessert. No problem for me as I haven't a sweet tooth - except for chocolate cake, which was mouth wateringly superb. Thank goodness it was only offered the once. There is choice of ice cream if you don't want the dessert - but you have to ask. My husband would have had fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner if he could have. A different fish every day, depending on what had been caught. Breakfast was buffet style - fresh fruit to squeeze, fruit juices, make your own muesli, yoghurt, cereals, fresh fruit, coissants, danish pastries, cake, plus the cooked special. Served betwen 7.30 and 10 for early birds and late risers alike. Plent of water, coffee. wine beer etc served with the meal. Only downer here that the coffee was sometimes a bit cold unless you caught the fresh pot.
Our room, "wooden hut" was actually bigger than I imagined. The bed was at least 6' wide, yet didn't swamp the room. There are now nets up at the shutters to help keep out the mozzies which helps but they are determined little blighters and will get in. We had one flying round the smoking coil! We weren't lucky enough to pay the extra for premium or superier view and as we had an older room we had both an indoor and outside shower. (The out door would have been very public, our hut, no 8, being near the entrance). Because of this we did hear the coming and going of everybody, but this should be rectified soon as a new entrance is being built round the corner. Unfortunately this has resulted in even more muddy lane - not bad when the sun was shining, but not too great to try & walk on when it rained. The rooms are cleaned and fresh towels every day (of varying sizes I must admit) . There was only one day when we didn't get water, and there was no milk for coffee so we bought our own UHT locally which kept in the fridge all week. If you are a tea drinker, take your own kettle as there was no means of making a tea in your room. (Pack it instead of a hairdryer which is provided). The other thing to pack, which hasn't been mentioned, is a brolly! If it rains - and it did with us quite frequently - there is no means of getting to the restaurant from your room without getting wet. We had a late afternoon arrival so the room was ready, but I noticed those on an earlier arrival had to wait. after a long flight this could be a problem for some.
It was my birthday whilst we were away and my husband asked if they could do something at dinner for us - nothing too embarressing. Andre triumphed with a table on a little platform between the two main decks, beside the floodlit sea, decorated with flowers and French sparking white wine laid on. It was perfect, as we were able to dine (almost) alone - the waitress keeping a discrete eye on us from above to replenish our glasses and take away empty plates. My thanks to the staff who organised it - they didn't forget, there was no need to worry. We had no worries with the service throughout the week either - we were on holiday, no need for rushed meals.
If you do have a problem, tell them, to give them a chance to rectify it. Our water was off late one night, next morning we mentioned it at breakfast - fixed by the time we got back to our room.
I hope I haven't rambled on too much and this has been of use, but I wanted to cover all the bases. Would we go again? If they would move it to another island yes - only because we like to see different islands and have now "done" Antigua. Oh and the beach round the corner is better, more private, but maybe that should be kept secret!!







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