After reading many positive recent reviews, we decided to give Hotel Playa Coco a try. I had been to Veradero on two previous occasions and was a little disappointed, especially the second time around. I must say that I am thrilled that we chose this hotel for our stay from June 22 to June 29, 2012 because the food and service at Hotel Playa Coco was outstanding.
Room Number:
5301
Room Block:
Yellow Beachfront
Arrival:
Upon arrival, we were greeted by welcoming hotel staff who offered us a most welcome drink. Check in was fast and we were given wonderful oceanfront rooms. Our bags were carried to our rooms.
Rooms: The room was spacious and comfortable with a king-sized bed and a single cot, a wicker chair and sofa. The curtains and bedspreads were coordinated, in a cheery green and yellow, as was the furniture. The washroom was also large and clean. Toilet paper was always available. The air conditioning was welcome after a hot day in the sun on the beach. We appreciated the mini fridge and safe in the room. Everything was in great working order. The room was cleaned beautifully.
Restaurants and Bars: I love to cook and am pretty particular about my food. I could not believe how great the food was at this hotel, in terms of both flavour and variety. Breakfast at the Buffet included fresh juices, fresh fruit, an egg station serving made-to-order eggs, a crepe station serving made-to-order thin pancakes, all sorts of sausages, bacon, fresh breads, cheeses, ham, and more. Lunch at the Buffet had salad fixings, tasty slow cooked dishes like pork and chicken, lots of vegetables, grilled meats/fish/seafood, and a pasta station. Dinner carried on in a similar vein. A large variety of desserts always completed a meal. For a change, there was the Rancherito on the beach which was open for lunch and during the afternoon. There you could get pasta dishes, pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs, French fries, and ham/cheese sandwiches. No mushy pasta with tasteless sauces here. The pasta was cooked al dente and was served with either a delicious seafood sauce or meaty bolognese sauce. Ditto for the quality of the pizza. Then there was the snack bar at the pool which offered decent hamburgers, French fries (frozen but hot and freshly made to order) and grilled sandwiches all day/night. Then there were grills around the pool and beach area with meat and fresh fish/seafood. The a la carte restaurants also had excellent food together with amazing attention to detail. No time to get bored! And, then, the fabulous dinner on the beach! Tables, decked out in white tablecloths and candles floating in blue water, were set up on the white sands of the beach. There was live musical entertainment with a pianist and flautist. An over-the-top buffet completed the magic. The spread included lobster, shrimp, fish, chicken, pork, and beef galore, a seafood paella, proscuitto, blue cheese, and even a roasted turkey. All this, in addition to an abundance of salads, rice, potatoes, vegetables and desserts (including bananas flambe). The spread was a sight to behold! Our last day was topped off by trying a suckling pig which roasted for hours on a spit over an open pit. Succulent and delicious! Service at all the restaurants was fabulous. The servers were very welcoming and professional. Glasses were continually being refilled and dishes were continually cleared away
Beach/Pools/Grounds: The beach was absolutely incredible! Fine white sand with turquoise water that you could wade out into. There were plenty of chairs and areas of shade. Service again was amazing with waiters coming to offer drinks on the beach. The pool was beautifully maintained with attractive bridges crossing it in different areas. It also had areas for volleyball.
The grounds were well manicured with beautiful vegetation and flowers.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: The Animation Team drew people into pool and beach activities during the day. We, however, preferred to rest on the beach, which they respected. Nonetheless, they made sure they remembered our names and periodically came by just to check on us. One area of disappointment was the Pilar/Media Luna tour we booked. We were told that it included many things that did not materialize; for example, time on the island of Media Luna (we did not step foot on it), an hour of snorkeling (more like half an hour), having an expert in the water explaining the marine life (no one explained anything), and being shown the residences of pre-revolution presidents (nothing). Pilar beach, however, was beautiful and the underwater world, even for the short time we were given, was amazing. The included lunch was great!
Other Comments: All the staff were eager to please. We were asked several times a day by different personnel if we were enjoying ourselves. It seemed like a genuine concern for our well-being at their hotel. I must give special thanks to Araceli, in public relations, who went the extra mile in making us feel special and ensuring that our stay was memorable. Our time was running out and we still had not tried the Japanese a la carte restaurant. She made arrangements to have it opened just for us and another family who was leaving the same day. She also arranged for a late check-out when our plane left late. Muchas gracias, Araceli! I would return to Hotel Playa Coco in a heartbeat. If you want a relaxing vacation with great food and lots of personal attention, this is the place to go. Muchas gracias to all the hard-working staff!!
P.S. Do not forget your insect repellant and sunscreen!