This was our 3rd annual 2 week stay at Villa Cojimar. You can see my 2 previous reviews for a lot of details and in the past I have really promoted this resort, not because the hotel itself is all that great, but it offered great value for a family vacation. It is only a 3 star so you must expect some issues, but this year was too troublesome.
Your Arrival:
Front desk people don’t really care about you, they just want people in / out. If you need something, demand it immediately, if they write your request down, it won’t get done. They have no clue what is going on in their own resort. The ‘Masseuse’ was not at his usual place at the beach for the first 12 days we were there (massages at the beach being a highlight for my wife). We asked several times at the front desk and they said he was there at the beach! They appeared not to believe us (that he wasn’t there) and made no effort to find out what was going on. He finally showed up and told us he was at another hotel for the last 2 weeks!
Rooms:
For the 3rd straight year our assigned room was substandard and we had to demand a new room, which we got (#55). In the new room the TV did not work properly and the matresses were horribly uncomfortable. They need new beds for this resort but are not spending their money on the basics. Towels have holes in them and are stained etc.
Restaurants and Bars:
The biggest problem for us this year was the buffet. Selection was much poorer that previous years. The 2nd week was very difficult eating the same food everday. Line ups for freshly cooked eggs, pasta, etc. were too long. Service seems to drop every year in the buffet. Find a good waiter/waitress and tip, then stick with them is you want your glass re-filled! Clean plates are sometimes hard to find, and food items were constantly running out with long waits for them to be refilled. As an example, french fries were brought out little by little so if you wanted any, you had to hover around the empty tray to grab them or they’d be gone in seconds. My wife and kids all got very sick this time, was it the food? We can’t say for sure.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The main pool was the dirtiest we’ve seen in our trips. We were told it was to be overhauled in the off season and it needs it. The pathways are still terribly dangerous (uneven and poorly lit at night). Don’t leave anything outside your room as many guests had towels, swimsuits, etc. stolen. We had 1 of 4 personal towels stolen along with 1 of 4 sets of beach shoes. Both stolen items were American movie themed items, the rest of our stuff left behind was ‘plain’. The theory amongst guests was that a groundskeeper is grabbing items he can sell in town and putting them in a garbage bag to avoid suspicion in the early morning rounds. Of course ‘security’ was of no help. Don’t count on the ‘lifeguards’ to save you if you are drowning in the pool. They only come by to have a quick dip when they get too hot from preying on young women. My wife had to rescue a small boy who’s parents left him alone with his brother. He got in over his head and couldn’t swim. We were very badly bitten by insects this year after escaping the last 2 years. Tiny black flying insects seemed to appear at dusk and you don’t really notice them when they land on you and bite.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Some key entertainment staff have left and we missed them dearly. It’s just not as much fun anymore.
Other Comments:
On the positive side, they rebuilt the pier, and they added a play area at the Mini Club (swings and slide etc.). They are spending money on replacing the A/C units for the rooms. They are building new Villas by the beach that look great, but if they can’t service the rooms they already have, how will they handle even more guests? The charm of Villa Cojimar has faded for us, I don’t think we’ll be back after this trip.