Cocobay Resort

An amazing resort with beautiful surroundings and a very helpful staff.

We visited Cocobay Resort in Antigua because my girlfriend and I wanted a relaxing getaway from the East Coast and to kick off our travels together. I'll start with the positives.

The resort is incredibly peaceful. Even when it's busy, there's so much space that you rarely feel crowded. It was easy to find a quiet spot by the pools or on the beach, which made it feel very secluded and relaxing.

The food was excellent. There was a huge variety of healthy, high-quality options, and I was genuinely surprised by how good everything was. Even when a particular dish wasn't my personal favorite, I could still appreciate the preparation and quality of the ingredients. I can see how some people might be put off by the more eclectic menu, but I thought it was fantastic. I was never hungry but I also never felt uncomfortably stuffed. They really struck a great balance.

We stayed in one of the Deluxe Pool Cottages and overall it was very nice. The private pool was a great addition, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was spacious with two shower heads, and everything was spotless. The only downside was the living room area, which was simply too hot to comfortably spend any time in.

The resort also had live music on several evenings, which added a wonderful atmosphere and every staff member we interacted with was friendly and welcoming. We never encountered anyone with a bad attitude and everyone was pleasant throughout our stay.

Unfortunately, this is where the negatives begin to add up and ultimately why I can't confidently recommend Cocobay to couples looking for a truly relaxing escape.

The biggest issue was the main beach. I've been to Jamaica several times, so I understand that local vendors operating independently from the resort are common. However here it was on another level. My girlfriend and I actually paddleboarded to the other beach just to get away from it.

The jet ski vendors, in particular, were relentless. Every single day they would approach us repeatedly until we responded. What should have been a peaceful afternoon of swimming, snorkeling, or relaxing became a constant interruption from people trying to sell 30-minute jet ski rides for nearly $100 per person. It completely took away from the tranquil atmosphere the resort tries to create.

There was also a gentleman selling handmade woven grass bowls. He was very nice, but after asking us to buy one for $10, he quietly asked my girlfriend to bring him a drink from the resort. Again, I understand the resort can't control independent vendors on the public beach but it's something future guests should be aware of.

As for issues that were directly the resort's responsibility, these were much harder to overlook.

Our room safe didn't work from the day we arrived. We reported it multiple times and were repeatedly told someone would come fix it. We even waited in our room on several occasions, but no one ever showed up.

Housekeeping was another disappointment. We left our bath towels on the floor expecting fresh ones but by the end of our stay we had none. We requested replacements multiple times, yet no towels were ever delivered. At a four-star resort charging premium prices, that's simply unacceptable.

The bathroom also had no ventilation fan, which seemed like a strange design choice considering it had a large two-person shower. Every shower left the room extremely hot and humid.

There was also one occasion where the resort had completely run out of beach towels at the towel station, leaving us unable to get any.

Another odd experience involved the adults-only policy. While the resort itself is advertised as adults-only, there were multiple children eating at the main resort restaurant during our stay. When I asked the front desk about it, they couldn't provide an explanation. Perhaps they were the owners' children but regardless, it created confusion and didn't align with the adults-only experience being advertised.

My girlfriend also has food allergies. I had filled out the allergy information before we arrived, yet on multiple occasions dishes containing nuts were still served to her. We found ourselves reminding the waitstaff about her allergy over and over again, which was concerning and something that should have been communicated much more effectively.

The gym was also frequently locked, requiring a trip to the front desk each time. This wasn't a major issue compared to everything else but it was another inconvenience that added up throughout the week.

I honestly feel a little conflicted writing this review because there really are things Cocobay does exceptionally well. The property is beautiful, the food exceeded my expectations, the rooms were comfortable and the atmosphere is incredibly peaceful.

However when you're spending several thousand dollars on what should be a premium vacation, the little things matter. A broken safe that never gets fixed, no bath towels, repeated allergy mistakes, constant interruptions from beach vendors, and inconsistent service all started to overshadow the positives.

We still had a relaxing vacation and enjoyed spending quality time together, but overall the experience fell short of what we expected. It's a beautiful property with a lot of potentialbut there are enough recurring issues that I personally wouldn't choose to return.

This is the loveliest place my wife and I have ever been on our 25-plus years going on summer holidays! Our de-lux seaview cottage had cosy ‘beachy vibes’ with a super comfortable bed and big balcony with a hammock! The actual beach was a slice of proverbial paradise - private, and included a bar drinks service direct to our sun loungers run by the wonderful Marlon & Mr Reed. The hotel infinity pools both overlook the Caribbean Sea and were also a joy for peaceful sun bathing. And compliments to the chefs in the restaurant for genuinely wonderful breakfast, lunch and dinner menus - plus the table service was a delight (no buffet bottle necks here!). Every single member of the staff and team (managed by the brilliant Jermaine) were cheerful, bright, friendly and kind - we felt so welcome and got treated like VIPs - BIG THANKS!