Grand Coco Bay / The Reef Playacar

[Jillian]

My mother and I are going in Feb 2006 and these I guess the ones that we are going with. I wanted to stay in town she wanted AI, so thats what we have to go with. So in choosing these 2 I wanted an AI close to town and that is obviously in our budget.

Can anyone tell me if they have been to either of these and what they thought, pros, and cons.

Thanks

Jillian

[Jillian]

Also put this one down too. how easy is it to get a bus into town from here?

[dushi]

Hi Jillian,

My boyfriend and I were at Reef Playacar in april. 3th time. It is not really big, compared to the other hotels in Playacar, about 200 rooms. The rooms are situated in a tropical garden, really beautiful. The staff is great. Every time we arrive we are welcomed by the same people.

The food is good, always plenty, but sometimes much of the same. We go mostly three weeks (fly in from europe) and after a week you know what you get on mondays, tuesdays, etc.

Bar and poolbar are good. Great cocktails. But go out at evenings to 5th street, more people, more to see!

Only once we had a problem at the hotel, also last april. They were building a new hotel next to reef. I think its Riu Palace. And they started at 7 am to 7 pm. A lot of noise and dust. The Riu Palace was planned to open last november, I don't know if there open yet. Someone else here maybe knows.


Melanie

[Peggy3009]

Originally Posted by PlayaHereWeCome

My mother and I are going in Feb 2006 and these I guess the ones that we are going with. I wanted to stay in town she wanted AI, so thats what we have to go with. So in choosing these 2 I wanted an AI close to town and that is obviously in our budget.

Can anyone tell me if they have been to either of these and what they thought, pros, and cons.

Thanks

Jillian

Jillian - The Reef is quite nice. What was said about the food is very true. No need to take a bus to town...it is a real easy walk.

[Eric in KC]

When we stayed at the Allegro last December, there had been substantial beach erosion at that end of Playacar. The Reef had virtually no beach at all. Not sure what state the beach there is in now.

We also took a tour of the what was then the Reef Coco Beach...now the Gran Coco Bay. It seemed very nice...and it is in the north section of PDC, where the beach is fantastic. If it were me, I'd choose the Coco Bay...but JMHO.

[Shammy]

If I was choosing between the Reef Playacar and the Grand Coco Bay, I'd absolutely have to pick the Grand Coco Bay as well. The beach is SO much better there. Food is a very personal issue, just because one person says it's good, doesn't mean another will agree, and vice versa. I have never stayed at the Reef Playacar, but past clients have (I really don't send people here any more - too many other resorts that I AND they prefer) and one of the complaints I heard a lot of was about the food quality and selection (or lack thereof). So take that for what it's worth...only you know how picky you are when it comes to food.

Your next question about the Barcelo Maya - this resort really isn't comparable to either the Reef Playacar or the Grand Coco Bay - it's just a better quality resort in EVERY way. If you're adding this hotel into the mix, without question, this is the better of the three. To get into Playa from the Barcelo, you can take a cab for $16 one way, or just go out to the highway and grab a colectivo for $1.50, it's about a 20 minute ride. We always take a colectivo into Playa and a cab home (because it's always too late for a colectivo). There is a bunch of info on the Barcelo here so do a search, or try www.unofficial-barcelo-maya.com.

[Jillian]

Originally Posted by Shammy

If I was choosing between the Reef Playacar and the Grand Coco Bay, I'd absolutely have to pick the Grand Coco Bay as well. The beach is SO much better there. Food is a very personal issue, just because one person says it's good, doesn't mean another will agree, and vice versa. I have never stayed at the Reef Playacar, but past clients have (I really don't send people here any more - too many other resorts that I AND they prefer) and one of the complaints I heard a lot of was about the food quality and selection (or lack thereof). So take that for what it's worth...only you know how picky you are when it comes to food.

Your next question about the Barcelo Maya - this resort really isn't comparable to either the Reef Playacar or the Grand Coco Bay - it's just a better quality resort in EVERY way. If you're adding this hotel into the mix, without question, this is the better of the three. To get into Playa from the Barcelo, you can take a cab for $16 one way, or just go out to the highway and grab a colectivo for $1.50, it's about a 20 minute ride. We always take a colectivo into Playa and a cab home (because it's always too late for a colectivo). There is a bunch of info on the Barcelo here so do a search, or try www.unofficial-barcelo-maya.com.

We actually just booked the Barcelo Maya, on the Caribe side. Can't wait to go!

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by PlayaHereWeCome

We actually just booked the Barcelo Maya, on the Caribe side. Can't wait to go!

EXCELLENT! I think you're going to be VERY glad you did!

[Jillian]

Originally Posted by Shammy

EXCELLENT! I think you're going to be VERY glad you did!

Shammy, i have looked all over the website and can;t find any difference between the 2 sides, is there a difference?

[Shammy]

If you mean between the Beach side and the Caribe side - no, there is no difference other than the actual building numbers. The Beach side is buildings 1,2 and 3 and the Caribe side is buildings 4 and 5. Other than that, they are mirror images of each other. Same rooms, buildings laid out the same way, each has a lobby with a bar and shops, identical buffet on each side, big free form pool on each side, swim up bar for each pool, lunch restaurant next to each pool, theater in the middle. Regardless of where you stay, you can use anything on either side.

Most (maybe even all) vacation companies in the USA book the Beach side, so not sure if you're near Boston, how you ended up with the Caribe side though. Maybe there is a company that books the Caribe side here, but I don't know who! The majority of the Canadian tour operators book the Caribe side though.

Now if you're talking about the difference between the Barcelo Maya Beach/Caribe and the new Barcelo Maya Tropical/Colonial - that's completely different! But...I don't think that's what you're referring to, correct?

[Jillian]

Thanks Shammy, thats what I meant. I don't know how we ended up there either, although I am not sure who my mom used as she is the one that booked it. I guess it doesn't matter which side we stay on, as long as I am back in Playa and away from the frigid weather!

[RobR]

Originally Posted by PlayaHereWeCome

My mother and I are going in Feb 2006 and these I guess the ones that we are going with. I wanted to stay in town she wanted AI, so thats what we have to go with. So in choosing these 2 I wanted an AI close to town and that is obviously in our budget.

Can anyone tell me if they have been to either of these and what they thought, pros, and cons.

Thanks

Jillian

Coco Bay & The Reef last year were sister resorts so we visited both.
Coco Bay definitely would be the best choice and maybe the best compromise to an AI. It is smaller and almost all rooms have a pool
view or a partial ocean view. We found the garden view/jungle at Playacar
dark & depressing. $3.00 cab ride from Coco Bay and a 20 minute walk
down the beach to town. Free bikes if you want and a 5 minute bike ride.
This is not a giant resort with huge shows or lots of entertainment. Just a
quiet resort that charges you to eat there. Our rates were reasonable
enuff that we didn't feel we had to eat there every night and could enjoy the
restaurants in town. Breakfast buffet, the pool snack bar was worth the AI
charge! Dinner buffet had theme nights we hit twice and were ok but we'd rather hit the town for dinner.

[pjdrummer]

My wife and I just returned from Playa on Tuesday the 13th and stayed at the Grand Coco Bay. We stayed at the allegro last year and both agreed we would stay at the Grand Coco Bay again. We walked to 5th and did some shopping twice, it is not to far. The beach was beautiful, no hotels to the north just lots of beach to walk. For the price we were happy with the hotel and food. I think I have a couple generic pictures of the hotel in my computer already, I'll try to post them.

PJ

[UltraDan]

What a great site. I will probably be on it every day till I arrive in paradise. We are staying at the Gran Coco Bay. Glad to hear good things about it. I was wondering how far of a walk it would be to town. I can stagger 20 minutes...no problem. On the way home from the bars, in the dark..I'll follow one simple rule....If my feet are wet...make slight turn to left! Later.....

[kdamman]

Sorry UltraDan...I just couldn't resist!

We need more cowbell!!

Love the avatar!