We stayed at the hotel in early April 2008 and overall we found it fantastic. Yes I agree that some will like it and some will not. The terrible events of the summer did shock us as we felt completely safe at all times during our stay. Looking back the security was not very good, but reading recent reviews, that looks to have improved.

We stayed in room 7 which was about ¾ of the way up the hill. It had a full sea view, with balcony overlooking the rocks and sea. This view is stunning. The room was clean and it looked that it had been painted recently. The bed is comfortable and the balcony a pleasure to relax on. The hammock was great. The bath room however did need a little TLC, it was clean but could do with retiling. The drains did smell on occasions however it was not that bad. The outdoor shower however was not up to standard with a very slow spray at best. The privacy could be addressed as the room next door which was slightly higher could see into the WC area through the mirror. OK someone would have to be looking deliberately but still this may concern a few.

The food was probably the best on the island. We had decided that on a few occasions we would eat from the A La Cart menu (which is chargeable) but found the food on the normal menu so nice that we did not eat from it at all. We had decided to have the Lobster form the A La Cart menu on our last night only to be informed they had none left and that it had t be pre-ordered. So if you do want the lobster pre-order to avoid disappointment. The wine was good and free flowing and only on the rare occasion when the staff were rushed, were our wine glasses empty for more that a few minutes. The bar does close a little early, but we were on honeymoon so was not a problem….

The staff were fantastic, very friendly and helpful. My wife asked a member of staff if she could arrange a table with a good view for my birthday, and ended up having a table arranged on the beach with candles, Champaign and all the trimmings. A big thank you to Andre who waited on us and made the evening a one to remember. Carl also deserves a mention as he was also great. However all staff were fantastic. We were a little disappointed to be asked for a tip by one of the waitresses on or last morning. I had paid for extras on my card and had no cash left, so added a generous sum to the card bill only to be asked later for more. When I explained that I have left it with reception, the staff were upset and I was asked to ask the receptionist for it back as it would not be passed on to the staff. Unfortunately this was not possible. If this is true is disappointing as the staff do deserve their tips, so please remember to tip them directly at the end of your stay.

The beach although public was only used by hotel guests and bar the was great. The bar man very friendly and made us some great drinks. Locals trying to sell trips, jet ski rides and other merchandise can be a little tedious. The water is very milky and not the best for snorkelling, this may improve on some of the trips.

Overall the hotel is a little gem, by no means luxury, if you want marble floors, air conditioning the look elsewhere. If you want a romantic, peaceful get a way CoCos is perfect.

If you want a true Caribbean holiday you don't get much closer than this. It is a little paradise hidden away on the west coast of this beautiful island.

I stayed here with my boyfriend in August this year and we have already booked to come back for Christmas and New Year!

It happened that our visit was very shortly after the tragic incident that happened to two guests of Cocos and despite being informed by our travel operator we were not going to let this affect our holiday plans and it’s true to say that that was the best decision we made all year! In the short time between the incident and our arrival they had improved the security dramatically installing discrete yet secure fencing around the edges of the resort and recruited many more security staff on a 24hr basis. Despite being a very security conscious individual (living in central London you'd be mad not to be!) there was not a moment of the entire holiday where I felt uneasy.

The hotel is small and full of charm. With its own private beach that is quiet and peaceful with beautiful white sand. The restaurant offers the most spectacular views out to the horizon over the bluest sea I have ever encountered. The food provides something for everyone, whether it’s a light snack, some fresh fish of the day of something more substantial the choice is certainly there. The staff are friendly and accommodating and really went out of their way to make our stay as pleasant as possible.

The rooms offer simple escapism, with large four poster beds over the magnificent views you really feel a million miles away. With a lovely room and big doors that open out onto a balcony and the amazing outdoor showers it was hard some days to leave the comfort of our own room (I think the hammock hung on terrace may have been the cause too!).

If it’s an escape from reality you’re after, this place has it all. It is extremely good value with all the amenities of a four star hotel. If you’re after glamour and posing then maybe try the Sandy Lane!

Sorry that it has taken so long, but finally I am here to give my review and I'm sure I can speak for my future wife also. O.k., I have done quite some traveling in my years. From the basic Mexico all-inclusive vacation, to the exotic Thailand to the elite Bora Bora Tahiti. That being said, I feel that some reviews are not good at all. Perhaps this is because some people are never happy, are ignorent or don't have much to compare it to. The Pros and the Cons......

Setting- Fantastic. Very romantic and private
Bungalows- View and style; (On top of hill, where we stayed) Fantastic. Hello people!!!! That's the whole idea. If you are looking for chic, than you should have stayed at Hermitage Bay. The point being....it's supposed to have that feel of non-luxury. If you want luxury, than stay at the Ritz Carlton.
Food- Limited but fantastic
People- Fantastic. Especially Akari our dear bartender. God was he great!!! The whole staff too. Very polite and friendly
Water- Colors, fantastic. But this is where I have a problem since I love to snorkel and scubadive. The water is tremendously "milky". I mean you can't even see your feet at 2 feet of water. Off the beach and even 300 yards out. Not advertised at all. I was very dissapointed with the snorkel trip. Visibility was extremely poor.
Beach- Fantastic. People, get over it!! In what country have you been to, that people are not trying to make a buck or two on the beach trying to sell something and being persistent? What is the big deal? That's the whole beauty of it. Stop being so stuck up. Not everyone has the luxury of being rich.
Security- POOR and quite scaring.
Nighlife- BORING.
Overall the things that really bothered me was that when we checked in, there was no one to greet us at the entrance and we had to walk with our luggages about 75 yards up on a hill looking for the check-in counter. I think for the type of resort that it is and the cost of it, that's a no-no in my book. Also, yes it is a honeymoon resort but after a while especially at night, you start to get a little bored. The bar closes at 10p.m. and there is nothing to do, NOTHING. Another thing is that you don't even have room service late in the night where you can order "a bottle or 10 bottles" of wine and get drunk and have a good time with your partner. To me this was a big dissapointment. Would I go back? Well for me the answer is no. Because I'm on a mission to see the whole world and I don't like to revisit the same place more than once. But if you are not one of those people...than yes. The setting is very romantic, the views are incredible depending in which cottage you stay in, the people are extremely friendly and the food is excellent. You will find ups and downs no matter where you go, even in The Maldives and Tahiti. So overall, I give this resort 4 stars (above average). My prayers go out to the British couple and their families. It should have never happened. Something that I spotted the first moment we got dropped off by the taxi driver at the resort. To the owner of the resort...all the money you make off of us, shame on you for allowing something like this to happen to 2 beautiful people. Greed...pity on you!

We were married at Cocos in May 2008 and stopped there along with 14 of our friends and family.
Firstly our wedding was perfect - the staff at the hotel did everything they could to make our day really special and unique. The setting was so romantic. The staff took time to find out what we wanted from our day and spent hours decorating the restaurant and making sure everything ran smoothly.
We stayed for 3 weeks and Ive never stopped anywhere with such amazing views, fantastic staff, 5 star food - it was just like paradise. The cottages arent like 5* star characterless hotel rooms - they are typical antiguan style and I thought were perfect for the character of the hotel - they havent got TVs in but with the views you get from your balcony you dont need a TV! Ive never experienced customer service like that of Cocos. The staff were so friendly and couldnt do enough to make sure we were happy. Andre, Terri Ann, Josiann, Carl to name but a few helped to make our holiday and our wedding an amazing experience we will never forget. The beach was like paradice - ive read a few people complain about the sellers on the beach. We did not have any problems at all with this - we found them to be really friendly and were fine if you just said you didnt want to buy anything. Overall I cannot fault Cocos at all - we had an unforgetable and amzing experience. If you want to stay somewhere with character, fantastic views, amazing food, first class customer service then choose Cocos but if you need somewhere with all mod cons and no character then this is not for you.