Cocos Cabanas

When hammocks hang from a wooden pergola at the hotel’s entrance, and check-in requires chatting with the owner in the restaurant, you know you’re onto something good. This is the scene at Coco’s Cabanas, where everyday hotel comings and goings are laid-back, and seemingly worry free. The jungle-like property, covered in tall palms and tropical plants, feels like a quiet escape from the sometimes overcrowded mania at hotels nearby. Here, guests sip on margaritas while eating brick oven pizzas, and up-tempo French songs play in the background. It’s a quirky place, maybe a little bit eccentric, but it’s comfortable, relaxed, and overwhelmingly homey. These characteristics are largely due to the owners’ warm hospitality. Helmut and Silvia, a couple with both Swiss and Mexican backgrounds, treat guests like friends they have welcomed into their home. The only downside to this laid-back lifestyle is that there’s not much to do at the hotel or in the immediate area, which might make active guests a little restless. Kids are welcome, but not catered to. 

About a 10- to 15-minute drive from Playa del Carmen, Coco’s Cabanas is located in a fairly isolated area that can claim only a few small hotels and the ultra-luxe Viceroy as neighbors. This means that besides the on-site restaurant, and those at the other hotels in the area, there aren’t many dining options nearby. There also isn’t much to do in the general vicinity, a pro or a con, depending on the traveler. Though the property is not quite on the beach, it’s just a short walk (about a minute) across the sand past what looks like a fairly dilapidated, semi-occupied, abandoned motel. Though Coco’s itself feels very safe, this unknown building is somewhat sketchy, so guests should probably steer clear at night. Cancun Airport is about 40 minutes from the hotel.  

As its name hints, Coco’s Cabanas is composed of six colorful, thatched-roof cabanas. Each cabana is double occupancy with either a queen- or king-size bed, but rooms vary drastically when it comes to interior decor. Potential guests should note that some cabanas are updated with beautiful tile work in the bathrooms, modern furnishings, and sleek wood finishes, while others are seriously dated and a little drab (think pink toilets and '80s light fixtures). In-room amenities also vary from room to room. Some cabanas have living areas and kitchenettes, while others don’t even have a mini-fridge. Some have iHomes, and others have dated stereo equipment. Be sure to enquire about room types, and what’s available in each room, when booking.  

Though their decor and amenities differ, there is some consistency across room types. All cabanas are about the same size, and are round in shape. All have thatched roofs with ceiling fans and a wall-mounted air conditioner. Guests are asked to only use the air conditioner when necessary, and to shut it off when not in the room. Rooms are also equipped with flat-screen TVs, an assortment of DVDs, and a DVD player. Bathrooms in all of the rooms are open to the bedroom, with half walls covering the shower and toilet areas. Anyone looking for bathroom privacy will not find it here. A few bars of soap and some skimpy towels are provided in each room. Some have other toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, but others do not, so we suggest you bring your own. The owners ask that guests refrain from smoking inside their rooms. Ashtrays are available on each cabana porch and in some of the common areas, so the property is not entirely smoke-free (a pro for some, a con for others).   

On paper, Coco’s has a lot of nice features, but in reality, many fall short of expectations. The nearby beach (about a minute's walk away), while beautiful, is crowded with vendors and water sports equipment. The water is calm, but it’s rocky and not so great for swimming. The hotel does not provide any lounge chairs, or even beach towels, so bring your own or be prepared to stare in envy at the Viceroy’s luxe setup next door. The pool at Coco’s is small, like smaller than a backyard pool small. But, it’s rarely ever crowded and is surrounded by a few lounge chairs and hammocks. The hotel also offers free parking and free Wi-Fi, but the Wi-Fi tends to be spotty towards the back of the property, so not all rooms have equal reception. It works best near the pool and restaurant areas. 

The hotel’s best feature is surely the on-site bar and restaurant, which goes by the same name as the hotel. Throughout the day restaurant patrons include hotel guests, visitors from nearby hotels, and even local families. The open-air setting is casual, has an open kitchen, and overlooks the pool. The bar serves some of the best margaritas in the area, and the menu consists of both European and Mexican specialities. Thanks to the owners' backgrounds (Swiss and Mexican), menu offerings are diverse, and include things like tasty brick oven pizzas, baked pasta dishes, fabulous fajitas, and the fresh catch of the day. Prices are more expensive than local places in Playa del Carmen, but still quite reasonable by American standards. The restaurant is officially open to the public for lunch and dinner, and it's also where the hotel serves its free continental breakfast each morning. Breakfast typically consists of cold items like assorted pastries and muffins, fresh fruit, fresh juices and coffee, cold cereal, and toast.