Bahia Principe Explore Coba

We are returning guests at Bahia Principe Explore Coba, which is precisely why this holiday was so disappointing. Coba was once considered one of the best resorts in the complex, but after our latest two-week stay, I honestly feel it has fallen behind Tulum and Akumal and is now the weakest of the three. I want to be fair: we enjoyed parts of our holiday, met some wonderful people and still think the resort grounds are beautiful. The Brazilian restaurant and Mikado fire show were highlights. However, the negatives far outweighed the positives, and the number of changes compared with our previous visits was hard to ignore. The beach The Tulum beach used to be our favourite, with a long stretch extending towards the large white private villas on the corner. Now, much of that stretch was covered in seaweed, leaving a much smaller usable area. Ironically, the beach we always considered the worst because of the rocks in the water appeared to have the least seaweed, possibly because of the sea defences there. During our two-week stay, I never personally saw a tractor clearing the beach. Earlier in the year, we stayed at a RIU resort where tractors cleared seaweed throughout the day, every day. I appreciate that sargassum is seasonal and cannot be prevented entirely, but the difference in beach maintenance was disappointing. Rooms and pools need investment The rooms desperately need attention. Compared with the modernisation at Tulum and Akumal, Coba looks very dated. However, I would personally rather have a large, older room than a smaller, modernised one. The real problem is maintenance: we experienced a toilet handle falling off, air conditioning cutting out and mould on the ceilings. The pools also need attention. There is now essentially one large main pool, divided by a bridge that can make it look like two separate areas. The former quiet, shaded pool is no longer available to Coba guests because that area has become Bahía Tequila. The food truck there, which was fantastic for families, is also no longer accessible to Coba guests. These were facilities we genuinely enjoyed, and their loss has made Coba a less attractive place to stay. Bahía Tequila – a frustrating contrast One of the most frustrating things is being able to hear and see the entertainment at Tequila from near the Coba lobby. It often sounds lively, with great music and a booming atmosphere. Walking past, you can see and hear the activity, but as Coba guests we cannot simply enter and enjoy it. Tequila is the newer, much smaller resort, yet it appears to have a lively entertainment offering while Coba’s own evening entertainment feels reduced. I cannot know whether budgets or staff have been moved between the resorts, but it does make you question the priorities. Why develop another resort while allowing Coba’s rooms, pools and entertainment to fall behind? From a returning guest’s perspective, it feels as though facilities that made Coba special have been taken away while investment and attention are directed elsewhere. Food and restaurants The buffet was one of our biggest disappointments. Previously, it felt enormous, with Chinese, Indian, Italian and themed food stations offering plenty of variety. Now, there seem to be far fewer options, with much of the same food appearing day after day. In places, pots, pans and decorations appear to have replaced former food stations. I’m not a fussy eater, but I ended up relying heavily on pizza and pasta because there was so little variety. The children’s food options were particularly poor for a resort marketed towards families with free child places. There weren’t even consistently any chips or fries in the main buffet, and our two-year-old basically lived on sausages and fruit for two weeks. Our experience at Portofino Italian was also frustrating. We waited over half an hour for beers and received only one drink in approximately an hour, despite repeatedly asking staff. I cannot say why this happened, but it was extremely poor service for an all-inclusive restaurant. The à la carte booking system also needs improvement. We were told restaurants had to be booked 10 days before arrival. We met guests who either didn’t know about this or hadn’t been properly advised and consequently managed only one booking during their entire stay. Guests shouldn’t have to know about a complicated system before arrival to have a fair chance of enjoying the restaurants. The Brazilian restaurant, by contrast, was excellent on both visits. The food was lovely and well cooked, although our starters were forgotten on the second visit and the meat arrived first. Pool bar and transport Staffing at the main pool bar appeared significantly reduced. Previously, there were two staff members at the main bar and at least one serving from the standing side. During our stay, there was just one waiter running up and down the stairs between both sides. When the Mexican guests arrived at weekends, queues became particularly long. We experienced waits of around 10 minutes just to get served, and on one occasion I walked to the lobby for a drink because it was quicker. Transport has also deteriorated. Carts previously seemed to arrive every few minutes, but we waited between 30 minutes and an hour for a cart back to Coba from Hacienda. This is particularly inconvenient for families with young children and makes travelling across the complex for entertainment much less appealing. Evening entertainment On most nights, the entertainment seemed to consist of karaoke outside or live singers. There is nothing wrong with either, but the variety and atmosphere are not what we remember. The indoor main stage is far too hot to sit in comfortably for an hour or longer. This needs addressing, as I suspect the heat is one reason the outdoor entertainment was always busier. The outdoor social atmosphere used to be one of Coba’s greatest strengths. We met wonderful people, and guests naturally socialised and made their own fun. However, the loss of silent discos, fire shows and other interesting events has made evenings feel less lively. We particularly enjoyed the fire shows and entertainment directly outside the Coba lobby. Now, some events take place at Hacienda Market. This is less convenient for families with young children who may not want to travel across the resort on carts late at night. It would be easy to bring some entertainment back to individual resorts on different nights—for example, a silent disco at Coba on Monday, Tulum on Tuesday and Akumal on Wednesday. Coba needs its own atmosphere again, rather than guests having to travel elsewhere for the entertainment they used to enjoy. Weekend crowds and staff concerns From Thursday through Sunday, the resort became noticeably busier with larger groups of Mexican guests. Most people we met were friendly, and this is not about where guests come from. However, some groups played music loudly around the pool, sometimes using their own speakers, which changed the atmosphere for those staying for longer holidays. We were told that local guests could receive significantly cheaper weekend stays, although I cannot independently verify the prices or room-allocation arrangements. I do wonder whether the current approach to filling rooms in quieter periods is working in the resort’s long-term interests, especially when the increased occupancy puts pressure on already reduced staffing. We also spoke to more than ten members of staff during our stay. Several told us they felt undervalued and that promises had not been kept. We were told that significant numbers of staff had been let go and that some long-serving employees had been affected. One account we heard was that employees with 15–20 years of service had been dismissed, with days off among the factors considered. I cannot independently verify these claims, so I can only report what staff told us. Nevertheless, reduced staffing was noticeable to us in the bars and service we experienced. The hardworking staff who remain deserve better support, because the pressure on them inevitably affects guests too. The bigger picture – why are returning guests not coming back? I have visited in September before, including when Hyatt wasn’t involved, and remember Coba being far busier than it was during our latest stay. I therefore don’t believe the quiet atmosphere can simply be explained by September being low season. I have noticed free-child-place offers being used to attract families to Coba. I cannot know the commercial reasoning behind these promotions, but I wonder whether they are intended to encourage bookings when demand is weaker. Incentives alone, however, will not solve problems with food, facilities, maintenance and service. What concerns me most is the number of negative comments from returning guests who say they have visited for 10, 15 or even 20 years and no longer intend to return. Those are the guests who know what Coba used to offer. Their concerns should be taken seriously. Coba was once one of the best resorts in the complex. Rather than focusing on developing Tequila while Coba falls behind, I believe investment should have gone into modernising and maintaining the existing resort first. The loss of the quiet pool, food truck and some of Coba’s entertainment, combined with restrictions on using facilities elsewhere, has made the experience less appealing. If the resort is already struggling with queues, slow service and reduced staffing during busy weekends, I would be concerned about how it will cope during genuinely high-occupancy periods. The positives and final verdict There are still positives. The resort grounds are beautiful, the social atmosphere can be brilliant, the Brazilian restaurant was excellent and the Mikado fire show was a highlight for our children. We met wonderful people, and those experiences are a big part of why we still enjoyed aspects of our holiday. But the negatives far outweighed the positives for us. If you are visiting for the first time, you may enjoy Coba and not notice these issues because you have nothing to compare it with. We met people who loved their stay. Returning guests, however, know what has been lost. Coba doesn’t need to become a completely different resort. It needs properly maintained rooms, improved pools, more food variety, better children’s options, sufficient bar staffing, reliable transport, a fairer restaurant booking system, better beach maintenance and more varied entertainment at the resort itself. Most importantly, management needs to listen to its guests and staff. Coba still has the potential to be one of the best resorts in the complex again, but it is becoming a shadow of what it used to be. I genuinely hope Hyatt recognises this before more loyal guests decide not to return. Once those guests are gone, winning them back may be very difficult.

I have just returned from a 2 week stay in coba, I will admit I was nervous about coming to coba due to the negative reviews. But I decided to try it with a clear mind. I am glad i decided to go. Yes the rooms could do with a bit of an upgrade & they could concentrate on cleaning around the hotel a bit better. The buffet is rotated with some of the the same foods, but I did manage to eat something each day. I could not fault the staff as they were very helpful & welcoming. We did manage to book 3 à la carte meals each week. My favourite was Japanese.This was an extra à la carte from TUI. My least was the Mexican food. We also upgraded our bands for the last 2 days. The food in Tulum and Akumal was amazing , but the hotels were really quiet. Overall I had an amazing time in coba apart from the mosquito bites (make sure you are fully equipped for them) I also made some wonderful friends. My advice to anyone traveling to coba. Ignore the negatives and judge for yourself,.

Been here three times before in the past 10 years and this is the worst stay of them all. Food in the buffet very repeatative, boring, replenished slowly. Same grilled fish, calamari and pork every day. Running out of avocado in Mexico! Very small selection of fruits. The worst of all us the snack bar by the pool. No chips, barel any pizza, lots of awful pasta and salads that kids won't eat! No fruit! And the bar is super small! Seriously I had nothing to feed the kid with in that bar! Overall I feel the place is going down in quality and service. Entertainment is very boring, nothing for kids in the evening. Nothing happening in hacienda. Rooms look same as they did 10 years ago. I should have gone to Egipt.

It’s terrible and it’s not what the videos show. Same food everyday, 1/4 of the buffet is no longer used. No cereal etc completely overwhelmed with locals. They sectioned the whole resort you only have this tiny section. You can’t go to the other pool it’s adults only. Tulum for the day used to be free to go to not now. Paying tax upon check in. Not many speak or understand English. My suggestion is book somewhere else. Hilton-Hyatt purchased it and it’s terrible what they’ve done. Grand Bahía Coba

We had a really good holiday and I would return, but price matters massively. We paid around £100 per person per day all-inclusive. At that price: 4/5 and excellent value. If I'd paid premium five-star prices for exactly the same holiday: 3/5. QUICK REVIEW 🏨 Hotel & grounds — 4.5/5 - Beautiful, very clean resort. - Wildlife around the hotel is brilliant and really adds to it. - Huge complex, but the little carts/trains make getting around easy. - Wi-Fi was excellent everywhere we used it. 🛏️ Rooms — 4/5 - Definitely dated. - BUT absolutely massive. - Personally, I'd take a huge dated room over a tiny modern one. - Air conditioning worked well. - Room cleaned and fridge restocked daily when we weren't in there. - No real noise problems where we stayed. 🏊 Pools — 4/5 - Two really good, very clean pools. - Plenty of loungers when we went down after breakfast. - We could normally find an umbrella/shade. - No shade actually IN the pools. - Pool water was incredibly warm — basically a bath. - In 35–37°C heat, you really have to watch the sun. 🏖️ Beach — 5/5 - Beautiful little beach. - Shallow and felt very safe for the kids. - Definitely take a snorkel — small reef with loads of colourful fish. - Free hour of water activities available, BUT it's around a 10-minute walk further along the beach. - They also asked us for ID, which we hadn't taken with us. 🍹 Drinks — 5/5 - Probably the best cocktails I've had at an all-inclusive. - Wine was decent. - Rum was good. - Ask for a Miami Vice even though it isn't on the menu. Dangerous 😂 - When the hotel got busy, though, the bars could be five people deep. 🍽️ À la carte restaurants — 5/5 - Excellent. - Brazilian was very good. - Teppanyaki was absolutely brilliant and our favourite meal of the holiday. - Three à la cartes during our seven-night stay felt fair. - The app wasn't great, so we emailed instead. - They booked exactly what we wanted with no hassle. 🥓 Main buffet — 2/5 - Easily the weakest part for me. - Decent food constantly seemed to run out. - Bacon is a perfect example: one tray disappears, then everyone waits for more. - This became much worse when the hotel was busy. - Very strange lack of basic food such as fries. - If you've got a very plain/"beige" eater, this is worth knowing. - Our son basically needs simple things like plain spaghetti and fries and options were surprisingly limited. 🍔 Snack bar — 3.5/5 - Generally decent food. - Getting basic fries sometimes felt like a negotiation, which got annoying. - Otherwise absolutely fine. 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Families — 4/5 - Our boys enjoyed themselves. - Pools and beach are good for families. - There is a kids' club, although ours weren't interested. - No water park at Coba. - Plain eaters may struggle more than you'd expect at a big family all-inclusive. 👩‍💼 Staff — 5/5 - One of the best parts of the hotel. - Waiters, waitresses and bar staff were fantastic. - People generally seemed genuinely friendly rather than just being nice because it's their job. - Kitchen/buffet staff were the only area where our experience wasn't as good. ⚠️ THE BIGGEST NEGATIVE — COBA FEELS LIKE THE ENTRY-LEVEL HOTEL This was probably my biggest issue. Coba is part of a massive Bahia Principe complex, but Coba guests have much more restricted access to the other hotels/facilities, while guests staying at some of the other hotels have much broader access. It left me feeling a bit trapped. At times Coba felt almost like the "this is what you could have had" hotel. There's also a lot of upselling: - Parties - Premium lobster/tomahawk meals - Privilege Club - Upgrades/access to other facilities It started to feel more like the cruise-ship model: buy the basic package, then lots of extras are available for more money. That's not terrible considering the price we paid, but it doesn't exactly scream premium five-star resort. 👥 HOW BUSY IS IT? This completely changed our experience. First few days: brilliant. Quiet, relaxed, chilled. We could sit with the family, have some food and wine and actually hear ourselves think. Thursday–Sunday: completely different hotel. A large influx of weekend guests arrived and suddenly: - Buffet much busier - Bars five deep - More queues - Much noisier - Far less relaxing Some people will love that atmosphere. I absolutely don't. I'd rather have average food at a quiet hotel than amazing food somewhere rammed with people. We did travel out of season, so obviously occupancy will vary. 🎭 ENTERTAINMENT — N/A FOR US We didn't really use it. It was extremely hot in the evenings and the entertainment didn't particularly appeal to us, so it wouldn't be fair for me to score it properly. 💰 WOULD I GO BACK? At £100 per person per day? YES. At that price, I think Coba represents very good value for money. Would I pay premium five-star prices for it? No. If I returned to the Bahia Principe complex, I'd probably pay a little more and stay at one of the other hotels that gives you broader access to the whole resort. FINAL SCORES Value for money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Hotel & grounds: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Staff: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Drinks: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 À la carte food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Buffet: ⭐⭐ 2/5 Beach: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Pools: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 As a premium "five-star": ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 OVERALL: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Great holiday at the right price. Just know what you're buying.