While staying at the Cocobay Resort, I opted for one of the romantic private pool side dinner upgrades. This is an all-inclusive resort, with an extra option to pay for dinner. I’m usually tight with money, but this was a special occasion, so I really wanted it to be a romantic. On Friday June 10th, 2022 my husband and I experienced the private poolside dinner at Coco Bay.
First Impression
We came to the main lobby and were escorted to our private dining area by Sherron. We were seated with the pool to our left, and the Caribbean Sea view directly in front of us. The area was illuminated with tiki torches, and candlelight on the table. The menus were set out with our names printed along the top of them, which was a sweet touch, and we were immediately poured champagne and brought out warm dinner rolls while we looked over the menu. The menu choices consisted of 3 options of a starter, a passion fruit sorbet mimosa as a intermediate palate cleanser, 3 choices of a main dish, and a dessert plate of 3 different desserts, and 2 spoons.
Dining Experience
Sherron was our server for the evening, and truly made the experience special, never letting our glasses get too low, engaging us in conversation, and making sure that everything was prepared to our liking. Timing and portion size were all perfect. I did not feel rushed, and shooed out the door, nor did I feel like I was neglected or waiting too long for anything. Portion sizes were perfect, no one left hungry, or overstuffed, and food was presented artfully.
We both chose to have the butternut bisque with candied ginger for starters. I did not expect that ginger and butternut squash would go so well together, but it was really wonderful. The passion fruit sorbet mimosas were lovely and refreshing between courses. My husband chose the Pan Roasted Chicken with pecan crust and baby potatoes with bacon, and I opted for the Grilled Beef Tenderloin. The beef tenderloin was an excellent choice. It was flavorful and prepared perfectly. It was the best meal I had on the island. Dessert was served to share and was absolutely delectable. There was an orange-lemon tart which was light and refreshing, a banana cake that was the best I've ever had, and a rich and delicious caramel chocolate fondant.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Service and staff were incredible, food was amazing.
Cons: Costs extra.
Overall Restaurant Rating
Let me be clear on my rating scale here, because I don’t want it to seem harsh. I rate 1-5 stars. If you ever have reviews at your job on their 1-5 scale, it's kind of like that.
1 star = falls below standards
2 stars= needs improvement, falls short of expectations
3 stars = meets expectations
4 stars = exceeds expectations
5 stars = entirely another category of awesome – way above target.
So essentially 3 stars is good, rather than mediocre.
Category | Rating |
Wait time | 5 |
Staff Friendliness/Helpfulness | 5 |
Comfort & Seating | 4 |
Appearance / View | 5 |
Taste & Temperature of Food | 5 |
Food Presentation | 5 |
Menu Choices | 4 |
Portion Size | 4 |
Average Score | 4.7 |
All in all it was an upgrade that was completely worth it. It was the privacy, romantic scenery, enhanced menu, and privatized attention we received from truly awesome staff. It made the night very special, and is definitely something you should experience while at the resort.
Experienced a Private Poolside Dinner at Coco Bay? Feel free to leave a comment and share your experience.