Coco Grove Beach Resort

Coco Grove Beach Resort is a sizeable seaside resort in San Juan, with 91 rooms, a private beach and enough on-site facilities to keep the day moving without constant trips outside. You can swim, eat, book an excursion, take a massage or simply find a chair and stop making decisions for a while. After diving, that last option has considerable merit.

The atmosphere is practical and easy-going rather than minimalist. There is a garden, a terrace, a souvenir shop, on-site shops and a reception open from 06:00 to midnight. English is spoken by the hotel team, which keeps the basic business of checking in, arranging a transfer or asking about an excursion pleasantly straightforward.

You are in San Juan, on Siquijor Island in the Philippines, with the resort a few steps from the town centre. That gives you a beach base without putting you completely out of reach of local life. The address is San Juan Siquijor Island, Philippines.

The sea is not a distant backdrop here. The resort has direct access to a white-sand beach, with sun loungers and parasols set up for the business of doing very little. The beach facilities include both private and public beach access, while water-sports equipment is available on site. For a change of scene, excursions can be arranged to Siquijor and Apo Island.

The accommodation runs from economical single and double rooms to family rooms, suites, villas and cottages. That makes the choice less about finding one supposedly perfect category and more about matching the room to the way you travel. A solo diver can keep things simple with a single room, while couples have double rooms with a double bed or twin beds, and groups can move up to family, villa or cottage accommodation.

Views vary widely. You can choose between garden, pool, street, water, sea, ocean and sunset outlooks, with balconies available in some room categories. A sunset-facing room suits anyone who considers the end of the day part of the holiday rather than merely the time when the tanks are put away. A sea or ocean view costs you nothing in imagination, at least.

The better-equipped categories include air conditioning, blackout blinds, a minibar, tea-making facilities, a desk, television, Wi-Fi, a safe, slippers, towels, toiletries, a wardrobe and a private bathroom with shower. Refrigerators and hairdryers appear in selected double, family, superior, suite and villa categories, so check the individual room details if cold drinks or a proper post-dive hair arrangement matter to you. There are also economy rooms with private bathrooms and a dormitory option with a shared bathroom.

Two restaurants cover the main meals. Salamandas Restaurant sits on the oceanfront and serves seafood and international dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, opening from 06:00 to 22:00. That is a useful rhythm for divers: breakfast can happen early, and dinner does not require a heroic late-night expedition.

Sunset Restaurant is on the beach and works with Filipino and European food across breakfast, lunch and dinner. The beach setting gives the evening a clear sense of place, while the two different menus give you a reason to vary the table rather than eating in the same spot every night.

Breakfast is included in the room rate. There is also a bar, a snack bar, complimentary coffee and tea, and bottled water.

Three swimming pools give you alternatives to the sea, including indoor and outdoor pools, with a children’s pool also available. The beach has loungers, parasols and towels, so the post-dive routine can be as active or as stationary as your legs require. Snorkelling, kayaking, windsurfing and boat excursions add some movement when floating face-down has already been done for the day.

For a slower afternoon, Temple Spa offers massages, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud bath and body wraps. There is also an on-site infirmary, which is a useful practical detail rather than a decorative one. The gym and fitness room cover the determined, while yoga is available for anyone who prefers stretching to pretending that a third pool length was part of the training plan.

Away from the water, the resort offers table tennis, billiards and cycling. Cultural excursions can be arranged, with Siquijor and Apo Island among the destinations. Families have access to a kids’ club for children aged 3 to 11, a games room, babysitting and childcare services, and a children’s pool.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to 22:00, with check-out by 12:00. The front desk remains open until midnight, and express check-in and check-out are available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort, while parking is available for guests arriving by car. Laundry, ironing, dry cleaning, luggage storage, concierge assistance and a safety deposit service are also available.

Airport transfers can be arranged by the resort, either as a private service or a shared shuttle, with the details to organise directly with the hotel. Excursion assistance is available on site as well. Accepted payment methods include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, China UnionPay and cash.

An accessible lift reaches the upper floors, and the restaurant is wheelchair accessible. The resort also has wheelchair-accessible facilities. Room equipment changes by category, particularly for air conditioning, refrigerators, balconies, views and the broader set of in-room comforts, so the individual room description deserves a proper look before you book.