Beautiful Resort, but Unfortunately Not the Experience We Hoped For
I stayed at TRS Coral Resort with my best friend for seven nights (Sept 23-30) for a much-needed girls' getaway. We booked the Junior Suite Swim Up Beachside Ocean View and were really excited based on all the amazing reviews. I'm not going to give a number rating because our experience was so up and down so instead, here's what we loved and what really missed the mark.
For context, I come from a hospitality background, specifically within resorts and management. Attention to detail is huge for me, because I know firsthand how much the little things matter. I naturally notice details, the kind that make a stay great, good, or just plain horrible.
Cons (Let's start with the hard part)
The room:
The biggest issue, and honestly what ruined the experience for us, was what we found in the shower, live black worms, maybe an inch long, too many to count, that appeared once the water was turned on. They were mainly in the corners, which makes me think it was a cleaning issue. We recorded it and immediately sent the video to management. They came to "deep clean" while we were away from the property, but honestly, after that, I knew I'd never return or recommend the resort.
There was no compensation or follow-up beyond the cleaning, which was extremely disappointing.
At first glance, the room looked nice, but once you settled in, it felt dated, with peeling wallpaper, stains on the walls, hair on the sheets, and sheets that were honestly itchy. There was even an empty soda can tucked into the ceiling arch where the bathroom lights are (clearly missed during cleaning). It's the kind of thing you can overlook at a budget hotel, but not at a resort with these prices.
Restaurants:
One of the main reasons we booked TRS Coral was for the wide variety of dining options. On day one, we quickly learned that without advance reservations, you'll likely be turned away from most restaurants. Thankfully, there's always the buffet as a backup.
Reservations are done through your butler via WhatsApp, which is fine once you figure it out, but you definitely need to text early in the day to get a decent time slot. Once we got the hang of it, it wasn't a big deal.
The bigger issue was food quality. We tried over eight restaurants during our stay, and only three were worth revisiting. A few times, I sent my meal back and ordered something else because it just wasn't good. For a property of this level, that was a huge letdown. By the end, we'd find a spot we liked and say, "Ugh, I wish we had found this one earlier in the trip."
Pros (What we did love)
The staff:
Every single staff member we interacted with was kind, helpful, and professional. Even when we reported the shower issue, they responded quickly. You can tell the team genuinely enjoys working in hospitality, which really stood out.
The spa:
Hands down the highlight of the entire trip. The spa is incredibly massive, peaceful, and filled with amazing wellness amenities: multiple pools, a wellness bar, and an incredibly skilled team. My massage therapist was one of the best I've ever had.
Yes, one shower head was broken, and the door to the shower area was so uneven it caused a loud noise when opening (so much so that my therapist rushed in thinking something happened!), but honestly, the massage was so good I didn't even care.
The drinks:
Drinks were plentiful, but definitely on the lighter side. We had to ask for them a little stronger, which the bartenders were happy to do.
The room (the part we loved):
Our swim-up room was perfect. It felt like our own private little pool, peaceful, close to the main pool, and with servers who would bring us drinks right to our cabana while we listened to music and relaxed. I'm so glad we chose this over the two-story option.
The resort grounds:
The property is beautiful and full of wildlife, lots of iguanas, which I thought I'd hate, but they were actually harmless and fun to spot. The shuttle system around the resort was super efficient, which was a huge plus since the resort is so spread out.
Final Thoughts:
I really wanted to love TRS Coral, and in some ways, I did. The staff, the spa, the pool, and the setting were all wonderful. But the cleanliness issues, especially what we found in the shower, completely overshadowed everything else. I reached out to management after my trip with no response, which was even more disappointing than the incident itself. read more