Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya is a beautiful resort with gorgeous grounds and a wonderful atmosphere…read more Unfortunately, several aspects of our stay fell short of what we expected from a luxury, five-diamond property.
Shortly after checking in, we were asked to meet with a "VIP" manager. What sounded like a brief welcome meeting turned into a sales presentation for a vacation membership. We were told it would involve approximately 90 minutes over breakfast, and we agreed because of the offered incentives, including $500 in spa credit. Instead, the presentation lasted more than three hours and involved repeated attempts to persuade us to purchase. While we understood that the resort markets these programs, the length and sales pressure should have been explained more clearly. Losing most of a vacation morning was frustrating.
Our room was another disappointment. We had booked a partial ocean-view room, but the view consisted entirely of trees.
At our first dinner, we were sixth in line. The guests ahead of us were seated near the oceanfront windows, while we were taken to a table in the back near the kitchen and salad bar, despite many open tables in the more desirable section. On its own, this might have seemed minor, but it contributed to our overall impression.
The spa experience was also inconsistent. The resort did honor the $500 credit, which we appreciated. However, during our first visit, we watched other guests being escorted to the locker rooms and given robes and slippers, while we were taken directly to the waiting area in our resort clothes. We were not offered access to the locker rooms, steam room, showers, or other amenities. After our massages, we were simply escorted out. The massages were fine, but the overall experience did not feel comparable to what other guests received.
We raised our concerns with a front desk manager, who listened and made a genuine effort to improve our stay. He offered either a room with the partial ocean view we had booked or an upgrade to a swim-out suite in the more convenient central area. We chose the swim-out suite and appreciated the upgrade. He also provided a complimentary beach cabana.
My second spa visit was much better. I was properly welcomed and offered access to the amenities. The spa manager personally apologized for what he called a miscommunication during my first visit and gave me a gift bag of spa products. I appreciated the gesture and his effort to address the issue.
After speaking with management, we were also instructed to tell our concierge where we planned to dine each evening. From then on, we were seated in better areas of the restaurants. While we appreciated the improved treatment, it reinforced our feeling that the service we initially received was not the same as what other guests were receiving.
The food throughout the resort was just okay. Nothing was terrible, but it did not meet our expectations for a property at this price and reputation. We have stayed at several other highly rated all-inclusive resorts in the region, many of which were less expensive and not marketed as five-diamond properties. Based on our experiences, we would rank nearly all of them above Secrets Akumal in terms of overall service, dining, and consistency.
As an LGBTQ couple, we were also left questioning whether we were treated differently. Secrets advertises itself as gay-friendly, which helped us feel comfortable choosing the resort. I cannot say with certainty why our experiences differed from those of other guests, and I do not want to accuse individual employees of intentional discrimination. However, the repeated differences we noticed--from restaurant seating to the spa experience--left us wondering whether being a same-sex couple played a role. No guest should leave a luxury resort questioning whether they received the same level of welcome and service as others.
To the resort's credit, management responded thoughtfully once we raised our concerns. The room upgrade, beach cabana, improved restaurant seating, second spa experience, apology, and gift were meaningful gestures. However, it was disappointing that we had to complain before receiving the level of hospitality we expected from the beginning.
This was an important trip for us, and I proposed to my partner during our stay. I had hoped Secrets Akumal might become a special place we would return to for anniversaries. Although the resort is beautiful and management made a sincere effort to improve our experience, the inconsistent service, disappointing food, lengthy sales presentation, and concerns about unequal treatment left us unwilling to return.
Secrets Akumal has many positives, but the setting alone was not enough to overcome the problems we experienced. We will always remember getting engaged there, but we will choose another resort for future celebrations.
