This is the French restaurant onsite at Secrets Maroma Beach…read more From start to finish the service here is phenomenal. Our server did the whole "sell you the bottle" trick but backed down when I chuckled at him about the cost of the crap bottles they were selling. After that, it was smooth sailing and a nice time. He did a great job Inside it seems to be "Frenchy", but it does seem like it's a bit of a stretch. There are paintings depicting French scenes, but frankly you could put pics of French fries up and I would not care. The lighting was cool. The apps were great and I loved them all! Very tasty bites indeed. The soufflé looked burnt but was very good when you got into it. Escargot were tasty as well and the French onion soup was amazing! Real butter for the bread and I am in love. Entrees were just ok. C ate very little of hers, but I liked hers way more than mine. I had the Duck and it wasn't the best, but it's a gamble with Duck sometimes I guess. We were so full we did not even look at dessert when the time came. Overall, nice meal and a good time! I'd come back just to eat the appetizers again. '26 - 58

A special shoutout to our captain, Jordan, at the French restaurant Bordeaux - Jordan exceeded…read moreexpectations with customizing our dining experience and then took it a step further. He heard it was my fiancé's birthday and turned it into something we'll never forget: arranging for a live violinist to play for us on the outside patio, where we were the only two dining, then bringing out sparklers and a cake and singing Happy Birthday. That kind of thoughtfulness is rare, and it made the whole evening. Thanks Jordan!

Israel was very observant and put great detail and effort into our evening. The restaurant is…read morebeautiful and sets the tone for a great dinner. I love the atmosphere. I recommend for those who want a fancy evening and time is of the essence and you're not in a hurry to enjoy good food.

Excellent Meal with Excellent service! We wanted to try New Things. We…read moreOrdered Foie Gras, Escargot, Beef Tartare, Chicken Cordon Blue, alagot ( mashed potatoes ) plus some Creme Brulee and Crepes Suzette. All well Prepared and service was impeccable Greet Meal!

Amazing resort, nice size, you're not walking a mile to anywhere, everything is convenient to walk…read moreto. Pools are great, the hot tub was not working for some reason. The World Cafe was very good, something for everyone for every meal, the individual restaurants are pretty good with the exception of Portofinos; the filet was terrible! I think it's the beef in Mexico, we had it 3 times & wasn't good at all. The employees were all amazing & efficient, I had left my water bottle at the pool, I called lost & found & someone immediately brought it to our room. The rooms are immaculate & nicely decorated. We got the Preferred Club benefit which was nice because of the lounge & top shelf liquor & a beach area Aldo's Beach access was right after the pool areas, plenty of chairs & umbrellas, cabanas, shade. I would recommend using USA Transfers for private car transport to & from the airport they were way cheaper than the resort recommended company & rated highly on you tube.

I attended my nephew's wedding at this resort. Upgraded my room to have a great experience. Upon…read moreentering the resort the service is great & the lobby is nice. The upgraded private checkin was very nice. Once I arrived at my room I noticed it is very outdated. The upgrade was to provide a fully stocked bar, snacks & premium liquor. Well none of that happened, the resort offers the same quality liquor at all bars & restaurants. As for snacks it was Pringles & peanut M&Ms. 1st day no snacks so 2nd day I brought it to their attention & finally received the Pringles and M&M . As for the restaurants the food is of VERY POOR QUALITY. Most of the restaurants & bars close early. I couldn't get guacamole & chips because all the restaurants ran out. They told me I had to order room service but that took 1-2 hrs. It's hard to get a reservation at the 2 better restaurants. On Saturdays the 2 Asian restaurants were closed. I would NOT recommend this place. We were NEVER able to get in the better restaurants so we settled for the buffet, surprisingly it was not bad. The infinity pool was dirty, the floor is of a dark color, I'm thinking so people don't notice how dirty it is. If you look behind the lounge chairs inside the pool, you'll see how disgusting it is. I think the children's pool was cleaner & of a clear blue tile. The private concierge room consisted of a private bar and some food, but is a very poor quality also. The bar had the same grade alcohol as any other bar. With that said, the wedding was beautiful and the food was very good. Thank goodness The service was the best thing, it was excellent. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND this resort Save your money

The resort is right on the beach. Even though it is seaweed season, the workers kept it cleaned up…read moreand the beach was still beautiful! There are quite a few restaurants to choose from and each one we ate at was really good. My husband loved the pizza though! There was several pools but our favorite one was the lively one (they have quite ones too). The bartenders remembered us and remembered our drinks. Arturo was great! We had a Junior suite with a swim up pool and the workers came out every day to clean it. Our concierge Luis was amazing ! He made sure we had a special stay. We were celebrating our anniversary and he made sure our room was decorated with rose petals and fresh flowers. I highly recommend this resort! Ask for Luis!

My girlfriend was sexually assaulted by a staff member at Secrets Tulum during a spa treatment, and…read morewhat the hotel did afterward was almost as disturbing as the assault itself. They blocked the police I called from entering the property. There is now an open criminal case with the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor's Office -- file FGE/QR/TUL/DEL/4225/2026, assigned to the Specialized Prosecutor for Sexual Crimes, Tulum. That's an official case reference anyone can verify. Do not give this resort your money. The moment my girlfriend told me what the male spa staff member had done to her, I got her out of the spa and went straight to management. The manager's response: "I know him, he would never do that, I've known him for 3 years." I called 911 myself. Police arrived -- and hotel staff refused to let them through the gate. I spoke to officers through a fence while management told me police were "on the way." When I asked for the staff member's name and the manager's own name: "for privacy reasons we cannot tell you." I have that refusal on video. A front desk employee covered her name tag with her hand. Three men then came to our room who said yes when I asked if they were police -- then claimed to be "from the prosecutor's office" -- covering their badges and refusing to give names or ID numbers for two hours, while my girlfriend, the victim, was too frightened to leave the room. She never got to speak with the real officers, because this hotel turned them away. Imagine how you would feel, knowing the actual police couldn't help, we couldnt just leave because the hotel controlled the gate, and they had security waiting and following us as soon as we left our room. It was terrifying. We don't speak Spanish and were given no translation or victim support of any kind. Security followed us until checkout and wouldn't let our driver through the gate until our card was charged in full. We left the moment we could arrange transportation. Formal complaints are filed with the Quintana Roo prosecutor's office, Hyatt corporate and its ethics line, Mexican consumer and tourism authorities, and the Government of Canada. When it mattered most, this "5-star" resort protected their staff member and stonewalled the police.

We had a wonderful time at this resort! I loved every single minute we were here!…read more Beautiful grounds and a wonderful place on earth to be. As long as you are behind the gates that is.... Outside of the gates is a whole different story. It's pretty intense out there with the police being fully militarized. They have machine guns mounted to trucks they stand on and ride around just for the presence, there are tons of people wanting to take advantage of dumb Americans at every turn. Watch yourself if you travel alone in Cozumel. It's designed solely to attract tourists. That draws out some colorful personalities in my experience. Traveled with ease from the oh so lovely Cancun International Airport. Interesting spot to say the least. We were warned not to communicate or accept anything from anyone except our driver. We arrive to the hotel really excited, somewhat cautious, and ready to have some fun. We were greeted at the front door and we handled a little paperwork, and then we were taken to our room by a wonderfully helpful chap. He showed us around the room, gave us a quick run down of the grounds, described the amenities, food situation, and some other pleasantries. He talked about the dining situation and gave us a map tour so we're would know how to navigate the grounds. They have a cool locker system in each room. The service folks just leave your anything in the locker and you don't have to interact with them at all. They just let you know it is there. Nice feature. The grounds themselves are absolutely gorgeous! It is so well kept, the attention to every detail goes so far beyond a normal resort. They comb the beach every morning. I kid you not. They seriously rake the entire shoreline before dawn. They also run a tractor to clear the seaweed from the beach. Insane dedication to making your stay great. The restaurant situation is so fucking rad. They have just about any food you might want covered between the what seemed like a dozen restaurants at the resort. I ate and ate and ate and ate.... I ate between meals, I ate between those meal and snack times. We had so much food!! Every dinner was 5-8 courses. I'm positive I could stay right here forever and never leave. Food heaven!! Spa is great too! It's a lovely relaxing oasis of self care. That's another review, but it's great. Don't take my word for it. Go for yourself! Cold plunges are good for the soul! They have shows every night in the theater and there was some sort of event being held every night in the common area. Some were private, others public. They construct stages, eating areas, weddings, happy hours with bands, and even corporate conferences. It's pretty wild the amount to building and tearing things down the do here. We rented a cabana bed one day and at the end of the day the built and transformed the beach into an elaborate engagement spot with candles everywhere, flowers, and a table for two. Very nice touch! All in all a fantastic experience. My only gripe was that the room smelled of mildew and/or too music moisture. C said something about it when we got there but it wasn't that noticeable to me. When I got home and unpacked my suitcase is when it hit me. There were clothes that I did not wear, just sat in the drawers and repacked, they all had to be washed as they smelled terrible after being packed and transported back home. I would come back monthly if possible. Nice place. '26 - 74

best all inclusive resort that we have ever stayed at! we had zero complaints about our entire…read morestay. the check in process was smooth and we were greeted with welcome champagne. they then drove us and our bags to our room, which was beautiful. we got the preferred club junior swim out suite and it was phenomenal. the mini bar was stocked with snacks and drinks and they even gave us a bottle of champagne for the room. i would highly recommend getting the preferred club, as you get access to private restaurants, beach club, private lounge, enhanced mini bar, and a free tote bag. the swim out pool was amazing and well maintained. they had complimentary floaties to float on. there was a lot of mosquitos outside so i would just recommend bringing bug spray. each floor has a designated concierge who has a desk on the bottom of each floor. our concierge, marcelo, was phenomenal. he always reached out via text to tell us about activities going on. my fiance also felt sick on the last day of our trip and marcelo sent gatorade, ginger ale, and salty crackers to our room. he provided exceptional customer service. we came during sargassum season, but this resort handled it so well. they had tractors out on the beach every morning to scoop up all the sargassum and take it away. it did not smell at all and we were able to go into the water without a problem. the pools, food, and nightly entertainment were all incredible. we didn't have a meal that we didn't enjoy. we never had to wait for a table and service was always so fast. the activities department put on such amazing shows every night. we will definitely be coming back and i highly recommend this resort to anyone!

We love Dreams Sands. We have been going to this resort since 2016. Only missed 2020...we all…read moreknow that heck of a year. The people are so warm and welcome you every time you see them. 'Welcome home' is the saying they use. It definitely feels like home when you are there. We are hoping to go again, but they have changed the booking process. Not very user friendly and can't include flights with booking.

I had a great time at Dreams Sands Cancun Resort, the food was very good and the service was…read moreamazing. The beach was nice and the pools were clean. They had shows / music at night. The restaurants don't require reservations (aside from the hibachi) which was nice. The resort shows its age a little bit, the rooms could maybe use a refresher; however the AC worked well and the bed was comfortable so it was fine for us. Overall I really liked the resort and I would definitely come back again in the future!

OVERALL SUMMARY:…read more Awesome trip; great property, excellent food, friendly staff (especially Felipè, our pool server) * * * * * GENERAL SUMMARY: We book our trip and opted for the "Preferred" status with all the "extra perks" but honestly still feel that the perks were mostly hype. Having a newspaper and access to play with their computer is a waste; access to a "preferred" Club Lounge with continental breakfast and hors d'oeuvres are not as good as just walking over to any of the other restaurants, bars or coffee shop; and the worst perk to have "personalized" check-in was actually slower than regular check in because you have to wait for someone to get you at the resort entrance and then walk across the whole property the Club Lounge for check in. But I would do it again because the room location and views were worth it. I was a little annoyed by the "extras" we expected (since they were offered as promotional gifts and offers during the sales call to book the trip) since most were misleading, like the 200 dollar vouchers for use on the property turned out to be coupons. We also had a call that we had a "welcome gift" for us in the Club Lounge; that bullshit turned out to be an offer to access another property but you'd have to sit through a sales pitch. Our room's balcony overlooked the pool area that was at the pool's signature tunnel (large pool passes through one of the buildings to the infinity edge overlooking the ocean). Cabanas with lounge chairs and hammocks surrounded by colorful landscaping makes the surroundings quite relaxing. In addition to our room and view, the many restaurants, bars and entertainment were excellent. * * * * * SPECIFIC PROS AND CONS: PRO: Love the "Secret" pass thru box for room service deliveries CON: Afternoon housekeeper rarely showed up PRO: Drinks were on par for what you would expect from an all-inclusive CON: Our TV was limited to 3-5 stations that had english PRO: But Playboy was one of those channels CON: The Club Lounge wasn't a very welcoming environment to laugh or be somewhat noisy at the bar since the staff also worked in this small space PRO: Preferred hotel rooms include great views and comfort CON: Preferred check-in is not convenient or fast PRO: Loved all the restaurant and pool servers (especially Felipè) CON: Saw landscape/maintenance workers spit in the grass often (where the guests often walk barefoot) PRO: Air conditioner rattled but fixed immediately upon request CON: We passed on our "FREE" 1-day spa pass because we felt we'd be pressured with another sales pitch for upgraded services PRO: Plenty of areas for party scene and plenty of areas for quiet time CON: The newspaper was never delivered PRO: The international variety of restaurants was enticing CON: Cost for massages or a private dinner was a joke PRO: Frozen coffee at the coffee shop was excellent when we've had enough liquor (but then I had the bar spike my coffee anyway) CON: Told and verified they had bocce ball courts, but they did not PRO: Our room was great with jacuzzi tub and great bed CON: Welcome bottle of champagne was in 2 inches of ice so our wonderful thought of champagne was warm and unappealing PRO: Entire property is Smoke Free (even have a sign at the main entrance before stepping in) CON: Have an Ash Tray for smoking right under the No Smoking sign PRO: We had a stand with incense which we appreciated on the first night going to sleep CON: After the first night, they removed all the matches so no more incense PRO: The evening special shows were awesome CON: Paella was advertised for 1:30 PM one day but it was all served at 12:30 PM (sucked since I was quite excited to try it) PRO: Pool games and other day time events were fun to meet people when tired of just relaxing CON: Our room TV was tilted and maintenance couldn't fix it PRO: Had the best time taking Sushi Rolling classes CON: All offers and vouchers required us to spend more than you'd expect and the things to buy were already over-priced * * * * * * FINAL SUMMARY: Even though it sounds like the many CONS outweighed the PROS, at the end of the day, WE LOVED our time relaxing in our room or poolside, drinking frozen cocktails and taking tequila shots that were brought to us all day long, eating in all the restaurants, watching the evening shows and playing drunken bingo, taking walks throughout the manicured paths... Most importantly, I would do it again.

This is our second all-inclusive vacation this year, and was definitely a five-star experience…read moreoverall. We stayed 8 days/7 nights and had a blast! Secrets Silversands is an adults-only resort located in Riviera Maya, just south of Cancun and in a newer development (resort is 6 yrs old). I previously gave 5-stars to Omni Cancun back in April but Silver Sands is actually better in terms of food quality, night time entertainment, room size, pools, and powerful and free wifi throughout the property! Below is a more detailed write-up of what we experienced: WORLD CAFE: Their main breakfast and lunch buffet. Huge selection and the food is surprisingly good here, especially braised and stir-fried meats. They also have a smoothie and omelet station. 5 stars. BAREFOOT GRILL: Overcooked burgers made to order but their fried chicken wings were phenomenal. Little drums covered in seasoned, powdery bread crumbs and fried to perfection. The meat was so soft I couldn't believe it. 4 stars SEASIDE GRILL: Another poolside casual place specializing in grilled fish, shrimp cocktail, and ceviche. Pretty decent and a good option for late lunch. You're surrounded by revelers playing pool volleyball in a Spring-break type atmosphere. 4 stars. HIMITSU HIBACHI: You need reservations for this Benihana-style experience. The chef showed some nice knife juggling skills and created some nice special effects with a smoking stack of onions sliding down the grill (choo choo train) along with some pyrotechnics. They use butter, garlic oil, and tequila to cook Asian cuisine which came out pretty good! Fried rice, sauteed chicken/beef/veggies were incredible. They even had a nice soy sauce laced with green chili peppers to add some kick! 5 stars HIMITSU: They have pretty decent nigiri options - rice was firmer than I liked but seasoned well. Toppings were tender and tasted fresh. Their hot dishes were underwhelming compared to the hibachi though - stir fried beef was over-sauced and too sweet, fried tofu appetizer under seasoned, and fried rice had a glutinous texture. I'm wondering if they used sushi rice. 3 stars. PORTOFINO: Their Italian dining place was surprisingly our least favorite. They had decent seafood appetizers though - the seafood frittata was a huge plate of fried mussels, fish, shrimp, etc. that was good, along with their grilled octopus carpaccio. Their entrees were rather ordinary - pasta with some red sauce or basic grilled salmon. 3 stars. SEASIDE GRILL: Outdoor restaurant converted to steakhouse. Octopus salad and hearts of palm salad were decent - both had tenderness and good acidity. Wife's veal scallops cooked medium were incredibly juicy while my NY steak cooked medium rare came out well, medium. It had a nice green pepper sauce but more chew than I liked. Desserts were great - a margarita mousse for her and a moist rich chocolate cake for me. 4 stars. BORDEAUX: Their French restaurant - beautiful, intimate settings with great food. They had a nice foie gras and mussels Rockefeller appetizer and my wife's pork tenderloin was tender and juicy. I was disappointed by the Italian place previously so I got their mushroom-asparagus fusilli pasta - YUM! 5 stars RATATOUILLE: At night the Buffet turns into a Mediterranean themed restaurant - which means more seafood! Seafood cippino, crown of shrimp entree, and the scallops appetizer salad were all light and refreshing. I went for the braised beef rib which was really good. 5 stars. EL PATIO: We had some nice carnitas tacos and this amazing lime soup for apps. For entree wife got fish steamed in banana leaves while I got the grilled salmon. We don't see seafood frequently on Mexican menus but we were glad to try - both dishes were perfect. Extra point for the chocolate soufflé dessert! 5 stars. NIGHT SHOWS: On most nights there were some pretty awesome shows. The most memorable ones were Glow Show (extreme juggling and dancing with props that light up with many colors), Urban Show (extreme breakdancing and music - good choreography similar to Michael Jackson One in LV), and the Rock Show - which is even more extreme juggling and Cirque du Soleil type stunts to the background of 80's rock from Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Starship, etc. 5-stars - easily better than anything we've seen on cruise ships and rivaling some of the Las Vegas quality shows. SERVICE: Excellent - everyone super friendly and greets you with a smile. They will find you and get you drinks - frequently. DAY ACTIVITIES: They have Zumba lessons, but I opted for Blackjack and Hold Em. One day they had a Paella cooking demo with plenty of paella and sangria to feed the resort - some of the best paella I've had! POOLS: They must have like 8 pools of different sizes and a couple of Jacuzzis. They were all clean and well-maintained. Will definitely recommend this resort! Only downsides are: watch out for mosquitoes and weak cocktails - so order lots of them!

This was our first time here and it was absolutely amazing! We did not realize it was all inclusive…read moretill we checked In, the pools are very relaxing . The activity pool / workers are fantastic especially the dance classes in the pool! The staff are all wonderful very friendly and quick with every service . The spa was so very amazing the hydrotherapy was incredible and the massage even better . Will def be back!

Wow this place was underwhelming. There is NO WAY they can claim to be a 5-star, AAA four diamond…read moreluxury resort. That is the biggest lie. Having stayed at wonderful Hyatt properties, I expected more from this place but it under-delivered in every way. I've never been so disappointed in my vacationing experience. Barely anyone can communicate; the English across the staff at the resort was terrible. The food was AWFUL. Truly never been so disgusted by food in my travels. It is edible, but terrible quality and just doesn't taste good at all. The drinks aren't any good either. The setting is nice as far as the beach and jungle. The beach is rocky so not great for playing in the water but the palm trees and rocks lining the coast are pretty. But the overall experience leaves SO MUCH to be desired. If you want a cheap experience in Mexico I guess this is the place. But if you're looking for good food and drinks or top tier service, you must go elsewhere. We tried Seaside Grill (gross), Himitsu (worst hibachi we've tasted), Bordeaux (really bad), World Cafe (some decent offerings in the buffet but overall poor quality), Portofino (not good), and El Patio (best option but it's Mexican food so it should be great and it was so subpar). The drinks from the bars are so lackluster. Even the ice cream at the resort is terrible!! We had it in town and it was awesome. We went into town to have a really nice meal at ARCA and wow, Mexico does have fantastic food and drinks, they just cannot possibly be found at this resort. Taxis anywhere from the resort are highway robbery. We paid through the nose to taxi to this restaurant and explore a different part of town but it was worth it to have a meal outside of the resort. They didn't clean our room for three days because some obscure button was pressed that we didn't know about. We tried to get them to clean it but seriously no one knows English... when we finally flagged down a housekeeper after calling the front desk for days to clean our room, she showed the button was pressed (never told about this, no clue it existed) and just laughed at us and left the room. We booked excursions through the resort through Amstar and each one had its downside. One tour was supposed to include a restaurant lunch but didn't without a word about it. One, we were picked up first before picking up three more hotels in the opposite direction of our tour destination only to pass by our hotel after we'd been in the van for an hour and a half, just getting started on the road towards our actual tour. Photographers roam the resort to take photos of you. They offer "free photo shoots." They give you a QR code to access your photos. Can't even buy them online. You have to go into their photo shop to buy them before you leave so they can upsell you. No telling how expensive they are. Would like just one or two but won't get them now that we left because we can't purchase them online. Honestly, our experience here gave us a bad view of vacationing in Mexico. Would never recommend it. The review wouldn't be so harsh if they didn't call themselves a 5-star AAA four diamond resort. Never heard such a bold faced lie.

Upon arriving, we were immediately approached by staff at the Preferred Club lounge and strongly…read moreencouraged to attend a presentation to "buy into" the resort. We came to relax and unwind, so we politely declined and headed to our room. Upon entering our room, we noticed a very strong mildew smell. The shower had visible mold, and the floor drains created a slipping hazard due to the wet tile. Rather than let these issues ruin our vacation, we decided to focus on the beautiful oceanfront view from our balcony. The sunsets each evening were absolutely stunning. Because of the rocky beach conditions, we spent most of our time at the pool. The pool staff and bartenders were friendly and helpful throughout our stay. Our first breakfast at the buffet was disappointing, with very limited options, even for non-picky eaters. That evening, we had reservations at the hibachi restaurant at 5:30. Unfortunately, the elevator was broken, forcing us to climb three flights of stairs through a dark and unsafe stairwell. We arrived 10 minutes early as requested, but there were no servers or bartenders on the rooftop until approximately 5:40, and the hibachi chef arrived around 5:45. At 6:00, our rice and vegetables had been cooked and set aside when we learned that the propane tank had run empty before our meat could be prepared. This should have been checked either before the shift or at the end of the previous evening. The entire experience was very disappointing. The following morning, we discovered Oceana, which became our favorite breakfast spot. The made-to-order breakfasts were excellent each day. The poolside food was somewhat bland, but the waitress provided exceptional service every single day. We also visited Olio at Dreams, which was excellent. Hoping for another great dining experience, we tried Bordeaux. The restaurant requires men to wear long pants, allowing jeans but not shorts. In 90-degree weather, we chose to sit outside where there was a pleasant breeze. The staff and food were outstanding, and both the salmon and pork dishes were delicious. Breakfast at Windows was also very good. After a long day at the pool, we ordered room service. The hamburger and fries were only average. Later, we dined at Gohan, which was an Asian/Sushi enjoyable meal. One rainy morning, we ordered room service breakfast. It arrived cold, and our coffee and juice orders were never received. The in-room coffee is quite strong, and since I prefer cream or milk rather than powdered creamer, this was disappointing. When we asked about the missing juice, we were told the order had never been received. Again, we tried not to let these issues ruin our trip, but the lack of consistent service was surprising for a Secrets resort. The resort itself is in serious need of renovation. We noticed exposed wires in the sand in several locations, missing building components, and multiple areas without handrails. The Preferred Club pool has only two ladders for exiting the pool, which may create accessibility issues for some guests. We have visited several resorts and chose this property because of the Secrets reputation for luxury and the premium price point. We expected a five-star experience because we paid five-star prices. While there were bright spots, including the beautiful ocean views, several excellent restaurants, and some wonderful staff members, the overall condition of the resort and the inconsistent service left us extremely disappointed!!! Unfortunately, we would not recommend staying at this resort! Highly doubt we will stay at another Secrets Resort again due to this bad experience!

"Always read the reviews first" -- good advice for anyone considering this place. Search "food" in…read morethe reviews and you'll find 100+ mentions, almost all bad -- and for good reason. It's bad. But more on that later. My wife and I spent four days here for our 3rd anniversary. We had a good time overall, and there were some positives. Our preferred-level room was nicely upgraded, though not without issues -- the biggest being that there was no bathroom door, only the sliding track where one was clearly meant to go. Combine that with an extremely slow-filling bathtub, and there went our plans for romantic baths. The shower, thankfully, worked fine and met our needs. The king bed was very comfortable, and our section was quiet except for the two mini-split A/C units. They kept things cool but never completely silent. The couch, on the other hand, was awful -- low, flat, and basically unusable without a pile of pillows. The ocean views were great, the beach was lovely, and the pools were expansive and well-maintained. Towels, oddly, were a bit of a scavenger hunt. The common areas and shops were clean and attractive, as were the restaurants and bars, but once seated inside, that's where the cracks showed. In a word: bad. And not just occasionally bad -- systemically bad. This was our first (and likely last) all-inclusive resort, and the economics show. We paid nearly $3,000 for four days, and once they've got your money, food becomes a cost center, not a highlight. Oceana (dinner and breakfast): fishy fish, meager calamari, a crab cake heavy on "cake," and a dessert so forgettable I truly forgot it. Breakfast's waffle was so bad I almost spit it out. My enfrijoladas were the best thing we ate there -- and even they were skimpy on chorizo and egg. Bordeaux (dinner): the best meal of the trip, though that's faint praise. My wife's fish was still a bit fishy but edible; my braised beef was plentiful but dry and under-seasoned. The French onion soup had two tiny bread slices barely covered in cheese. Dessert? Forgettable again. Room service (final night): a "children's menu" chicken quesadilla with fries -- amusing at an adults-only resort -- and a sad burger with a pre-cooked, reheated patty. My dessert was what I dubbed "sin leches cake" -- dry sponge, foamy topping, not a drop of leche in sight. Market Café breakfast buffet (departure morning): nice setting, huge spread, but flavorless food. The main dish, discada, looked like last night's leftovers -- bits of hot dog, mystery beef, and caramelized vegetables. Tasted about how it looked. A bright spot: the coffee shop, which served espresso drinks roughly Starbucks-level (not my thing, but acceptable) and had a pleasant vibe and decent pastries. Outside that café, coffee quality dropped fast -- Nespresso in the rooms, and near-tasteless "coffee" at the restaurants. If you care about coffee, bring your own. There's a heavy upsell push right at check-in. You'll be invited to a "breakfast presentation" -- actually a vacation club pitch -- in exchange for a discounted massage or similar perk. Don't bite. A polite "no thank you" is enough, though they may try again later. You'll also get offers for "romantic beach dinners" and other extras. Given the food quality, I'd pass. Then there are "resort credits" -- a bundle of coupons that sound useful but aren't. Most are tiny discounts on overpriced add-ons, like $10 off a $150 bottle of wine. In the end, we made the best of it and enjoyed our time together. The grounds are lovely, the staff generally pleasant, and the weather perfect, but the core experience -- food and value -- just isn't there. If you come expecting fine dining or even competent cuisine, you'll be disappointed. We left feeling like the resort itself could be great -- but right now, it's coasting on its scenery and bar menu. If all-inclusive food that tastes inclusive of everything but flavor doesn't bother you, you might love it. Otherwise, take the advice I wish I'd taken: always read the reviews first.

I found this hotel during one of my searches and since we do like and have tried other Secrets…read morelocations, decided to give it a try. If you like a quiet and relaxing vacation with a gorgeous beach, this resort is for you! If you are looking for constant entertainment, music or activities, this may not work for you. It is a new hotel located north of Cancun. It is beautifully decorated with a boho feel to it with a jungle and beach feel. All staff that we encountered was friendly, attentive and happy to answer any questions. Check in was fast and preferred was a nice addition. The private pool, lounge and beach access are a nice perk, to be able to be stress free at the hotel. Plenty of dining options and our favorite was the French restaurant. If you want a relaxing vacation with a gorgeous white sand and blue water beach, consider this newer resort.

We booked this trip through Costco Travel and chose the all-inclusive package, which specifically…read moreincluded gratuities. We paid approximately $17,000 for this vacation, so it was disappointing that throughout the resort there were several instances where staff seemed to be expecting additional tips, creating an awkward atmosphere. I understand that some employees may not have known our package included gratuities, but it still left us feeling uncomfortable. We have previously stayed at Secrets Akumal and Secrets The Vine, and both experiences were exceptional. We love the Secrets brand and were excited to try this property. The resort itself is beautiful, well-maintained, and very clean. Some staff members were genuinely friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, the level of service was inconsistent throughout our stay, and we encountered multiple situations where staff members were unhelpful, unfriendly, or simply rude. As Preferred Club guests, we checked in through the Preferred Lounge. One of our rooms had a significant mosquito problem. When I asked the Preferred concierge if anything could be done, I was repeatedly told there was nothing they could do. Only after I continued to press the issue was I told the room could be fumigated. The concierge took down the requested date and time, but when we followed up the next day, no one had any record of the request, and we had to start the process all over again. The food experience was also inconsistent. Our first dinner at El Patio was excellent, but when we returned another evening, much of the food was overcooked and dry. One of the cocktails we ordered was noticeably missing sweetness. We knew this because we had been ordering the same drink throughout the resort. When we politely mentioned it to our server, he repeatedly insisted nothing was wrong with it. My husband suggested it might simply need more syrup. Instead of taking the drink back to have it corrected, the server brought a bottle of syrup to the table. His demeanor throughout the interaction was cold and dismissive. Another disappointing experience occurred on our final morning. My parents went to Market Café for breakfast by themselves and sat patiently for quite some time without anyone taking their drink order. My mother eventually approached a server to ask for assistance. That employee spoke with the server assigned to their section, but no one ever came to the table. My mother had to seek help a second time before receiving service. Ironically, near the end of the meal, the assigned server finally appeared and asked how everything was. The entire situation felt bizarre and completely avoidable. These experiences were surprising because they are not what we have come to expect from the Secrets brand or from a five-star resort. We don't know whether the service issues were related to the fact that gratuities were already included in our package or if there were other factors involved. We would have gladly tipped additional staff members for exceptional service if gratuities had not already been included. While the property itself is beautiful, the inconsistent service significantly impacted our overall experience. Unfortunately, based on this stay, we would not return to this resort.