In October 2021, we ventured to Riviera Maya, Mexico and stayed at the beautiful Secrets Akumal resort. We very highly recommend this Adults Only gem of a resort. Don't let the long transfer time from the airport deter you from booking this lush oasis. The experience wasn’t without some issues as we’ll detail below, but this truly is a five-star resort.
From the moment we stepped out of the taxi, we were already loving this place. The lobby is striking and the staff are inviting. As we completed the check in process, we were “Welcomed home”, a statement that was upheld by the staff repeatedly.
Ron & Jeff
Welcome Home
We were shown to our room immediately and within minutes our luggage had arrived, sanitized for our peace of mind.
The room was gorgeous! Beautifully appointed with a huge whirlpool tub for two in the middle of the room, large walk in shower with both rain shower and hand shower, double vanity, plus a seating area with ottoman and large counter area. There was also the “Secret Box.” Tucked away in the closet is a cabinet that is accessible from the outside, and normally locked. When you order room service and don’t want to be disturbed, the wait staff will place your meal in the Secret Box and lock it behind them. You access the box from your side and take the meal out. Contactless delivery: Secrets style. Place the dirty dishes back in the box and tap the “Clean up Dishes” button on your in room tablet and later they will come to get it later. Yes, there’s a tablet in your room where you can order food, set an alarm, find out the current weather, nightly entertainment and more.
If the room wasn’t phenomenal enough, we had upgraded to a swim out room. We were literally seconds away from peaceful swim time at any given point. All the swim out rooms were protected by tall trees and vegetation which enhanced the sense of privacy. The flip side of having those trees meant the pool was a little chillier than what we would’ve liked but being true Canadians we didn’t let it stop us from enjoying the almost completely private experience. We shared the pool with seven other rooms, but you would never know it because we only met one other couple in the swim out pool.
Secrets Akumal is a very lush and green resort. It was easy to get lost along the pathways, but the staff again would be happy to help you find your way. Even the other guests would sometimes take pity and direct you where you needed to go. (A favour we'd lated return once we got to know the resort.) We would recommend to the resort to have more maps on the property and clarify some of the signage to help alleviate this.
Swim up Suite
The wildlife on the resort is peppered throughout the property. From the smallest lizard to the biggest iguana, to the coatis and birds flying overhead, there was no shortage of wild friends hanging out with you. And that’s just on land! Going out into the ocean you can see so much more. We saw sea turtles, sting rays, an eagle ray, lots of fish including the biggest cow fish Jeff has ever seen, all of which can be found just off shore. Be sure to pack a snorkel and mask, fins, and a water camera.
Don’t forget reef safe sunscreen. Regular sunscreen is killing the turtles’ food supply, so if you love these animals like we do let’s protect them for future generations. Look for the absence of oxybenzone and octinoxate in listed ingredients. Sunscreens made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are mineral-based, so rather than being absorbed like traditional sunscreen, the particles of these ingredients sit on top of the skin and block harmful UV rays. You can read more here. We found reef safe cream sunscreen at the gift shop for around $25USD but worth it to protect these gentle giants. We saved the regular stuff for the pools.
Speaking of nourishment, the meals at Secrets Akumal were exquisite. We had some of our best vacation meals there. Coconut Shrimp at Oceana, for example was the tastiest meal Jeff has ever had. The teppanyaki was both entertaining and delicious, but be sure to make a reservation early as the shows fill up quickly. If you would still like Asian food, the a-la-carte side of the restaurant is available on a first come, first served basis. No reservations are required at any of the other restaurants.
If you have already been sold on this resort, it gets even better! The service alone was phenomenal. The restaurant hosts always remembered our names and were welcoming every time. (Special shout-out to Marysol at Oceana, Victoria at Seaside, and Karla at the Market Buffet for making us feel so welcome.)
It was not limited to food time, either. Francisco and Ivonne at the Relaxing pool did so many laps of that pool it would make your head spin. They were always so kind and accommodating and their drink suggestions were spot on. Leonardo the pool concierge (yes, that’s a thing) would lay out our towels on our loungers, tuck them in, and grab us an additional towel for our heads. He would expertly move the umbrella stand so that we would have shade and always make sure we were taken care of. Pampering, personified.
A word of caution, beware of the timeshare sales… sorry the “Ultimate Vacation Club” sales. We saw countless couples lined up to get into the breakfast buffet with a sales rep. We heard that they can be relentless to get you to this breakfast. Our recommendation is that you give them a firm NO right from the start and anytime you’re asked. You’ve invested your hard earned money into a vacation here and your time to enjoy is limited, why waste your time and theirs.
The entertainment we did experience was really high quality and we were very happy with. Pro tip: do not miss the Elements show. It was very cool. It's clear that Secrets has managed to get some of the best entertainers and invested into the shows.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Secrets and will not hesitate to send you there! It would be a great choice for honeymooners, destination weddings, snorkelers and beach lovers. Or just people who just want to straight up unplug and unwind.
