A Review of Secrets Akumal Resort
First Impressions:
This was our first time really even considering an all-inclusive resort, so we really had no idea what to expect. The resort area we were headed to was about an hour away from the Cancun airport, so you do have to be prepared to wait 60 minutes to start enjoying resort life. After the most adventurous van ride we’ve taken in awhile, we stepped out to a view that took our breath away. We thought it would be nice, but we didn’t expect to step out of the van and onto a boardwalk leading to a beautiful, open-air lobby. We hadn’t been at Secrets Akumal for more than 5 minutes before we were handed sparkling wine and led to the most comfortable seating to wait for check-in.
While sipping on our drinks, we took in our new “home” for the weekend: The decor was modern and gave off a sophisticated vibe; you could tell so much thought and detail went into their lobby, property and restaurants. It was almost too picturesque – an unattainable aesthetic – that we found it a little hard to believe that this place fit our budget. Secrets was also super clean! They take guest safety very seriously, check out all of the precautions and clean measures they had in place here.
Staff:
The staff was probably one of our favorite parts of the trip. Every person we walked past was incredibly friendly. We never passed a member of staff without them greeting us, wishing us a good morning or asking if we needed anything. If we so much as thought of a need, someone was there to take care of it (and pass us an incredibly delicious drink).
It wasn’t just the helpfulness or politeness though, many of the staff actually took the time to just have a fun conversation with us. They’d ask us about our day, our excursion or tell us the story of how they went to college in Miami and loveddd those beer bongs. The interactions were genuine and left us feeling like we’d made new friends.
Amenities/General Details:
After seeing several other resorts during our excursion, it’s obvious that the vibe of every resort is very different and can really change the feel of your trip. So what made Secrets the perfect paradise?
The resort is large with 6 restaurants and 3 pools sitting right on the edge of the beach. This kept it from feeling crowded. With the exception of one 30-minute wait for a dinner table, we never fought for space or waited in line. Unlike some other resorts though, it wasn’t too large. One couple on our excursion had to take a golf cart to get around their property due to size. Secrets was big enough to have options, but it was nice to be able to walk from one place to another in less than 10 minutes.
Entertainment:
Not only were the amenities nice, but the entertainment was top notch as well. There were a variety of free sporting events and classes you could do throughout the day, as well as multiple musical performances every night. We’d often bounce from dinner to live music to a show (one night was a musical performance including acrobatics and fire). If you wanted to venture off property, there was a sea turtle conservation area 5 minutes down the beach where you could pay $20 to get a guided snorkeling tour. We saw close to 10 large sea turtles and a stingray, so it was well worth the money
Food:
As we previously mentioned, there were 6 restaurants on property. Some are open just for breakfast and lunch while others are only open for dinner. They had everything – Mexican, French, Italian, Asian (our personal favorite, although Italian came in a close second). Don’t feel like going inside for lunch? Have your meal delivered to you – poolside. Don’t feel like getting out of bed for breakfast? There’s room service for that. Everything we tried was delicious, and you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll like something because it’s all-inclusive. Don’t like your meal? Just order something else.
Ambiance:
While the food, drinks and entertainment were top notch, one of the best parts of the trip was the ambiance of the resort. There were no kids screaming or splashing, no Spring Breakers getting trashed. There were definitely a lot of couples or groups in their 30s-50s who were having fun, but it was a very peaceful experience.
For our first all-inclusive experience, we found the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure all without breaking the bank. Huge thanks to Vic at Vics Vacations for hitting everything on our wishlist and giving us a great first taste of Mexico. Now this doesn’t mean we’ll be giving up hostels anytime soon, but a little pampering never hurt.
