Amy U.
Yelp
5 stars is truly not enough for this absolutely amazing all inclusive resort! Secrets Akumal is located about an hour & a half from Cancun airport and is just north of Tulum. I enjoyed 7 glorious days here and let me tell you, it was heaven on earth! The grounds of this resort is a lush tropical paradise; wildlife (iguanas, lizards and birds mostly), beautiful exotic flowers, plants and trees galore. If you like staying active on vacation there's beach volleyball, yoga, snorkeling, water sports, pool aerobics & spin classes. As of last week, the gym is currently still closed but they do put weight benches and free weights right outside the door and if you would like a yoga mat, just ask! The resort is big enough to get in your daily steps just by walking here & there but not so big that you'll get lost. Pretty easy to navigate and you'll get it down after a day or two.
We loved all the restaurants; Himitsu, Bordeaux and Portofino being our favorites for dinner. It was great being able to try so many dishes. We opted for the house wine & champagne; no complaints, everything was good and paired nicely with meals. The steak quesadillas and chips with pico & guacamole from Barefoot Grill (pool bar) were definitely a favorite; we had them almost everyday as a pre lunch meal! Paired very well with some cold Coronas or a Don Julio Margarita. Seaside Grill is epic; a la carte breakfast included fresh fruit, pancakes, yogurt, crepes, Mexican omelettes, Eggs Benedict and much more. They offer green juice, fruit smoothies, spiked coffees, mimosas and anything else you would like from the bar. Gabriela & Edgar both need to be recognized for giving exceptional service each and every day. It was sad to say goodbye to them. We also had lunch everyday at Seaside Grill as well. I'm 100% honest when I tell you I had the shrimp tacos every single day for lunch including the day we had to go home, 1 hour before our transfer came! Other favorites at Seaside were fish tacos, ribeye tacos, Caesar salad, lime soup and the tamarind wings. Enjoyed sampling different margaritas also; the passionfruit, jalapeño and cucumber margaritas were our favs. Coco Cafe (open 24 hours) offers endless coffee drinks, tea, ice cream, croissants and all kinds of sweets & treats. The coconut ice cream is a must!!! We had it everyday! Pistachio and strawberry were our other favorites.
Our concierge Yair also provided exceptional service during our trip. We enjoyed talking with him throughout the day and he made sure we had everything we needed. Thank you, Yair! We enjoyed our swim out room immensely (we would book it again) and building 3 was perfect for us. Our swim out had full afternoon sun and we took advantage of that almost every afternoon after lunch. Housekeeping is wonderful; just give them a ring if there's anything specific you need like extra bath towels, toiletries and whatnot. Feel free to call them early evening to schedule turn down service while you're at dinner.
We were pleased with everything the resort had to offer as preferred guests, especially the Preferred Club Lounge. Throughout the day into the evening they provide (buffet style) hors d'oeuvres like spring rolls, mini antipasto salads, small sandwiches and bite sized desserts. As preferred guests your building will be closer to the beach & pools, you'll get snacks in your room, shooters and beers in your mini fridge, access to preferred lounge for snacks & apps with top shelf liquor and complimentary hydrotherapy at the spa (we absolutely loved it and would do it again). Definitely book preferred if all that sounds desirable to you.
Though mostly couples (gay and straight), all are welcome here at Secrets Akumal. Plenty of moms & daughters, groups of friends, small bridal parties, parents with older kids, honeymooners etc. All of the staff are friendly & polite. It's not a crazy party resort; though there's plenty of fun entertainment but note that everything shuts down around 11 pm. Definitely a chill and relaxed atmosphere. I would absolutely 100% book Secrets Akumal again; truly can't wait to go back! Thank you for a wonderful vacation!