Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun - Adults only

We had a great time and really enjoyed this resort. We’ve been going to Secrets and Dreams resorts for 20 years. Our room (1724) was ocean front, and it was amazing. Not just the view, but the room itself and the patio tub was in great shape- not run down or old-feeling. The resort overall is in great shape and very clean. Our building concierge Guillermo did a fantastic job, constantly checking in with us in person to make sure all our needs were met, even coming down to find us on the beach. The pool chairs were mostly taken if you don’t get one early on in the day, but we like the beach and there was plenty open through the day. Marco was our favorite waiter at the beach. Be ready for a sales pitch when you get in. We didn’t expect that at all as we haven’t experienced that before. As Preferred Club guests, we felt like we should have been taken to a separate area for check in, but we were made to sit near the bar while they tried to sell us into a ‘timeshare breakfast’ sales meeting like everyone else. We were persistently offered discounts on massages or beach beds in exchange for our attendance, but we wanted none of that and kept telling the very nice person that we weren’t interested only to be offered more in exchange for signing up for the meeting. It was quite annoying. The first ‘no thanks’ should have been enough, and not surprisingly, our wait to check in was over immediately after the sales pitch concluded… It felt totally intentional. We’ve never had to wait to check into a high end resort like that. We were a bit disappointed with the preferred club bar. On our first stop by the bar when we got there, we waited for a couple minutes just to get the bartender’s attention. He didn’t even acknowledge we were there. Eventually a waiter walked behind the counter and took care of us. It wasn’t uncommon to wait like that as the only customer at the PC bar and we caught a few other couples surprised by that. Bar staff there seemed to be very preoccupied by filling orders for wait staff to take to the beach. It’s also completely open-air and therefore affected by weather and they didn’t have any better liquor than the other bars that I could tell. At the Dreams resort in Cancun we visited last time, the Preferred Club definitely felt more upscale - it was in a separate building, enclosed with exclusive food options, top shelf liquor, and waiters focused only on keeping Preferred Club guests happy. We did’t get the sense that the Preferred Club was worth it in that regard. The restaurants had fantastic food - truly great food. One exception was that I was disappointed in the sushi at Himitsu. They used to hand craft every sushi roll just like anywhere else. The spicy tuna roll was a refrigerated pre-made roll of rice with a drizzle of some tuna mix on top. Same with the salmon roll. Not good, but I still ate it. Oceana, Bordeaux and Portofino were outstanding. The beach was great at first. On the 22nd, seaweed started rolling in and they can’t keep up with it. It’s quite a project with tractors constantly running on the beach and it still piles up. We were glad we had the first two days of a peaceful beach with clear water before the mess. Hopefully it slows down soon. In all, we highly recommend Secrets Maroma and we may go back. Resort staff is very engaging and there seems to be something going on all the time. It’s not loud and doesn’t have a party atmosphere but there were lots of fun people to chat with and lots of young couples.

Breakfast and lunch buffets were fabulous. Staff was wonderful and friendly with the exception of one waiter. The hotel did a good job of clearing the areas sargassum, although the beach was covered with it a few of our days there. Nightly music and opportunity to dance to the Latin duo a couple of nights was wonderful.

Dinners at the restaurants was hit or miss, more miss, and inconsistent. Overcooked dry fish, dishes not as described on the menu, entrees delivered cold, long waits for service and between courses. A shame that the kitchen(s) weren’t able to coordinate better, as the capability is clearly there based on the extensive and tasty buffets at breakfast and lunch every day.

A hidden gem, an all inclusive that feels like an al a carte hotel. Great service and fantastic amenities. This is was our second visit and wont be our last.

Great entertainment team. Especially Leonardo. He is full of energy and always smiling. Loved the sand painting class.

Our trip was amazing! Our personal concierge Guillermo Saldaña was fantastic and made our stay so memorable! Jesica in the lobby bar was an amazing server and cocktail/coffee bartender and super sweet! The resort was outstanding and we will definitely be back.

Everything we hoped for and more!!! Perfectly pampered. Couldn’t want for anything! Absolutely gorgeous resort! Stayed in the tropical view room with a jacuzzi tub in the room. Really glad we didn’t pay extra for the swim out room! You could still swim in the small pool for your building on the ground floor if you wanted. Francia was an excellent concierge! She handled every request perfectly!!

Beautiful location and friendly thoughtful staff. Very clean and when you arrive they say welcome home and it does feel like one big family

This is our third Secrets we have been to. I have to say it is the cleanest and well kept of any so far. The staff are friendly and have time for you. This place works like a well oiled machine. Plenty of food options. Communication with opportunities and events for activities was great. We did have a "60 min" (really 2hrs) review of our package. We were told it was "not a sales pitch". Just a review of our purchase and to be sure we are using it to its fullest potential. We found out in fact we were NOT using it to our fullest potential. We are grateful for that insight and will take advantage of some of the niceties in the future. Now the rest of our "review" was a hard sell up grade on our already purchased package. Basically a refinance of our original purchase. An extra 15 years with money down up front and break-even money spent if used properly. Attractive but not realistic for our situation. Now the end of our "review", The Hard Pitch....... we declined. Our response GASP! "why not?" "what can we do to make it better" "what if we move some numbers around?" "your already spending the money" "reconsider" They used emotions guilt tactics as well. Not a sales pitch ?!? After a hard pass on the pitch, they became despondent and created an uncomfortable walk back to the receiving center. For our time we were given vouchers to the spa. A fair value for our time and their effort on an up sale The spa was excellent. Summary Overall the stay was as relaxing as we set it out to be. The grounds, staff and food were excellent. For the 6 nights we were there it was a pleasure. If there was one thing I could say to change? don't tell us "its just a review, not a sales pitch" their words. It's insulting to the intelligence and a flat out lie. Not a great impression for someone that's going to stay at your resort for a week. Call it what it is. A review of your package and opportunities to increase your options.

We’ll be back! The timing of our trip is worth mentioning- days after the security incident in tourist areas around Mexico. Multiple security checkpoints leading into hotel property made a great first impression and we felt totally safe and relaxed throughout our stay. We booked a standard tropical view suite. I ended up loving the location because it was near breakfast and quiet because it wasn’t fronting the outdoor entertainment. The building was so solidly built that we barely heard other guests in the building. Rooms have some great features. The large lighted magnifying mirror, huge tub with excellent water pressure, a speaker in bathroom so you can hear the tv, both a rain shower and hand held shower head, bright reading light for each side of the bed. Nice turndown service with chilled water next to bed, ice in ice bucket, chocolate, slippers. Each building has a concierge. The staff’s attitude is enthusiastic and professional. Everyone is so kind and seemed genuinely interested in making our stay special. One staff member said this is the first job he’s ever loved. Pick your own vibe- pool area for music and activities or beach for serenity. A few opportunities for improvement: - Add each restaurant drinks menu to the app. - A more detailed description of the activities could be included on the app. - The bike tour guides, Marcelo and Davide, were great. It was more of a combo tour, partly bikes and partly a history tour that included a walk on the beach. The app could explain this and include a tip to wear insect repellent because you’re riding on a jungle path. Providing cold waters would also be really helpful. - More towel hooks are needed in the bathroom. - One outdoor hot tub seemed almost dangerously too hot. - The huge fire pit by the Oceana restaurant really emits overpowering gas fumes. It was so strong that it wafts into the restaurant. They need to lower the flame and find a better alternative because that actually seemed unhealthy. Shade is a priority for us. We were always able to find a shady spot at the beach. With a little patience we could usually find an open umbrella at the pool when we moved there later in the afternoon. The property is beautiful and so well maintained. The layout of the buildings made it feel open and breezy and not at all claustrophobic. Sargassum: Our trip was the last few days of February to March 3. Online searches say the sargassum season doesn’t really start until May. It’s obviously accelerating. There were some clear patches that shifted due to winds/tides and guests were enjoying those clearer areas, but you really have to be willing go with the flow. It wasn’t bad the first days of our trip but the last few days the crew was fighting a valiant effort and couldn’t keep up. The Secrets crew was doing a far better job managing the situation than the neighboring resort. The reality is that you as a consumer should be aware that this situation is widespread and ongoing and set your expectations accordingly. The Secrets pools are wonderful and even with the sargassum the beach views are still beautiful. If swimming in the ocean or snorkeling are an absolute necessity then you could be disappointed if you visit during this extended sargassum season. Guest etiquette: This applies to any hotel. Almost all of the guests behaved appropriately but of course there will always be a few who don’t care how they’re negatively impacting others. Please be considerate of other guests. Leave the music to the staff. Don’t bring a speaker to play your own music on the beach or by the pool. Don’t vape at the pool or beach (it’s actually illegal to bring into Mexico and you could be fined). And don’t try to save lounge chairs by dumping your stuff on them in the morning then disappearing for hours - after 45 minutes staff can and should remove your stuff. A special thank you to Abelardo our waiter at Oceana. He’s a star and true professional who knows how to elevate a dining experience. This was our first visit to a Secrets and we liked it so much that we will try another soon.