Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun

We recently stayed at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun and, overall, had a wonderful experience. Despite a few disappointments related primarily to ongoing construction and some opportunities for improvement, the resort itself is beautiful, the food was very good, and the level of service was truly exceptional. Most importantly, we left feeling that we would absolutely return. ### Arrival and Preferred Club From the moment we arrived, the welcome was warm and inviting. We were greeted through the Preferred Club with champagne and cool towels, which was a great way to start the vacation after traveling. Throughout the resort, staff consistently greeted us with a genuine smile and hello. That hospitality continued during our entire stay. We booked a **Preferred Club Junior Suite Ocean View**, but unfortunately, the room we were initially assigned had essentially no ocean view whatsoever. More concerning, it faced directly toward the construction taking place in the center of the resort. The construction area had been surrounded by plywood, with speakers placed nearby in an apparent attempt to minimize or mask some of the disruption. Our concierge, **Katya**, was wonderful. She immediately took our concerns seriously and graciously found us another room that was fortunately available right away. The resort handled the move seamlessly, transferring our luggage and amenities to the new room for us. Both rooms themselves were beautiful, extremely clean, cool, comfortable, and refreshing. Housekeeping was consistently wonderful throughout our stay and accommodated anything we needed. The minibar was also a nice amenity to have available in the room. ### Construction This was probably our biggest disappointment. Prior to our trip, we had received information in writing indicating that construction involving some of the specialty restaurants was anticipated to begin around **August 22**. In reality, construction had started well before that date and was already underway when we arrived. The actual specialty restaurant spaces were therefore unavailable during our stay. To the resort's credit, they did make an effort to continue offering the restaurants. In the evenings, the area used for the breakfast buffet was divided and transformed into the two specialty restaurant concepts, complete with their regular menus and an attempt to recreate the individual atmospheres. We appreciated the effort, but it simply was not the same experience as dining in the restaurants themselves. Had we known ahead of time that construction would already be underway during our stay, it may have influenced our travel dates. We were also under the impression that much of the work would occur during limited or evening hours. In reality, construction seemed to be taking place for what felt like nearly 18 hours a day at times. The resort clearly attempted to minimize its impact, but it was still noticeable. If returning, I would definitely try to schedule the trip when there is no major construction occurring. ### Pools and Daytime Experience The pool areas were fantastic. The pools were cool and refreshing, there were plenty of lounge chairs available, and towels were always abundant. The pool staff worked incredibly hard. Staff regularly came around to clean glasses, servers consistently checked on guests for drinks, and everyone seemed genuinely interested in making sure you had whatever you needed. One area I think could be improved is the daytime entertainment around the pool. In retrospect, I would have liked to participate in more of the daily activities, but I also think the entertainment staff could have done a slightly better job engaging guests who were already lounging around the pool and encouraging participation. There seemed to be plenty going on, but unless you were actively looking for the activities, it was relatively easy to miss them. A little more interaction with guests and enthusiasm around upcoming activities would have made it easier to get involved. One of the things we particularly enjoyed was the variety of food available around the resort during the day. Depending on the day, there were pop-up options ranging from seafood paella and Mexican specialties to freshly cut coconuts. And then there is the **pizza**. The pizza spot may legitimately be one of the hidden gems of Secrets Maroma Beach. The pizza was absolutely delicious and easily some of the best resort pizza we have ever had. The garlic olive oil and all of the toppings and extras made it even better. Do not overlook it just because it looks like a casual poolside option. ### Coco Café **Coco Café was fantastic.** The service was consistently great, the drinks were excellent, and the desserts were always a treat. Whether you wanted coffee, something cold to drink, or a quick dessert, it was an easy place to stop throughout the day and something we really enjoyed having available. It is one of those simple amenities that becomes part of your daily routine very quickly. ### One Simple Improvement: Physical Drink Menus One thing that would have significantly improved our experience was having some form of physical drink menu available at the pools and bars. The resort relies heavily on QR codes, meaning guests are generally expected to carry a phone in order to scan and view drink menus. For me, one of the entire points of going on vacation is to **not** carry my phone around everywhere. For guests who intentionally leave their phones in their rooms, it would be incredibly helpful to have a few printed menus available upon request, a laminated menu at the pool bar, or even a menu propped up near each bar showing available cocktails and specialty drinks. Without being able to browse a menu, we generally ordered familiar drinks. I think we probably missed out on a number of tropical, specialty, or resort-specific cocktails simply because we did not know they existed. We were told that the lack of physical menus was related to changes made during COVID. At this point, I do not think that is a particularly convincing reason to eliminate them entirely. Physical menus are still used in the restaurants throughout the resort, so it seems inconsistent that they cannot be available at the bars as well. They certainly do not need to abandon QR codes. Simply having a few physical menus available for guests who request them would be a great compromise and would make the resort experience more enjoyable for people who deliberately want to disconnect from their phones while on vacation. ### The Beach Maroma Beach itself is beautiful, although unfortunately there was a significant amount of sargassum during our visit. This was something we knew could occur during this time of year, and I certainly cannot fault the resort for Mother Nature. What impressed us was how hard the beach crew worked to control it. They were diligent and persistent throughout the day, constantly working to remove as much seaweed as possible. I probably would have spent considerably more time in the ocean and on the beach had the water been clearer. I would love to return during another season and hopefully experience Maroma Beach with the crystal-clear Caribbean water for which it is known. The beach setup itself was excellent. The straw palapas were charming and provided a much nicer atmosphere than traditional umbrellas. I would also **strongly recommend treating yourself to one of the beach cabanas for a day**. We had a wonderful experience. **Manny and Eder** took exceptional care of us and made sure we had anything we needed throughout the day. They were attentive without being intrusive and helped make that experience particularly memorable. ### Food and Restaurants Overall, we were very pleased with the food. The breakfast buffet consistently offered a large variety of choices, and the quality was very good. It became one of those dependable options where you knew you could always find something you would enjoy. There were also specialty dinners and unique dining experiences offered during the week, some included and some available for an additional charge. In retrospect, I would take advantage of as many of those experiences as possible because they add variety and make the trip feel a little more special. We did not try the Pan-Asian restaurant. That was simply a personal decision because we felt Asian cuisine was something we could easily enjoy back home in the United States, and we preferred spending our limited evenings trying other options. ### Romantic Dinner We also booked the private romantic dinner, which was an additional expense. The setting itself was absolutely beautiful and genuinely romantic. From an atmosphere standpoint, it was exactly what you would hope for during a couples vacation. Unfortunately, the food served during that dinner was probably our least favorite meal of the entire resort. The "premium" wine offered with the dinner was also disappointing. It was a Hyatt-branded bottle that, in our opinion, did not come close to what we would consider a premium wine. For the cost of the experience, I think the quality of both the meal and wine could be significantly improved. That being said, the setting and service made the evening memorable, and the concept itself is wonderful. ### Entertainment and Activities The evening shows are a great way to break up the nights and give you something different to do after dinner. We only attended one during our stay, and in retrospect, I wish we had gone to more of them. Likewise, I would make more of an effort on a future trip to participate in the daytime entertainment. There were activities available, but as mentioned earlier, I think stronger interaction from the entertainment team around the pool could help encourage participation from guests who may not otherwise seek those activities out themselves. **Monte Carlo Night** was particularly fun and a creative activity. My only criticism is that the auction format at the end can become somewhat unbalanced. If a couple of guests accumulate more than $30,000 in play money, they can essentially outbid everyone else. We were also leaving the following day, so some of the prizes were not practical for us to bid on. Still, the event itself was a lot of fun and something I would participate in again. ### Service Is Where Secrets Maroma Shines The greatest strength of Secrets Maroma Beach is unquestionably its people. In addition to Katya, **Kevin, Angel, and Guillermo** were incredibly pleasant and helpful, and we would highly recommend working with any of them. We also encountered an issue involving **AquaWorld** during our stay. Without going into unnecessary detail, the resort responded promptly. They reassured us that we did not need to worry and handled the situation with care, compassion, and professionalism. The way a resort responds when something does not go perfectly says a lot about the operation, and we appreciated how seriously they took our concerns. Across the property, the level of service exceeded what we experience at the majority of resorts and, frankly, much of the service we encounter back home in the United States. What stood out most was that the staff seemed genuinely proud of what they do. They work incredibly hard, seem appreciative of their positions, and do not appear to take their guests or their jobs for granted. That attitude translates directly into the experience of staying here. ### What I Would Do Differently Next Time If we return, there are several things I would change. First, I would utilize the **Preferred Club** amenities more than we did. We paid for Preferred Club but spent so much time enjoying the rest of the resort that we probably did not take full advantage of everything available to us. Second, I would arrange **private transportation to and from the airport**. After experiencing the level of luxury at the resort, I think private transportation would make the arrival and departure feel more seamless and would complete the elevated experience. I might also consider booking an **oceanfront room** rather than an ocean-view room. That said, we spent relatively little time in our room, so I am still not convinced the additional cost would necessarily be worth it. I would participate in more daytime activities, attend more evening shows, take advantage of more of the specialty dining experiences, reserve another beach cabana, and make greater use of the Preferred Club. Most importantly, I would verify that there was no significant construction occurring during the dates of our stay. ### Final Thoughts Secrets Maroma Beach is not perfect, and the construction situation was legitimately disappointing, particularly because the timing differed from what we had originally been told in writing. There are also relatively simple improvements that could make the experience even better, particularly providing optional physical drink menus and doing a little more to draw guests into the daytime entertainment. But what ultimately defines the resort is how much we enjoyed ourselves despite those issues. The property is beautiful. The rooms are comfortable and exceptionally clean. The pools are wonderful. The daytime food options are excellent. Coco Café is fantastic. The beach setup is beautiful. The pizza is a hidden treasure. And above everything else, **the staff are outstanding**. People like **Katya, Manny, Eder, Kevin, Angel, Guillermo**, the housekeeping team, pool staff, beach crew, servers, bartenders, and countless others are what make Secrets Maroma Beach special. We arrived hoping for a relaxing, luxurious getaway, and that is ultimately what we received. Would I return? Absolutely. Next time, hopefully with no construction, less sargassum, more time at the Preferred Club, more daytime activities, another beach cabana, a few more shows, and definitely another pizza.

I got married at this resort 14 years ago and then visited again a year later than 6 years ago again. I’ve always loved it here and so despite the sea grass, we came back. I’m staying at your resort in bldg 16, which is preferred club Oceanview. When checking in I attempted an upgrade because I informed the person at the desk that I really appreciate views and just wanted to make sure that we had an optimal one, the upgrade option that was provided was a Swim out for $200 more night, and I opted out based on that cost and based on the view that I saw from that particular area that he showed me via photo (I asked for a photo of my view from room I upgraded to and he said he didn’t have it). I asked him which one he thought was better either my view or that view, and he stated likely the Swim out with no indication of what I was about to face when I walked to the room. See photos attached. Not to mention the route you have to go to get to the front. I will add that video here soon. You essentially have to go odd road to get to front to where all workers go. Regarding the room, I cannot even open the curtains in my room in my swim suit as there are many workers in clear view of my room and they can see me. This is with the upgraded room and me even asking when checking in about my view and nobody said anything or informed me so that I can make a decision to downgrade my room category to garden view. I am talking to Carolina, assistant manager from the front desk and I have spent hours dealing with this issue. They informed they were gonna call me back in five minutes when I first called and they didn’t call me back until almost 2 hours later and that is when I started talking to Carolina. That alone is not okay to make promises to calm back and not to call back for that long. I asked to speak to her boss or boss’s boss and she kept delaying saying she’d try to get a better resolution only to call me back w the same resolution. This was all from the time from 2pm to 9:30pm was her last phone call to me. The only option she provided was for us to have to pack everything back up tomorrow and move to the same category of room but on the other side of the resort. I would like to talk to maybe her boss or her boss’s boss. I informed that alone is not sufficient because of all the inconvenience that it has already caused and having to unpack and repack in middle of vacation is inconvenient.. Even me having to send this message and take the time to do so when I am staying at a five star resort is not acceptable.

Awesome food and accommodation!

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Secrets Maroma Beach, and the service truly made the trip unforgettable. From the beautiful, consistently delicious food to the incredible service throughout the resort, everything felt thoughtful and luxurious. The poolside waiters, restaurant staff, bartenders, and concierge team were all fantastic. Mercedes from Housekeeping also took wonderful care of us throughout our stay. A special thank you to Guillermo, our concierge, who went above and beyond in every way. He made sure we had everything we needed — and often things we didn’t even realize we needed! He arranged our spa services, secured hibachi reservations, and beautifully decorated our room for a birthday celebration. His attention to detail, genuine care, and incredibly attentive service made our trip feel truly special. It’s one thing to stay at a beautiful resort, but it’s the people who make a vacation memorable, and Guillermo absolutely did that for us. His service added an extra level of luxury and made our celebration even more meaningful. We are so grateful to the entire Secrets Maroma Beach team for an amazing experience, and especially to Guillermo for making our stay extra special and truly unforgettable. We can’t wait to come back! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My husband and I were so excited for our return trip to Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun. We were there last year at the same exact time and fell in love with the resort and the staff. From the moment you set foot on the property you truly do feel like you are "home". The bellmen are all so friendly and welcoming. Check in was easy. Our room wasn't ready, but that wasn't a problem as you are able to access everything on the resort. Carmen, in the lobby bar, was one of the first friendly faces we came across while waiting for our room. She remembered us anytime we came through the lobby bar. We were thrilled to see Clary, Eduardo, and our beloved Jessica still working in the lobby bar. Our trip was made seeing those three! We also enjoyed getting to know Abby, who was a server, and the fabulous drink-maker, Bernuardo. We have to give a HUGE shout-out to Angel on the entertainment team. That guy is packed with personality and made every day at the pool memorable. Another member of the entertainment team that we really liked was, Emi. Such a kind young man. Aaron, at the pool bar, took great care of us along with two of the pool servers that stood out were Ana and Isamar. Eddy, the pool concierge had our chairs ready to go every day. Stop by the Barefoot Grill and look for Ruben. He'll make sure your food is made exactly like you like it. If you want the most delicious drinks, head to the beach bar and look for Arturo. Wow! The best drinks and such attentive service. Miquel is another hard worker at the beach bar. His smile made our days. Unfortunately, during our stay Portofino and Bordeaux were under renovation and both restaurants were moved to the space occupied by the World Cafe. I will say that we were impressed by the transition from the breakfast and lunch buffet space to an elegant dining experience each evening. Some stand out staff at those two restaurants were Sergio and Victor at Portofino and Nicoletta at Bordeaux. The Asian restaurant was not going under renovation, so we very much enjoyed dinner there. Thanks to Carlos, our server, and Alan, the manager for creating a pleasurable experience. The menu is phenomenal, too. We didn't eat often at the World Cafe because we aren't big breakfast eaters, but when we did go everything was hot and fresh. Freddie went out of his way to get something special, not offered on the buffet, for my husband. Last, but certainly not least, find Santiago. He's the green-eyed gardener who absolutely loves his job and takes great pride in what he does. We have to give a lot of credit to the Hyatt Corporation and the Secrets resorts for hiring such exceptional people. These folks definitely helped us to look past the construction and renovations that were taking place. Something we couldn't look past, however, was the change in some guests from last year to this year. I'm not sure why dress codes at the restaurants are no longer being enforced, but it really bothered those of us who do follow the expectations set on the resort website. Resort wear is not that difficult to find, and it's certainly doesn't have to be expensive. I'm sure there may be people offended by this, but we were offended by t-shirts, gym shorts, and cut off shorts in the nicer restaurants. Secrets don't be afraid to enforce your own rules! Yes, the sargassum was horrible, but that's on mother nature. The resort made valiant attempts to get rid of it so people could enjoy the beach. Kuddos to those men!