Secrets Excellence Riviera Cancun

Amenities at the Secrets Excellence Riviera Cancun

Resort Amenities Business center Car rental Concierge Disco/Night club Dry cleaning Fishing Fitness center Currency exchange Game room Shopping Health club and/or spa Massage Outdoor pool Restaurant Salon Sauna Snorkeling Tennis courts Internet services Breakfast included Jet skis Bar Hot Tub/Jacuzzi

In-Room Amenities Air conditioning Coffee/Tea maker Dataport Whirlpool Bath Minibar Safe Television Bathrobes CD player DVD

Honeymoon Reviews

08/17/2006   "Trip Report for Secrets Excellence Rivera Cancun May 30 – June 7 2005 For those looking for a short and sweet review I’ll begin this for you. The resort was by far the most amazing place we have ever stayed. Granted, we aren’t always able to afford the top-notch, treat your like royalty vacation, but we strive to get as close to possible that we can afford!! We have done several all-inclusives in Jamaica and in Bahamas but this was our first trip to Mexico. We did splurge as this was our honeymoon and deserving of going all out and we felt like we underpaid!! Secrets Excellence was by far the best in every category than we could have even hoped for, 10 times better than any place we had ever stayed anyway, but we know we will be hard to please in the future. From check in, to our wonderful room, to the winding pools and soft white sand beach, to the best all-inclusive food I have ever eaten and service that made you feel very, very first class. I have read some reviews that people aren’t pleased but everyone goes looking for a different experience and we couldn’t have been more thrilled with our location and our experience. Now for those of you that like to get into the nitty gritty details, read on! Arrival into Cancun We came in on a Delta flight from Richmond through Atlanta into Cancun right around 12 noon. Although we didn’t really feel like we knew where we needed to go, the signs and lines are kind of vague and all pushed together between boarding a new flight and the immigration line, but we found our way and got through immigration and out to the Apple Vacation tour guides in a pretty quick amount of time. We met a few couples that were going to resorts and even a couple that were going to the same resort as us. We dropped off the others at Moon Palace and away we went. It seemed like it had only been 10 minutes and we were there. I had heard 30 minutes or so, but that was a really quick and uneventful 30 minutes, can’t say the same after our trips to Jamaica and Bahamas!! So we pull up and are greeted by the bellman, Victor. He hands us cool scented towels, no drinks, but hey we were anxious to check in anyway so away we went through the HUGE automatic wood doors. I had already seen pictures of these and read about them in reviews but I had no idea really how huge these doors are, they were very beautiful! I talked a lady at the front desk and she instructed us that a bellman would meet us and take us to the Excellence Club for check in. Not even 5 minutes goes by and Victor comes to escort us and along the way told us things about the resort which actually came in handy later. At the excellence club they leave your baggage outside while you go inside to check in. When we got there we were then given our drink of choice and ask to be seated to go over the details of our reservations and to ask any questions we might have and also to set up our honeymoon package extras, such as dinner on the beach and couples massage. Check in was a breeze and we were off to our room within minutes. Room and Maid Service Holy cow, we get to stay in this luxury for the next 8 nights, am I dreaming?!! First impression, the room is beautiful, and my new husband is very impressed. We stayed in room 7354 and couldn’t have been in a better location. We faced directly out to the ocean on the 3rd floor and never had any issues with those pesky room service carts once. The room seriously is floor to ceiling marble with nice wood doors covering closets, the toilet, and the shower. The shower was huge!! We had two hot tubs, one inside and one outside very nice touch. There was a sunken sitting area with a couch, table and two chairs that we used just about every day for room service. There was also a desk across from that and I believe that would be where the internet service probably was but we didn’t bring a laptop so we never checked. The four poster bed was very cool and though hubby complained about its firmness I didn’t think it was all that bad, and it had a bench at the bottom end of it that came in handy when getting ready. There was a marble ledge separating the sunken living area and also on the full length of the wall across from the bed, this REALLY helped us with all the clothes we brought and such. The closet space and lack of a dresser makes for some minor difficulties when you like to unpack if you are there for a long time but we made due and it seemed a very minor inconvenience given all the other things. Our mini bar had several sodas, beers and Evian water bottles, they didn’t stock it one day so I left a little note for the maid and she had someone come and do it that evening, so no problems!! Speaking of maid and turn down service, that happened for us every day, twice a day without fail, we were even left little trinkets, we came home with entire plaster mariachi band set. I was definitely impressed. We even got rose petals on the bed in the shape of a heart and also in the hot bubble bath that the maid must have drawn for us on two occasions. Pools, Beach and Grounds Although I read many complaints about the beach it wasn’t even close to as bad as I had built up in my mind to be. The beach is very large, white, soft sand. The water although isn’t true blue, is definitely bluer than what you would find here on the east coast, with maybe the exception of some Florida spots. There was some sea grass, but other than a tad annoying it wasn’t all that noticeable to me it just collected on the beach some but it didn’t ruin our time, step over it. The water of the ocean there was very warm too!! The pools were the highlight for most travelers of think, just to see them everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The water was very warm in the pools too and we never experienced any trouble with it being too cool as I had previously read in posts, but I’m sure it was also because it had been very warm in Mexico for a while before our arrival. I absolutely loved how they had waiters and waitresses at the pools and beaches, if you didn’t want to you would never have to leave your seat!! The grounds although aren’t exceptionally tropical are still very nice and they have put in a lot of statues and such that really make it eye candy for anyone. There was even this cool little hallway near one of the Spa buildings I think, not exactly sure, but it was like a rock garden and everyone had spelled out their names and hubby even wrote one to me that said Mr. And Mrs. Lennon. A few times while walking around we did smell that sewer smell that I have heard people mention. Seems like areas that had been sprinkled and then didn’t get much sunlight the water would just stand and that was where it seemed that smell was coming from. It was more noticeable sometimes more than others but we were definitely glad we didn’t have a room right by those trouble spots. Service Can you say royalty?! That is how we were treated the entire time we were there, not just by Excellence Club staff but by every staff member we encountered. Sure there were one or two of our entire stay that seemed less than friendly but overall we were so happy to share our vacation with these wonderful, hard-working people. Our favorites were Jose at Café Kafe and Amable and the Excellence Club pool, they are both great and deserve recognition! The service in the restaurants we never had a complaint but we never went there feeling like we needed to hurry either so the speed of the service was right on time for us. Some restaurants were faster and some slower than others. The fastest would probably be El Patio for dinner and the slowest would be (in my opinion) Himitsu for dinner, this was just my experience. I figured the French restaurant would have been slow but it wasn’t too bad actually. Bottom line was everyone was very helpful and friendly and did all that they could to ensure you had a wonderful vacation. We did some tipping, but nothing extreme. When a waiter went to a different bar to get us what we asked than the one we ordered from because that bar didn’t have it and also thought to bring back some extras so they would have them the next time we asked, we thought that warranted a tip. They were very appreciative. Entertainment Well this is the let down I think for just about everyone that I spoke with while there. It was the running joke, but hey, just like I told them, they could say forget it and not even bother at all…at least we get something! Even if it was sub-par entertainment it was better than what we personally would have come up with I’m sure, LOL. The movies, they showed 2 a night were a nice touch and although you don’t go there to watch movies it is done outside and it is really cool to just enjoy the nice atmosphere and hang out. They also had a disco and I was very surprised to here current music and everyone actually seemed to get into it and danced and had a good time. There was also the option to do off-site excursions and we went on two. The horseback riding and also the Cozumel day trip for snorkeling. Both were really fun, but the Cozumel trip for us took too long and we were more than ready to be back at our resort half way through the day. It was nice though to get out and see some other places but nothing even compared to the food, service and beauty of Secrets. We didn’t make it into Cancun, they did have an excursion through Apple Vacations but it lasted from 7-3 or something along those lines and we just knew we wouldn’t want to be out until 3 a.m. And weren’t sure about venturing into Cancun on our own with no knowledge of where anything was, etc. Spa We had a couples massage as part of our honeymoon package and with that also came the Marine Wellness program so we did both on the same day. The Marine Wellness was unlike anything I have ever participated in before but it was really neat, I definitely recommend trying it once, not sure that it helped me any but it was a new experience. After we did the Marine Wellness we were taken upstairs to a lobby area to wait for our massage. We had a Swedish massage for 50 minutes and man it went by so fast but felt so good, needs to be something I do once a month!! Break down of restaurants and food we tried •

07/24/2006   My wife and I traveled to Secrets Excellence in the Riviera Mayan (Puerto Morales, Mexico) in April of 2006. I read many reviews prior to the trip and was not sure what to expect. Once we arrived we were thrilled with our choice! The resort has one of the best spas I have ever been to. My wife and I had several spa treatments and would have done more if we had budgeted more for it. Next time we will know! The entire staff is very professional - waiters and waitresses, spa staff, bartenders, and the entertainment team. Tipping is not required but the individuals working at the resort deserve a couple of dollars after serving you the way that they do. Take some extra bills... Overall it was a great resort. Three weeks after we returned from the honeymoon we went to the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman. It was a great resort but was not as nice - in my opinion - as Secrets Excellence!

07/22/2006   The ride from the airport is pretty quick. When we arrived we were greeted w/cool towels and a frozen drink. SERC is absolutely beautiful! Everything is clean and the grounds are very well maintained! Room: We stayed in a Junior Suite w/a Spa view. At first I thought I would want an ocean view, but the area around the spa is very peaceful and at night the hotel is lit up beautifully. The room looked exactly the way it did in the brochure and there was a 'Honeymooners' sign on the door (which I thoght was cute), a basket of fresh flowers welcoming us, and a bottle of champagne on ice. I don't like the whole 'swim out' room option, it lacks privacy and the outdoor jacuzzi is a waste. I think the rooms near the pools/beach are tricky because the area tends not to be quiet. Pools/Beach: The beach is not the greatest but its not the worst. There is a bit of a seaweed problem and a bit rocky around the shore but if you walk in 10 ft, you get nice clear water. I believe the pools make up for it -- they are huge and plenty of them. No problem w/getting lounge chairs. The water temp in the pools was perfect. I was told that the heating system in the pools has not been fixed since the hurricane but it wasn't a major problem because it was pretty hot out anyway. By the way, you really cannot see any hurricane damange at SERC -- only the resorts in the distance show signs of damage. Restaurants: Weird, the food & service at the beginning of the week was wonderful, by the end of the week the food was not as great as it had been & service was a bit slow... Figured it had to do w/a convention and a couple of weddings that brought in a bigger crowd. Loved Portofino (try the creamy zupa di pesce) and luckily we walked right into Bordeaux (w/out a wait) and had excellent food/service. Bordeaux can be tricky to get into, some nights there was a 2 hour wait (the place is small compared to the other restaurants). Oceana has great seafood, (try the calamari) and Portofino had the best breakfast (buffet)...Oceana's continental breakfast SUCKS. The two times we went, we waited at least 25 minutes just to get our meal (how long does it take to make eggs and toast??). DaMario's pizza is good but not great, El Patio had delicious mexican food, and you have to have the spring rolls @ Himitsu. Overall the waiters were great! They all really enjoy what they are doing and try their hardest to put a smile on your face. Room service: always on time --food is good but not great. Personally I though all the desserts were pretty bad. Entertainment: There is 'The Disco' (sports bar/lounge) fun just to have that option. The activiites @ SERC are lacking..as far as water activities, you can go scuba diving, sailing or kayaking but no jet skis in sight -- shocked. They had paddle boats but sorry, no banana boat! :)The staff tries to get you to play pool/beach volleyball which I noticed a lot of people play but we found that some of the people playing were a little too competitive for our taste. Chess boards all over the place, two ping pong tables and a pool table. The theatre is beautiful, the shows they put on were cute but a bit cheesy, the movies are ok. If you still cannot find something to do, go to your room and turn on channel 38. Spa: The spa is beautiful. We had massages included in our package and we did one hour of 'marine wellness' which my husband and I had fun in, and then walked over to the beach and had one hour massages there. My husband thinks the whole idea of spa/massage is very girly but in the end he loved it. The prices are steep. Just as expensive and sometimes more expensive then the places I've been to in CT (and I thought we were pricey). Overall I think the resort is a great place to relax and is for COUPLES. The group of people that went for the convention got pretty annoying after a while, especially when you are trying to have a nice, quiet dinner and you have a table of 6 shrieking women next to you. The couples we met were all very very nice! SHOUT OUTS TO 'The Norte Dame' couple -- one too many tequilas on the beach (LOL)?? Hi Baxter & girlfriend! Hope to see you all one day @ The Brickhouse in Stamford, CT! AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL VISITORS...One big thing that sticks out in our minds is tips. I understand this in an all inclusive trip BUT these people go above and beyond to make your trip enjoyable. They make very little money for very hard work and I was shocked at the number of people that I witnessed not tipping. Even $2USD goes a long way for some of these people and they depend on their tips to get by. Shame on you if you didn't tip ANYONE while you were there.

07/18/2006   My new husband and I just returned and we miss it already. We were pleased with our greeting (cold drinks), our room was ready early and was decorated for our honeymoon with many little surprises. Our concierge was fantastic and took a picture of us as we entered. The staff was amazing, from the wild and crazy entertainers (make sure you meet Jean Paul and Isaac) to the sweet lady who made our omlettes every morning at breakfast. We felt like we were royalty. The staff works very hard to please you and meet all of your needs and dreams. The water is beautiful, the seaweed is hardly a problem. The sand is very clean as well as the grounds. The restaurants were wonderful (we really liked DaMario and Portofino) and the pools were perfect! The spa was a little pricey but well worth it! We were so sad to leave but we are already planning on spending our 1st anniversary there again...just can't get enough of that place. It truly is Excellence! I have been to other all inclusive resorts and never have I been spoiled to this degree for such a reasonable cost. My only caution to you is to be careful walking when it is wet. I slipped and fell down the stairs in the rain and bruised up quite a bit. Security and the doctor were very attentive to this and made sure I was doing better. Several people were slipping, some falling as I did. I suggested to management that they look into non-slip mats or something to help out with this problem. I definitely recommend this resort, especially to a honeymoon couple. Its the perfect place to relax and meet some new people at the same time!

04/03/2006   We will be back to the Scerets Excellence---it was awesome. The food was amazing and had a ton of variety. The service was excellent. The facilities were immaculate and this was not too much after the hurricane--you could not tell it hit.

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