08 FEB 2017: The secret of Secrets Royal Beach is not just the gorgeous powdery white sand with the turquoise water lapping at it. It isn’t the wide choice of entertainment and fitness programs, the spa, the restaurants, room service or comfy beds. The secret is the lazy river, truly the heart of this 463 room/suite resort.
This is a lively friendly property, probably the liveliest Secrets I’ve been to.
The swim up bar – just a couple of steps from the river – is where the more party-type guests hang out, the river is where adults, and it is all adults’ put down their phones (well mostly) and enjoy the happy child within.
They float on floats and without them, you can tell the repeaters because they bring their own blow up floats and toys. We brought noodles. The river wanders the property, really large for the size of the resort. A couple of guests timed swimming it. It took Jane 15 minutes, and Neil 7. Almost everybody got in the water and walked it, stopping to chat with other guests along the way. Those loafing under the palm trees, the palapas and pergolas were open to chatting as well. For those that want it, there is plenty of shade both in the water and out. There’s even shade on the hammocks that hang over the water.
It truly is a feast for the senses. I loved the attitude of a couple who said quietly “We love the river because we’re meeting everyone and if someone bores us, we float off.”
Guests who rented the two- story beach cabana for the week, loved the experience. It included butler service, champagne, private menu, beds, lounge chair, towels etc. They felt it was worth the extra cost, and loved the privacy.
It is certainly not a surprise that Oyster awarded the resort a, “best party award.” Oyster also awarded them Most Romantic Hotel in Punta Cana, and Best Adult Only resort in Punta Cana.
Guests rave about the entertainment staff.
“Second to none,” was the opinion of those who have been to many all-inclusives. I also heard, “super engaging, full of energy, and enthusiasm.”
Ask which exercise classes were the best, and the question started fierce dialogue. Was the beach aerobics better than aqua gym in the ocean or Zumba at 5pm? Those who were working off the extra calories, they’d indulged in chimed in wanting the belly dance fitness to be considered. This is not a resort that only offers aquatics at noon. There are lots of options throughout the day.
And for those who want less strenuous entertainment, there are Spanish lessons, cooking classes, and a class in painting, not to mention other amusements like the foam party which is top of the list for a lot of guests.
The entertainment team listens to their guests and provides interesting entertainment such as the “Dancing“ hour in the Secrets Plaza.
One guest was really pleased that there is a full day of programming in case it rains. “We all know rain happens in the Caribbean. We once went to a resort and it rained for four days and there was nothing planned. We had to make our own arrangements.”
At Secrets resorts guests don’t wear name bands, and don’t have to line up to sign for towels, this one is no different. WYFI is included everywhere on the property.
Secrets as you know is adults only, but just a three minutes walk away is Now Larimar Resort which welcomes families, and Secret guests are entitled to use the services as well as the restaurants.
Some of the preferred rooms in Secrets are treated to the sweet sound of children in the pool, so double check when booking, if your clients are not into hearing children. Check-in though is great in moving guests when they can.
There is a small casino, some guests liked it especially if they won, the losers had nothing good to say about it.
There are plenty of options for dining, or just having a “nosh” at the beach grill. La Riviera was a special favourite of ours. One morning one of the sous- chefs came out and noticed I was loading up on mango. “ I’ll bring you more,” he said. And he did, a huge plateful. He was typical of all the staff, we dealt with, and guests rave about the people who make it all happen..
Some guests said, “The selection and quality of food was outstanding. I think what most impressed us was the friendliness and certainly the professionalism of the staff.”
Well yes, some guests hate the food, and many more like it. A number of guests told me that they came back not for the food, but for the fun and the people.
This property was one of six AM Resorts to achieve the Rainforest Alliance in 2016. To qualify, resorts must demonstrate their commitment to conservation by minimizing their environmental footprint while also supporting the surrounding community. The Rainforest Alliance audit is a comprehensive certification process that assesses sustainability standards. It looks at the wise use of natural resources. The protection of nearby ecosystems, and climate change mitigation must be considered. And finally benefits to the social and cultural development of surrounding communities is considered.
All the Secrets have their own flavour, yes the restaurant names stay the same, but the brand is not cookie cutter. This is a great choice for your clients who want a fun, lively vacation.