Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun

The adults-only Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun Resort is all about romance. The resort combines elegance and intimacy throughout spacious, high-ceilinged common areas and sprawling, manicured tropical grounds, both of which have plenty of secluded nooks and shaded seating areas. There are candles, fountains, and serene pools of water everywhere, plus carved wooden furnishings are handmade by Mexican artisans, and all guests receive champagne and refreshing towels upon arrival.
The lobby is large, airy, and modern, with marble floors and a striking water fountain at its center. In contrast to the usual hotel monolith, the front desk consists of a series of private tables, adding to the feeling of personal service that could easily be overlooked in such a large property.
The spa -- with its natural stone walls, river-stone mosaics, and banks of candles -- is a true destination for romance and relaxation; couples' treatment rooms include dual soaking tubs, and there are outdoor cabanas for massages right on the beach. The pool area, too, is relaxed and romantic, consisting of two adjacent curved ocean-view pools with surrounding loungers. A swim-up bar is available at one of the pools. Additionally, several other semi-private pools are scattered around the resort for ground-floor suites. Hammocks are scattered throughout the lush grounds to add to the peaceful atmosphere.
Despite the size of the resort, the restaurants don’t feel crowded. Each has private booths or tables where couples can feel alone; Bordeaux, the wine-themed restaurant, takes it up a notch with a wine room that doubles as a private chef’s dining room for a lucky couple. Guests can also have dinner for two right on the beach. Needless to say, Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun is especially popular for weddings and honeymoons. When comparing Excellence Riviera Cancun vs Secrets Maroma, the Excellence just beats out Secrets thanks to its higher number of features. Rooms at the Excellence are more classically elegant than the modern, hip rooms found here at Secrets.

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun is set on a secluded private beach, surrounded by mangroves and close to the famously beautiful Maroma Beach in the Riviera Maya. The popular city of Playa del Carmen is about 30 minutes away by car, and offers high-end shopping, restaurants, and theaters, although there is so much going on and included at the resort that many guests never leave during their stay. Golfers will likely enjoy the nearby Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course that is part of the PGA tour. However, green fees are waived at the Grand Coral Golf Course. There are several nearby eco- and adventure parks, including Tres Rios -- with jungle, rivers, caves, swimming with dolphins, snorkeling, and an underground river -- and Xplor Park, with its several miles of jungle zip-lines and underground web of caves. The drive from Cancun Airport to Secrets Maroma Beach Resort is 30 minutes.

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun’s rooms were renovated in 2018-19, giving them a chic and modern look. All of the units are spacious suites, starting with Junior Suite Tropical View that measure 624 square feet (58 square meters). The hip, elegant design consists of geometric wooden headboards, marble floors, and a mix of wood, marble, and rattan furnishings. Teal and pink throw pillows, alongside cream macrame wall hangings add character.
Rooms have sitting areas with sofas, and all have furnished balconies or ground-floor patios. Most have garden views but some ocean-view units are available. Many of the ground-floor suites are “swim-up suites”; while they are certainly romantic, some guests note that ground-floor rooms don’t get as much sun, making the swim-up feature a bit chilly. All suites have either king-size beds or two double beds. All have two-person whirlpool tubs and separate walk-in showers as well.
Standard amenities include high-quality toiletries, laptop-sized safes, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen satellite TVs with DVD players, Nespresso machines and coffee capsules, and minibars that are restocked daily with free soda, bottled water, and beer. Bathrobes, slippers, and hairdryers are also provided. Additionally, each room has a Secrets Box that allowed for private room service delivery.
Preferred Club units receive upgraded in-room amenities, and free access to a lounge with snacks and liquors, as well as the hydrotherapy circuit at the spa. The Honeymoon Suite is especially notable for its in-bedroom whirlpool tub with adjacent candles, huge living room, and private balcony with a hot tub and beach view. The huge Presidential Suite has a telescope, four-person outdoor whirlpool, large dining area, and swim-out access.

As an all-inclusive property, all food and drinks are included at the Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun, and they’re of high-quality. Guests have the option to eat in the buffet restaurant or try some of the a la carte dining rooms, for which reservations are not required. Room service is available 24/7 for free, and top-shelf spirits are part of the room rate.
For restaurants, Bordeaux has a wine theme, with a wine cellar that includes over two hundred different bottles. Portofino serves Italian cuisine in an elegant dining room, with a fountain that would be right at home in a village square on the Amalfi coast. Coco Cafe serves soft pretzels, pastries, coffee, and more. Himitsu is a hibachi-style Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy table-side teppanyaki cooking (reservations are required). A light lunch can be had at the Barefoot Grill, and fresh seafood is the specialty at Oceana, where diners can eat indoors or al fresco in a casual atmosphere, although bathing suits are not allowed without cover-ups. Private dinners can be arranged on the beach for an extra charge.
There are many bars: options include an elegant lobby bar, beach and pool bars, a spa bar, and a large club with nightly entertainment that includes live music, shows, and dancing.

As a high-end all-inclusive, Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun has enough features to make leaving the premises virtually unnecessary. Guests who wish to explore the area, however, can take advantage of scuba tours, deep sea fishing expeditions, swimming with dolphins, parasailing, and ziplining, arranged by the resort concierge; note that these come at an additional cost.
One of the coolest and most convenient features of Secrets Maroma Beach is its dedicated app, which offers free Wi-Fi throughout the grounds, as well as free calls to the U.S. and Canada, forwarded from rooms to guests’ cellphones. Daily activity schedules, restaurant menus, and spa bookings are all also available through the app, which can be downloaded before leaving home.
Naturally, the hotel's swimming pools and private beach are big draws, and both are standouts when compared to those at other resorts in the area. The main pool consists of two adjacent ocean-view pools – one with a swim-up bar – that are surrounded by umbrella-shaded loungers and cabana daybeds. A few hammocks are submerged in the pool, as well as set on the concrete path. The soft, white-sand beach is an oceanside haven, with non-motorized water sports -- including windsurfing, ocean kayaking, and snorkeling -- available right on the sand. The beach is lined with palapas and sunbeds, and there is a bar with adult-sized swings for guests to enjoy along with their cocktail of choice. Unfortunately, seaweed can occasionally be an issue. Beachside massages are offered, and private cabanas with Balinese beds suspended on ropes are available for rental.
Sports offerings at the resort include a nine-hole miniature golf course, beach and pool volleyball, archery, yoga, soccer, and tennis, with courts lit for nighttime play. Dance lessons and tequila-tasting classes are also on the schedule. The large, modern fitness center has plenty of cardio and weight-training machines, as well as free weights, and a steam room and sauna. Daytime activities and evening shows are offered.
The Secrets Spa offers a comprehensive treatment menu that includes massages and hydrotherapy, and it also has a beauty salon for nail and hair services. Before and after treatments, guests can curl up on cushioned loungers underneath soft spa blankets. Preferred Club guests receive free access to the hydrotherapy circuit.
Many destination weddings are held at the resort in its wedding gazebo or right on the beach, including traditional South Asian weddings. The resort has meeting and event facilities that can accommodate six hundred. There is a strip of high-end shops on-site, selling fine jewelry, clothing, leather goods, native handicrafts, pottery, and more. Snacks and the usual souvenirs -- T-shirts, baseball caps, keychains, and the like -- can also be found in the shops.
Guests can join the Secrets Preferred Club, which gives them access to a private lounge, upgraded rooms, minibars, toiletries, and special concierge services. The private lounge is fine, but not as lovely as the resort’s other common spaces; it may be useful for guests who need to get some work done in a focused environment, without the enormous temptations the rest of the resort offers.