Property Spotlight: Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya

Introduction to Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya

Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya is an all-inclusive, adults-only luxury resort in Akumal (means “Place of the Turtles” in the Mayan language). The resort is now a part of the Hyatt Inclusive collection, and is favored for its lush tropical feel, romantic vibes, white sand beach and the reef close to the shore that makes it a haven for snorkeling and encountering turtles and other sea creatures.

Background 

Secrets Akumal is a relatively newer property in the AMR Collection, opened in 2016. This all-inclusive resort fuses elegant and original design with elements of nature. It is renowned for its beautiful beach, calm Caribbean waters and green sea turtle population. The rooms are pretty contemporary in appearance, with traditional Oaxacan touches in the cushions and wall décor. 

AMR collection became a part of the Hyatt Inclusive hotels less than two years ago. This means Secrets Akumal is part of Hyatt Prive and guests can get all Prive benefits.

The property has been a 5 Diamond AAA property for 2 years in a row and also won the TripAdvisor Traveler’s choice award (Best of the Best) for 2023.

Getting there

The property is in Akumal, which is about 1.5 hours south of Cancun airport. 

Rooms

The property has a total of 434 rooms. All rooms are suite style, with a comfortable bedroom, a sitting area, desk and a bathroom with a jetted tub and separate shower. Rooms have a tropical view (and some even have partial ocean views), or an Ocean view. The Preferred rooms are in buildings closer to the beach and provide access to the Preferred lounge and bar, and have upgraded amenities and additional items in the room service menu. Master suites are also available in the preferred section and are significantly larger than a standard room, with a larger balcony. Buildings one and two have only three stories and offer the Beachfront suites as they are closest to the beach. Full transparency, the beachfront rooms may have slightly obstructed views due to the presence of several coconut palm trees on the beach, but I wouldn’t call it a deal breaker. The suites one Level one do have swim outs: while the swim outs do offer a somewhat private pool for your party, they may or may not be really private or offer full sun. You also do not get food service to the swim out (and people have complained that it could be slippery). 

 It is worth mentioning that Building nine has three sections and is closest to the spa and the convention center and the ballroom, with a beautiful outdoor banquet space that can accommodate 420 people. I witnessed it being used for a corporate event, as well as for a wedding during my stay there.

Each building has its own concierge (available from 9am to 5pm) who will be happy to help answer any questions, book any activities or tours for you, or fix any problems you may have.

Restaurants and Bars 

The property boasts 9 restaurants, including fine dining options (Italian, Asian, French, Mexican and Seafood) for dinner. Lunch is served buffet style at the Market Café (also an option for breakfast), as well as poolside (Barefoot Grill). Seaside Grill offers sit down option for lunch by the main pool. Preferred club gives you access to breakfast at the Seaside grill in the morning, in addition to the Market Café. Reservations are not required for any of the specialty restaurants, with the exception of Himitsu (Asian), if you want the Teppanyaki table. The Desires lounge is open late every night and is another option for drinks and music late in the evening. 

Pool and Other Amenities

The property has 3 pools, the main infinity pool is closest to the beach and where all of the daily activities take place (think pool volleyball, fitness activities and pool basketball). The third pool is a bit more quiet and was the least crowded during our stay. There is also a jacuzzi for the use of the guests.

The property has a very good gym where you can get a complimentary fitness consultation, situated right next door to the Pevonia Spa.

The spa is luxurious and very well designed to provide a relaxed atmosphere. The spa also includes a fantastic hydrotherapy circuit. Guests in the preferred suites enjoy one complimentary 50 minute use of the hydrotherapy circuit and additional sessions can be reserved for a fee.

Guests can also get life vests and masks complimentary from the hotel and use with your own snorkeling masks (or buy a basic snorkeling tube for $4) to explore the ocean and the reef which is 150 meters from the shore.  

Many other activities are available for a fee (Culinary experience, tequila tasting, etc).

Nightly entertainment varies each day: from a Mexican Art fair where local craftsmen display their art, to a fire show or a Mariachi show with a dinner or a typical Mexican Asada are set up pool side, or in the theater. If rain spoils the show, they do have “rainy day” options as well. One can review the activities for the day on the Hyatt Inclusive app, or on a tablet in the suite. 

Things to do nearby 

This is truly a snorkeling haven. You can snorkel by yourself just off the beach, but there are some protected areas where you are required to use a guide. Just a few yards down from the property is the Akumal Dive shop where you can sign up for snorkeling or scuba diving activities. Right by the dive shop is the small village of Akumal which has a few small restaurants and shops to pick up sunscreen and other essentials at a lower cost than in the resort and especially if you have forgotten Reef safe sunscreen which is required to protect the reef nearby.

The town of Tulum is not too far either and the hotel can arrange a taxi to Tulum (20 minutes south of Akumal) to see the Mayan ruins at Tulum or Playa del Carmen (about 20 minutes north of Akumal) for some shopping. 

This is a great property for adults to enjoy, whether it is for a wedding, anniversary or any celebration, or just a place to relax. The honeymoon and anniversary packages can make the stay more special. Service is top notch and the staff go all out to make sure you have a great experience. This was our second stay at the property and we will definitely return! I will say the resort is becoming increasingly popular so while September is typically the low season, even that may have higher occupancy levels than previous years. And do check with the property if they are hosting any large groups during the dates you want to book for your clients and that does have an impact on service levels and the general vibe. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions or want to hear more!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Mexico. In need of further inspiration? Check out Regina Baranda Mier’s guide OR trip report, Guide to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca: The Hidden Gem of Mexico.