Earlier this month, when Philadelphia’s temperatures were in the “freakin freezing” range and it seemed there was absolutely no hope in sight, my winter blues were suddenly cured by a little jaunt to Mexico. It was my first time vacationing in Mexico. My first time traveling solo, too. And, as all vacations in Mexico should be, my first all-inclusive resort.
One quick flight from Philly to Cancun and just over an hour drive later, I was greeted at the Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya resort with a glass of champagne. I was invited to explore the resort with a lovely group of bloggers for a few days in the sun. Just a casual Tuesday morning, right?
Our rooms were absolutely stunning. They had a balcony, full jacuzzi tub, sweet shower, and so many perfect little touches. My mini fridge was stocked with the drinks I requested (more baby Coronas, please!) and was tidied up twice a day (the nightly turn-down amazed me every night). They had incense in the bathroom (which I took full advantage of), a Nespresso machine, and an excellent full-length mirror, thank you very much.
One of the coolest things about the room was the handy “Do Not Disturb” button. This button (not one of those tacky door hangers that always falls off), signaled to the room service, housekeeping, etc. from outside of the room that you were, likely, “busy,” if you were one of the several honeymooning couples also at the resort, or, if you were alone, like me, simply taking quite a bit of time trying to apply SPF 75 sunscreen to your back. There was also a secret compartment room service could drop your goods into so human interaction was minimal in times like these. I did a full room tour over on my Facebook page if you’d like to see!
While we were at the resort, we had some organized group events and some time on our own. The first group dinner was held at the Wine Cellar. We got to know each other (check some of my blogger buds out: Karolyne, Lauren, Shaun & David) while enjoying quite the meal (escargot, lobster bisque, rack of lamb, and possibly the best chocolate souffle I’ve ever had in my life) and wine pairing. Later in the week, we all got together to watch the Top Chef finale, filmed right at Secrets Akumal a few weeks earlier, with an awesome party hosted by the resort. Think big screens, mini desserts, and strong martinis.
In addition to our group activities, there was so much to do around the resort on your own. I started my day with a sunrise beach yoga class one morning. There were local vendors selling jewelry, clothing, etc. set up like a mini flea market one night. All of the activities were available on the resort’s app (did I mention they had free wifi!?), which I appreciated. And in addition to the organized things, it was just so nice to relax for a bit. I’ll tell ya caught up on about 500 magazines from June 2015 til now at the pool.
Now, as this was my first time at an all-inclusive ever, I was obviously very excited about the food. In the morning, I started with an iced coffee from Coco Cafe. Market Cafe was the best little buffet breakfast spot – Mexican food for breakfast is literally my dream. At night, I got to try Himitsu, the Pan-Asian restaurant (yes to the pork bao buns) and Portofino, the Italian restaurant. I did get room service a few times (and I can’t say enough good things about the freakin coconut ice cream – I dream of that ice cream), but I think the food out at the restaurants was really top notch. Oh and also – grab as much guac as you want.
We were so lucky that the resort surprised us all massages at their spa. The facilities were gorgeous – very serene. The locker room itself was super luxe. I loved the showers – each stall had two doors, one into the indoor rainfall shower, leading to the same shower but outdoors! The lounging areas and pools were not crowded and everything felt nice and clean. My only “complaint” was that I couldn’t try a fish pedicure – the man at the spa told me they had just “changed the fish” the day before and these new fish were “too scared to bite yet.” I got a nice LOL at that one. 🙂
Overall, my quick getaway was one I’ll never, ever forget. Next time you’re planning a trip to Mexico, Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic, check out all of the Secrets Resorts (and just make sure you order the coconut ice cream). Thank you to Apple Vacations, Amstar, and of course, Secrets Resorts for the amazing opportunity!
