Secrets Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa

Bill Grothoff

I stayed at the resort a week before Thanksgiving. I have been to Cancun dozens of times and this is the best overall resort that I have stayed at. The food was very excellent and the layout of the the resort was very inviting. What made this resort so special was the staff. Luis and Andre, the pool activities personnel, were the best I have experienced in a long time. They made a point to speak to every guest around the pool and always asking if there is anything we could do to make my stay better. Cruz and Urbana, the pool waiters, were the best, always making sure I was taken care of. Daniel and Marco, the pool concierges, were always providing fresh towels and always assisting everyone at the pool with their umbrellas and chairs. My favorite waiter was Lucian at the buffet. He always set us at our favorite table and remembered our drinks order religiously. My only criticism would be the ocean. At this time of year it was murky and not pleasant to be in. I’ve stayed at all exclusive places over 30 times and this is the first time I’ve written a review. I can’t say enough good stuff about this Resort. The Breathless Side of the resort was nice but a little loud for my taste. Specialty restaurants were outstanding and I didn’t have to wait long to be seated. I strongly recommend staying here and hope to be back soon Bill from Iowa

Gabriel

My wife and I went there for our honeymoon and everything was better than expected. The room was more spacious than it appeared in the pictures. The shower was especially large with dual rain heads. The view on the gardens, which are beautiful, was perfect for us. The room and everything in it was perfectly clean. At the pool Daniel and Cruze were always making sure everyting was perfect for us. Luis was great fun! At the mexican restaurant Diego greeted us perfectly, remembering my favorite drink as soon as the second time we went there. He always made sure we had a drink and that everything was the way we wanted. The highlight certainly was the rosewater restaurant, reserved for the secrets side clients. We mainly ate there and everything we had was better than the last meal. More than the food, the service was impeccable. Sylvio, whi was super friendly, really has a great team. Raul at the bar made sure I got everything i wanted, even special request, while answering every questions I had about hot peppers (gracias por el serrano) and was great to chat with. Balthazar gave us excellent service when we sat at a table instead of the bar. Andres answered all my tacos questions and was very friendly. It may take a few years because we want to travel with kids, but we sure will return.

Brandon Crooks

Worst dining experience we've ever had at an all-inclusive resort. The Good: The room was pretty good, the resort and pool area were nice, and the shows were enjoyable. The Problem - Dining: Night 1 - Asian Restaurant: Service was mediocre. We had to flag down our waiter multiple times for drinks and water, and food took forever to arrive. The food quality was decent, at least. Day 2 - Lunch at Rosewater: The only restaurant with consistently good service throughout our stay. Food came out quickly. Day 2 - Pool Service: Always great staff, but food orders took approximately 90 minutes to arrive every single day. Night 2 - Italian Restaurant: Our waiter was nowhere to be found. We couldn't get wine refills or even a single water refill. I got up multiple times to search for our waiter and request help from other staff members. The food was fine, but the service was subpar. Night 2 - Room Service: The late-night menu was very disappointing with no Mexican food options. Our order arrived 45 minutes later than expected and was not good. Day 3 - Breakfast at Rosewater: The kitchen was backed up badly. Food took an hour from ordering to arrival, though service was acceptable. Night 3 - Mexican Restaurant: We arrived at 7:30 for a table of six and were told there would be a 50-minute wait. We returned at 8:20 and were told another 15 minutes, then another 10 minutes. At 8:45, we were finally seated—at a 4-person booth meant for 6 people. We were cramped and sweating in the corner. I had to get up and argue with staff to move us to one of the several available 6-8 person tables. Once moved, it took an extreme amount of time to get our food, and we struggled to get drink and water refills. The food was not worth any of the hassle. One Bright Spot - The Buffet: The buffet was fine, and drink/water service there was actually fast. Day 4 - Pizza Place by the Ocean: It took over 45 minutes to get a personal pizza. Other guests would walk up, skip the line, and grab pizzas waiting at the counter for delivery. We went offsite for dinner that night at Harry's (highly recommend). Bottom Line: This was probably the worst dining experience at any resort I've ever visited.

Danielle Jean-Gates-Desharnais

First time ever going on a down-south vacation, and I can honestly say Secrets Riviera Cancun completely spoiled us! I was nervous before the trip, but from the moment we arrived, everyone was so welcoming and kind. Our room was beautiful, spacious, and had an amazing ocean view. I’m a super picky eater, but the food was incredible at every restaurant. The catch of the day at Rosewater was hands down my favorite meal. We loved being able to pop over to the Xhale side for the lively party pool and then come back to the peaceful Secrets side to relax. The nightly entertainment was amazing (the Neon On show was unreal!), and we had so much fun joining activities like paint and sip, karaoke, and the silent disco. Mani and Erik were awesome—so friendly and made us feel comfortable getting involved. Huge shoutout to Urbano and Cruize for keeping the drinks flowing and the laughs coming by the pool. But the real MVPs of the trip were Andres and Louis from the entertainment team. They brought the best energy, made everyone feel included, and somehow got us into a pool dance competition (and we actually had fun doing it!). They made the trip unforgettable. We left feeling like we were saying goodbye to friends. I’d come back in a heartbeat and recommend Secrets Riviera Cancun to anyone—it’s truly something special.

Jennifer Spray

Honest Review of Our Stay at Secrets Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa – Preferred Club September 11–20, 2025 This was our first experience at a Secrets resort in Mexico. Secrets Riviera Cancun is located about 25 minutes from the Cancun airport. The resort itself has more of a boutique feel compared to some of the larger, grander properties we’ve stayed at in the past. Staying on the Secrets side gives you full access to the Breathless side of the resort. The food was the best we’ve experienced at any all-inclusive resort so far. If you’re staying on the secrets side, the Rosewater restaurant will likely become your favorite dining spot. Out of the à la carte restaurants, the Italian and steakhouse restaurants were our favorites. They had great entertainment with daily activities and nightly shows. The staff at this resort were awesome and definitely helped make our experience enjoyable and memorable. A few special shoutouts: Rosewater Restaurant: Yesenia, Jose, and Lino Activities Staff: Angel, Luis, and Erik Pool Service: Charlie Boy Bartenders: Eduardo (Preferred Club Lounge) and Fernando (Energy Pool) Note for beach lovers: If your main priority is a wide, walkable beach or swimming in the ocean, this resort may not be the perfect fit. The focus here is more on the pools, service, food, entertainment, and intimate vibe rather than a long sandy shoreline. Overall, Secrets Riviera Cancun delivered a wonderful blend of relaxation, excellent dining, great entertainment, and outstanding hospitality.