Secrets Aura Cozumel

Had an amazing time! Sophia had the best hospitality! She always made sure I was set for the night. I was recommended to the best food places and also the best wine! I enjoyed myself and because of Sophia I will more than likely visit again! Thank you all for an amazing time

I recently stayed at this hotel and was extremely disappointed. The room itself was not clean--there was hair in the shower and the bathroom had a musty smell. The staff seemed indifferent to guests' concerns. When I raised issues, I felt brushed off rather than assisted.

Overall disappointing. Lack of communition at check-in caused alot of confusion. Loud music and bad music choices/or shows limited time to relax, staff was generally friendly, with a couple of exceptions. Food was OK but not all restaurants not always open or available. Very frustrating at times.

We had a poolview swimout room that was spacious, had a fantastic bed and a lovely bathroom. The swimout pool was connected to the main pool by a waterslide, which was cool, but the swimout pool was very shallow and not really a "SWIMout", but more like a WALKout", as the water was only just over our knees at the deepest. We asked for a room change on our second full day there, which was accommodated the following morning with no issues whatsoever. The new room had exactly the same features as the old one, with a better swimout that was connected directly to the main pool and swimup bar. The only complaints about the rooms would be the odd placement of door openings in the bathroom, with the lavatory door, the shower door and the bathroom door all touching each other if opened at the same time. Also, the complete lack of dresser drawers to store your clothes. The cabinets were there, but they just had doors with wide open interior spaces. The area around the singles sink is also small, and doesn't provide a lot of room for toiletries for a male and female couple. The swimup bartender Javier and his co-workers were fantastic, and I think their buddies Roger and the other local iguanas enjoyed theirs service as much as we all did. The only downside to the pools was their cleanliness; they could have been skimmed and vacuumed a lot more frequently. The resort is nicely laid out with most amenities and restaurants a short walk away. The beach is a little rocky and lined with loose coral, so water shoes are a must-have in this area. The water is clear and warm and free of sargassum (seaweed), unlike on the mainland Mayan Riviera where it has been an issue over the last few years. Bring your snorkelling gear, as there are all types of fish just offshore, like puffers, needlefish, snapper and the occasional barracuda or small nurse shark, and even some rays. Restaurants were good, especially Market Cafe for breakfast, and Bordeau (French-inspired cuisine) and Gohan (Japanese) for supper. These 2 can be VERY difficult to get a table at, however, so either get in line early (5:30pm) or go later (after 8:30pm) to avoid the wait. If you are able to eat at Gohan early enough you can catch the sunset, which was absolutely spectacular. The other restaurants Windows and Oceana were very good, with a variety of a la carte offerings based on Italian, steaks and of course seafood. The recreation team were all great, especially Sara and Irving. All-in-all, we had a great time from November 2 to 9.

My wife and I, along with our friends and neighbors, recently stayed at the Secrets Aura Cozumel resort from November 1st to November 9th, 2024. Unfortunately, our experience fell far short of the "4.5-star luxury property" that Secrets claims it to be. While we have previously enjoyed other Secrets properties in Mexico, this particular resort was a significant letdown. Our friends, who are Unlimited Vacation Club members, faced additional frustrations with their room, dealing with ongoing issues like unreliable hot water and water pressure, which the hotel made no effort to resolve. Each time they voiced concerns, management’s response was simply to suggest upgrading their already-expensive Unlimited Club Membership. This, along with a host of other issues, left all of us questioning the property’s “luxury” rating. Positive Aspects Despite the negatives, we appreciated the friendliness of most of the resort staff. The sunsets and turquoise waters in Cozumel are stunning, and the island has a unique charm. However, these positives were greatly overshadowed by the numerous issues throughout our stay. Major Disappointments • Poor Communication and Limited Dining Options: The lack of communication about resort activities made it difficult to know what was happening and when. Additionally, multiple restaurants were closed on several nights during our stay, severely limiting dining options and leading to long wait times. The Sky Bar, one of the more popular spots, was also closed several evenings, and the elevator to the Sky Bar was broken almost the entire time. We were told by other guests that this elevator issue has been a problem during a previous stay over a year ago. • Understaffing and Slow Service: The resort seemed understaffed, resulting in slow service and long wait times. • Inconsistent Amenities and Services: Many advertised amenities—including attentive pool and beach wait service, 24-hour room and concierge services, and a daily refreshed minibar—were unavailable or poorly executed. • Limited Daytime Activities: Aside from a basic pool yoga/aerobics class, there were few daytime activities, and nighttime entertainment was minimal, with no themed parties and very limited options overall. • Limited Dining Options: The property’s proximity to Sunscape Sabor did not make up for the limited dining options at Secrets; rather, it further highlighted the lack of quality dining choices. • Limited Bar Seating: With only two bar stools each at the Sky Bar & Sushi and the Desires disco, finding seating was often impossible. • Low-Quality Food and Beverages: The food quality was poor across most restaurants, with limited, repetitive menu options. Alcoholic beverages were watered down, and restaurant service was particularly slow. Additionally, the coffee bar frequently ran out of supplies, limiting choices to basic lattes or plain coffee. • Room and Resort Maintenance: The resort felt poorly maintained, with dim stairways, broken pool lights, and an overall sense of neglect. Our “swim-out” room had non-functional lights in the wading pool, and the slides to the main pool were unusable due to a lack of water. The tennis courts were covered in dirt and essentially unusable. Additional Issues • The spa and fitness center were not located within the Secrets resort; guests had to walk over to the adjacent Sunscape property, which we found inconvenient. • There was no self-service laundry. Although laundry service was offered, staff couldn’t provide clear guidance on pricing or the services available. • The number of flies around the breakfast buffet were disgusting. • On multiple days, halved hot dogs were served as “breakfast sausages,” there was no bacon, and omelets were inconsistent. • The desserts at all locations were equally underwhelming and disappointing. • Pool areas were not well-maintained. While the water was clear, the pools were often full of debris, and many of the pool lights were broken. Additionally, no effort was made to clean up iguana droppings around the pools. • The pool music was not overly loud, however, the selection was an odd mix of elevator music and techno jazz. Conclusion While Cozumel remains a beloved destination for us, with its stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, our experience at Secrets Aura Cozumel was a stark reminder that not all resorts are created equal. We left Secrets Aura Cozumel feeling underwhelmed and disappointed, a stark contrast to the luxurious experience promised by the resort. Despite being seasoned travelers and fans of the Secrets brand, we were shocked by the numerous shortcomings and inconsistencies throughout our stay. The resort's failure to deliver on its own advertised promises was a major letdown, and we cannot in good conscience recommend Secrets Aura Cozumel to others. For travelers seeking a truly luxurious experience in Cozumel, we would advise looking elsewhere. While Secrets Aura Cozumel may offer a beautiful setting, its numerous shortcomings and lack of attention to detail make it a less desirable choice. We hope that the resort will take our feedback to heart and work to address the issues we encountered during our stay. Until then, we cannot recommend Secrets Aura Cozumel to others. Our Rating: 1 out of 5 stars Recommendation: Look for alternative luxury resorts in Cozumel that can deliver on their promises and provide a truly exceptional experience.