Secrets Moxche Playa Del Carmen

We have attended during Christmas period because we have been traveling to the Mayan Riviera enjoyed over 30 resorts, many 5-star rated. The Secrets Resorts have been our favorite in this region and we have attended all of them previously. As Moxche resort fairly new, we anxiously wished to attend. Left the Cancun airport with private transportation. The road was fine and I always look for a Canada flag or other country’s flag and the Secrets Moxche Resort sign. I saw no flags, a high black wall fountain, and a tiny Secrets sign hung high by an entrance door. The bottom of this sign was covered with green foulage leaves and needs cutting. Our bags were quickly grabbed by a concierge and told” follow me” to the desk. The young man could speak English very well, explained details of restaurants and then escorted to our room on the 4th floor. We were facing the ocean and had a jr. suite with an out-side sun deck. Room: Designed narrow and long hallway from entrance door. Across the hallway a safe in a draw and small hanging clothes closet. Few drawers and closet not adequate for two people. The door bell did not work (took us 3 days of calling to fix it. The safe also did not work, so a call was made and fixed later. Hot water takes 5-7min to start and just warm all the time, so let it run first to get a hotter temperature. Décor: Two round cement tables, very heavy, can not move, and no chairs in room. Our room couch had a yellowish stain. The out-side deck couch, was very wet and we could not use it for 3 days. Security of deck- Our neighbour stood and often looked at us as partition did not go to the outer side glass barrier and had a gap of 8+inches and one could easy squeeze by to our patio. Patio door needed two to open, very difficult for Seniors. Door signs: We twice hung out side,” Do Not Disturb” were ignored! Twice I was taking a nap as not well, room dark. A boy comes in anyways, I ask who is it? One time just said checking??. No apology! Wife out side verified someone in our room. Checked and sign on door knob. This should not have happened!! In our room one large wall picture of tree leaves, likely coconut. Very poor picture and could have represented the area. Buffet Restaurant: We ate here every day for over two weeks and found some days food, ie. Soups, salads, fruit, were not available, our told only for lunch. I experienced many days my bacon, eggs, especially hash browns, a cold to just warm. I told the server and showed him the cold items because not under a burner fire. No one came to fix this problem. One day beside our table one person tripped on a loose electric cord to a tree. This happened a few times. Also, we had discarded table food beside our table. A picture was taken. Mexican Restaurant- Pool menu selection very limited and a few days closed. Restaurant Bare Foot at the beach: Should be international food menu, but very poor selection. Waited to long for a waiter and food. So used the buffet often. Pool large by the beach: Every day over a 2-week period we had to walk around, as other people also had no chairs, by the pool, or beach. Concierge person at times just not there or looking for a chair from other pool areas. Lots of room to stack chairs on sand, but even a up grade did not help this problem. The small pools also called Ceno’s, we attended had no chairs, water cold, and we waited over an hour for any drinks. A female waitress by the beach serving drinks was very slow, talking at the bar to boys, hiding, and had to find her. Very poor service. She every time after served our drinks, stood and waited for a money tip, or talked till she got a tip, every time! This was bother some and poor manner for her waiting. We are used to a smiling, friendly waitress, not tired or just one waitress. Library room: We like reading and checked the book room every day, but same books. Not as advertised on the resort site, no news papers, no one supervising this room. Our experience of walking to restaurants we got our feet soaked wet in the walkway puddles due to uneven rocks, tiles, filled with water or sand. Poor walkway lighting. Handicap people: Not suitable as no smooth walkways, and areas with uneven slate, some loose with rain water in them. Elevators: We encountered numerous days when one or more were out of service. Nervous feeling when in one elevator, as would shake and make metal door noises. So, employees also waited, customers had line ups, very frustrating! Due to we are seniors, world travelers, attending many 5-star resorts, over 25 years, this Secrets Moxche did not measure up to a relaxing holiday. Needs improvements!

Let me preface this review by saying I have NEVER written a review in my life, but I do not want people to have the same experience we had. The resort is gorgeous, grounds are lush, and the staff were extremely helpful and attentive. There were also lots of activities - water volleyball, water aerobics, yoga, shows in the evening... and many more fun things to do on the resort grounds. The resort gets five stars for beauty, cleanliness, and the service staff. But that is where the positivity ends... Upon arrival, we were greeted by a staff member who said he was going to be our "concierge." He was going to take care of us, and wanted us all to have free 80 minute massages, but we just had to attend a one hour luxury brunch to hear about their next level of service and their "preferred guest program." You see where this is going right? We later find out that the presentation takes about 2.5 hours, is a complete waste of a day, and the sales people are super high pressure. We are then shown to our "tropical view" rooms, which basically overlook another hotel's parking lot/construction area. It was not what is in their marketing material. We then each had to pay an extra $400 for a view of the resort/ocean. We then go to dinner, which you have to wait at least 20-40 mins. for a table at any of the restaurants at prime dinner time. We are starving and ready to enjoy a glass of good wine. ONLY the house red and whites are included. (which are very low grade) They were charging $82 for a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. This costs about $14 at Target. To make matters worse, you cannot even order it by the glass. Only by the bottle. Food is a very important part of a vacation to me, and the food is very average. They sell it as "gourmet," but the dinners are comparable to what they would serve at a Shereton. Also, I went to the spa to make an appointment for a facial. The treatment was $249, which is a little pricey, but fine. The problem was that you could only use the steam room, plunge pool, sauna, if you booked an 80 minute massage. Doesn't it seem odd to not be able to use the ammenities in the spa when you purchase a facial for $249? Overall, we felt like we were promised a five star experience and received a three star experience.

OUTSTANDING resort in many ways! The food and beverages were amazing. The different pools were incredible, and we enjoyed them all. The grounds, buildings, furniture and accents were beautiful. The live music at the main pool during the day and in the evening at Bamboo and the lagoon was very enjoyable. The staff are attentive and very hard working. We had a fabulous stay!

Upon arrival, loved the waterfall and views in the lobby. This resort is paradise. So many pools, so many restaurants, so many bars. You have to decide what you want and when. My colleagues and I enjoyed Suki, Coco Cafe, and Dark Horse Bar. The Spa was the best part for us.

This resort exceeded our expectations. We have been to other all-inclusive resorts in the area but this was our first adults only property. Adrian at check in was a pro and couldn't have been more helpful. We loved the Zen vibe of the resort including the live music they played in several venues. The design in every part of the hotel was incredible. It was first class all the way. Every staff member is friendly and accommodating. The room was gorgeous, and the bed was the most comfortable we had ever slept in. Plus, it had a rain shower that was very luxurious. Juana our housekeeper attended to our every need. The beach was lovely and had many options for seating, many of which included shade if you wanted it. Elias helped us get set up comfortably right when we got there. Daniela in activities was fun and upbeat and made sure we knew what was available to do each day. And last but not least were the many restaurant options. The food was fresh and plentiful and many things you could have made to order. They did not miss a beat. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a relaxing and high-end experience.