Review of Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen

Secrets Moxché is perched on the sun-soaked Caribbean coastline of Playa del Carmen, 53 kilometres south of Cancun International Airport. While Cancún is a planned city created to foster tourism since the early 1970s, Playa del Carmen was originally a fishing village that has developed and grown into one of the trendiest destinations in Mexico. Playa del Carmen is generally quieter than Cancún, offering a more laid-back, chic, and stylish vacation.

With its location on the Playa del Carmen, the Secrets Moxché is a perfect base for exploring the entire Riviera Maya. From here, you can visit the Mayan ruins, their cenotes, water parks or take a ferry to the beautiful island of Cozumel. The resort is a 10-minute drive from Playa del Carmen's famed Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue). The pedestrian thoroughfare runs parallel to the beach and offers an array of shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions beckoning travellers to discover the rich tapestry of Mexican culture and hospitality.

The Unesco World Heritage site Chichén Itzá is located a two-hour drive West of the Secrets Moxché and can easily be visited on a daytrip. Chichén Itzá was one of the largest Maya cities, with the densely clustered core site covering an area of at least 5 square kilometres. The pyramid-shaped Temple of Kukulcán (El Castillo) is the most famous of the buildings at the archaeological site. Indeed, it is one of the most photographed structures in the world. 

Secrets Moxché is an all-suites property, although the term suite is not entirely accurate as most are simply very large rooms labelled Junior Suites. There are a total of 478 Junior Suites, two Master Suites, four Paramount suites, and one Stellar Presential Penthouse. Junior Suites come with gardens views or ocean views, and 42 Junior Suites on the ground floor feature private pools.

The beautifully designed 62 square metres (668 sq.ft.) Junior Suites come with a comfortable king-sized bed, a sitting area, contemporary wooden furniture, a 55” television, a well-stocked minibar - that is part of the all-inclusive offering - and a Nespresso machine for the perfect morning pick-me-up. Each suite is a masterpiece of design, seamlessly blending contemporary aesthetics with discreet Mexican accents to create a space that is both luxurious and inviting. From the plush bedding and spacious layout to the breathtaking ocean views from many suites, every detail has been meticulously curated to ensure a truly indulgent experience for guests.

A highlight of the suites are the beautiful bathrooms, offering a separate room for the toilet and another room with an oversize walk-in shower. Some suites feature a bathtub in the bathroom, while many suites have the bathtub spectacularly placed out on the balcony. Plush robes and slippers are available in each suite, and all guests are gifted a Secrets-branded tote bag, ideal for visits to the pools or the beach.

As in all Secrets resorts, a tablet is available next to the bed, offering details of restaurants, bars, entertainment, and activities at the resort. Room service can also be ordered from the tablet. A clever feature of each suite is the Secret Box located by the entrance door to the suite. Accessible both from the corridor and from inside the suite, the box allows for absolute discretion when accepting room service or other deliveries to the suite.

In an unusual move, more than half of the suites are Preferred Club suites. While all Junior Suites are largely similar in design, Preferred Club suites come with access to the Observatory and infinity pool located on the rooftop of the main building. The Observatory restaurant and bar serves breakfast and lunch, plus drinks until early evening. Guests staying in Preferred Club suites also have access to the Preferred Club lounge and dedicated check-in discretely tucked away behind the main reception area. All Preferred Club suites are in premium locations and offer upgraded minibars and bath amenities plus dedicated Floor Concierges.

Secrets Moxché welcomes small dogs to stay in guestrooms. Furry friends are offered food and water bowls, a Secrets Resorts & Spas-themed dog bed and toys.

At Secrets Moxché, a dedicated team of 1,000+ staff ensure that every guest's needs are met with warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail. From the moment of arrival, guests are greeted with genuine hospitality, a smile and “hola!” as you walk by. Most staff speak excellent English.

The resort boasts an impressive array of facilities. From the multitude of swimming pools and cenotes to the state-of-the-art fitness centre, there is no shortage of opportunities for relaxation, rejuvenation, and adventure. The world-class Secrets Spa offers a sanctuary of serenity, where guests can indulge in an array of luxurious treatments and therapies. While spa services come at an extra charge, guest staying in Preferred Club suites enjoy a complimentary relaxing experience.

The Secrets Entertainment Team organises events including kayak races, water volleyball, water polo, yoga, archery, Pickleball, and tennis clinics.

There are 11 swimming pools at the Secrets Moxché. Seven pools, three man-made cenotes, and a rooftop infinity pool for guests staying in Preferred Club Suites. Each pool is impressive in its own, but the most spectacular one is the massive palm-fringed lagoon, featuring a genuine sand beach, decking with lounge chairs, the elevated vegan Bamboo restaurant (that you can swim under!) and The Cove beach bar. Some parts of the lagoon are shallow while other parts are much deeper.

The beach at Secrets Moxché is well maintained and comes with plenty of lounge chairs, tiki huts, palm trees and attentive service. The water is however not ideal for swimming, at least not without swimming shoes to protect your feet from sharp objects and rough surfaces.

Guests staying at the Secrets Moxché enjoy discounted green fees at Gran Coyote Riviera Maya and El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course. A range of full and half-day tours and excursions are available from the Amstar desk in the lobby. Amstar is also the official hotel partner for airport transfers.

An impressive feature of the resort is the large Moxché Theatre, offering nightly production shows that rival many cruise ships or Las Vegas hotels. Shows include Cirque Deliria, Elements and Quirky. 

The resort is a large property offering a multitude of activities and places to relax, yet it is still compact enough to be easily navigated on foot. Secrets Moxché's architectural design is a testament to elegance and sophistication, with every detail meticulously crafted to create a space that is as visually stunning as it is inviting.  In the old Mayan language - Moxché loosely translates to “the root surrounding the tree”. This is reflected in the design concept throughout the resort, from the layout of the outdoor areas to the handcrafted wood accents in the lobby.

The resort has been cleverly designed with the lobby on the third floor, high above the lagoon and most restaurants that sit below on the ground floor. As guest arrive, they are immediately impressed by the open-air design and stunning ocean views. Secrets Moxché is split into two main buildings that are connected on the lower floor. The lobby, most food and beverage venues and function rooms are in the main building parallel to the beach, while a second wing hosting most suites stands at a 90-degree angle, connecting the main building with the oceanfront on the northern site of the property. The Impression Moxché by Secrets stands on the southern side of the property, effectively creating a U-shaped resort with the lagoon in the centre.

Cancun and the Riviera Maya represent some of the most competitive all-inclusive destinations in the world. There is an endless number of all-inclusive resorts in the region, with 5-star properties fighting fiercely to offer the very best. Guests benefit from the intense competition and enjoy all-inclusive which is truly phenomenal. Even considering the wealth of alternatives, the Secrets Moxché has successfully positioned itself as one of the very best all-inclusive properties in the region. Behind this success lies a commitment to making each dining venue stand on its own, with dedicated Master Chefs that strive to make “their” venue unique.

The overall quality of food is excellent, as is the selection of top-shelf liquor, cocktails, beers, freshly squeezed juices, speciality coffees and other non-alcoholic beverages. 

The culinary journey at Secrets Moxché is a gastronomic delight, with an eclectic selection of restaurants and bars offering a tantalizing array of flavours and cuisines to suit every palate and preference. Guest staying at Secrets Moxché enjoy unlimited access to 11 unique dining options coupled with eight bars, plus 24-hour Room Service. You can easily spend a week at the resort and enjoy dinner at a new restaurant every night.

The largest restaurant at the resort is the Market Café on the third floor of the main building. This international buffet restaurant serves breakfast and lunch with endless options and live cooking stations.

Most speciality restaurants are located on the ground floor along the man-made sandy beachfront of the lagoon. Like pearls on a string, there are five excellent à la carte restaurants located next to each other. Dos Almas serves southeast Mexican cuisine and even has a dedicated tequila bar. Ember is labelled as a “fire kitchen”, serving grilled or smoked dishes utilizing a variety of wood logs or chips to bring out the flavours of each dish. Suki is an excellent Japanese restaurant offering sushi and contemporary Nippon cuisine plus four Teppanyaki tables (reservations required). Allora is the Italian restaurant of the resort, serving pizzas from a wood-fired oven, handmade pastas, sumptuous antipasti and more. Bisou is the dimly lit fine dining restaurant of the Secrets Moxché, serving French cuisine in an elegant setting. Unfortunately, the five speciality restaurants are only open for dinner.

There are three casual restaurants at the Secrets Moxché. Seasoul is an all-day restaurant located by the beach - serving a fusion of Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on seafood.  Barefoot Grill is located between the lagoon and the main pool, offering burgers, pizzas, tacos, and sandwiches in an informal setting. In a creative move that deserves special credit, Secrets Moxché also offers Bamboo – a unique vegan restaurant by the lagoon serving breakfast and lunch with a mix of pan-Asian delicacies and other plant-based specialities. While Bamboo is a dedicated vegan restaurant, all other dining venues also offer special vegan and vegetarian menus.

Coco Café is a coffee shop open around the clock, serving speciality coffees, pastries, cookies, sandwiches and more.  

Guest staying in Preferred Club suites enjoy access to the rooftop Observatory, located at the 9th floor of the main building. This is the perfect place for casual breakfast or lunch with breathtaking views of the resort and the Caribbean Sea.

Besides the included experience, guests at Secrets Moxche can improve the culinary experience in every restaurant, Tanoshii, located inside Suki restaurant is an omakase bar with tailored service with a set menu with top-notch products cooked in front of the guest.

In the same mood, Dos Almas has a Taco Bar with a curated selection of recipes from the most representative states of Mexico. At Ember, guests can improve the epicurean journey by ordering a special aged piece of meat.

Between Allora and Bisou, the wine cellar is the perfect place to relish a private dinner for small groups of up to 10 people - and for oenophiles, the wine boutique is the place to enjoy a tasting session or to order a special wine for dinner.

 In line with the brand name - Secrets Moxché also offers a secret bar! Hiding behind the resort pharmacy - The Gypsy Club is a speakeasy bar and nightclub accessible only by quoting a secret password that changes daily. The Pharmacy is a fully functioning pharmacy by day, but from 10:30 p.m. each evening a secret door leading to The Gypsy Club is available to anyone with the (easily obtained) password.

There is also a plethora of bars dotted around the resort, including the two-story Dark Horse sports bar (complete with a golf simulator!), the Moxché Lobby Bar, the Sugar Reef and Mantarray swim-up pool bars, The Cove beach bar overlooking the lagoon, and the Moxché Theatre Bar.

As a responsible steward of the environment, Secrets Moxché is committed to promoting sustainability and eco-conscious practices throughout its operations. Technology plays a lead role in sustainability at the Secrets Moxché. The resort has implemented a range of initiatives aimed at minimizing its ecological footprint and preserving the natural beauty of its surroundings, including energy-efficient measures, waste reduction programs, and partnerships with local conservation organizations.

Secrets Moxché is also committed to giving back to the local community, including a special focus on supporting disadvantaged children in Playa del Carmen with donations collected for heart surgeries. The resort aims to brighten the lives of those in need.