Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana

Preferred Club Concierge: Josephina at the club lounge… Impeccable service! Always welcoming and gave great recommendations on whatever I asked her about. All of the rest of the concierge staff were pleasant. Henry always took care of making great drinks in the preferred clubhouse bar. Henry took some days off and returned and recognized me as if he never left…but I definitely noticed…nobody makes a drink like Henry! He was superb my entire trip! True highlight. I feel it was worth the cost to stay in the preferred rooms with access to concierge, light eats, Sea Side for breakfast (ocean view), the clubhouse bar, the preferred pool, and the exclusive area of chairs on the beach. Restaurants: Sea side for breakfast: Dominican breakfast was very flavorful even if the eggs were a tad over cooked. A huge amount of food. Service was slow but not a bother. Other mornings, I asked for the eggs over easy and then scrambled and they came out wonderfully. Jorge was particularly welcoming and deserves a shout out. Areana is the hostess with the mostess…always welcoming and cordial Sea Side dinner: had the renowned Rib eye and it did not disappoint. Came on a hot cast iron plate and sizzled. Not many vegetables but the meal was cooked as ordered and I quite enjoyed it. Just a second meal at this restaurant and the service staff like Nelson started recognizing me and remembering my name. I ended up going again for dinner and alas Nelson was working and welcomed me. Nelson always welcomed me day after day and gave good service. Himitsu: Hibachi was good…entertainment wasn't as good as in the U.S. (E.g. Making the steam train or volcano) but the shrimp was cooked and seasoned perfectly and the rest was quite good with a LOT of food served per person. I ended up having this twice (each time with Wilson as the chef). Tamarindo: "Mexican" food but with no hot spice. Aguachili made without chilis… It's a shame. Flank steak was seasoned nicely. Spanish rice was good. I really did not appreciate that they have a table of Mexican alcohol bottles and alcohol boxes at the front of the restaurant yet when I asked for either of the versions of Patron, I was told they don't have any and those are just boxes (for show). In the U.S. this is called false advertising and Secrets management should be ashamed. Spice: dinner service was notably slow but the food was enjoyable. I ordered the Phad Thai, one of only two items listed on the menu with the "spice" rating but alas it had none. Still, it was flavorful and I would get it again. Bluewater Grill (dinner): Fernando came and took my order faster than any previous restaurant visit this trip. Great atmosphere…more setup like a U.S. bar&grill. Miguel was completely on top of refilling my water and my wine. Really, the resort could grow into having this kind of service consistently in every restaurant for every meal. I'm impressed. La Riviera: prompt service (for beverages) and good view sitting outside. Buffet had a good selection of both healthy and natural foods as well as comfort/fried foods and sweets. Poolside service Elías at the preferred pool made great drinks. Jeffrey did a great job with poolside drink service at the preferred pool, remembering my order the next day only after ordering it once the day before. And then, just like that, after asking for another, he forgot…admitted it on the next go around and said he would bring it in a bigger cup, and alas never brought a drink. The next day, I was at the in-pool bar and placed my empty cup with removed lid on the bar…after watching the bartender service the non -guest and his friend, sitting immediately next to me, a triple shot of Brugal Extra Viejo each, I was still not given any attention. So I went to the Now Larimar preferred bar (Sand Bar) and Gabriel took very good care of me. (He was tipped extra as a result). Randy (the trainee) gave the best poolside service I have had the entire trip. As I floated on my raft across the (lazy river) pool, he always found me promptly to deliver drinks. The Spa I enjoyed three different massage types (there is a 4-pack special) and enjoyed each and every one. There are beautiful pools to enjoy before and after (normal with huge fountains, hot jacuzzi, and an ice pool) along with lounges to enjoy in the shade or sun. Front desk service was always very warm and welcoming. Prices were higher (about 25%) than what I am used to back home but tolerable. Out front Francisco was particularly helpful in giving resort directions and various little things here and there from the front of the resort. Beach Yes, there is a lot of seaweed on the beach… But, they run tractors and a machine to collect it and make it not a problem for beach goers. Yes, there are peddlers on the beach but a simple "no gracias" is fine. Down to the left (as you face the ocean) about three more resorts is an outdoor market to buy local souvenirs and locally hand-rolled Dominican Cigars which are not the leftover leaf cuttings rolled cigars… These are quality that hold a tight ash and have a pleasant taste. Overall, I had a pleasant stay and would return. Sure, there were some less than pleasant occurrences but such is life. TIPS: • Take your own insulated cup for drinks • Gentlemen, many of the restaurants (e.g. Sea Side) have 2-person tables situated where one faces away from the ocean view… This means you get the short end of the view with your lady. 2 options: I saw one guy ask and pivot the table 90 degrees so both he and the lady could see. For men with younger women, take the view and tell your lady that she will get better selfies sitting with her back to the ocean. ;) • Consider bringing a raft to float in the pool. The Secrets pool snakes around with a very slight current which kind of makes for a lazy river experience. The resort has some blue float beds but many seem to get taken early in the day and left by a chair more than actually used by people. • The walk to Now Garden is easy and short. There is a path like a sidewalk that goes between Now Garden and Now Larimar. • Espresso is easy to find and is decent • WiFi access was consistently good for me across the resorts. Netflix and YouTube can be viewed in your room (using your own account)

We decided to go to the Dominican to celebrate my 30th and my parents 60th birthdays. We went the 4 of us and 2 other friends. We chose secrets as it was adults only and looked really good. We made a great choice. The hotel was clean and well kept, the staff really friends and professional and the food really good and plenty of choice. The rooms were big and fresh looking with our own Jacuzzi and big balcony. We had our own fridge with drinks roped up every day. The housekeeping was good and fresh towels every day but the only thing that dis annoy us was that they cleaned at different times of the day. Some times even as late as 4pm, which was annoying as there would be days we would want do sleep In the afternoon and they still hadn't done our room. The resturants were great. The Riviera buffet restaurant had all u could imagine in it. Something for everyone. Plenty of meats and fish dishes, salads, fruits, desserts and breaded of all choices. We really loved having our lunches in there and some dinners too. The staff was amazing, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Alwyas ready to help with whatever we needed. Also the restaurant was clean and very sanitary. We made a friend on the beach one day when he was taking orders for wine for dinner. His name was Alfredo. He was amazing we ordered wine with him and from then on there wasn't anything he didn't do for us. Get us tables reserved on all the resturants. The tables were always dressed up with candles and flowers and ready with our drinks also. He was absolutely amazing,5*. Thank you Alfredo and his friends in all the restaurant who ran around for us making everything perfect. You guys made our holiday for us. The seaside girll was wonderful and so was mercure in NOW, them 2 were our favourite restaurants. The beach was always clean. Every morning we would go our for a walk and see the sunrise and thete would always be someone cleaning the beach and all the seaweed. Most of the other hotels didn't have that. The bat staff both at the beach and in the main bar at reception were wonderful. Kept the drinks flowing and always with a smile on their face. We got a phone call the first day we were there from reception asking if everything was ok in our room, I told them our Jacuzzi wasn't working and they fixed asap. They also asked me if we we're there for anything special occasion, I said my birthday. The next day I had a cake in my room, champagne and balloons everywhere. I thought this was wonderful and very caring on their behalf. Put a smile on my face. Me and my mum used the spa in NOW and our massage was wonderful and so werw the facilities. Their entertainment was ok but my favourite was the beach nite with all the flame throwing and live band. They should do that more than once a week. The only reason I havent given the hotel 5* is becuase of the housekeeping and their timing. Some days they came in the evening to do turn down and sometimes they forgot other times our fridge wasn't too as up so we had to call reception for water. This was only a little something but wasn't enough to ruin the hotel for us. I have to mention Daniel our Thompson's rep. He was 5* couldn't do anymore to help us and we loved him,What a guy. All our trips were amazing also. Tks Daniel ur a star. We really enjoyed our holiday and our stay in secrets, we would definitely stay again if we had the chance. We made a few friends, especially Alfredo which we will never forget. Secrets you were great and if you thinking of staying there and are reading my review I say, YES DO IT !! X