Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort

Rooms and suites

All 424 rooms are suites. Every one comes with a king bed or two beds, a private furnished balcony or terrace, a full bathroom with rain shower and hydrotub, a daily-restocked minibar and 24-hour room service. The entry-level Junior Suite is around 600 square feet with a garden view.

• Junior Suite and Junior Suite Swim-Out: garden or pool views; the swim-out version opens straight from the terrace into a shared pool channel.
• Preferred Club Junior Suites: partial-ocean, ocean-view, oceanfront and ocean-view swim-out options, all with Preferred Club privileges.
• Preferred Club Master Suites: larger oceanfront suites, including a version with its own private pool.
• Presidential Suites: the top category, for guests who want the most space and the best views.

Tip: swim-out suites are popular with couples, but ground-floor terraces face the shared pool channel. If privacy matters more than pool access, an ocean-view suite on a higher floor is the better pick.

Restaurants and dining

There are nine places to eat on site: five à la carte restaurants, a buffet, two casual grills and a café. Dining is included and generally works without reservations; the hibachi tables at Himitsu are the exception and need to be booked.

• Portofino: Italian à la carte in a Tuscan-style dining room, a favourite for a romantic dinner.
• Bordeaux: French à la carte, the most formal option, dinner only.
• El Patio: traditional Mexican à la carte in a hacienda-style setting.
• Himitsu: Pan-Asian with a sushi bar and teppanyaki (hibachi) tables.
• Oceana: open-air seafood and grill by the sea; breakfast here is for Preferred Club guests.
• Market Café: international buffet for breakfast and lunch.
• Seaside Grill and Barefoot Grill: casual grilled favourites by the pool and beach.
• Coco Café: specialty coffee, pastries and snacks from morning to late evening.

Dress code: daytime venues are casual, but the à la carte restaurants follow a casual-elegance code in the evening. Men need long pants, a shirt with sleeves and closed shoes or dress sandals; flip-flops and swimwear aren’t allowed.

Bars and nightlife

Seven bars and lounges serve unlimited premium and domestic drinks, including a swim-up bar that gets lively by mid-afternoon and beach and pool waiter service. After dinner, live bands and musicians play in the lounges, and Desires, the sports bar and music lounge, stays open until 1:00 a.m. The Showtime Theater hosts a different show each night.

Reviews on the evening entertainment are mixed: some guests love the shows and theme nights, while others find it low-key. If nightlife is a priority, the free-flow access to Dreams Playa Mujeres next door adds more options.

Beach, pools and spa

The beach is wide, soft and swimmable, with calmer water than the Hotel Zone, which makes it good for kayaking and paddleboarding. Playa Mujeres generally gets less sargassum seaweed than beaches further south, and many guests report a clean beach even in the summer season, but no Caribbean beach is guaranteed seaweed-free from roughly May to October.

There are two outdoor pools, including a large free-form pool with the swim-up bar, and four outdoor hot tubs. The 16,000-square-foot Secrets Spa has one of the area’s largest outdoor hydrotherapy circuits, plus massages, facials and body treatments (spa treatments are an extra cost). A fitness center is open to all guests.

Activities and entertainment

The entertainment team runs activities throughout the day, from pool games and dance classes to tennis and beach sports. The daily schedule appears on the tablet in your suite and on boards around the resort. Evenings bring theme nights, a Mexican fiesta on the beach, tribute shows and live music.

Golf

The resort borders the Playa Mujeres Golf Club, an 18-hole course designed by Greg Norman that winds through mangroves and coastal dunes. It’s one of the main reasons golfers choose this resort over others in the area. Check green fees and tee times with the resort when you book.

Preferred Club

The Preferred Club is Secrets’ upgrade level. It includes an upgraded suite in a better location, a separate check-in lounge, an exclusive ocean-view restaurant, a private beach club area, and enhanced room amenities and concierge service. It’s worth considering for honeymoons and special occasions, or if you want quieter spaces away from the main pool.

Who it’s best for

• Best for: couples, honeymooners and anniversaries; golfers; travelers who want a swimmable beach and a calm, upscale setting; anyone who likes variety, thanks to the Dreams exchange.
• Consider another resort if: you’re traveling with children (guests must be 18+); you want to walk to Cancun’s nightlife, shops and restaurants; or big evening shows and parties are your top priority.

Getting there from Cancun Airport

Secrets Playa Mujeres is about 35 minutes by car from Cancun International Airport (CUN), north of the city rather than in the Hotel Zone. Taxis at the airport are expensive and shared shuttles stop at several hotels, so a pre-booked private transfer is usually the fastest and most comfortable option, especially with luggage. You can book a private transfer from Cancun Airport to Secrets Playa Mujeres in advance and have a driver waiting when you land.

Good to know

• Check-in and check-out: check-in from 3:00 p.m., check-out by 12:00 p.m.
• Minimum age: 18. Bring a photo ID and a credit card for check-in.
• Wi-Fi and parking: both free.
• Wristbands: none; your all-inclusive status is linked to your suite.
• Extra costs: spa treatments, golf, off-site excursions and some premium wines and services.

What’s nearby

Playa Mujeres faces Isla Mujeres across the bay, making the island one of the easiest day trips from the resort; a catamaran tour to Isla Mujeres combines reef snorkeling, beach time and free time in town. Downtown Cancun is about ten minutes away, and the Hotel Zone, with its shopping, nightlife and restaurants, is a short drive further.