Location Villa de luxe Riviera Maya Playa Secreto avec piscine privée et personnel Yucatan Mexique   (1)

Why anyone would venture to Cancun and not stay at the Hacienda del Secreto is beyond me. Even if you have a hankering to go to a restaurant and club in Cancun, you can do so from here, just ask the incredibly attentive staff for a car to take you and wait for you until you are done carousing. That way you won't end up at three o 'clock in the morning wearing your underwear on your head on a chaise lounge by a hotel swimming pool, another victim of someone slipping something in your drink. But I digress... Amazing in every way. an inexpensive alternative to the hotel scene, one where you basically have your own beach to play with, your own casa to live in, your own pool to swim in. No, you don't share the pool with anyone else, they have their own. Accommodations: Far, far, more spacious and wonderful than any Four Seasons, Montage, or Ritz Carlton in which I've stayed. Those hotels still have a hotel cyborgs-are-in-control sterile feel to them, and this property feels like a home. Internet is great (perhaps too good as it kept me in touch with my job), People: This is the thing that stands out far and above. The service staff can't do enough for you, and they do so without that poke-you-in-the-chest sort of ubiquitous presence you receive at bigger hotels. They are there if you need them to get your son to the hospital to take a grain of sand out of his eye, they are there if you need them to get you to a place to visit local tourist places, they are there for anything. They are awesome, the best service staff I've seen. Special shout out to Mauricio, in charge of Guest Services. The best. Food: The food is simple and very well prepared. They will stock your fridge for you with whatever, and will deliver food for breakfast lunch and dinner right to your casa or you can eat in the common room. The menu is varied enough to keep you interested. Dietary restrictions are dealt with easily and with good spirit. Beach: A lot of fun. I prefer a calmer ocean but the kids like a raucous good wave churner. This was somewhere in between. The Hacienda supplies boogie boards, snorkels, etc. Also, if you want to ride one of those parachutes-attached-to-a-boat thingies, totally no problem. Management: Skillful, the owners have done an excellent job in attracting excellent staff. We were totally impressed. Their business model seems to be do it better than everyone else and people will come back. Cost: Are you kidding me? Had we stayed at the Mayakoba it would have been 4x the cost. Seriously. I am not embellishing. Why would you do that and be trapped in one of those hotels? Crazy. This was one of the best places I've ever stayed. Dimmy's Five Star Rating for sure.