Checking In: Secrets the Vine Cancun

Secrets the Vine is an adults-only all-inclusive hotel (say that five times fast). I have never stayed at an all-inclusive hotel before so this was a first for me. But after our week in Tulum, we decided to redeem our travel points and splurge a little in Cancun as a little R&R. Sometimes you need a vacation from your vacation, am I right?

Cancun is full of all-inclusive hotels, but this is one of the most well-known options. Here is my review of my stay at Secrets the Vine Cancun

The Hotel & Checking In

Secrets the Vine Cancun is pretty impressive. Upon arrival, we left our luggage outside with the concierge as they spray down luggage to sanitize it before transferring it to our room. As we entered the lobby, the concierge took our temperature and handed us each a glass of champagne. What a great start to our day!

The check-in process was quite simple and the front desk was extremely friendly. Secrets is pretty swanky, I have to say. Every detail, from the air freshener to the beautiful lobby makes it feel like you’re on a grand vacation.

Our Room at Secrets the Vine Cancun

We booked a room with a full ocean view, not to be confused with the ocean-front view. We misunderstood what full ocean view meant, thinking that our room would open up completely to the ocean. Instead, our room faced the side but had a great view of the ocean once you step out onto the balcony.

Our room came equipped with a tablet to control the TV, lights, and order room service. Everything was sanitized and all care essentials were packaged in plastic baggies. Our bed was super comfortable, or at least better than what we had in Tulum.

Food and Drinks

There are two reasons why I have never stayed in an all-inclusive hotel. One, I’m not one to hang out at a hotel all day. Two, I have always heard that food in all-inclusive hotels is bad. That has always deterred me from staying in resorts. I am such a foodie at heart and tend to plan travels around where to eat. In this case where we used our travel points to pay for our stay, we figured it would be worth it.

There’s an Asian fusion restaurant, a Mediterranean lunch spot, a breakfast buffet, a steakhouse, and a sports bar. There’s also a 24-hour stand that serves coffee, desserts, and pretzels. I would say the food is subpar, but not terrible. What makes the all-inclusive price worth it is the alcohol. What we ended doing was having breakfast and lunch at the hotel, drank our money’s worth of cocktails, and had dinner at Rosa Negra. Always say yes to Rosa Negra.

The Amenities

There are three infinity-like pools and one hot tub at Secrets the Vine Cancun and they are all incredible! There are daily activities, like pool trivia, that you can participate in. You can always head down to the private beach where there are day beds and cabanas to lounge in. We spent a lot of our time by the pool, relaxing, drinking, tanning, and swimming.

They also have wine and champagne tasting everyday at 3pm in the lobby. All you need to do is sit down at the communal table before it starts and you can participate in some wine tasting! There’s also a sports bar upstairs with a pool table and numerous TVs to watch baseball games.

Is Secrets the Vine Cancun Worth It?

If you’re on a romantic getaway or on a honeymoon and don’t want to think about itineraries, this hotel is worth it. Would I pay out of pocket to stay here (instead of using travel points)? Probably not. Overall, Secrets the Vine Cancun is pricey but the attention to detail makes up for some of the cost. The free alcohol also makes up for the price tag, but the food has room for improvement. I think travelers are better off staying at a regular hotel in Cancun and exploring the town on your own.