The Secrets To All-Inclusive Success In Akumal
with Nina Slawek
Tranquil setting
Muted colours, wood tones dominate
Our heated swim out pool
The beach
Yummy lobster thermidor
My host, Sales Manager, Maria Rivas
The Spas luxurious solid green marble counters
Who’s that
man running onto the stage?
If the secret to running a great company is
hiring great people, my recent experiences with AMResorts go a long way towards
explaining that company
’s explosive growth.
Everyone at Open Jaw who has had dealings with VP Sales Jan LaPointe knows she fits that category, but a first stay at an AMResorts property – Secrets Akumal on the Riviera Maya – deepened that impression, with standouts including Secrets Akumal Sales Manager Maria Rivas and Preference Club room concierege, Karen Baez. These are smart people delivering a smart product.
Located near Tulum, Secrets Akumal opened
in November and is quickly becoming a favourite among Secrets aficionados – of
which, I have learned, there are many.
The impression among devotees is that this
property is being groomed as the showcase resort for the brand, a title now
held by Secrets Maroma Beach, located further up the coast. The presence of
star GM Eric Freudenthaler attests to that.
Like LaPointe, Freudenthaler is a
transplanted Canadian. Though he’d rather be running a hotel than doing a media
interview, he was generous in sharing his thoughts on the challenges of launching a new property.
Building a reputation for quality is not easy on a stretch of Mexican
coastline that may well contain the world’s most competitive all-inclusive
market, and where each new opening seems to raise the bar.
“Certainly, all the hotel groups look to
deliver more for a good price,” says Freudenthaler.
“We monitor the innovations and the
product. But it’s the team that makes all the difference. It’s what maintains
the credibility of the product. Ultimately, it’s the performance of the people
which helps deliver a similar format and a similar vision. Because of that,
Secrets has a very high repeat factor. Many guests return 5 to 6 times a year.”
Secrets
To Success In Akumal
Overview
The service at Secrets Akumal is as close
to flawless as I have known in my limited ITC experience. Small omissions can
be forgiven when staff are cheerful and well-intentioned.
The décor and architecture is warm and
inviting with natural materials used throughout. The local teak used throughout
the property – from the oversized doors to the knotted root tables – as well as
extensive use of natural limestone, creates a soothing atmosphere.
Amenities and room features are well
designed and of excellent quality. Light
switches are in all the right places – easy to reach and set up for reading or
atmosphere. And I can assure you the shower bath fixtures were not bought at
Home Depot. These are solid, expensive, pieces of equipment spewing forth water
pressure that can fill an over-sized Jacuzzi tub in 2 minutes flat. The AC was
so silent I had no idea when it was running.
The
Physical Setting
Reflecting the recent opening, the trees
and shrubbery at Secrets Akumal have some maturing to do, but the landscaping
is a lovely meandering of paths and bridges.
The Akumal Bay beach is a beautiful stretch
with sugary sand. The property provides great loungers and lots of shade from
thatched umbrella stations as well as beach attendants who hop to it and set
you up with comfy thick towels rolled into head rests.
The ocean almost right in front of the
property is also a natural habitat for sea turtles – which is both a blessing
and a curse. It’s great to grab the complementary snorkeling equipment and wade
right in.
But it also attracts hordes of visiting
snorkelers and their guides who keep being swept onto the beach in their
fluorescent life vests. So the view is continually dotted with 4 or 5 brightly
coloured marching snorkel brigades. Life could be worse… but we finally moved
over to the far side where the ‘aahhh’ surf was once again ours to enjoy.
The
Food
It has to be said that great effort is put
into creating signature experiences in the varied themed restaurants - for which no reservations are required. From the
French Bordeaux to Argentinian steak house -- the décor and hot and cold
running waiters is fabulous.
Highlights of the a la carte restaurants
for us were the rich, authentic dishes at Portofino and an amazing lobster
thermidor at the French specialty restaurant Bordeaux.
We were disappointed with the steak at the
Seaside Grill, finding it tough and extremely salty, as well as the dinner at
the Himitsu restaurant which offered a very Americanized assortment of Asian
dishes.
Our experience at the Mexican El Patio was
what one fears in Mexico – great chefs offering what they think North Americans
think of as Mexican food. As Carlos Miramonte, the assistant F&B Manager
told us: “We have to cater to every nationality and every taste – whether
French, Italian, Mexican or American. And the staff is trained to recognize the
various proclivities. If you want habanero sauce, they will bring it.” And they
did. And it helped.
For my palate, the best food by far was
served at the elegant buffet-style restaurant Market Café. Here the chefs don’t
hold back from offering incredible Mexican sauces and salsas, tamales, chilaquiles,
freshly grilled fish, a delicious variety of freshly baked breads, French
cheeses, artichokes, and, according to my husband, the bestest, crispiest bacon
he’s ever had.
Preferred
Club
For the difference in price, I would highly
recommend advising clients to consider the Preferred Club rooms. Besides being
in prime locations close to the beach, the additional perks are well worth it –
from the heated private swim-out pool (heaven after a long night at the disco),
to additional amenities to the helpful floor concierge. We particularly enjoyed
and took advantage of the Preferred Club lounge. It was a congenial meeting
place for a drink, a snack and a game of scrabble.
Aah,
The Spa
The Secrets Spa by Pevonia is breathtaking.
They have combined indoor and outdoor sanctuaries and water pools to create a
truly relaxing environment. A private attendant offers water, teas and fresh towels.
As I wobbled out of the place, feeling like
warm rubber after a massage and hydrotherapy, I stopped to ask the receptionist
how she saw her role and the overall purpose of the spa. The smiling, open
young face didn’t miss a beat in responding: “I see many people arrive. Some
sad. Some angry. Some just stressed. And when they leave their faces are
totally changed. That makes me happy.” [I nearly adopted her.]
Entertainment
The resort brings in top-notch musicians
and performers for a variety of evening of shows as well as evening musical
accompaniment at the lobby bar.
On our last night, my husband couldn’t hold
back anymore. During the rock portion of the show he stormed the stage and
began gyrating with the band. That’s how good they were.
Atmosphere
The overall ambience is friendly and
engaging. Always ready to share a smile or laugh with guests, staff seem
genuinely excited about their work and the prospect of developing this new
property.
The view from the Romance Master Suite
The resort seems to attract a friendly and cultured crowd and we spent many an evening engrossed in lively conversation with other couples. Ages ranged from young adults travelling with parents to middle aged couples like ourselves. There were also a number of seniors with mobility issues and the resort is extremely well set up for wheelchair access.
As the charming Sales Manager, Maria Rivas,
told me during a tour of the property: “the ‘no wristbands’ policy and the
philosophy it embraces creates a quality, hassle-free vacation and tends to attract
an educated, respectful clientele.”
The
Box
An overview of a Secrets resort would not
be complete without mentioning ‘the box.’ Perhaps many of you have already
experienced the joys of the Secrets Box – but I found it an absolute
revelation.
A secret compartment in all rooms can be
accessed by room service to either drop off your meal or drinks, or pick up
your left-overs. So if you’re enjoying an intimate Jacuzzi moment with your
partner and fancy some chilaquiles and guacamole, you don’t even have to put on
your bathrobe to open the door. The room service attendant will simply slip the
goods into the box and slip away.
In fact, if your ‘do not disturb’ light is
on, your doorbell (yes, doorbell) isn’t even active.
The
Neighbourhood
The tiny town of Akumal is a short walk
from the property. There isn’t much in the way of shopping, but further down
the road is a treasure trove for avid snorkelers at the Yalku lagoon. We didn’t
even have to get in the water to watch the beautiful fish in this huge natural aquarium.
Overall
Experience
The all-inclusive world has certainly
undergone a sea change since my last experience. So much so, it was easy to
forget I was not at an EP hotel.
As I’ve been working with AMResorts for a
few years now on various projects such as the Open Jaw Headliners, I was eager to
experience the product firsthand. I found that it lived up to GM Eric
Freudenthaler’s claim: “Secrets delivers
what they promise.”
As Maria Rivas told me: “Whenever someone
takes the time to fly to Cancun – to cross this door – they are actively
choosing us. And we have an obligation to take care of them. This is our home
and they are our guests.”
On that note, the “Welcome Home!” greeting bestowed
by staff to each bedraggled, jet lagged, lily-white arrival is a joy. It must
get old for the people who work at Secrets – but when you’re thirsty for some
sun, sand and rest, it is medicine.
Short video demonstration on how to make Secrets Akumal guacamole!
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