Our Personal Experience Staying at Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, Mexico: Q&A Edition

Our Personal Experience Staying at Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, Mexico: Q&A Edition

In August 2024, some of our Boscov’s Travel Advisors went on a trip to Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, Mexico! Read about their incredible experience below:

Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, Mexico

Q: How did you get to your destination? Airline? Transfers? – A:

Airline: We flew Frontier Airlines which can be a part of your complete vacation package. Something very near to our hearts is that Frontier Airlines is “America’s Greenest Airline,” with the lowest (by a significant amount) emissions and carbon footprint. The smaller tray tables are large enough for an iPad or Kindle, beverage, phone, or notepad. It even has a ledge so your device is cradled and doesn’t fall or slip off. The arm rests are also thinner to eliminate aircraft weight which also makes the seats wider. They are more comfortable and give more than enough leg room. The flight attendants were friendly and kind. We had a smooth and pleasant flight!

Transfers: We used Amstar’s roundtrip transfers from the airport to the resort. Amstar is one of our preferred transfer and excursion travel partners. The services provided by Amstar really stand out in terms of quality and reliable services. Our transfers were relaxed and comfortable on every level. You can be assured you will have safe and clean transportation, and a safe and secure experience!

Q: What resort did you stay at and was it all-inclusive and for how long? – A: We stayed at Secrets Playa Blanca, Costa Mujeres. Yes, the resort is all-inclusive with food and beverage. We stayed here for three nights.

Lobby

Q: Where is Costa Mujeres? – A: Costa Mujeres is in Mexico, about 30 minutes north of Cancun. This is a very safe area. It is calm and secluded with pristine beaches, clear water and white, soft sand. The resorts are in a gated community and you need to pass security checkpoints to enter into the resorts. Isla Mujeres sits right across of Costa Mujeres which protects the beach from sargassum – a big plus!

Q: What type of room did you stay in? Tell us about it? – A:  We each stayed in a Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View! The room had everything needed including plenty of seating areas, a fully-stocked mini bar, and bedside adjustable reading lights. Plus, the balcony had a sofa, an outdoor tub, and tables. A huge plus was the fantastic bathroom with a magnifying light-up vanity mirror, a soaking tub for two, and big walk-in shower with a clothing line to hang up wet swimsuits. The room décor was beautiful and the beds were very comfortable – it was one of the best nights’ sleeps!

Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View

Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View

Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View

Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View Balcony

Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View Balcony View

Everything was well kept and extremely clean. We had housekeeping service twice a day and towels were always replaced. Even after visiting the beach and getting sand on the floor, it was cleaned up right away during the next service. Since we stayed in the Preferred Club, we were also able to enjoy the Preferred Club Lounge. The lounge is open-air with a huge bar and plenty of space to relax at night. It also had an infinity pool overlooking the ocean – stunning views!

Preferred Club Lounge

Q: What did you love most about the resort? – A: We loved everything the resort had to offer including the most welcoming staff, excellent service, delicious food/drinks, enjoyable entertainment, gorgeous rooms, incredible pools, a pristine beach, and the nature-inspired beauty of the resort. Secrets Playa Blanca is by far one of the nicest all-inclusive resorts we have stayed at.

Pools

Q: How was the staff at the resort? – A: The staff at the resort were truly was amazing. They were friendly, eager to assist you, and happy to be there. Each employee met you with a smile and pleasant greeting (sometimes even by your name!). You could tell everyone took great pride in their work and cared about guests.

Q: How was the dining? – A: The resort offers many dining options including six al a carte restaurants, a buffet, a grill, and a café! The food was outstanding, the buffet had a great variety, and the staff took care of one traveler who had an allergy every time. The food was truly top-notch and we wish we had more time to explore the options even more!

Market Cafe

Q: What was your favorite restaurant? – A: We all have our own favorite from the resort including:

Bordeaux (French Cuisine) was absolutely delicious!

Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Bordeaux food

Coco Café was the perfect place for a morning person with lattes and breakfast! The choices also changed throughout the day so you could pop in and out if you were hungry or leaving the property for an excursion (to grab a quick snack or caffeine).

El Patio offered delicious authentic Mexican cuisine and they even make their own tortillas!

El Patio

El Patio

ASADO, the fire show, including a BBQ dinner was just WOW! The food was plentiful and delicious, and the fire show was incredible (it felt like Cirque du Soleil)! The entire evening was an amazing and authentic experience.

ASADO

Q: How were the bars? – A: The bars were great! We enjoyed the Sports Bar, Music Bar Lounge, Beach Bar and Swim Up Bar! The resort also offers Desires which is a music bar lounge with a DJ, dance floor, and outdoor fire pit.

Q: What types of activities does the resort have? – A: The resort had a multitude of activities! There were exercise classes, pickleball courts, workshops, a theatre (with different shows each night), sunken fire pits to socialize around, and entertainment like a saxophonist at the pool.

 Pickleball Courts

Theatre

Sunken Fire Pit

Sunken Fire Pit at Night

Q: How was the pool and beach? – A: The pools and beach on property were incredible! The chairs were so comfortable that you did not even need a towel to lay down. In the ocean, the water was the prettiest blue you could imagine where you could see straight down to your toes. We know many clients are concerned about sargassum in Mexico, but we must say, the entire area was gorgeous and perfect for those who love the beach!

Pools

Pools 

Pools

Beach

Beach

Q: Is there anything else we did not discuss that you would like to mention? – A:

This resort does not have any wristbands or towel cards, which is something some clients seek when looking for a resort!

When you enter any enclosed space within Secrets Playa Blanca you get a different scent of aromatherapy. The resort implemented this amazing concept and we are all for it! An example of this is: you enter an elevator to smell lavender, but then walk in the sun with the Caribbean breeze to only enter a lobby in the next building and are greeted with the smell of sandalwood. The concept was so incredible and immersive!

With every meal you are offered sparkling or flat water, and given a choice of lemon, lime, or cucumber for your garnish/ flavor.

The team that built this resort paid attention to detail! From the pretty French dishes in the French restaurant, to the olive tree growing in the Italian restaurant, Portofino… all of the restaurants make you feel as if you are stepping into that culture – fabulous!

Olive Tree in Portofino

Q: Who would you say this resort is most suited for? – A: This resort is the perfect adults-only all-inclusive resort and is perfect for any age 18+. The resort is set for young and old, honeymooners, babymooners, friends, families with adult children, and singles – for all!

Q: Would you stay at Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres again? – A:  Yes! This resort surpassed our wildest dreams. The service was top notch, and the facilities were clean and well-maintained. We recommend this resort to anyone wanting to be spoiled. We also think the Preferred Club is worth if it is in your budget!

Sunrise from Preferred Club Jr. Suite Ocean View Balcony View

Does this incredible experience incline you take a trip to Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres? Your local Boscov’s Travel Advisor is ready to assist you in planning whenever you’re ready! Contact your local Boscov’s Travel or call 800-755-8020 or visit  https://www.applevacations.com/?agentId=39894341#!%2F to learn more.

 

A Review of SECRETS Playa Bonita in Panama

The following post is written by Adam from the Boscov’s Travel Marketing Department.  Adam recently vacationed at the new Secrets Playa Bonita in Panama, and shares insider access to the resort, excursions and his overall travel experience booked through Boscov’s Travel.

After Melissa, my wife, and I spent a week at the beautiful Secrets Silversands in the Riviera Maya, and being impressed with the Secrets brand, we decided to pick another for this year’s vacation. We decided we wanted to go somewhere other than Mexico and set about researching the opening of the Secrets resorts in Costa Rica and Panama at the end of 2015. With the assistance of a Boscov’s Travel specialist, we chose to vacation at Secrets Playa Bonita in Panama, as it beats being in Reading, PA when all it does is rain lately.

After the flight and breezing through customs we were picked up by Gamboa Tours for our private transfer to the resort. The resort is about 30 minutes from the Tocumen International Airport (PTY), and Panama City itself is a sight to behold. Our driver did a fantastic job of providing a brief history of Panama as well as information of the more famous buildings that populate the skyline. Panama seems to be in a state of transition, there was a lot of new construction going on everywhere, as well as the demolition of a lot of older buildings.

After making it through the city and crossing the Pacific approach of the Panama Canal on the Bridge of Americas, we finally arrived at Playa Bonita. As always, it’s nice to be greeted with a cold towel and glass of champagne. I don’t know how much refurbishing Secrets did to make it different from the old InterContinental property, but it felt like a Secrets. The property itself was lush and very well maintained and being surrounded by a jungle really gave the resort a sense of privacy.

Panama01

As someone that has spent every summer going to the “shore”, I am always judgmental of other beaches. The beach at Playa Bonita is ideal for swimming in the early morning during high tide, but recedes about 200 yards come low tide. Before our trip we read reviews of the resort and a reviewer recommended water shoes if you wanted to explore the beach during low tide. I would also recommend it, it was interesting to see live sand dollars, crabs, oysters, and exotic fish while exploring the beach and rocks exposed during low tide.

During our stay we decided to take the Gatun Lake Expedition excursion. The expedition begins on the edge of Gamboa, crossing the Chagres River, up to the Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal, while traveling next to ships passing through the canal. This adventure gave us the opportunity to visit several islands occupied by capuchins and howling monkeys, as well as observe numerous bird species. They said there might be sloths, but alas no sloths. It was exciting to see how the canal operates up close. Again our Gamboa Tours driver did a great job of providing information about the area of Gamboa during building of the canal, as well as taking us through the town that was once occupied by American engineers.

Our experience during this trip was great and we appreciated the recommendation from the Boscov’s Travel specialist. First off, the staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to provide us anything when we asked for it. Second, the resort itself from our room to the grounds were beautiful and pristine. And third, the atmosphere by the pools and beach were relaxing and invigorating.

Panama02

Panama03

 

The only thing that didn’t sit well with us during our stay was the restaurant schedule. I believe because of occupancy they decided to rotate opening and closings of restaurants. I realize that the resort is in its infancy, so to speak, but I really felt that could have done a better job in handling the restaurants. Thankfully the resort had exceptional room service and was greatly appreciated on the nights we didn’t wish to have dinner at the buffet.

Overall, the resort is a beautiful with a few kinks that still need to be worked out. Once those kinks are worked out, I believe that Playa Bonita would be a desired destination for anyone wishing to cross off Panama on their dream bucket list.

Panama07

If you’re ready to book your next all-inclusive vacation, email [email protected], call 800-755-8020 or direct message us.

Visit Boscov’s Travel located within select Boscov’s including Pennsylvania (Camp Hill, Colonial Park/Harrisburg, Easton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Neshaminy/Bensalem, Wyomissing, Reading, Pottstown, Pottsville, Scranton, Selinsgrove, Wilkes-Barre), New York (Binghamton), New Jersey (Atlantic City and Moorestown), Delaware (Wilmington), and Maryland (Salisbury).  View our locations here. If you live a little further away, book over the phone by calling us at 800-755-8020. Learn more at boscovstravel.com.