Luxe Intimacy at Secrets Tulum Resort & Beach Club
By Regina Baraban
Fans of “The Bachelor” know that the final episodes of each season take place in swoon-worthy locales. The latest, featuring adorable tennis pro Joey Graziadei, culminated in Tulum, Mexico with three romantic one-on-one dates and Joey presenting the final rose to Kelsey Anderson (also adorable—we have hopes for these two). A recent visit to the place where it happened, Secrets Tulum Resort & Beach Club, revealed an appealing combo of lush jungle indulgence at the main resort with a boho-chic beach club a 20-minute shuttle drive away.
Clients will appreciate flying nonstop to the new Tulum airport (TQO), which has introduced direct flights from Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas and Miami. It was a treat to skip the Cancun crowds and arrive closer to our destination, a 40-minute ride that took us through the trendy town before arriving at the brand-new Secrets Tulum, part of Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection.
ROOMS
Luxury, Romance, Seclusion
Arriving at the resort, we were blown away by the cenote-inspired architecture and interior design that brings the outside in, with elements of sand, wood, stone, water and native vegetation. The overall atmosphere exudes casual luxury, with friendly service that includes the iconic Hyatt “Welcome Home” greeting at check-in.
The 3-story circular layout of four connected buildings creates a giant circle of luxe seclusion with nine pools, eight dining options, five bars, gorgeous outdoor venues, a beautiful spa/fitness center and 300 guest suites. It’s a learning experience to navigate the resort, helped by signage and friendly staff. We were impressed with the lushly landscaped pool options and Bali beds that invited relaxation. Even though there was a full house and a lively destination wedding party during our visit, the resort had plenty of lovely spaces for quiet R&R, and it never felt crowded.
All guestrooms at the resort are 657 sq. ft. or larger with furnished balconies or terraces. Ours felt like an immaculate oasis of tranquility, warmed by natural wood and stone. That bathroom! It’s huge and made for couples, with double sinks and a gigantic rain shower with pebbly-stone flooring. A soaking tub is located on the balcony.
Secrets is an all-adult, no-wristband all-inclusive, with a Preferred Club option that has extra amenities. A delicious breakfast at the Preferred Club’s Bluewater Grill, an outdoor hideaway nestled within the trees, was our favorite culinary experience.
RUINS
Indigenous Adventures
While clients can enjoy an indulgent and fun getaway at the resort and beach club, they can also enrich their experience by connecting with the local culture and history of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. A visit to the Tulum ruins—the only Mayan city built on the Caribbean Sea—tells stories of a singular civilization. Our excursion (provided by Amstar, the resort’s DMC), also took us to a snorkeling site and a standout swimming experience in Cenote Sac Actun, part of an underwater cave system. After showering to remove all sunscreen, walking down to the cave and donning life jackets, we slid into the cool, dark waters with only our guide’s flashlight leading the way. Floating along this otherworldly waterworld with all manner of mineral formations around us, including stalactites hanging above like giant trumpets, bells and trunks and columns of stalactites and stalagmites joined together, was mind-blowing.
Another immersive and unforgettable local experience took place outside the resort’s spa, where a shaman led us through an indigenous Temazcal ceremony, a Mexican ritual in a steamy hut on the sand that dates back to pre-Columbian times. Our shaman, who comes from a family of ceremonial “guardians” of the ritual, explained its purification and healing benefits before we entered the hut. Over the next few hours, he and his helpers filled a central pit with red-hot volcanic rocks and healing herbs as we learned about the female and male elements of earth, water and wind; sweated out the toxins; joined in the chanting; and eventually emerged from a hypnotic (and very hot) environment feeling relaxed and cleansed. While this experience is not on the spa menu, advisors can arrange it for clients.
ARIEL VIEW
For Travel Advisors
Confidant Collective, the online advisor website for Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection portfolio, was redesigned in May 2023 with an online education program and loyalty program featuring exclusive resources and a full suite of best-in-class tools for advisors to become experts on the portfolio. Advisors will find a more agile and user-friendly dashboard as well as a mobile app. The website includes Confidant Learning, an interactive online educational platform that encompasses all brands in the Inclusive Collection portfolio and Confidant Rewards, with opportunities for advisors to register and redeem bookings as well as to earn additional points and redemption rewards the more they book.
“All tools have been created with the intention of fueling growth and supporting the continued success of both the travel advisor community and the Inclusive Collection portfolio, and we continually enhance and evolve offers to best support our loyal travel advisor community,” says Mark Benson, Associate VP, Sales and Strategy for Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection.