Secret Bay

The natural setting at Secret Bay is truly unique and spectacular, fully immersed in nature. The infrastructure, service, and average food made the stay a bad experience, though. The villas feel outdated and cheaply designed. I can’t understand how a resort that claims to be 6 star isn’t even worth 3 stars, or how Relais & Chateaux ended up taking on this property. It’s completely overpriced for the low level of service and lack of good management.

The villa was amazing, and the location really does feel secret. We had a fabulous, extremely quiet stay. It was well appointed, and the beach and pool were clean and uncrowded. The food and drinks, made with care from natural ingredients, were generally tasty. Dane is the person to see. Service kept this from being five stars. Things we scheduled, like meals to go and carts to take us places, simply never happened, even after we reconfirmed several times. Restaurant service was uneven too: one dinner was quick and amazing, while another had undercooked fish and 30 minutes between courses. If they can improve those things, this is as close to five stars as it gets.

A villa tucked into the rainforest made for a truly unique couples vacation. Secret Bay combines that setting with luxury and great service. The food and drinks were amazing, and the service was great from the airport transfer to the concierge to our host. Shoutout to Materina for the extra help. You can have the villa pool heated for a warm plunge, and special requests can always be made.

We felt very well looked after, with a villa host, concierge, and all the amenities at our disposal. The staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive, and the villas were incredible. The setting blends jungle and beach beautifully, and all the food and drinks were fresh and delicious. We don’t usually splurge on places like this, but I felt it was worth it, especially compared with similarly priced rooms at other nice hotels like the Four Seasons and Ritz.