You may remember we went to Cancún for our 5th anniversary (read about our stay here) and said it would be such a fun trip to come with our group of friends too. So when we started planning my 40th birthday trip, this was one of the locations that kept popping back up! We went to a different resort this time, and it was the perfect spot for our group! Now there are several all inclusive resorts in Cancún to pick from – couples forward, kid friendly, party spots, and chill spots.
Glenn originally had set up everything at another resort, then they canceled everything due to renovations and we had to regroup. Thankfully, that was in December so basically a year prior so we were good to go! (Pro Tip: Always recommend planning ahead way in advance for trips – gives you something to look forward to, allows limited stress during the trip on decisions, and allows you to properly set aside funds!)
We went to Secrets The Vine – and I would categorize it as one of the “chill spots” from the vibes above. And that’s EXACTLY the vibe we were going for. In fact, when searching for the new spot, one of the reviews said something to the effect of “this place was too low key – don’t come here if you want to go crazy and party” and we said sign us up! In fact, this trip was so perfectly timed in terms of need for relaxation, restoration, and quality time with our friends that I did an absolutely awful job of taking pictures. And I’m not mad about it. Just another reason why you should schedule a trip with your best friends to get away and just BE together! (on that note, several photos below are from the resort’s website because of that.)
As it was my 40th birthday, they wanted to do something fun for our travel day. Before we went through security in Atlanta, we made a pit stop by the restrooms as per usual, but when they guys were taking longer than usual, and then I was the only one watching the luggage I got a little curious. I would have NEVER guessed that they were all changing into birthday shirts (I had already been given one to wear myself that was low key and not very ostentatious (I tend to not love being the center of attention) so it was perfect to show yes I was the birthday girl but let’s not get too crazy).
Well. To my utter embarrassment (and deep love and appreciation) our crew traveled with my face on their shirts and were stopped by just about everyone we came across for birthday wishes and smiles and sentiments of how awesome it was that we had such an incredible group of friends – and on that I concur!
Accommodations
They have a few options for rooms and suites and we all were on the same floor which was great! While I love a fancy room, we never spend lots of time in our hotel on trips (of any kind) so we never opt for the top tier but let me tell you, every level here is spot on. Plus when we arrived they had a birthday “cake” set up in our room and a banner on our door!
Restaurants
They had several restaurants on site, however if you were wanting to adventure outside the resort, there are plenty of spots nearby including Señor Frogs and several at the large shopping center La Isla both of which are accessible via taxi.
Bluewater Grill | Indoor and outdoor setting offering fine-dining menu with grill and steak specialties.
Dragons | Elegant, eclectic fine dining celebrating the distinctive flavors found in the Far East. (one of our favorites – we visited multiple times!)
Sea Salt Grill | The best of gourmet Peruvian cooking with a fresh catch of the day (SO fresh and a great lunch spot.)
Market Café | Lively, casual atmosphere with international fare for breakfast and lunch and authentic à la carte Mexican cuisine for dinner. (Perfect buffet breakfast with lots of options and flowing mimosas and coffee!)
Half Time | Draft beer, snacks, finger foods, and flat screen TV ́s (Would have been a good mid day snack spot, but they didn’t serve apps early sadly.)
Barefoot Grill | Light lunch specialties in a relaxed area near the pool. (Easy to grab at the pool!)
Barracuda | Exotic cocktails and beers in the beach area.
Manatees | Tropical drinks and beer overlooking the ocean and pool area. (This was our go to bar – our chairs were right in front of here and from our spot we could see multiple pools and the beach. Plus the bar has a bathroom on the back side so truly we picked the best spot!)
Nebbiolo Ristorante | Indoor and outdoor dining featuring classic antipasti bar, stone-oven pizza and classic Italian specialties.
Olio | Flavors from Tunisia, Morocco, Greece and Spain prepared fresh daily, alongside panoramic Nichupte Lagoon views.
Red Vine Piano Lounge | Serves national and international wines suggested by sommelier in a sleek, romantic setting with soft live music and intimately-lit dance floor. (This is where the Icons show was and was a good pre dinner spot to grab a cocktail inside.)
Sugar Reef | Elegant cocktails and beer overlooking the ocean and pool areas.
The Vine Bazaar: The Vine Bar | Mexican handcrafted wood table with seating for up to 14 guests, and sommelier-led tastings of some of the world’s finest wine collections.
The Vine Bazaar: The Café | Premium coffee and snacks in a casual and relaxed atmosphere and late-night bites. (morning espressos and lattes as well as frozen lattes to bring to the pool certainly hit the spot!)
The Vine Bazaar: The Vine Lounge and Terrace Bar | Enjoy delectable cocktails, tropical drinks and beer overlooking the ocean. (This was a great shady spot for cocktail hour prior to meals and when we first arrived!)
There are also private dining experiences you can book as well! And most days they brought out a fresh fish to the pool and cooked under a tent – fresh tuna, sushi, sashimi, and more! And of course, we had to find a celebratory churro during our trip.
Day Time Activities
The main activity at this resort is the beach and the several pools!
- Two infinity and terrace swimming pools
- Outdoor oceanview hot tub
- Exclusive Preferred Club-only swimming pool
- Poolside waitstaff available
- All pools contain chlorine and are heated
There is a gym that has a spectacular view so you don’t have to miss a workout as well. There are also activities throughout the day that you can find on the app while there. The app is so helpful in general! You can view a map of the resort, see times and dress code for each restaurant, along with menus. There you can order room service too! And you can request housekeeping, reserve a cabana, and book spa experiences too. Each day the activities are listed as well as the nightly entertainment. You can see about a week out if you’re a planner too!
Some examples of the daily activities:
- Pictonary in the pool
- Connect Four in the pool
- Black Jack in the pool
- Water Aerobics / Aquafitness
- Yoga
- Bingo
- Trivia
- Wine Tasting
- Tequila Tasting
- Volleyball (water & beach)
- Sandy Pickleball
- Cornhole
- Zumba
- Bracelet Making
- Dance Class
- Spanish Class
- Guacamole Class
- and more!
The music at the pool was upbeat but not too loud, and we mostly spent the days chatting in the pool and making friends with some other guests. The pool activities were fun too and always funny. So much laughter and joy!
Night Time Activities
The nighttime activities range from Mariachi performances, live DJs and bands, Karaoke, Impersonation performances, Casino Night and more. We did the Casino night and it was a blast! Especially as it was fake money, you got the exhilaration of a casino without breaking the bank. The Icons impersonation show was great as well, and was such a vibe.
There is a casino and lots of shopping, including luxury boutiques, and even a movie theater in La Isla (less than 10 minutes away) if it was too rainy or you needed to do something different. There are also several tours & excursions that you can book through the resort as well. The Riviera Maya area offers plenty of full and half-day tours and excursions to discover the wonders of the Caribbean sea and rich culture of the region and authentically connect with Mayan history. Chichen Itza & Tulum are two such options that I would suggest if you have never explored Mexico previously!
Spa
The spa had the usual options for massages, facials, and more. Prior to our appointments, we did the hydrotherapy experience and it was actually so nice that it was regimented for us! We went through a series of hot and cold water therapies and saunas and steam rooms before splitting for our appointments and it was so relaxing. We typically do a spa day on our Vegas trips so we’ve been to several spas over the years and I must say, this experience ranks as one of the top ones!
Travel
We flew from Atlanta direct to Canún which was lovely and booked our ride to the resort prior to the trip which made things so easy once we were there. After searching options, used Thomas Moore Travel and it was so seamless and fairly inexpensive. We had a private van, and the drive was short and easy. Highly recommend! We had them for the return trip to the airport as well, and just had the concierge get in touch to set the pick up time from the resort. Very easy process! They also do excursion booking, and after our experience with transportation, I would certainly use them to book other trips as well.
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