TomTravel2

Dreams resorts are family friendly “luxury included” resorts in the Amresorts family of brands along with Secrets Resorts and Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts. The Dreams properties are similar in concept and execution to Secrets in terms of the cuisine and amenities (including the same restaurant concepts for the most part). The main difference is that Dreams are all about the kiddies. Each Dreams resort has a dedicated kid’s program called Explorer’s Club  that makes a vacation more like a summer camp experience for the kids but with a really nice room and great food for Mom and Dad. Now that I am a grandpa, I cannot wait to go to this resort when my little darling is just a bit older!

The grounds of this resort are lush and inviting. I personally look for a green garden setting as one of the most important features of a tropical vacation stay. I am not getting on an airplane to visit someplace that feels like home (and i am rather fond of my home here in Arizona). Dreams Tulum scratched that oh so tropical itch for me very nicely.

To the right in this picture is the new addition to Dreams Tulum which has some nice features. The rooms are slightly larger in this section, and the entry is through an enclosed hallway as opposed to the open air access in the older section. Booking a block of rooms in this section gives one the ability to create a suite with keyed access just for your party. This is a great asset to those traveling with children but wanting separate rooms and the ability to have easy access to the kids.

The main lobby building is nicely appointed with modern flair. Dreams Tulum features French, Mexican, Italian, Japanese, steak house, sushi, and a continental buffet. There are six bars including a nightclub, a lounge, poolside bar and beach bar. Of course all of your meals and top shelf beverages are included. There is no need to carry a wallet or cash at any time, just step up to the bar or show up at one the restaurants and order what you want. I like the freedom of this “luxury included” approach.

This is one of the room sections in the new part of Dreams Tulum. The doors at the ends of the hallways can be keyed to create a private suite of rooms that then can be left open to one another. This is a nice feature for families that want to stay together but not squeeze into one suite.

“Welcome home!” From the moment you arrive at a Dreams resort you are made to feel both welcome and at home. Rooms are spacious, modern and nicely appointed. Furnishings are comfortable and tasteful. Relax on the canopy bed and order room service 24/7 with no additional charges. Each suite includes a fully stocked mini-bar with no restocking charges. This is a super inclusive stay.

Dreams Tulum is a large property and has very lush landscaping and a very natural feeling. Lively water features are found throughout the resort. This resort feels peaceful and open.

This is the large beachside pool. The pool has a swim up bar and the nearby beach bar is also available. Dreams Tulum is one of the only resorts that offers bike tours to the ruins of Tulum. There is entertainment including movies on the beach, live shows, and theme parties. There is a state of the art fitness center for those who need to work out on vacation.

Open air dining and drinking with a view of turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. I like that. The excellent kids’ club means mom and dad can relax while the tots are having a blast with the professional Explorer’s Club staff. Families can spend as much time together as works for them. We were treated to a performance by kids who were having so much fun that it seems likely most kids would opt for staying at the club all day!

Every Amresorts property features a unique venue for destination weddings. Dreams Tulum has two and each is quite unique. How nice would the bride and groom look with the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea as their backdrop?

The other wedding venue is in this colonial chapel which is an actual Catholic Church. The interior is rustic and very charming. My photos did not do it justice.

Park yourself and your favorite book on a chaise by the blue waters, and enjoy food and beverage service from the always friendly staff. All included! The beach here was very nice. Soft white sand interspersed with rocky shoals made for some of the most lovely colored seas. Plenty of pure sand areas for easy swimming access, and enough rocks to make for interesting snorkeling for those so inclined. I am a beach lover and I loved the beach at Dreams Tulum!

This is the interior of the Explorer’s Club which is decorated with painted hand prints from past guests. It was very well stocked with games, arts and crafts to amuse the most finicky children.

There is a splash pool. a sports court, a rock climbing wall, and a stage for performances (one of which we enjoyed watching). This is a fun choice for a family vacation.

This soothing water feature welcomes you to the “Spa by Pevonia” where all sorts of relaxing treatments await you.

I was treated to a small sample during my site inspection and the foot massage was a treat after walking through all the resorts all day!

Dreams Tulum is my first choice for a luxury all inclusive family vacation. For those looking for more of an adult experience Secrets or Zoetry might be a better idea. I plan to return to this resort with my family in a few years when my granddaughter is old enough for the Explorer’s Club (ages three and up). A great compromise for mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa as well.

One caveat important to note is the location of this resort. Tulum is on the far southern end of the Riviera Maya. This makes it about a one hour drive from Cancun International Airport and the Cancun hotel strip. For some, this might make for too long of a journey after a flight. It also makes it challenging to get into Cancun for shopping or dining. Even Playa del Carmen is over half and hour away. It is very close to the ruins of Tulum and not far from Ixcaret water park and some of the smaller towns of the south coast of the Riviera Maya (although there is not much tourist infrastructure in those towns). If convenience to shopping is important this may not be the best choice. For a relaxing tropical paradise experience it is just right,

Click on the first image below to open a pop up slide show of all my pictures from Dreams Tulum:

Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort and Spa is an interesting property. Unlike most of the properties I visited on my FAM trip, this resort is in an almost suburban setting. it also is a mid rise tower and not a low slung resort. There are a number of other midrises almost adjacent to the hotel on the small cove that hold the beach.

The main draw for this property is it’s location adjacent to the port. While I would not make this my first choice for a relaxing tropical beach getaway, it is perfect for fishing or diving vacations. Your boat is a short stroll from your room. It also is super all inclusive or “luxury included” as a Dreams resort.

Next to the port is an upscale strip mall complex with dining and shopping galore. Threaded throughout the area is a dolphin park in a number of pools. This makes a fun distraction for the kids right at your doorstep.

I liked the mother dolphins swimming with their little ones. It was very cute. They also had some manatees, sea lions and other marine creatures on display. There are interactive activities with the wildlife available.

The compact layout of the resort puts the pool in the center of everything. It is a handy property to navigate as opposed to some of the more sprawling resorts in the area. Most rooms have a very nice view either of the port, the pool and beach, or down the coast in either direction.

View of the Caribbean and adjacent villas from the upper floors of Dreams Aventuras. As you can see there are different types of developments in this area from villas to mid-rise hotels and condos to shopping areas and the port facility itself. It is not an isolated resort on a lonely tropical beach. For those who want to be in the thick of things it fills that niche.

The port is the main attraction here, and this pool is nestled right against one of the port channels.

Like all Amresorts properties there are a plethora of drinking and dining options and service is always excellent. Dreams Puerto Aventuras features the full compliment of seven different dining venues and has a very nice modern nightclub as well.

We had a lovely Mexican lunch at the ocean side restaurant and this soup was as tasty as it was attractive. This is a high quality all-inclusive experience when it comes to food and drinks.

Rooms are spacious and well appointed. The decor is stylish and modern. The rooms are light and airy with some rather nice views from the higher floors. All or served by elevators, so I suggest booking the higher floors.

My other observation comes from the fact that I am a beach guy. The coastline here is mostly rocky. There is a small cove that has a swimmable beach, but the rest of the shore is rocky. I am sure there would be some very good snorkeling here for those who are so inclined. Take the mask and fins or check them out at the resort.

The rocky coastline does make for some scenic views. The water is many shades of blue here.

The small grounds are nicely landscaped and cabanas with chaise lounges are available on the large sandy area fronting the usable part of the beach. For those looking for a stay for a diving or fishing trip this would be a great choice. I would stay here for a fishing trip for sure. It also would work for those who want to be in the thick of things as far as shopping goes. Like all Dreams Resorts there is a dedicated kids’ program. You can let the excellent staff entertain the kiddies all day long if you like. Some guests drop off the kids in the morning and then pick them up for dinner. Dreams does an great job with their program for children.

Secrets Maroma Beach was our host resort for the first two nights of our too brief FAM trip, so I was able to get some great pictures IMHO. This was at sunset on the first night of our arrival. All of the AmResorts properties are unique. This lovely resort was designed as a homage to the indigenous limestone that underlies all of the Yucatan Peninsula. Some of the people on our trip felt is was bland looking or not colorful enough. I found that clean white look soothing.

In a number of places the design team has incorporated the native white limestone into the resort landscape. Massive limestone boulders are the center point of this water feature at the center of the resort’s circle drive entry. Some of my colleagues found it unappealing. I thought it was a very visually interesting statement. Sometimes an austere look stands out in such a lush green setting.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am a beach guy. Oh what a nice beach! Secrets Maroma Beach has powder soft white sand and just enough offshore rocks to create that dazzling Caribbean look of multi-hued blues. My only regret was that we were so busy touring properties that I was not here during the day to swim. The only time I was able to get into this lovely water was at 11:00 one night (I just had to take a dip at least once).

The other objection some people had with this resort was distance. The property is large and very spread out. The rooms are in two wings surrounding the pools and extending from this main building down to the beach. There was quite a bit of walking involved to navigate from the room to dinner, or to the beach. It might not be the best choice for those with mobility issues, or those who object to exposure to the elements on the way to a meal. As an avid walker myself I did not see it as a major issue for me personally. What comes with this layout is a sense of privacy and tranquility that can be missing at many large resorts. For this reason, if I were looking for a romantic cuddle with my honey vacation this would be my top choice among the Secrets resorts on the Riviera Maya. But only IF I had the right room!

Each suite comes with either a large private balcony like mine above, or a patio with swim out access to one of several pools on the property. If I had been on property more, I would have curled up here with a book.

One of the other objections most of the people on my trip had with Secrets Maroma Beach is one that I shared. The distances and the way the resort is laid out and landscaped means most rooms have either no ocean view or a partial ocean view such as the above photo taken standing up on my balcony. Gotta have that view? Secrets Capri or Secrets Silversands may better suit you, unless…

…you do what I would do if I were to return for a longer stay. Upgrade to one of these amazing beach front suites, Only the upper level suites have this view. As you can see in this picture there is a landscaped berm of sand between the sea and the resort. This is what blocks the sea view from most parts of the property, but not from this room! Look at that water and that beach, it’s like butter!

The suites are very roomy and well appointed. This is a luxury resort experience, with turn down and all the amenities. Each room comes with a fully stocked mini-bar, 24 hour room service all at no extra charge. The super-inclusive experience is a rather liberating way to vacation and Secrets provides high end beverages, and excellent cuisine in seven different dining venues,

Nothing says “Welcome home!” like the wonderful staff at a Secrets resort, or a chilled bottle of Champaign and a lovely fruit plate. The service is always courteous, prompt and available wherever one finds oneself on the property. No need to tip and the wallet and credit card can stay in the safe until check-out.

Our one hosted dinner at Secrets Maroma was at Portofino, the Italian dining venue. Like most of our meals it was a menu selected by our hosts. Having stayed at Secrets several times now, one of the great things about their concept is the variety of dining options. This resort features seven restaurants offering seafood, steaks, Mexican, Italian, French and Japanese (including sushi and hibachi service). The food is very good and very nicely presented. No reservations are needed and waiting is never an issue.

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Our menu came draped around a candle glass, which I though was a very artful touch. My photo does not do it justice.

There are two main pools that thread their way from the main building all the way to the beach, and small plunge pools fronting each wing of suites. First floor rooms are swim out throughout the property for those who like a private dip. If you hang in there to the slide show you will see that I loved what the sunset did that first night.

The Honeymoon suite and the Presidential suite were enormous and located on the beachfront wing of the resort. The also are part of the “Preferred Club". This is the concierge section of the resort (a feature at all Secrets and Dreams). Guests in this club have a private concierge desk for each building, and a club house with internet access, library, business center, beverages and hors d’oeuvres. I have found it worth the extra expense in the past. I would also upgrade to beachfront to take advantage of the amazing view of the Caribbean sea and the breezes it brings. Click the first image below to see a slide show of all my photos of Secrets Maroma Beach.

South Beach Meets the Riviera Maya

On my five day whirlwind FAM trip to the Riviera Maya I toured 3 Secrets Resorts along with 10 other travel agents. Secrets Silversands was named as the favorite of most of the other agents. If one were to pick a favorite based on design, style, and uniqueness it would be the clear winner. Our host on the trip, Connie Levang from Amresorts, prepped us by saying “Get ready for South Beach on the Riviera Maya!” That description turned out to be very apropos.

Every detail in this resort says look at me I’m modern and oh so hip! They turned loose the design team to create an impact and an effect, and the results are striking. This is the entryway from the drive into the lobby.

From the abstract sculptures in black, blue, and white to the clean white walls and omnipresent glass features, Secrets Silversands is a feast for the modern design oriented eyes. The open lobby features modern furnishings to compliment the artwork. The two story floor to ceiling windows facing the sea flood the area with light. The whole look and feel of this resort is vibrant, and will be very appealing to the twenty and thirty something set in particular. Our group with mixed ages from twenties to sixties all felt it was unique, attractive and very well executed.

This is the circular stairway leading from the lobby into the lobby bar area (which comes next) on the lobby floor is a mirror which creates an infinity effect when looking down from above. Very clever and stimulated oohs and aahs from my group.

Now we move to the signature feature of Secrets Silversands, the enormous, suave, and very popular lobby bar. By day light floods this area from outdoors and views of the gardens and pool lie beyond. By night, I am told, this area is lit by multi-colored lights that all the hotel’s staff and management were very proud of. I bet it looks pretty cool. We did not have the opportunity to visit by night. This bar is the gathering place at this resort.

I really just sat around enjoying the scenery the whole trip, not! I did have a lot of fun schlepping through all these nice resorts and decided to pose as a guest for a few pictures.

One of the great things about a Secrets vacation is the absolute freedom to enjoy oneself without carrying a wallet or credit card around at all times. Speaking of “Absolut” that is one of the many premium brands of liquor that is carried and available at multiple bars or via waiter service on the beach or at the pool. Premium tequilas included Herradura, 1800, Don Julio, Sauza Tres Generations, and Cabo Wabo. The same is true for other types of booze, and very good wines are always available as well. A good selection of US domestic beers, Mexican beers, and European beers are available by the bottle while Corona de Barril is on tap for draft lovers. Friendly bartenders will mix all your favorite cocktails as well.

The focus on design carries into all of the dining venues at Secrets Silversands. This is the entry to Himitsu Japanese restaurant. This is one of seven unique dining options, and features hibachi cooking at tableside and sushi.

Even the spa makes a bold modern statement. We all loved the glass feature framing the waiting area in the spa lobby. Colors were striking and the effect was very cool.

I think this is a great place to sit down for a pedicure, don’t you? These treatment cabanas were scattered around a water feature and the hydrotherapy pool.

A very nice venue for a couples massage in the open-air spa garden. I could really use a good massage right now. I may have to splurge in LA this weekend.

Thoughtful thatched roof walkways connect many of the main buildings letting guests avoid the tropical sun.

The rooms feature a lighting effect of their own in this cool room divider. The suites at Secrets Silversands are spacious and open as are all of the Amresort properties. Here, the furnishings have a more contemporary look. Simple elemental blacks and whites are accented with bold and bright colors.

I liked the bedside lamps, and many other details at the “cool” Secrets.

We all loved this peek-a-boo building. This infinity pool goes through the building and leads the eye to the Caribbean sea beyond. I am more of an ocean view kinda guy, but I think these garden suites offer a really awesome alternative. Step outside and sit by a pool with the sea beyond.

So if everybody on my trip loved this resort, what was my problem? It sure is not the look of the place! I think it was very cool, and they went for South Beach on the Riviera Maya and pulled it off. I liked the layout of the resort with a main pool and several snaking narrow pools for each wing of rooms. It surely is not the dining and entertainment options, as this resorts main lobby bar is the gathering spot of choice. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Secrets Silversands, a lot! I would stay there any time. It just was not my favorite for one reason: it fronts a mostly rocky beach. There is fine white sand on the beach proper, but the shallow water has many rocks with the exception of one are which is on the left of the above picture.

Now if I did stay here despite my preference for powder sugar sand beaches that are easy to step in and swim in, I would surely bring my mask and fins. The upside of rocky shores is fish and other sea creatures are found in abundance. For casual snorkeling this is a prime location! This is the view from the pool side bar and restaurant where we had lunch. As you can see from this photo, there are other resorts fairly close to Secrets Silversands. This is my other slight objection to this property. The other two Secrets, Maroma Beach and Capri, offer a more private and secluded setting.

I think this was a very creative and attractive way to serve a Caesar Salad.

Unique to this resort was the chef’s homemade icecream. As lovely as it looks, it tasted even better!

The blue and inviting waters of the main pool, looking back at the dining venue.

One of my fellow agents was a honeymoon and destination wedding specialist. When she saw this ultra-modern take on the wedding gazebo, she said “Wow! This is perfect!” On this point we were in complete agreement. What a striking setting for a wedding. Picture the lovely bride in white and colorful flowers framing it all. Secrets, Dreams and Zoetry do a great job hosting destination weddings. Each resort has a unique venue for weddings. This one was the most unique of all.

As you will see in my future blog on Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita, we were hosted on a sunset sailing trip. We passed by Secrets Silversands as the sun’s fading light turned the sky orange and pink. It even looks cool from a distance.

This resort is perfect for lovers of the modern, design buffs, younger couples, girlfriend getaways, and all those who prefer style. Maybe not the best choice for those who must have a soft sand sea bottom, or a secluded jungle setting.