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This is the entry drive to Maroma (not to be confused with Secrets Maroma Beach or the town of Maroma) and it is a great introduction to just what this magical little luxury resort is all about. Place. Maroma celebrates, salutes, and nestles into it’s place in the world.

Everything about Maroma says “Welcome to the MAYA Riviera.” Here you are on a jungle beach in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico  that is the homeland of the Mayan people. The jungle is untouched on the drive to the resort. As you pass through the lush greenery simple signs depicting the native fauna line the road. The first edifice one encounters is the Mayan statue and shrine above. Like all of the buildings at Maroma resort it is surrounded by the lush natural landscape.

This is the view from the simple open air lobby. Maroma is not a rustic bare-bones hammock on the beach eco-resort. This is an Orient Express luxury resort with service and amenities of the highest quality. It just looks and feels as if you are alone in nature. You can call room service any time from your well appointed suite.

This is the library and business center. Notice the high thatched roof in the authentic Mayan style. Also notice the hardwood floor and clean whitewashed walls that are throughout the resort. Furnishings are stylish and comfortable. The local theme is at home in every part of the resort making a clean look that does it’s best to salute the Riviera Maya style.

Maroma is full of cozy places to curl up and read a book. Harmony with nature and a sense of place are paramount here. This is the place for those who want an experience of beauty and relaxation tempered with the pampering of a luxury boutique resort on a delightful Mexican Caribbean beach. One of my favorite amenities offered by this resort is a Spanish immersion program they offer. At check-in you are given a Spanish-English Dictionary and a lesson book. Your reservation is noted so that all staff of the resort will interact with you in Spanish during your stay (of course if the Spanish fails you can get assistance in English as needed).

I learned about this when I arrived at Maroma and greeted my hostess for the site inspection in my best Spanish. She explained the immersion program and offered to continue the site inspection in Spanish. I accepted her offer (also in Spanish). I am not fluent in Spanish but I do have a pretty good grasp on the language. Several times I had to ask a follow up question in English to clarify something she had said. After explaining to my satisfaction in English we would continue in Spanish. I have to say it was a good way to practice my Spanish, and made the whole experience much more Mexican and authentic. This is the type of thing that really sets Maroma apart from most of the luxury properties on the Riviera Maya.

Dark hardwood, white walls and marble floors are dressed up  with colorful accents. This is the living room in one of the Suites. The rooms and suites are spacious and all include ample outdoor patio seating. Most rooms and suites face the beach with only a few garden rooms on the property.

I loved the bed presentation in all of the rooms. Some had this pyramidal sheer draping you see above. Muy romantico! Others had more of a four post frame that was similarly draped. All very nice.

Of course this is a beach resort. My, oh my, what a beach it has! Soft white sand greats you and the startling turquoise Caribbean beckons (as do the chaise lounges and palapas. The water is so clear here that every reef practically jumps out of the light blue water. Along with the Mayakoba resorts this is the best of beaches in the opinion of this beach lover.

While enjoying the beach or the gardens at Maroma you can enjoy a beverage or a meal at the open air Freddy’s Tequila and Ceviche Bar. I was not able to sample the fare at Maroma but I have heard from first hand reports that it is excellent.

This is El Restaurante which is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. It was built by skilled Mayan masons with authentic indigenous motifs. Specializing in “small portion Mexican cuisine” the skilled chefs pay homage to local flavors with international influences. They also feature El Sol with Yucatecan originals such as cochinita pibil (one of my very favorite Mexican dishes) and Creole dishes as well. In room dining is of course an option 24 hours a day.

This is the outdoor dining at El Restaurante. I think any of these tables will be fine, gracias. What a stunning backdrop for a meal dining al fresco at Maroma Resort and Spa! There is a spa restaurant as well rounding out the dining options.

What Mexican resort would be complete without a “tequila and coffee library?” I had to clarify that in English to make sure I understood the concept. Not a bad author that I could see in this library, just classics and award winners. The coffee smelled rich and robust. The coffee served in the Mayan Riviera area is usually quite bold and delicious. It makes me wonder why most of Mexico serves “Sanka?” It is puzzles like this that keep me up at night sometimes.

Blue on green is the scene at this pool set in a lush tropical garden. The landscape at Maroma makes every space feel like a private jungle enclave. Such a relaxing atmosphere this creates!

The ocean front Master Suites and Sian Nah Suites face that stunning water from every room. Ample outdoor seating is available. The Sian Nah Suites even have an upstairs area that contains a private couples massage room, and a private exercise room with several pieces of equipment for those who want to exercise while looking at the blue sea beyond.

These suites also feature a private tiled Jacuzzi tub that also looks down on the beach and blue Caribbean Sea beyond. That looks like a very inviting place to take a soak.

Don’t let the natural vibe and setting fool you, this is a luxury resort. Marble counters, tiled floors and modern fixtures are here for your convenience. Quality linens are provided. It just looks rustic. You will be pampered and comfortable here.

I loved the high thatched indigenous styled ceiling in the spa reception. Yes, there is a spa. Like most of the resort it makes the most of local design and opens itself to the lush natural verdure all around.

The many water features in the spa garden area show the Mayan influence with bas relief carvings, statues, limestone block and natural wood beams. They are also weaved into the jungle trees they were built around. It is a lovely effect, and creates a very private peaceful spa experience.

Even the indoor hydrotherapy pool brings the outdoors in.

The treatment rooms all can be open to the garden setting beyond or draped for privacy.

Would I stay at Maroma? If money were no object and I were able to choose any resort on the Riviera Maya for a personal stay this would be my first choice. I am a lover of natural settings, authenticity, and of course a great beach. I would truly enjoy immersing myself in this little luxury property for my next Spanish immersion program. My wife had a different opinion after reviewing all my pictures and listening to my descriptions of all the resorts I visited. Her favorite was the Rosewood Mayakoba. If I were to take my wife for a trip to the area that is where we would stay. A lesson any married man can learn from an experienced travel agent (and husband for almost 30 years) is that a happy wife is a must have for a good vacation experience. I always live by that motto and recommend it to others.

This concludes my reviews from my Maya Riviera FAM trip. I want to thank Connie Levang from Amresorts for hosting me on this fun and informative whirlwind tour. I also am grateful she had no objection to me seeing other properties in the area while on the trip. She was a very fun guide for our Secrets, Dreams and Zoëtry tours and stays. Visit our travel agent site if you would like to learn more about these and other fine resorts in the Riviera Maya, or anywhere else in the world you would like to visit. Not sure where to go? We can help you find the perfect destination for your travel style.

Click the first image below to see a pop up slide show of Maroma Resort and Spa. Mouse over to the arrow to advance the slide show.

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.