Shhhhhh…Secrets – A Review of Secrets Cap Cana

How was our first trip to theSecrets Resort Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic?

Muy bien!

As a CheapCaribbean.com judge for their annual Noble Beach Prize, we were sent to see what life is like at one of their prize winners, Secrets Cap Cana. What did we find out?

Life was good. Very good.

Why?

Imagine waking up in the morning and the hardest decisions you have to make are whether to choose the beach or the pool, what cocktails to have, and which of the property’s 6 dinner restaurants to choose from. It was complete, stress-free relaxation. Something that is very very easy to get use to.

Secrets Cap Cana is an adults only, all-inclusive resort that sits just south of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. This was not only our first trip to the DR, but it was our first experience at an adults only all-inclusive resort. Let me spell out exactly what “adults only, all-inclusive” means. (It doesn’t mean clothing optional, we got asked that a few times.)

It means no screaming kids running around the pool deck, jumping and splashing around like wild crazy animals. Castaway Crystal and I have a word for these kids…Destroyers of Peace. The only splashing was by the people enjoying the energetic water aerobic class. We definitely loved this aspect of the resort.

What does all-inclusive mean? It means you can have anything you like, at any time. No running tabs, no tipping, no skipping the steak and lobster dinner because you want to save money. It was heavenly! Crystal sipped champagne all day and didn’t think twice. Like I said, it’s a feeling of indulgence that is very easy to get use to.

Here were some of the other highlights we experienced at Secrets Cap Cana.

Secrets Cap Cana Video Tour

The Room and Breakfast

Who doesn’t love room service right? Secrets Cap Cana not only had room service, they had a special room feature that allowed your food to just show up in a box inside your closet!

No, the resort doesn’t have some cool Star Trek technology that let’s them “beam” your food to you, though that would be cool too. What they do have are service doors next to the room door that allow the room service team to put your meals inside your room without coming into your room. You simply request that the food be left there when ordering, and you’ll hear them deliver it or they’ll call your room once it arrives. Once there, you open your closet, open the door to the secret compartment, and boom, your meal is there!

This comes in handy when you don’t want to be disturbed…hint hint, wink wink.

Eating Around The World

I must be hungry. The first two highlights involve food. Hey, food is a big part of a vacation right?!

As I mentioned earlier, Secrets Cap Cana has 6 dinner restaurants, each with a different flavor. Italian, French, Mexican, Japanese…you can literally eat around the world right on property, in the Dominican Republic. Here are the restaurants and then I’ll let you know which ones we dined at.

• Bordeaux  – French Cuisine
• El Patio – Mexican Cuisine
• Himitsu – Pan-Asian Cuisine
• Oceana – Fresh Seafood
• Portofino – Italian Cuisine
• Seaside Grill – Grilled Specialties

During our 3-night stay, we dined at El Patio, Himitsu, and Portofino. Of the three, I’d say it was a tie between Himitsu and Portofino. We did Hibachi style at Himitsu and the food was dynamite good. Then at Portofino I enjoyed a fall-off-the-bone tender Osso Bucco dish that was equally as explosively good. I only wish we could have tried all the restaurants.

Desires Music Lounge

Have I ever told you Castaway Crystal is a karaoke superstar? She is! She sang for me on our third date and I was hooked!

Just to the right of the main entry way and looking over the pool deck is the Desires Music Lounge. And guess what? They have karaoke nights! After dinner on our first night, we headed to Desires to see what the goings ons looked like.

It started slow, just a hand full of people singing, but as the Presidentes started to flow and the crowd grew, the singing and dancing started to heat up. No, I definitely did not sing, but Castaway Crystal grabbed the mic and laid down a cover of I Want To Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston.

Desires was definitely a highlight of our trip.

Lounging and Rumming

The entry way to Secrets Cap Cana is AMAZING. It’s a huge, long, palm-thatched corridor that starts at the drop off area and ends at a scenic view that looks over the 3 main pools and the blue water of the Caribbean Sea.

Scattered about this large lobby area are little nooks and crannies you can relax in. Some built into the walls, some sit over the small decorative river that runs through the lobby, and some that over look the pool areas. It’s a great area to relax in before or after dinner.

We found ourselves wanting to crawl into one of these couch-like lounge areas more and more as the trip progressed. Me enjoying a little Brugal Anejo, while Castaway Crystal sipped on champagne. It’s a great way to relax and talk about all the fun things that happened during the day, and then plan out the next day.

The Pool Scene at Secrets Cap Cana Resort

It’s impossible to resist, it pulls on you like a magnet. I’m talking about the three main pools that connect with infinity-edge waterfalls. The pools are lined with shade umbrellas and soft loungers. Fun, but relaxing music streams through the air as the Caribbean sun warms your body. Once you get too warm, simply jump in the pool, swim up to the pool bar and order whatever your heart desires. As I mentioned before, it’s a routine and lifestyle that is very very easy to get use to.

As the day grows more mature, and the Presidentes and rum lubricate the mood, people begin to open up. Single-serving resort friends are made and laughs are had. The music turns more up beat, the bartenders more energetic and the pool scene comes alive.

Crystal and I are normally beach relaxers. We haven’t even been to our condo pool in over a year, but we were drawn to the pool environment at Secrets Cap Cana. I can’t wait to do it again!

While these were our highlights, you can create your own. The resort has so many things to offer that we simply didn’t get a chance to try out. There was Salsa dance lessons on the beach, Spanish classes, a huge theater for live dance performances, off-property excursions to waterfalls and beaches, and so much more. I encourage you to try them all and let us know what were your trip highlights!

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This was our first trip to the DR and we had a fantastic time. There was sun, there was sand, there was dancing, there was dynamite food, there was rum, and there were memories made. Thank you CheapCaribbean.com and Secrets Cap Cana for making it happen!

We do recommend a visit here. While we wish we would have left the property and explored a bit the country, it’s pretty hard to leave complete relaxation, non-stop food and drink, and a the great staff.

Cheers!

Ryan – RumShopRyan