Travel Guide to Secrets Royal Beach Resort

As I sit contemplating everything I want to say about my trip to Secrets Royal Beach, I am so lucky to be on a First Class upgrade. Thanks, Delta!

I spent a week at this beautiful resort soaking up the sun, eating a myriad of delicacies, and enjoying the gentle breeze that makes it so easy to stay out all day. Secrets Resorts is one of many AMR Collection resorts in the Dominican Republic. This collection is also now part of the World of Hyatt. Keep in mind, my trip was in May 2023, so your experience may differ.

Arriving at Punta Cana International Airport

When my flight landed at the airport, we debarked on the runway and took a short bus ride to the main terminal. Once inside, there is only one rest room before entering Immigration and Customs. Naturally, long lines develop so plan to go prior to landing or you might have to wait. The Customs line was quite long but moved quickly and we went through without any hold ups. Next, you’ll collect your bag, scan it through an x ray machine, and head out for your transportation.

If you haven’t already lined up a ride to your destination, you’ll be greeted by many locals vying for your business. We were traveling to Punta Cana, a relatively short drive away, and were charged around $30 for a van with four people.

I am usually an adventurous traveler and spend little time at the hotel, running from one photo op, hike, or activity to the next, trying to not miss anything the location has to offer. But, for the Dominican Republic, I opted for a long relaxing week and a minimum of activity. The few extras I booked were through Secrets and their affiliates.

Preferred Member Status

Let me point out that this was, despite all my years of travels, my first stay at an all-inclusive resort in over two decades. One of my close friends is an Unlimited Vacation Club member and invited us along with her and her husband. Because of this I was lucky enough to enjoy the perks bestowed on Preferred Members. At Royal Beach, this includes additional dining options, larger rooms, and extra pools and beaches. A “butler” checks on you daily and assists in organizing any excursions or special requests you may have. Many thanks here to Emmanuel, our butler, who outdid himself ensuring our stay was everything we hoped for.

Checking In At Secrets Royal Beach

The resort is stunning with its traditional travertine paths, extensive tropical gardens, countless pools, and even a waterfall. To enter the grounds, you go through a modern wooden gate. You are greeted immediately by the staff who help you with your bags and offer you a cool towel to refresh yourself before heading to check in. An exquisite cold burst of air conditioning beckons you into the main lobby with a beautiful pool with fountains and colorful, comfortable seating to ease you into your tropical vacation.

The main check in is just off to the side. There’s also a Preferred Member check in with several seating areas and a bar of small sandwiches, fruit, some vegetarian dishes, pastries and desserts. Here you can enjoy a cold drink while you wait, including bottled water, fresh juices, or a beverage from the bar. The main lobby also has its own bar, called the Rendezvous.

Once check-in is completed, you are ushered on a tour of the resort to maximize your enjoyment of all the amenities. Emmanuel showed us the restaurants, the piazza where the live entertainment is held each night, the pools, the spa, and the gym. Our rooms were not quite ready, so we were taken to another Preferred Lounge that overlooked one of the Preferred pools and beaches. Again, the oasis of air conditioning lures you in and we lounged for a short time enjoying drinks and a few snacks before being led to our room.

Our room was quite spacious, with its marble floors, king sized bed with a plethora of pillows, and a seating area with couch and coffee table. A long granite counter that doubled as a workspace lined the wall opposite the bed with ample room for storage if you’re the sort who likes to fully unpack. (Definitely not me!) A large TV hung above the dressers. The balcony was roomy enough to accommodate seating for two and a hot tub. A coffee bar area had a small espresso machine with a trio of Nespresso capsules. Additional conveniences included comfy robes and slippers, an umbrella, and a clothes steamer.  No pics included here… I’m hoping you’ll find out for yourself!

Our view encompassed a small lane with a “fence” of foliage to provide privacy from the neighbors. Many rooms overlooked the pools or extensive gardens, and a few preferred suites have elevated beach views.

Beaches, Pools, and Grounds

There are countless pools at Secrets Royal Beach, so you are sure to find your favorite.

In the center of the resort, there is a long lap pool flanked on each side by palm-lined walkways with lounging beds. Some of these have fabric covers for shade and some do not. The beds are backed by blooming Ixora and have a spa like feel. At night, this area is lit up beautifully.

The main pool is huge, centrally located, and allows for walk in access. It is surrounded by chaise lounges, some with umbrellas for shade. Beyond that, there are small rows of shaded cabanas to relax out of the sun. This pool is where the fun and festivities happen, including live music, DJs, exercise classes, and grilled lunches. One morning a violinist played for several hours, a beautiful way to start the day.

The swim up bar here was happening! There’s a new drink special each day of the week. Remember to bring your Yeti to keep your drinks cold while enjoying this tropical paradise.

There are two Preferred Pool areas. The first is a smaller pool with walk in access that has a small bridge crossing over it dividing it into sections. There are chaises, chaises with umbrellas, and two ledges, one in the sun and one under a pergola providing shade. A swim-up bar, also accessible from the walkway, completes the area.

The second Preferred pool is an infinity edge pool with a section overlooking the beach and another section overlooking some of the chaises. Swim up bars are required in paradise, so there’s one here as well.

On the far end is a very long stretch of pool that the resort calls a lazy river. This area (my favorite!) is stunning! There are pergola style lounging beds on one side, again some have fabric to provide shade. There are steps to enter here and each lounging area has the feel of a small, personal island.

On the opposite side, built in benches and sunning mats can be accessed directly from guest rooms. Water jets create a gentle current slowly guiding you to a large waterfall streaming down an exquisite, leathered granite background. A breathtaking array of Traveler’s palms and plumeria are planted in between the “islands.” I can’t imagine a better setting as you swim this tropical Eden, with plumeria blossoms dotting the water like lily pads, listening to the sound of the waterfall.

After several days of working out in the gym, I took to swimming laps in the lazy river pool, which was a wonderful decision. Its long route provided a great cardio workout, the resistance of the water was amplified by the jets, and the water was cool and refreshing. But be prepared, even around 8 am, I found the need to wear sunscreen.

Secrets Royal Beach is situated on a gorgeous stretch of white sand on Playa Bavaro Beach. Two Preferred member areas flank the main beach on both sides. Surprisingly, we did not have a problem getting the huts that provide shade. We did grab a spot prior to going to breakfast, “reserving it” by just leaving some belongings there. Many people used towel clips to claim their spots. (I forgot mine!) The water varied from a sea glass green to a deep sapphire and was warm the entire week.  There’s an area partitioned off to prevent any watercraft from coming ashore.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped and meticulously maintained. The groupings of plants along the meandering travertine and coral fossil paths create a lush and tropical feel everywhere on this resort. Some of the plants I noticed included coconut palms, hibiscus, mangroves, spider lilies, several types of ginger, and fish tail palms.

Dining at Secrets Royal Beach

Dining options are endless at this resort. As a Secrets guest, you can dine at any restaurant at the neighboring, family-friendly Dreams resort. The patrons of Dreams do not have access to the restaurants at Secrets as it is adults only.

What I am about to write is my opinion only. Being a native of New Orleans, I will confess that I am a bit of a food snob, but by no means am I a qualified restaurant critic. While there is not a lot of food that I don’t like, it’s hard to get me to say something is excellent. To a New Orleanian, the portions were small, but you can order as many items off the menu as you like. Bread is served at all sit down meals, except the Mexican restaurant, which starts with chips and queso.

For those coming to the Caribbean to unplug, make sure to bring your phone to the restaurants. A couple have hard copy menus, but most have a QR code at each table for you to scan.

The Coco Café is the coffee bar, located on the perimeter of the piazza, and is open 24 hours. They have a full-service coffee menu, plenty of non-dairy options, as well as assorted pastries.

La Riviera is the buffet at Secrets Royal Beach. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and has an expansive array of options. The choices are seemingly endless. There is both indoor and outdoor dining. The patios overlook beautifully tiled pools with water features. For breakfast, there are stations with oatmeal and hot chocolate, waffles and pancakes, breads and pastries, cold cuts and vegetables, fresh juices and fruit, a variety of eggs, omelettes, and breakfast meats. And of course, coffee. Dominicans serve coffee closer to Café au Lait, or half coffee, half milk. I also found soy, almond, and oat milk on the buffet, but it was not on the serving stations outdoors.

For lunch, there is soup, pizza and pastas, vegetables, cold cuts and cheeses, carving stations, various salads, and local Dominican fare. Desserts, which are available for lunch and dinner, are not an afterthought here and I came sometimes just for the desserts. There is fresh fruit, ice cream, pastries, cakes, and countless single serve showcase desserts. My favorite was the Duo, which is usually 2-3 mousse-like layers with various flavors. Fresh fruits varied daily but I saw passion fruit, pineapple (amazing every day!), papaya, mango, grapes, bananas, and kiwi. I did not eat dinner at La Riviera but noticed lots of meat and shellfish, pastas, and multiple vegetable choices.

For Preferred Members, Olio is also an open for breakfast and lunch. For dinner, it is open to all guests and has the most Caribbean ambiance of all the restaurants. It’s an open-air venue situated where the travertine ends and the sand begins. If you sit on the far east perimeter, you can have sea views while you dine. I ate either breakfast or lunch every day at Olio.  Some standouts in our party for breakfast were the French toast, the SuperToast, which was avocado toast with a poached egg, lettuce, tomato, and sunflower seeds, the Norwegian Salmon, and the Huevos Rancheros. For lunch, the favs were the Quinoa which had a cilantro, bell pepper, and onion accompaniment, and the Jerk Chicken. The coffee and cocoa éclair was also delectable.

The Barefoot Grill’s picnic tables are the perfect spot for a quick lunch on the beach.  They serve grilled burgers, hot dogs, and chicken with several salads as side dishes. You can also grab some fresh fruit here for a healthy snack. I found the recipes were somewhat inconsistent but everything I tried was tasty.

For dinners, we chose to eat at the individual restaurants. Here is a breakdown, according to my experiences.

We ate at Bordeaux the first night, which is the only formal restaurant at Secrets. Before the trip, I assumed this restaurant would be my favorite and that I would eat here more than once. This restaurant, also usually my friends’ favorite, was actually our least favorite. We sampled a seafood bisque which was creamy with a good depth of flavor. The French onion soup was good but lacked complexity. I had the Mahi-Mahi, which was ok, but nothing special. The steak was a tenderloin that also lacked flavor despite a chef’s sauce drizzled over the top.

The Bluewater Grill was trendy and innovative, with some good options. The décor includes a slideshow with a variety of worldwide sights and movies playing.  Groups can order a giant cheeseburger for the table, and staff will deliver it with local flair. Everyone enjoyed their meals and we’d have eaten here again if time had permitted.

You must reserve a table at Himitsu to eat hibachi. When we arrived at the resort, we found it fully booked until our fifth night, so if this matters to you, reserve a table as soon as possible. The rest of the restaurant was available without planning ahead. The atmosphere is pleasant and peaceful with tables and a few booths. The cherry blossom trees add color and texture to the decor. Appetizers included a sampling of 4 sushi rolls.

The main course was traditional hibachi fare, including vegetables, fried rice, beef, chicken, and shrimp. Hibachi is usually not on the top of my list as I have always found it too salty. The hibachi at Secrets Royal Beach was the best I have had. The chef seasoned the food to perfection, and it was quite delicious. We also ordered additional menu items, since we knew we wouldn’t have a chance to try the normal menu. We sampled the salmon and tuna sashimi, which was fresh and enjoyable. The hibachi grill comes with fried ice cream for dessert, but I requested a lychee pudding that was light and moist. I would definitely order this again. The meal went quickly and we were finished within an hour. Note that small parties may be seated with others.

Dining at El Patio was a special treat. The outdoor dining area was comfortable and quiet. As a girl who rarely drinks margaritas, I thought these were excellent. In fact, I had two and our whole table loved them. They start you off with nachos with beef queso, which we finished off in minutes. My main course was red snapper which was another winner. One of my favorites from the whole trip.

Portofino is the Italian restaurant at Dreams. Starting with the Insalata Caprese was a good choice, followed by the rich and earthy mushroom ravioli as my main course. I also had the opportunity to try the potato gnocchi and the lasagna Bolognese, which would have been my choice if I had time to return. For dessert, the tiramisu was one of the best I’ve had. I wish I could eat that every day!

Oceana is another Dreams restaurant, one of the more formal. I chose lighter, vegetarian options for this meal and was quite happy with my choices. I ordered the falafel as an appetizer, which was very tasty. Zucchini stuffed with vegetables and pureed lentils finished off my meal here. The Greek Salad was a deconstructed version with feta, green pepper, and tomatoes.

We did also check out the buffet, the International Café, at Dreams but did not dine there. It was much smaller and busier than the one at Secrets.

Entertainment

After dinner, live entertainment lures guests into the covered piazza. Beginning around 8 pm, a solo singer performs a variety of cover songs. From 9 to 10 pm, the stage comes alive with singing and dancing. Each night was a different theme or genre. I enjoyed all the entertainment though certain shows were more appealing to my personal taste than others. The popular Show Time bar is adjacent to the piazza but waiters and waitresses will circle around frequently to make sure you don’t get thirsty while you enjoy the show.

After Dark

The Eclipse Nightclub opens at 10:30 pm and has a DJ and private bar. This breezy rooftop terrace is the perfect place to dance the night away. For you gaming aficionados, there is also a casino but no one in my party ventured inside.

The Gym and Spa

The gym has three separate areas. All were clean and well lit. The cardio area has stair climbers, bikes, treadmills and ellipticals. There’s an ample supply of water, towels, and sanitizing wipes.

Access the weight room by exiting the side door into the gardens by the spa. Here there’s an array of dumbbells and machines, including leg extension, leg press, chest press, shoulder press, bicep curls, and hip abduction. A pulley circuit trainer with a few handle options allowed for lat pulls, rows, and tricep pushdowns.

A third room has mats and weighted medicine balls for any HIITs or ab work you may want to perform. While the gym was adequately equipped, the cardio room was very hot. Sweating off those extra calories won’t be hard to do here!

I did not visit the spa myself, but my friend got a massage and did a hydro-circuit. The spa is larger than it looks outside and is full service with an array of packages. You’re sure to find what you need to pamper yourself.

Extra Fun, Not Included

On our last day, the four of us decided to splurge by renting one of the double decker wooden cabanas on the beach. This top deck has two adjustable chaise lounges, perfect for soaking up the sun and enjoying the fabulous breeze. Make sure to take some photos from here as the elevated viewpoint is beautiful. The bottom has an expansive bed and provides full shade if you need a break from the sun. There’s also a table and chairs for dining, or even working, if your job allows.

The rental starts at 10 am and ends at 5 pm. Mimosas kick off the morning and an ice chest with water and soft drinks is provided.  A personal waiter checks in frequently to bring drinks from the bar and take your lunch order from Olio. The cabana menu is limited, but we asked for something on the regular menu (that Jerk Chicken again!) and they accommodated us. The cost for this relaxing experience was around $200 for 4 guests. There are special discounts and incentives that reduce the cost for Preferred members.

Catamaran Calls

SeaPro is a watersports company right on the beach at the resort. We decided to rent a catamaran that same afternoon. The boys took a 10 min class (while the girls ran to La Riviera for some desserts) and then the four of us headed out for a one hour tour…

As newbies to this sport, it’s pretty easy to go in the direction the wind wants to take you. For us, that was towards the pirate ship docked just to the north of the Secrets area of the beach. To go towards the south took some considerable effort. We found ourselves stuck on the ocean barriers twice. Once, I thought SeaPro was coming to our rescue, but it turned out we had to save ourselves, lol. The overall experience was a lot of fun and I’d do it again! Be prepared to get soaked and make sure to reapply your sunscreen.

Deep Sea Fishing

The only time we ventured away from the resort was to go deep sea fishing. We organized it the Preferred Check In Lounge. Our butler sent room service breakfast that morning to make sure we had sustenance to power through the day. We had fresh fruit, croissants, chocolate pastries and muffins, and an assortment of meats and cheeses. Pharion, our transportation picked us up at 7 am sharp, made a few stops at other resorts, and then headed to Marina Norte at Cap Cana.

We boarded the Mayolica, which was interestingly from Wilmington, Delaware. Our crew, captained by Brian, consisted of two men who were on the ball. They provided us with music, drinks, snacks, and made sure bait was replenished as needed. There’s something about being on the water, the smell of salt in the air, the sound of the seagulls.

It was a slow start to our morning and then… one of us hooked a wahoo. Reeling it in took quite some time and since we couldn’t keep the fish, the guys assured us they would bring it home to their families for dinner. Another lull with some larger waves left me seasick with no Dramamine on board! I grew up on boats but not on open water. Eventually the symptoms eased when I stayed in the wind and fresh air as much as possible. I improved enough to reel in my own mahi-mahi and all of us proceeded to catch 1 or 2 fish each. The fish were beautiful with their iridescent and colorful scales.

Once our 4 hours had passed, we arrived at the dock. The area was still deserted, but looked like a great place to visit when the shops and restaurants are open. Back on the bus, we learned the other couples also caught mahi-mahi, so we’re betting that was the special at several restaurants that evening! This was our most costly event at $1000 but the boat could also have taken two additional people.

Romantic Dinner for Two

For our last night, my fiancé surprised me with a romantic dinner on the beach.Emmanuel arranged this a la carte request. We sat at a private dining table on the beach a short distance away from several other couples. Hearts lighted by candles were drawn in the sand, creating an intimate ambiance. The wind had been constant that day…perfect for keeping you cool in the sun but luckily had died down to a very gentle breeze by evening.

Our meal was four courses, starting with a chicken Caesar salad followed by that delicious seafood bisque. The main course was surf and turf, consisting of a grilled Anegada lobster, grilled shrimp, and a huge ribeye steak. Heart shaped chocolate mousse with a strawberry chocolate coating topped off the evening. We ordered a bottle of red wine from their selection. (There were a lot of options, ranging from upper $30’s and up.) Dinner ended just in time to catch the show, which featured songs from a variety of movie soundtracks. When we returned to the room, there were rose petals strewn about, spelling the word “LOVE”! All in all, a lovely and thoughtful surprise!

Gift Shops

There are four options for gift shops at Secrets Royal Beach. The first is in the main lobby and has beachwear, some clothing, hats, flip flops and sandals, and bags. A second gift shop fronts the piazza and has some swimsuits, clothing, hats, small souvenirs, Larimar jewelry (you’ve got to get at least one piece!), a variety of liquor, and incidentals such as medicine, and personal items. On the opposite side of the piazza sits a high-end gift shop with purses and perfume. The last option is connected to Olio and sells hats and sunscreen.

Checking Out

Checking out of Secrets (trust me…you won’t want to) was an easy process. We scheduled bag pickup, then headed to the Preferred Lounge in the main lobby to settle the bill. We had time for one last breakfast with our friends before our shuttle arrived to take us to the airport. Th resort staff recommended we get to the airport 3 hours before the flight.

Tipping

Since Secrets Royal Beach is an all-inclusive resort, tips are optional. However, we learned that many of the staff live an hour away and work long hours. I noticed some members of the staff worked more than 12 hours per day. We decided to tip regularly and left a larger tip at the end of our stay for our housekeeper and butler, grateful for the excellent service. People welcome the US Dollar in the Dominican Republic.

Departing Punta Cana International Airport

We reserved transportation to the airport through DAT, who sent a well maintained suburban big enough for the four of us. The cost for private transportation was $60, which included 2-4 people. The ride to the airport was quick and uneventful and a steward helped us with our bags, steering them to our ticket counter.

After dropping our checked luggage off, we headed to customs. Keep your passport and ticket out. I think we showed them 6 times before boarding the flight. Security still required separation of electronics and removing your belt and shoes. Once past this point, there are machines that scan your passport and use facial recognition (a first for us!) to allow you to pass. There are two lines, one for families with children and one for adults only.

The Lounge at Punta Cana International Airport

Despite the multiple checkpoints, navigating the airport was fast and went off without a hitch. We headed to the Lounge using the elevators near Gate 24 in Terminal A. This lounge is free for American Express Platinum card members. With two free passes, we paid $50 paid for the fourth person.

If you are a frequent traveler, having this card is a blessing. It allows entrance to countless lounges across the globe. As we exited the elevator, the sweet and spicy smell of ginger permeated the air. The lounge features comfortable seating, charging stations, well-kept restrooms, coffee bars, drinks and wine, and buffets of food and desserts. This lounge even had a rooftop infinity pool, (another first!), in case your layover allows time for swimming and soaking up some more sun before saying farewell to paradise.

Secrets Royal Beach Overview

All in all, we had a wonderful week at Secrets Royal Beach! The beach was gorgeous, the water temperature was perfect, and the resort was well maintained. It was the epitome of a relaxing vacation where your biggest decisions are when to re-apply your sunscreen and which restaurant you should try next. The resort staff go out of their way to ensure your visit meets your expectations for a week in paradise. If you are on the fence about vacationing here, you will not regret the decision.

On a serious note, a lot of storm damage was still present when driving around the island. As a New Orleanian, my heart went out to this community. Witnessing just how much blood, sweat, and tears it takes to rebuild after a devastating hurricane, I can’t imagine doing so on an island where supplies, craftsmen, and resources are even harder to come by. On the resort, you’d never know anything was amiss. When I return to this beautiful island, I will make sure to explore surrounding areas and patronize the local community. I hope you will too. Happy travels!