Hotel Secreto — Hotel in Isla Mujeres

We stayed for eight nights in Hotel Secreto on the top floor for our 20th wedding anniversary. I picked this place entirely based on online reviews and some top rankings from more than a decade ago. For the most part, it lived up to its reviews.

First of all, this is a nice property at the end of a quiet street. So quiet and undeveloped that you wonder if you're going the right way. The hotel is dated in spots, but updated in others. It is obvious it's a constant work in progress. It is clean. The view from the top is worth the extra charge. Breakfast is not included and it isn't brought to your room as stated in another review. There is no food service on site, however there is one local restaurant they will gladly call to have standard Mexican lunch fare delivered. The attentive team will deliver that food anywhere on the property which is a nice touch.

Things we liked: We gladly walked to restaurants for meals recommended by their staff. New pool decking. Another reviewer stated it needed to be updated and it has. The bed is comfortable and the linens were great. -The AC in our room was good and the lobby was always cool. -The coffeemaker is a pod-style coffee maker which makes single cups. -Four small bottles of water placed in our room every day was a great touch. -The balcony is huge (probably 15'x15'. The daybed is a great touch, but we didn't use it. Angel is awesome. He is the bartender, concierge, and groundskeeper. He'll bring you beer, order you food and deliver it to you poolside, and, in our case, take the fish we caught on a charter to a local restaurant to be held until we dined there that evening. The rest were okay. -The pool is a perfect temp. Super peaceful setting at night to swim. -Location is its greatest asset. The resort is located away from the hustle and bustle of Playa Norte (which is MUCH busier than I anticipated) and restaurants and thumpin' clubs on Hidalgo St. Note that there is a club a few blocks away that plays loud bumping music from Friday through Sunday which required earplugs to sleep. -The world famous Playa Norte is about a 5-7 minute walk away where we spent most of our time.

Disappointments: -The bar is essentially a small handful of beer and liquor choices in the lobby, which met most our needs. Therefore I wouldn't call it a bar. They have limited beverages on hand to bring you. -All of the machines in the fitness center are broken and there is not a working gym like their website states. -Our massages in the spa were poor. The spa is basically a nice a space for them to call in providers to offer spa services upon request (mine was on her phone the entire time) -A lamp broke in our room which was not our fault and they charged us to buy a new one. -There lacks a full length mirror, but there is a bathroom mirror.

Other resorts are in the heart of Playa Norte along with the mobs of thousands of beach goers coming over from Cancun. We wanted something more quiet that could be a relaxing home base away from the noise. As other reviews state, the real benefit to this place is its location. It is a good hotel on the island that gives you quiet and respite away from the hustle of downtown and Playa Norte but still an easy walk away.

Something to know is that Isla Mujeres is still a small island getaway that hasn't been overrun with national chains and luxe resorts. This places is very "local" which is great. The rooms aren't perfectly updated and there won't be a staff member greeting you at the front of the hotel with a drink in hand like many all inclusives do. That left us underwhelmed and a bit disappointed. But we loved getting to know the team and enjoyed our stay for the most part.

In summary, it's a three star hotel in a good location with some good staff members making it a fine option of limited choices in Isla Mujeres.

Update 2025: we are heading back to Isla Mujeres this summer and decided to stay elsewhere after a couple years to reflect on our experience. But some room charges and service experiences left a sour taste...

This place is magic. The rooms are clean, very large and the hotel itself was perfect for a trip to Isla Mujeres. For those complaining about the hotel being dated, I found the hotel to be in great condition for being on the ocean (where the salt and humidity can do a number on a place very quickly). They were painting and renovating while we were there (but not intrusive in anyway). The rooms are minimalistic which I loved because you could see just how clean the rooms were. Highlights and tips:

THE STAFF is wonderful and on point! They were so helpful! We couldn't have asked for better. Kind, attentive and professional!! Nobody tried to sell us on anything or be pushy and everyone was sincere, genuine and went out of their way (thank you Aylene!!! Stephanie and Alberto). Cleanliness, I am picky.. the resort was fantastic in this regard! Proximity to places- this place has somehow managed to be away from the noise but at the same time close to all of the best spots! Safety- you can tell the staff takes great care to get to know who their guests are and also know who isn't a guest. the most comfortable beds/ pillows and linens No restaurant on premises but food can be delivered in from a place with a full menu. The air conditioning was working and great to come back to!! We did not have to worry about feeling too hot at any point. Showers are great. There is shampoo, conditioner, soap and a really good hair dryer with a nozzle. There are also bathrobes and beach towels provided. (For those who like to pack light). 4 bottles of water were provided daily. In Room Safe Massive balcony with a king size day bed and a table for 2. lots of plugs for electronics

Some things to keep in mind based on our stay. There was a small cubby hole to hang things (not a lot of space to hang things), not a lot of space for toiletries. There was a luggage rack but the fridge was placed on it. So not a lot of space to open up your luggage and unpack.. this was a really small thing and would just change how I pack for the trip.

Tips: book your airport transfer/ golf cart, restaurant and beach club reservations with the hotel in advance. Do sit at the chairs where the pool is with your morning coffee and take in the incredible ocean view. Pack a pair of slippers for the room as the floors are all tile.

Get ready for an amazing...

This was a great way to start off our first vacation in Mexico! I travelled with my husband and daughter, and had one of the top floor rooms. One of the best things about this place is definitely the cozy view of the cove. You can’t swim at the beach, but the beach itself is quite nice!

The staff was friendly and mostly helpful, even if I think it could be improved a bit. Maybe it’s just a language barrier that makes the last feeling of friendliness and effort lack a bit.

The room was nice and tidy, but I would have preferred some wood flooring and other little updates to make it feel less dates and spartan. The balcony is very nice with a great view over the cove and pool.

It’s a little walk to the “city center”, but nothing to bad. It’s quite a dark stretch for a while tho, but feels quite safe.

The biggest reason for 4 starts instead of 5 is definitely the pool temperature. It was so cold! Hot, warm or cooler days - the water was so cold that many guests didn’t swim at all, and we all gasped for air after we first plunged into the cold water. I know Mexico can be hot, but this was to cold and it was never really relaxing to swim and linger in the pool.

The second thing is the food. They don’t offer any food at all. Nothing. So you have to order it to the hotel from a restaurant. While the hotel is nice to assist, it just takes to much time. And sometimes you just want a fruit or some snacks, but they didn’t even have that, which made it kind of tedious to have to get dressed and go to the supermarket. Really nice to have a bar outdoors at the pool tho where guests could order drinks large portions of the day.

Anyway, all in all a great place but improvements to be made before it’s a full score! Thanks!

P.S it’s the smaller hotel with the smaller pool to the left in the first picture here...