ASP versus Secrets

[bflo44]

I am currently planning a honeymoon for next June and have narrowed our options to the Aventura Spa Palace and one of the Secrets Resorts (or possibly the El Dorado Royale). Does anyone have any recommendations about which resort to go to? Thanks very much

[carolina]

I have been to all three resorts. They are all nice. I thinks Secrets Capri wins hands down. The food and service go beyond the other two. My husband and I liked not having to make reservations for dinner. We liked the pool and lobby area. The rooms are beautiful and the ocean view was awesome. This is only my opinion. Everyone has their own personal taste. All three are pretty and clean and offer 24 hour room service. ASP was my least favorite. It was too spread out for me and the food and service were inferior to the others. I'm sure you will have a great trip which ever one you choose.

[Brent & Kim]

Secrets then EDR

[1badfish]

I agree you can't go wrong on any of these resorts. I have to disagree with Caroline. My favorite is the Aventura Spa Palace. I don't know where she got the service was bad from. It has always been great for me. The food has gotten better also. Go and have a great time.

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by 1badfish

My favorite is the Aventura Spa Palace. I don't know where she got the service was bad from. It has always been great for me. .

She didn't say the service was "bad", she said it was "inferior" to the other resorts listed. But just like anything else, service varies. Some people think the service is great at any given resort, some people think the service is lousy. Sometimes this is due to perceprtion and expectations, sometimes the service really DOES stink! Same deal with food - some like the food at their resort, some hate it.

My personal opionion is the Secrets is a great resort - food, service, amenities - all terrific. If I had to pick where to go from the list, I'd take Secrets, EDR then ASP.

[carolina]

Thank you for your support Shammy. You are right. I did not say it was bad or mean to infer it was bad at ASP. I liked the food and service better at Secrets and EDR, and Secrets best of the three.

[1badfish]

I know that you don't like the Palace resorts Shammy. I don't agree with you. Like you said everybody has a different opinion. I personally have never had a bad experience at ASP and have never had to make reservations at a resturant. They do have the best work out facility by far. I do like the big layed out grounds and can get away from other people.
The entertainment at night is always good. I personally know couples that have been married at the ASP and not one of them has talked bad about it.
I believe all three resorts are great and no one could do bad on the selection. I still vote the ASP the best.

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by 1badfish

I know that you don't like the Palace resorts Shammy. I don't agree with you. Like you said everybody has a different opinion.

It's simply untrue to over generalize and say that I don't like the Palace Resorts because nothing is further from the truth. In the past I have mentoned that I don't care for the beach quality at the ASP or the Moon Palace, and that I think the Moon Palace is too big/spread out.......but that doesn't mean "I don't like the Palace Resorts" - period. I have booked plenty of Palace properties over the years, in Riviera Maya and other parts of Mexico as well. But the fact is THAT has nothing at all to do with THIS topic. The the original poster asked anyone who cared to put their 2 pesos in about three different resorts - he is asking for other people's opinions about each resort and maybe why we personally like one better over another. Of course, we who answered are not all going to agree on which one we personally like best. But we are not here to disagree with each other about which we like better, and from what I can see, no one has done that - except for you. :p

[carolina]

Amen Shammy!

[1badfish]

I have been reading the threads for years and rarely respond to the threads unless I feel half truths have been stated. I do not want to argue with you on this issue. I felt that the ASP was not truthfully represented.
As far as you recommending any palace resort I have yet to see one. I have been going to Cancun for many years and most of the time twice a year.
I have talked to people that felt that they made the wrong choices on resorts from reading these threads and worried about it. People spend a lot of money taking these trips and the last thing they want to hear is that they screwed up. My personal openion is to get the top 10 resorts and find the best deal and take it. Their is not that much difference in them to say one is superior to the other.

[Shammy]

Again, you're missing the point!

Half truths have been stated here? By whom?

Carolina said she didn't think the service or food was AS good at ASP as it was at the other resorts. She never said the service and food was bad, she never said the ASP was bad. SHE has stayed at all three resorts so she should be qualifed to give us HER opinion on the service and food from the way that SHE sees it. How can you call that a half truth? Maybe to YOU it's not true, but to HER it is.

I said I prefer Secrets over the other two resorts mentioned. Now is that a half truth as well? Cause I think I was telling the whole truth - the truth according to the way that I see it. I never said a word about the ASP being bad or anything else negative about it in this thread. Heck, I didn't even mention the fact that it doesn't have a "real" beach (until now :p ).

You like the ASP, trust me - we got it. But what you keep doing is trying to dispute other people's opinions about this hotel. You like it best - we understand that. No one argued with you or came back to say that your opinion of the hotel was incorrect. Not everyone feels the same way about the ASP and because they don't doesn't mean they're only telling half the truth with their statements. Three posters have listed the hotels in the order that THEY prefer. Their opinions are not half truths.


Pleaseeeeeeeeee can we just drop this now for the sake of the poor poster who started this thread simply looking for info about these three hotels, which he WAS getting before you starting dragging all this drama into it. The guy only has one post - need we wonder why?

[janied]

My husband and I have been to Secrets Capri twice, and absolutely LOVE it!

The food, the service, the resort ... all excellent!

Very romantic for a honeymoon

[bflo44]

Thanks for the help everyone!

[sherylluis]

My hubby & I were married at Moon Palace but it has since grown too big and way too many kiddo. We tried ASP a few years ago and just loved it. We thought the service was great! The last few years we've been hitting Jamaica but plan on doing Cancun again later this year. I'd like to go back to ASP (anything adults only) but it sounds like El Dorado Royale & Secrets are really nice too. Any suggestions? Does anyone know if any are close together where we'd be able to split our time with both? Thx.

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by sherylluis

Does anyone know if any are close together where we'd be able to split our time with both? Thx.

Excellence Riviera Maya is just a bit south of where the Moon Palace is, right next to the Paradisus. The El Dorado Royale is further south of Excellence Riviera Maya and south of Puerto Morelos, but north of the Playa Del Secreto area. If you see the giant Iberostar complex on your way heading south towards Playa Del Carmen, you've passed the EDR. ASP as you know, is south of Playa Del Carmen, and well south of both of these other resorts.