TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Secrets Anse Macel

We had promised a review of The Hyatt Secrets here in St Martin a short while ago. We are day 5 of a 2 week stay and overall have been very impressed. The Hotel as many know is closing again in a month or so for renovations and know one seems to know for how long. Overall we are impressed with the resort and would return. This is our 4th or 5th trip to the Island going back about 30 years. Our goal for this trip was a relaxing beach vacation. Here are some observations.

The food is exceptional. We have done the ala carte dining places and the buffet. This is on a par of our expectations and very good. A couple nights ago the Buffett had goat stew, every bit as good as what we often have in Negril. Yesterday at lunch they had snails done with a garlic white wine cream sauce. A really good selection and in keeping with the food and beverage one would expect on the French side of the Island. They have a champagne and OJ station at breakfast. Nice touch.

Wine is very good and all top shelf booze. Again matching expectations. Oddly no French beer offered. They have a nice little coffee shop in the morning and the beach and pools bars do a nice job.

The beach is nice but does seems to have a fair bit of seaweed washing up every day. The other end of the beach does a better job of keeping the beach clean. A first world problem

Our room is nice and we have a view of the marina next door. Comfy bed and safe to lock up valuables and you can stream news from back home (Canadian) to the tv. Generally the room again meets expectations…. Maybe slightly exceeds.

The clientele is mostly Canadians from what we have seen with a few Americans and Europeans. We are early 60’s and probably about the average age. We visit the gym each day and it is nice and has everything we need. Kelly did a yoga class every morning for the first few days and there is low key entertainment in the lobby every night.

We are fortunate to travel quite a lot for many years. This a a great option if you can find availability before they close for the next round of renos. When they reopen the price will probably double and they will still sell out. This resort is a solid 9 out of 10.

Thanks for the report. Glad you are enjoying yourselves.

There have been many hotels there over the years. One wonders why they don't seem to last if the reviews say it's great. Perhaps it's the isolation?

Interesting, I think the issue is an All Inclusive, which seems bonkers to most people who visit. Glad you are enjoying the visit, hopefully you can try a beach or meal outside the resort!

Interesting indeed! Well I haven’t been referred to as “bonkers” in awhile. That is kind of funny. Our first visit to Saint Martin was in 1990. Safe to say we have visited all the beaches on the Island over the years.

Kelly--I don't know about 'bonkers' in particular, but most people who visit SXM do consider that it is a shame to spend all one's time at one place on the island. I guess the question was whether you have left the resort at all to visit another beach or go to a restaurant outside.

Hi Carol: Completely agree and it is important to get out and explore this beautiful Island. This is one of the few beaches we had not spent anytime on previously.

Off to Orient beach later today.

Kelly--ok, enjoy!

Sorry, my post was sort if in jest.

I just think that it is very hard for an all-inclusive hotel in Anse Marcel to really do well. Most people visit this wonderful island for the great variety and excellent dining options as well as the beaches.

I think you said you used points so it's sort of free. I just cannot imagine a dinner at Secrets would be similar to a nice dinner in Grand Case, but I could be totally wrong.

As long as your enjoying your vacation it doesn't matter what I think!

Had to chime in

Thanks for the review

This is our 11th visit t St Martins. Started in 2008 at the Sonesta – wife won a one week trip. Came back in 2012, again at the Sonesta with a game plan to check various rental units. The next nine trips we have rented a unit, generally on the Fr side at Orient, our preferred location for the vibe and walkability. Love you can walk to dinner in the square and village has some great food choices.

Most on TTOL are not all-inclusive users, same as us, but we came here because of an initial all inclusive visit. Same for any of the cruisers who stopped here for first tikme and then came back. Afterall a cruise is a floating all inclusive for all intents

Worked with a man who vacationed several times at the Sonesta. His wife was a diehard all-inclusive person. Without an all inclusive they would never enjoyed St Martins

So to each their own. The glass half full person sees a lack of all inclusive’s as an opportunity. Hope Secrets makes a go of it.

Thaks for your great review. Please come back!

JH