We headed to Cancun to celebrate my birthday and chose Secrets The Vine, an adults-only all-inclusive resort by Hyatt. We booked a room in the "Preferred Club" category to make the trip extra special β but is the massive price premium actually worth it? Here is our completely honest review of the room, the perks, and a high-pressure sales tactic you absolutely need to watch out for.
The Preferred Club: What Does It Actually Cost?
The price difference varies wildly depending on your room type. A standard Deluxe Ocean View might only cost $50 extra per night for Preferred Club. We booked the Honeymoon Suite Ocean Front View, and the Preferred Club upgrade for that specific room ran us $129 extra per night.
Here is what that gets you:
- Daily continental breakfast in your room
- Access to a private lounge with food and premium liquor
- Private check-in and check-out
- Dedicated butler service via WhatsApp
- Exclusive Preferred Club infinity pool on the 12th floor
- Complimentary hydrotherapy circuit at the spa
The Reality of the Perks: Our Honest Take
To be completely honest, most of the Preferred Club perks did not live up to the price tag.
The Lounge: The private check-in lounge was incredibly crowded, loud, and chaotic β we would have preferred the standard lobby. The food in the lounge was disappointing (the pastries were oddly wet), and the bartender made noticeably worse drinks than the ones we got at the pool bars downstairs. We avoided the lounge for the rest of the trip.
Butler Service: Your butler communicates via WhatsApp between 10 AM and 6 PM. Since the restaurants operate first come, first served with no reservations, there was nothing for our butler to do. The only time we used the service was to ask them to fill the bathtub.
The Hydrotherapy Circuit: The one perk we genuinely loved. A full circuit featuring a dry sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and pressure pools β ending with a cold towel over your eyes. Relaxing and well-maintained.
The Infinity Pool: We did not end up using it much, as the main pool areas were livelier and more enjoyable.
The Room: Honeymoon Suite Ocean Front View
While the Preferred Club perks disappointed, the room itself was absolutely stunning.
The View: Oceanfront views from the balcony that are genuinely insane. Because it is a corner suite, you also get a secondary balcony with a sunset view.
The Bathroom: Gorgeous β a massive waterfall shower and a beautiful soaking tub. They decorated it with a birthday ribbon, which was a lovely touch.
The Tech: Our favorite feature was the TV at the foot of the bed. Using a remote, you can lower it down into a cabinet so it does not block your ocean view. Surprisingly thoughtful detail.
A Major Warning: The Timeshare Pitch
This was the biggest negative of our stay, and I want to be fully transparent about it.
While walking through the lobby, a staff member approached me asking about my birthday and mentioned she had a $200 "birthday credit" for me. She sat us down and spent 30β40 minutes trying to lock us into a 90-minute "presentation" the next morning in exchange for the credit. When I asked directly if it was a timeshare pitch, she dodged the question.
We only had two days at the resort. Losing nearly an hour of vacation time to a high-pressure sales pitch was genuinely upsetting.
We also experienced aggressive upselling at the steakhouse, where our waiter repeatedly pushed expensive wine bottles and lobster upcharges despite us being at an all-inclusive. If you book here expecting a relaxed, no-pressure experience, go in with your guard up.
Final Thoughts
The resort is beautiful, the gym has a stunning ocean view, and our suite was spectacular. But between the Preferred Club perks underdelivering and the pushy sales tactics, we would likely not return. There are other all-inclusive options in Cancun that offer a more relaxed, high-value experience without the pressure.
For a full breakdown of every restaurant β including the steakhouse that disappointed and the Italian spot that saved the trip β read our Secrets The Vine Cancun food review.
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