The first few months of our newly minted digital nomad life were spent in Mexico. We started our adventure in Puerto Vallarta, and we decided to check out the new Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort located near Punta Mita, in the Riviera Nayarit. Here is our review and 13 things to know about the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf and Spa resort.

The Secrets Bahia Mita Resort is a part of the AMR Collection, which recently joined the Hyatt family of properties. Great news for all of our points-loving friends out there! The newly-adopted resorts have also officially joined the World of Hyatt points system; so, yes, you can now earn and book with points.

Joe and I are huge fans of both Hyatt and the AMR Collection, so we were excited when we heard the news about this new joint venture! FYI: As a Certified Master Agent for AMR Collection, I can help you plan the perfect vacation, destination wedding or corporate retreat to any of the properties in their portfolio.

Ok, let’s dive into our review and the top 13 Things to Know About Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort before you book your next trip to this tropical paradise. 

1. Location

First things first, the new Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa resort offers some of the most incredible views of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Absolutely breathtaking views! Since the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort is located at the north end of the Bahía de Banderas, on the Nayarit Riviera, you are surrounded by unique landscapes and vistas of both the sea and mountains.

An important detail to know is that the Secrets Bahia Mita resort is co-located with the family-friendly Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort, and they share several amenities. This is good to note, especially for honeymooners or adult couples looking for a quiet experience away from the sights and sounds of children.

Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa resort is a quick 40 minute transfer from the Puerto Vallarta airport (PVR) and 60 minutes from the downtown area, it’s just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of busy Puerto Vallarta.

To get to Secrets Bahia Mita you can arrange a transfer through the hotel’s transportation partner (AMStar) or take a taxi, or Uber, from your location. Typically, taxi rides will cost anywhere between $60-100 USD.

2. Architecture and Design

Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort is a newly-built 278-suite resort—each suite has an ocean view, which makes this property extra special.

Nestled in the lush landscape and surrounded by breathtaking views, the first thing you’ll notice when you arrive at Secrets Bahia Mita is its gargantuan size—it kinda looks like a giant spacecraft. The entire concept was created by renowned Mexican architect, Sordo Madaleno, who presents a contemporary, avant-garde design that cost over $150 million USD to build.

If you’re looking for a tropical vibe, you may want to look elsewhere, at least for the time being. Even though the resort sits in the middle of the jungle, it doesn’t feel very “tropical.” There is a lot of concrete! The main walkway to get to the beach, pools or restaurants is a massive cement hallway that will make you feel like you’re stepping into the depths of the spaceship.

That being said, this is a new property and the vegetation will likely grow as the property ages. I’d like to return in a year or so to see if the resort feels softer and a bit more organic.

Over the course of our 2-week stay, we also encountered few questionable design elements. The clunky elevator system is a great example. The elevator shafts don’t span the entire height of the property. So, because of this, you need to take at least 2 elevators to go from one floor to another. Sometimes, the elevators are located side by side, which makes the transfer a bit more convenient. But, this is not always the case.

There is also no clear signage as to which elevator goes where or how they are connected. There really is no quick/easy way to get down to the beach or the pool restaurants area. We stumbled into many other disoriented guests and shared a few laughs. We visited this property shortly after their initial opening. It’s possible that (by the time this post goes live) management has already added signage and fixed some minor kinks.

3. Adults-Only, BUT…

If you’re looking for a relaxing vacay or honeymoon away from kids, yours or otherwise, this is NOT the place for you. 

As we mentioned previously, The Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort is co-located with the family-friendly Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort. And by “co-located,” we mean it’s the same exact property. A new resort trend that we’re definitely not huge fans of.

If you step out onto your balcony, from the adults-only side overlooking the Dreams side, you could see and hear kids playing in the waterpark or at one of the pools. In addition, several of the restaurants are also child-friendly, which means that your romantic dinner may be interrupted by the sounds of a nearby toddler in need of a nap. 

Essentially, if you’re looking for a quiet and truly adults-only all-inclusive resort experience, this may not be the resort for you. But, don’t worry! We can suggest several other properties in the AMR Collection portfolio that could be better suited for your romantic adult-only retreat.

4. Dining

Two words we would use to describe the food at the new Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa resort:

Come hungry!

There are 12 dining options at the new Secrets Bahia Mita, including a 24-hour cafe and 24-hour room service; plus 5 bars, 2 of which are dedicated Preferred Club areas. And, thankfully an incredible fitness center to help burn off all those calories!

Note: Seven out of the twelve dining options are part of the family-oriented Dreams Bahia Mita side. 

Two of our favorite restaurants were Himitsu and Portofino. We also really enjoyed the 24-hour coffee shop and snack bar, Coco Café, although it was a bit of a trek from our room. We took advantage of the 24-hour room service on several occasions and were very impressed with the quality of the food and service every time. Which is not always the case at some all-inclusive resorts.

5. Upgrade to the Preferred Club 

One of the best features of the new The Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort is the absolutely gorgeous adult-only Sky Bar, rooftop club and pool, located in the Preferred Lounge. Interestingly, we never really had anyone cross-reference our names or room number up until we rented a cabana. So you may be able to access the Sky Deck without the room upgrade. However, we strongly suggest the upgrade to Preferred Club at the Secrets Bahia Mita to guarantee access.

Choosing a Preferred Club Suite comes with a few additional perks, some of which we really appreciated. All Preferred Club suites offer the following additional amenities and services that we took advantage of: 

• Private Preferred Club Lounge where you can take your breakfast, more peacefully. We especially enjoyed this perk on mornings when the Market Cafe was busy. It was nice to have what felt like a more “exclusive” space to enjoy our breakfast. There is also a bar and a small selection of hot/cold appetizers on display and served throughout the day.

• Private Sky Bar, Preferred Club Roof Top Bar with infinity pool. We spent most of our days here and enjoyed the fact that it was much quieter than the other pools where you can hear children running around and playing at the waterpark. The service was also fantastic with ice cold beverages and a great champagne list.

Upgrading to the Preferred Club at the The Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort also means you get a pillow menu and updated in-room amenities including a premium mini-bar! #Yesplease

6. Adults-Only Swimming Pools

There are 4 adults-only pools at The Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort. The 2 pools with no children in sight were the Preferred Club Sky Bar and the small infinity pool located next to the restaurant Olio. 

7. Spa and Fitness Center

The spa at the new Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility with multiple saunas, steam rooms and cold plunge pools in addition to three relaxing areas and a beauty salon. There are also two bridal suites, as this resort has a huge focus on destination weddings. 

Joe and I went to the gym most every morning and enjoyed how well-equipped and open it was. The new equipment is spaced out just enough for everyone to have plenty of space and there are also side rooms for classes and those who like to spread out even more. All in all, the fitness center is one of our favorites of any property we’ve been to.

One thing to note is that the spa and fitness center at the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa is shared with the Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa guests. We didn’t see any age restrictions on the spa services, but the gym is limited to children accompanied by an adult. 

8. Cabanas

Not going to lie, I love a good cabana. Add in a bottle, or two, of Champagne and, well, I’m basically in my heaven. Joe knows this about me and has come to terms with it. Admittedly, I don’t think it was too hard on him.

That being said, we rented a cabana at the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Preferred Sky Bar Pool on three separate occasions during our two-week-long stay. It ended up being one of our favorite things! It was paradise. The views, the breeze and the cool dips in the rooftop pool were the perfect way to wind down from the chaos of selling a house and putting our things in storage. We loved watching the whales frolic in the distance and the surfers out in the water. We highly suggest renting a cabana during your stay at Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort!

9. Beach 

For all of our beach lovers out there, it’s important to note that the beach at the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa is much more suited to surfing than swimming. It is called a surf resort after all.

Note: It’s fairly rocky, so we highly suggest bringing wet shoes for exploring the beach that sits directly in front of the resort.

10. Dogs are allowed

A little-known fact about Secrets resorts is that small dogs are welcome guests.

Although we didn’t see any pets, Secrets Bahia Mita does welcome small dogs under 22 pounds. For just $65 you can bring your furry friend along on vacation with you. If you do, you’ll be placed in one of their Dog-Friendly Guest Rooms, which include the following:  

• Welcome letter with guidelines and restrictions 
• Dog bed  
• Food and water bowls  
• Floor mat for bowls 
• Rope toy 
• Small plastic bone for dogs 
• Dog waste bags 

Note: You need to reach out to Secrets Bahia Mita directly to make your pet-friendly booking. Email reservations.sebmi@secretsresorts.com for more information on availability and room categories that allow pets. 

11. Shopping

By now you may have caught on that in my past life, I was a self-diagnosed shopaholic. Nowadays, as a recovering shopaholic, I still find it hard to pass up a resort boutique. Sadly, the shopping at the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa mostly consists of overpriced sunscreen lotion and toiletries, with an unremarkable selection of beach and pool attire as well as your run-of-the-mill Christmas ornaments, magnets and other resort-branded souvenirs.

12. Meetings and Groups

If you’re planning a meeting or have a group, Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa resort could be the perfect destination. In fact, the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa boasts one of the largest conference facilities in the AMR Collection, with six meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 1,000 people for meetings and cocktail functions, or banquets of up to 750 people. Much of the property is setup for group events as there are several private terrace areas with ocean views. 

13. Destination Weddings

The Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa was truly made to host your special day. With over 9 different ceremony and reception locations, you can host multiple events, each with its own vibe. Plus, since the Secrets Bahia Mita is co-located with the Dreams Bahia Mita, you can easily host guests of all ages.

PLUS: Spend at least 7 nights in a Preferred Club Junior Suite Ocean View, or higher category, at Secrets Bahia Mita and receive a complimentary wedding package, valued at $1,000+. 

In Closing

The new Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa resort offers forward-thinking design with several dining options and outstanding views. We were there during their soft opening and encountered a few kinks. But, all things considered, this is a great property and a unique addition to the AMR Collection portfolio.

If you end up going to the Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa resort, let us know what you think!

FAQ: Secrets Bahia Mita

1. Does Secrets Bahia Mita have a beach?
   • Yes! We do suggest bringing beach or water shoes for the most comfort while exploring the beach.
2. Is Secrets Bahia Mita family friendly?
   • This property is Adults Only. Co-located next to this property and sharing amenities is the Dreams Bahia Mita. for family-friendly accommodations, please consider the Dreams Bahia Mita.
3. Does Secrets Bahia Mita offer free airport transfers?
   • No. You can arrange a transfer through the hotel’s transportation partner (AMStar) or take a taxi, or Uber, from your location. Typically, taxi rides will cost anywhere between $60-100 USD.
4. How far is the airport from the Secrets Bahia Mita resort?
   • 40 minute transfer from the Puerto Vallarta airport (PVR)
5. Is Secrets Bahia Mita a good property for corporate events?
   • Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa boasts one of the largest conference facilities in the AMR Collection, with six meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 1,000 people for meetings and cocktail functions, or banquets of up to 750 people. It’s a fantastic location for your corporate retreat or conference.
6. Is Secrets Bahia Mita a good property for destination weddings?
   • If you’re looking for a resort that offers both adult-only and family-friendly options, along with multiple indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception venues then the co-located Secrets and Dreams Bahia Mita could be a great resort property for your destination wedding.
7. What are the excursions at the Secrets Bahia Mita?
   • There is a wide range of activities and excursions available at the Secrets Bahia Mita property including: whale watching boat trips, fishing, snorkeling, sunset cruises and more.
     • Whale Watching – Whale watching season in Puerto Vallarta begins in early December and ends in late March.
     • Vallarta Adventures – One of the most exciting attractions in Puerto Vallarta that allows guests to swim with dolphins and sea lions. Located just 12 miles from the resort.
     • Sport Fishing/Open Water Diving – There are local open water diving facilities and courses as well as a fishing pier and charters available for world-class sport fishing.
     • Eco-Adventure Tours – There are numerous tours available including outdoor adventure tours, canopy tours, zip-lining, water sports, hiking and more.
     • Marietas Island – A must-see national park island in front of the hotel featuring a world famous hidden beach with excellent views, a natural sanctuary with a profusion of land and sea life, and the option to kayak and paddle board.
8. How many rooms does secrets Bahia Mita have? 278
9. How much does it cost to stay at Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa – Adults Only – All Inclusive? Rates vary based on season and availability. We checked rates for a 1 week stay in July 2023 and the rates ranged from $400-$600+ per room, per night.