Secrets and techniques and Desires Playa Esmeralda pair all-inclusive perks with a secluded seashore

The Dominican Republic has no scarcity of all-inclusive resorts to select from in widespread areas like Punta Cana. However away from the noise and crowds, there is a new all-inclusive vacation spot rising in Miches, and two new resorts are prepared to indicate vacationers why they need to make the 90-minute journey from the airport.

Secrets and techniques Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa is the primary adults-only, all-inclusive resort within the space, whereas Desires Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa is its adjoining family-friendly counterpart. And as a part of World of Hyatt, each resorts are bookable with factors, which helped land them on TPG’s checklist of probably the most thrilling lodge openings of 2025.

Here is a fast take a look at what you’ll be able to count on at every of those properties.

Associated: TPG’s information to the most effective all-inclusive resorts you’ll be able to ebook with factors

First impressions

After arriving on the conjoined property — I checked in on the Secrets and techniques aspect first — I used to be greeted with a glass of glowing wine and instantly whisked away by golf cart to a particular space for Most well-liked Membership company, who get a number of perks with their keep (considered one of which is a extra personalised check-in expertise). There, I met my private concierge — one other profit for Most well-liked Membership company — who escorted me to my room and gave me a tour of its options. Observe that every aspect of the property, each Secrets and techniques and Desires, have their very own foyer and their very own Most well-liked Membership check-in space, although most of the primary amenities are related all through.

Whether or not or not you go for the Most well-liked Membership expertise throughout your keep, whereas checking in, you will get your first take a look at one of the spectacular options of the joint resorts: the inside design. Each the Secrets and techniques and Desires sides of the advanced have their very own lovely open-air lobbies full with stylish bar areas, loads of seating and ocean views.

The rooms

Secrets and techniques and Desires every function 500 visitor rooms and suites, with 125 at every resort earmarked for Most well-liked Membership company. Rooms on either side are organized in a horseshoe configuration dealing with out towards the respective resort and ocean, giving most rooms no less than a partial ocean view.

At Secrets and techniques, I stayed in a superbly designed Most well-liked Membership main bedroom oceanfront room, full with a cushty king-size mattress, a full front room space, a spacious toilet with twin sinks and a soaking tub, and a balcony with loungers and one other soaking tub. The decor was modern, with impartial tones making a harmonious area. Use of pure supplies like wooden and rattan, in addition to some delicate patterns on the rugs and pillows, introduced in a boho contact becoming for an island setting.

At Desires, I stayed in a junior suite swim-up room with two queen beds. The room had a number of area for a household to unfold out, with a desk, a love seat, an outside terrace with seating and, in fact, direct entry to the pool. It was my first time in a swim-up room, and I beloved the idea; it might be an particularly excellent setup for fogeys maintaining a tally of younger kids throughout nap time. The draw back to being on the bottom flooring is definitely listening to loud music from the pool.

The decor at Desires is a little more playful than on the Secrets and techniques aspect, with pops of coloration and patterned tiles befitting a family-friendly lodge.

Each rooms I stayed in had Bluetooth speaker methods to pipe music all through the suite, a function I appreciated and used ceaselessly.

Eating at Secrets and techniques and Desires Playa Esmeralda

Eating is the place each Secrets and techniques and Desires have some room to enhance, which is just pure for 2 brand-new resorts of this dimension. Whereas restaurant choices are plentiful (Secrets and techniques has 11 eating shops and Desires has 10, with six a la carte eating places apiece), the standard and expertise was blended. For instance, I did not discover the breakfast or lunch choices notably appetizing, and one room service order yielded an undercooked pizza. A number of instances, confusion led to improper objects getting delivered to my desk every evening — however servers had been at all times pleasant and prepared to assist, and errors had been corrected so quickly that I did not thoughts them in any respect. On the time of my keep, menus weren’t marked with dietary restrictions, in order a vegetarian, it was difficult to find out what I may and could not eat.

At each resorts, although, I discovered dinners to be good, and a few dishes had been even nice. The meals at Dona Altagracia, Secrets and techniques’ Dominican restaurant, was a spotlight, as had been the alfajores (cookies with dulce de leche) at Secrets and techniques’ espresso bar, Coco. And each restaurant was superbly furnished, every with a definite decor theme to set the vibe. Even the buffet areas had been designed with care.

Once more, on condition that each resorts are brand-new, I do count on a few of the points I skilled to naturally enhance over time. As an example, I dined at Secrets and techniques’ Mediterranean restaurant, Meraki, twice throughout my keep, and even in that quick time, I seen that the meals had gotten higher between visits.

Observe that company at Secrets and techniques can get pleasure from all of the eating choices at Desires, however kids can not entry the eating choices at adults-only Secrets and techniques. At the moment, solely choose eating places are open every day on a rotating foundation, however they may finally all be open each day as occupancy will increase.

Facilities and repair

Facilities at each resorts had been a spotlight of my go to. As with the eating places, company at Secrets and techniques can benefit from facilities at Desires, however kids cannot enterprise over to Secrets and techniques. For that purpose, the adults-only gymnasium is situated on the Secrets and techniques aspect, whereas the all-ages basketball and tennis courts, for instance, are on the Desires aspect.

• Service: For probably the most half, everybody I encountered was very pleasant. Because the resorts are new, some restaurant waitstaff are nonetheless studying English, however that didn’t impede my expertise in any respect. As an alternative, I noticed it as an incredible alternative to follow my Spanish.
• Private concierge: My private concierges, Claudio at Secrets and techniques and Esteban at Desires, had been the heroes of the journey. They had been shortly reachable by WhatsApp, seemingly always, serving to out with all the pieces from eating suggestions to exercise schedules to establishing the Bluetooth speaker system. I extremely suggest springing for Most well-liked Membership lodging for entry to the private concierge profit.
• Actions: The properties host a number of free actions and workshops, together with jewellery making, hat portray, kayaking and paddleboarding. Water sports activities firm SeaPro has an on-property kiosk and might prepare banana boating, snorkeling excursions and extra.
• Pets: Vaccinated canine weighing 22 kilos or much less are welcome on the property for a charge.
• Swimming pools: Every resort has an exercise pool, a extra serene pool and a Most well-liked Membership pool. I notably loved utilizing the Most well-liked Membership swimming pools, which had been quieter and fewer crowded.
• Health heart: The ability is effectively outfitted with free weights and Technogym machines. There’s additionally a non-public room that may host Pilates courses as soon as occupancy will increase.
• Leisure: The resorts supply stay music within the public sq. and a wide range of programming within the theater areas (suppose: magic reveals at Desires and cabarets at Secrets and techniques).
• Spa: The large spa homes a leisure pool, a sauna, a hammam, a steam bathtub, a magnificence salon, locker rooms and extra.
• Children and teenagers golf equipment: These no-fee golf equipment supply a formidable slate of actions and facilities, together with a playground for teenagers ages 3 to 13 and a DJ disco and movie show for teenagers.

Seashore

One of many huge attracts to the property is its secluded seashore. I did not see greater than a handful of individuals there at any given time all through my few days on the property, not to mention the overcrowding and protracted sellers I’ve seen on seashores throughout different resort stays. The water turns a shocking shade of turquoise round noon, and it is heat and swimmable.

Loungers and daybeds are set again a bit from the water, although they nonetheless supply unobstructed views. That is as a result of the seashore is protected as a sanctuary for the leatherback turtles that lay eggs there yearly.

Location and logistics

Secrets and techniques and Desires Playa Esmeralda sit about 63 miles northwest of Punta Cana Worldwide Airport (PUJ), which is the closest airport possibility. Flights from the U.S. into Punta Cana are plentiful, and from there, you will want transportation to the resort, which takes about an hour and a half to achieve by automotive.

The resorts ebook transfers by their sister firm, Amstar, which is what I took to get there, and the rides had been straightforward and nice. They are not low cost, nevertheless, at about $174 every approach (although that determine can range relying on how and while you ebook). Whereas ride-hailing apps are used broadly in different elements of the Dominican Republic, they don’t seem to be at the moment used within the extra distant Miches space. Parking on the resorts is free for company who select to lease a automotive.

What it prices to remain at Secrets and techniques and Desires Playa Esmeralda and how you can ebook

Secrets and techniques and Desires are a part of Hyatt’s all-inclusive assortment, which means you’ll be able to earn and redeem World of Hyatt factors for a keep. A number of room varieties can be found to ebook with factors, together with Most well-liked Membership lodging and premium suites.

Secrets and techniques is a part of Hyatt’s all-inclusive Class C, which means normal rooms on off-peak nights go for as little as 21,000 factors, whereas premium suites on peak nights are priced at 58,000 factors. At Desires, a Class B all-inclusive, these costs vary from 17,000 to 46,000 factors per evening, respectively.

In money, count on to pay charges within the mid-$300s as much as about $500 for a non-Most well-liked Membership room at Secrets and techniques this yr till the vacations, when costs skyrocket. At Desires, yow will discover room charges beneath $300 on many nights.

Accessibility

Each Secrets and techniques and Desires supply accessible rooms, with 4 per lodge and one every within the Most well-liked Membership. These rooms embrace giant bogs outfitted for wheelchair entry, amongst different options. There are ramps and elevators all through the property, however not one of the swimming pools have a raise. Service canine are allowed.

TPG at all times recommends contacting the lodge instantly to verify how effectively the property can accommodate particular wants, notably with resorts outdoors the U.S., the place accessibility legal guidelines could also be completely different.

Backside line

Should you’re in the hunt for a extra peaceable all-inclusive expertise paired with pristine seashores, spacious rooms and delightful facilities — and your journey is lengthy sufficient to help the three-hour round-trip drive from the airport — Secrets and techniques and Desires Playa Esmeralda are nice choices. If glorious meals is de facto essential to you, I would counsel ready a few months to ebook simply to provide the eating places time to hit their stride. The conjoined beachside resorts are a stable addition to Hyatt’s all-inclusive assortment in a shocking, lesser-known Dominican vacation spot.

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