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

The Dominican Republic has no scarcity of all-inclusive resorts to select from in well-liked 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 resort openings of 2025.

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

Associated: TPG’s information to the very best all-inclusive resorts you’ll be able to guide 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 friends, who get a number of perks with their keep (one among which is a extra customized check-in expertise). There, I met my private concierge — one other profit for Most well-liked Membership friends — who escorted me to my room and gave me a tour of its options. Be aware 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 most important services 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 may get your first have a look at one of the crucial spectacular options of the joint resorts: the inside design. Each the Secrets and techniques and Desires sides of the complicated have their very own stunning 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 friends. Rooms on each side are organized in a horseshoe configuration going through out towards the respective resort and ocean, giving most rooms a minimum of a partial ocean view.

At Secrets and techniques, I stayed in a fantastically designed Most well-liked Membership main bedroom oceanfront room, full with a snug 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 smooth, with impartial tones making a harmonious house. 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 numerous house for a household to unfold out, with a desk, a love seat, an outside terrace with seating and, after all, direct entry to the pool. It was my first time in a swim-up room, and I beloved the idea; it could be an particularly good setup for fogeys maintaining a tally of younger kids throughout nap time. The draw back to being on the bottom ground is well 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 shade and patterned tiles befitting a family-friendly resort.

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

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 simply pure for 2 brand-new resorts of this measurement. 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 significantly appetizing, and one room service order yielded an undercooked pizza. A number of occasions, confusion led to mistaken objects getting delivered to my desk every night time — however servers have been all the time pleasant and keen to assist, and errors have 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 tough to find out what I may and could not eat.

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

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

Be aware that friends at Secrets and techniques can take pleasure in all of the eating choices at Desires, however kids can not entry the eating choices at adults-only Secrets and techniques. At present, solely choose eating places are open every day on a rotating foundation, however they are going to finally all be open day by day as occupancy will increase.

Facilities and repair

Facilities at each resorts have been a spotlight of my go to. As with the eating places, friends at Secrets and techniques can benefit from facilities at Desires, however kids cannot enterprise over to Secrets and techniques. For that cause, the adults-only fitness center 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 a substitute, I noticed it as an excellent alternative to follow my Spanish.
• Private concierge: My private concierges, Claudio at Secrets and techniques and Esteban at Desires, have been the heroes of the journey. They have been rapidly reachable by WhatsApp, seemingly always, serving to out with all the pieces from eating suggestions to exercise schedules to organising 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 may prepare banana boating, snorkeling excursions and extra.
• Pets: Vaccinated canine weighing 22 kilos or much less are welcome on the property for a payment.
• Swimming pools: Every resort has an exercise pool, a extra serene pool and a Most well-liked Membership pool. I significantly loved utilizing the Most well-liked Membership swimming pools, which have 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 provide stay music within the public sq. and quite a lot of programming within the theater areas (suppose: magic exhibits 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.
• Youngsters and teenagers golf equipment: These no-fee golf equipment provide 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.

Seaside

One of many massive attracts to the property is its secluded seaside. 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 chronic sellers I’ve seen on seashores throughout different resort stays. The water turns a surprising 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 provide unobstructed views. That is as a result of the seaside 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 choice. Flights from the U.S. into Punta Cana are plentiful, and from there, you may want transportation to the resort, which takes about an hour and a half to achieve by automobile.

The resorts guide transfers via their sister firm, Amstar, which is what I took to get there, and the rides have been straightforward and nice. They are not low-cost, nevertheless, at about $174 every approach (although that determine can range relying on how and whenever you guide). Whereas ride-hailing apps are used extensively in different elements of the Dominican Republic, they are not at present used within the extra distant Miches space. Parking on the resorts is free for friends who select to hire a automobile.

What it prices to remain at Secrets and techniques and Desires Playa Esmeralda and the way to guide

Secrets and techniques and Desires are a part of Hyatt’s all-inclusive assortment, that 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 guide 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, that means customary 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 night time, 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 12 months till the vacations, when costs skyrocket. At Desires, yow will discover room charges under $300 on many nights.

Accessibility

Each Secrets and techniques and Desires provide accessible rooms, with 4 per resort and one every within the Most well-liked Membership. These rooms embody giant loos 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 elevate. Service canine are allowed.

TPG all the time recommends contacting the resort immediately to substantiate how effectively the property can accommodate particular wants, significantly with resorts outdoors the U.S., the place accessibility legal guidelines could also be totally different.

Backside line

For those who’re looking 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 wonderful meals is actually essential to you, I might counsel ready a few months to guide simply to offer the eating places time to hit their stride. The conjoined beachside resorts are a stable addition to Hyatt’s all-inclusive assortment in a surprising, lesser-known Dominican vacation spot.

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