Secrets Maroma vs Valentin Imperial Maya Review - We've recently been to both!

cs026a

Hi there!

We went to Maroma for our HM a couple weeks ago, and we went to the Valentin two years ago...(Maroma we visited in April, Valentin in May).

We just wanted to say, for everyone looking at comparisons, that you won't be disappointed with either. We stayed 5 nights at both, and had a swim out room. The swim out room at the Valentin we liked better (we liked the pool better, and didn't like that at Maroma we only had one lounger). The pool was much larger, much nicer at the Valentin. The beach was much nicer at Maroma. The staff at both were great, with Maroma maybe being a bit better. The food was also slightly better at Maroma, as well as the amount of restaurants. We never had to wait at Maroma for a seat at dinner - at the Valentin there were times whe we waited up to an hour.

The generally feeling at the Valentin was a bit nicer - there are no other resorts near you, and you feel like the resot is huge (it is way bigger than Maroma). Maroma is kinda packed in with a bunch of other resorts, and you don't get the same isolated feeling that you do at the Valentin. Maroma also lacks the "Grand entrance" feel that te Valentin has.

We used the spa at Maroma - which was FABULOUS! We have no experience with the Valentin spa..but we were very impressed with it at Maroma.

Both have water sports available on the beach for free (kayaks, boats, snorkeling). Those guys work for tips at both resorts, and do a great job.

We did feel a little more "pampered" at Maroma. If we had to go back to one of them, I think we would choose the Valentin. We're more pool people than beach people, and the pool can't be beat at the Valentin. Although, Maroma had fabulous food choices so close to everything. Their buffet by the pool was amazing. The fact you could have food deliverd to you at the pool or beach was amazing. I'm not sure if this is available at the Valentin or not, we never had it though if it was.

Hope that helps someone out there deciding between the two. We felt so safe the whole time on the resort, and nevr had any issues at all.

Happy HM planning to all!

hz80408

Thanks for sharing.  I'm surprised you said SMB lacked a grand entrance b/c we thought it was gorgeous! Now I'm curious about Valentin's!

GoBucksOH

I am surprised that you felt that SMB was "packed in with other resorts".........b/c I certainly did not get that feel at all. In fact, I felt like everyone at SMB were the only people on that beach!

Thanks for the review, I will certainly read up on Valentin!

MoonlightSilver

Thanks so much for the review. I'm feeling great about our choice to stay at VIM- I can't wait til June! 

Summer2011Bride

Thanks for the review! We are wanting to go to Mexico for the first time in 2013 and VIM is one I have been checking into. It's nice to hear a first-hand review.

mbishop7

I can't wait for our visit to VIM in June!

jelenybeany

thanks for posting this! we were torn between VIM and SMB. We went with VIM because it gets great reviews, and for us was significantly cheaper than SMB. Sounds like we wouldn't have been disappointed with either.

cs026a

Your welcome!

I suppose it wasn't as packed with other resorts as say, in Cancun, but I felt at the Valentin you felt totally isolated from everyone. At SMB, there is a resort directly next door. You see other resorts beach areas easily (we walked past several). At the VIM, the beach isn't as nice, and therefore has a much more isolated feel. We easily found places to relax on the beach where no one would walk past us for hours at the VIM!