The Secrets Resort by Hyatt in Tulum is an all-inclusive resort that brings in folks looking to spend a lot of time in the hotel and knowing that they’ve already fixed their budget for their holiday.
Unfortunately, this can make the Casa Zamna Beach Club by Secrets Tulum a little confusing because they offer an “all-inclusive” day pass, but that only means that all the amenities are included (and depending on where you want to sit, a drink or two); you still have to pay for your food and drinks on top.
So, our team went in search of a good time at Casa Zamna Beach Club, and this is what they found there.
Introduction – Getting To Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum
Where Is Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum? Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila 091, Tulum Beach, 77760 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico
Online: Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum
Opening Hours: 8 a.m. – 10.30 p.m.
What’s Available At Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum?
Casa Zamna offers some tiered, oceanfront pools to provide guests with plenty of options for swimming. It has an exclusive restaurant, Rosewater, open only to guests staying at the property, and Seaside Grill & Willy’s Place, which are open to everyone at the beach club.
It provides beach access, comfortable day beds, and occasional DJs with piped music daily. IN addition, they have a free shuttle service between this beach club and the main Secrets Tulum Resort.
You can also expect changing facilities, towels, locker rooms, etc. as part of the day pass.
Our Detailed Review Of Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum
We consistently apply the same process to review every beach club. This ensures fair treatment when evaluating owners, managers, and staff and keeps all reviews in an identical format for easy comparison.
Here’s the structure:
- A team is tasked with assessing the venue.
- Each member visits independently on different days.
- Scorecards are completed with 1 to 5 ratings and observations.
- The team discusses everything and agrees on the final scores.
- One designated member writes and publishes the review.
Reservation and Booking Process
Like nearly every beach club in Tulum, they don’t have a dedicated booking engine at Casa Zamna, and that means you have to try and get a day pass from ResortPass and other affiliated sites.
This never fills us with confidence that we’re going to get exactly what we order, though it worked fine in this instance.
You can’t choose a seat, though, and you do pay a lot extra for a daybed, though it comes with a bottle of wine to offset the sting a little.
Ambience and Atmosphere
This is very much a hotel beach club, and if you’ve ever been to one anywhere else in the world, you’ll know what to expect. Which is one of the reasons that people like 5-star hotels: their reliability.
The vibe here is very much chilled out and encouraging folks to enjoy good food and drink with their friends. If they have a DJ on, it may get a little more upbeat in the late afternoon, but it’s never a full-on party.
Location And Accessibility
Tulum itself is easy enough to get to from within the Americas, though we should note that it may still be a long flight or flights (direct flights to Tulum do exist but not from everywhere). And it’s a little trickier to get there from the rest of the world.
The beach club itself sits in the Hotel Strip outside of Tulum proper, and you will need transportation to get there and back. We should also note that this area is not safe at night, and nobody should walk around outside the club/hotel premises alone.
One common complaint among Hyatt guests is that the 20-minute trip from the main Secrets resort and back again is a bit of a headache.
Aesthetic And Design
They used the renowned Mexican architect Eduardo Garcia Figueroa to design this place, and the idea was to merge traditional Mayan themes with modern Mexican aesthetics.
We really like the indoor-outdoor flow at this club and its earth materiality, though we would note that it doesn’t quite do enough to distinguish itself from the other beach clubs in Tulum.
Staff Friendliness and Professionalism (Service Standard)
This is part of a 5-star hotel chain, and that means friendliness and professionalism here are next level compared to the majority of Tulum’s beach clubs.
You can see that there’s been real investment in training and development and that everyone here knows how to anticipate your needs as well as meet your expectations.
Service Speed and Efficiency
It’s not the staff’s fault, but there’s something really frustrating about visiting a beach club where they’re constantly running out of basic requirements.
No almond milk, no guacamole! The list goes on and on. While orders are fulfilled pretty quickly, there’s just no reason for a 5-star property to have to announce that some of your order is completely unavailable.
Food Quality and Variety
The food quality, when it’s available, is excellent and beautifully presented as you’d expect at a Hyatt resort.
However, when you compare the menu to the main Secrets hotel offering, you can see that there’s an awful lot of stuff that you can’t get here. In fact, the selection’s so limited that after lunch and breakfast at the beach club, it’s actually worth heading to the main hotel for dinner.
Beverage Selection and Creativity
There’s no problem with the amount of drinks to choose from, but the wine list is very poorly curated with a lot of mediocre but expensive imports, and the cocktails are far weaker than we’d expect at a beach club.
We’re not saying that they water down the spirits as some reviewers suggest, but there’s definitely something odd about the drinks here. We opted to stick to beer and non-alcoholic options, which were fine.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
We were in no doubt we were in a high-end resort when it came to cleanliness and upkeep; the common areas, pools, toilets, etc. are all spotless.
The beach maintenance team also keep the sand seaweed-free and clear of any noticeable detritus washing up onshore. It’s really quite impressive.
Comfort of Seating and Lounging Areas
There’s a nice mix of daybeds, Bali Beds, and lounge chairs around the pool areas, and they’re all very comfortable, not quite the best we’ve ever had, but very good.
However, we did feel that the restaurant dining chairs, though padded, weren’t as comfortable, and we’re glad that we didn’t have to sit in them for very long.
Music and Entertainment
This is not a party club, and you’ll find that you get very much background music for the majority of your time at this beach club.
They do up the tempo a bit in the afternoons and evenings, especially if there’s a DJ, but you won’t be raging or tearing up a storm on the dance floor (not least, because there isn’t one).
Note: If you are considering staying at Casa Tulum, while the on-site beach club’s volume is always reasonable, this is not true for nearby beach clubs, and you may be able to hear them until late into the night in your hotel room.
Seasonality
Given Tulum’s tropical nature, everything is open all year round. However, from a visitor’s perspective, there are two times of the year that may still give you pause for thought.
They have a hurricane season, which is brief and can be quite lovely, but if hurricanes make landfall in Tulum at this time, it can be awful.
And there’s a very long seaweed season where they have seaweed washing up on the shore for 8 months of the year; if it’s not cleared quickly, it starts to stink. And while this beach club does clear the sand rapidly, not everywhere does.
Pricing and Value for Money
We felt that Casa Zamna was OK value for money, which is about what we expect from expensive resort properties.
You’re paying a beach club premium and a Hyatt premium, and while this guarantees certain standards, it makes this spot in Tulum pretty expensive for a day out.
Beach Access and Quality
The beaches in Tulum are fabulous, and the sand is white and soft, and lovely to walk on. Even in a beach club where everything is just-so, you’re going to want to take a stroll.
However, the seaweed season can make swimming in the sea very unpleasant for much of the year. No matter how tidy they keep the beach, no beach club can clean the whole ocean for you.
Sustainability Practices
The sustainability credentials are good at this beach club, though their sustainability reporting is rolled into the Hyatt’s, making it hard to separate specific activities.
However, the adaptive reuse of existing spaces, implementation of local materials in construction and low-impact, eco-friendly footprint are all very clear, and that’s very positive indeed.
Exclusive Perks for Guests
You get a towel, a seat, and if you’ve spent enough on your day pass, a bottle of wine too, but overall, this is all pretty standard for Tulum.
We’d like to see VIP or premier tiers of experience with even more options for us to enjoy on holiday.
Safety and Security
While basic security precautions are always a good idea (such as not leaving valuables lying around unattended) and you should never walk around outside alone at night after leaving the beach club, one nice thing about the upmarket hotel beach clubs is that they offer the safest possible environment for a day out.
Event Hosting Capabilities
The Hyatt, of course, has a fully dedicated events team with plenty of experience making events work wonderfully.
However, while you can have events at this beach club, there’s only a limited amount of space, and you may find that for larger events, you have to look elsewhere.
Consistency of Experience
Our team felt that (and this was confirmed both by online reviews and conversations with other customers) this beach club offers a very consistent experience.
However, it’s a hotel beach club; they never really spend any time or effort on trying to evolve or improve the experience. It is what it is; take it or leave it.
Additional Amenities and Facilities
As this isn’t the main Hyatt Resort, the facilities are quite limited, and if you need anything else, you’re going to need transportation.
This is even true if you just want something at the main resort, as it’s a 15-20 minute drive away.
Summary
Casa Zamna is an upscale hotel beach club; both for good and for ill, it’s pricey, but you get a very refined overall experience, only brought down by the poor inventory management in the bar and restaurant.
However, if you want that 5-star hotel feel, this is the one place that you can be guaranteed exactly that in our best beach clubs of Tulum round-up.
FAQs
Can You Go Swimming At Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum?
Yes, you can swim at Casa Zamna Beach Club in Tulum. They have many different pools in the venue, which are tiered and oceanfront. They’re not the biggest pools, in general, but the main pool is more than big enough for a few lengths early in the day.
You can also access the beach and swim in the sea, but as with all of Tulum, swimming during the extended seaweed season can be very unpleasant.
What Is There To Do At Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum?
You can eat, drink, lounge around and swim at this beach club. There are occasional DJs laying down some tracks, but even then, it’s not a full-on party; more of a relaxed beachside vibe for adults.
Is Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum A Child-Friendly Venue?
No, Casa Zamna Beach Club is not family-friendly. In fact, this is an adults-only resort, and children are not welcome anywhere on the property. The hotel and beach club reserve the right to ask for ID prior to offering admission.
This isn’t really a big deal, given how expensive the day passes are; there are much better options for a day out for a family at a beach club in Tulum than this one.
Tulum has dozens of beach clubs, and you’re bound to find a few that will welcome your children like part of the family.
Who Is The Owner Of Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum?
This beach club is part of the Casa Casa Zamna Resort, which is twinned with the Secrets Tulum Resort, and they are all owned by the Hyatt Group of hotels. Hyatt is an international chain with properties in most countries around the world.
What Is The Dress Code For Casa Zamna Tulum?
When you’re by the pool at Casa Zamna Tulum, chic swimwear is the order of the day with an elegant cover-up and some sandals.
In the rest of the resort, you will want to go with something earthy but upscale, and you will be expected to wear something other than bare feet or flip-flops in the restaurants.
What Is Casa Casa Zamna At Secrets Tulum?
Casa Casa Zamna is a beachfront resort by Hyatt that is twinned with Secrets Tulum. They’re about a 15-20 minute drive from each other (which is why the hotel chain provides a free shuttle service between them).
Guests at both resorts are allowed to use the Casa Zamna Beach Club for free, and it is included in the all-inclusive packages that these resorts offer their guests.
Is There Food At Casa Zamna Tulum?
Yes, resort guests get exclusive access to one restaurant, but all guests can access two other restaurants at this site.
We found the food to be pretty good overall, though it is very much standard hotel fare and not fine dining. You should be warned, though, it’s expensive even when compared to other beach clubs rather than other places in Tulum.
Final Thoughts On The Review Of Casa Zamna Beach Club By Secrets Tulum
We think if you’re staying at Casa Zamna or the main Secrets Tulum jungle resort that you’re going to find Casa Zamna Beach Club incredible value as it’s part of the all-inclusive package that you’ve already paid for.
It’s a harder sell, though, if you’re not a resort guest; this is an expensive beach club, and while it is very nice, even compared to the elevated prices at other beach clubs, we feel that it’s just not great value for money.
Would we go again? If someone else was paying, yes, we would. But if we were paying? Probably not. Tulum has too many other great beach clubs to spend this much money on a day out.
