Secrets Silversands Spa and Resort Review--Day 2

Hola from Cancun and the Riviera Maya. This is the first full day here at the resort. You really have 2 choices when it comes to breakfast here at Silversands; the buffet at the World Cafe or room service. I chose to try out the buffet. It is your standard resort buffet which includes a variety of eggs, breads and meats with the addition of some Mexican breakfast items such as tacos, Huevos Rancheros and refried beans.

After breakfast it was time to get ready for my spa appointment. The spa here at Silversands is ran by Pevonia. I had scheduled an 80 minute deep tissue massage. Like most resort spas, this one includes a steam area and a dry sauna with the addition of a hot and cold plunge pool and individual water beds to relax on before your schedule appointment. Most spas, including this one, include quiet areas to also relax before your treatment that are separate from the sauna and pool areas. My criticism for this spa is mainly centered around these areas. The main quiet area is located directly behind the desk where everyone checks in and it not conducive to a peaceful setting. They should escort everyone upstairs to the other quiet area which also includes reading material. But this brings me to the second criticism. Even when escorted upstairs once you reach the 5 minute mark before your appointment, you are seated outside the quiet reading and meditation room and nothing is explained to you as far as if you can use that room or not. After my massage, I was asked if I wanted a bottle of water and the massage therapist went into that room to get it for me but that is all it seems it is being used for...to store the post-massage water.

So with that said and those criticisms out of the way, I want to move on to the positive which was my massage therapist. I have had several massages at resorts, on cruises, etc and I have to say it is difficult to get a deep tissue massage that is just right. Well this one was just right. Not too firm to the point that your eyes watered and not too soft to the point that it was no longer a deep tissue, but instead more like a Swedish. The therapist was also quiet and focused on making it a great spa experience. A+ to her.

Now here is something everyone needs to understand when it comes to resort credits. I received a $200 resort credit that can be used for specific items at the resort including spa treatments. Upon check-in, my credits were given to me in the form of coupons with dollar values of $20 and $40 totaling $200. Each coupon can be applied to one item such as a massage. So you don't get to apply all of the credit towards one thing and some may think $200 credits would at least get them a free massage. Nope..you can apply $40 to a massage of 50 minutes or more. The average spa treatment seemed a little high in comparison to other spas so my 80 minute massage was priced at $160 before applying the coupon.

I also noticed that the spa runs daily specials (i.e. 15% off of selected treatments) that may equal the credit coupon so check with the spa before redeeming a coupon in case you want to save one for some other resort purchase.

I spent the rest of the day touring the facilities and beach. The beach here at Silversands is highly criticized. It is loaded with seaweed and the sand is not near as soft and powdery as other resort beaches. If you are looking for a resort where you can also get in the Caribbean and walk along the soft sand beach, this may not be the place for you. There are lots of lounge chairs available on the beach under LOTS of palm trees and this is mainly due to most guests deciding to hang out at the pools due to the issues I have mentioned.

Tonight's dinner was at Himatsu which is Silversands Asian restaurant. I love this restaurant. Food portions were not huge, but you did not leave hungry. The atmosphere was excellent and the service was again stellar. My main course dish was called Bangkok Beef and it had excellent flavor and came with a side of steamed rice.

I have been very pleased with the dining so far. I had read other reviews and it seemed so many had critiqued the food, but I have found it well prepared and nothing has been bland by any means.

The last thing I will touch on tonight is being in a "Preferred Club" room. Is this something I would pay for in the future? The simple answer is probably not. The only true benefit you receive is the free internet in your room. The Preferred Club lounge offers free internet from 7AM to 11PM everyday, newspapers and reading material, 2 TV's and your own bar and bartender. The bartender leaves around 7PM every night. The TV's are ok, but you have a TV in your room and every guest gets 15 mins of free internet every day in the business center so I really can't see paying for the upgrade for what little it offers. You do get your own check in area which may have its advantages during crowded times, but there were no check in lines at all when I arrived in the main lobby.

Stay tuned for more from Silversands in Cancun...