Secrets Papagayo is open and ready for company. In fact I’ve never seen a resort so ready in only six weeks. For you who hate long transfers this property of 221 rooms is just 20 minutes from the Liberia airport. The nicest part of a small resort (and these days this is small) is that you run into the same people over and over again, but there is enough room to avoid the ones who annoy you.

Those of you, who think this resort looks familiar, are absolutely right. It looked a little familiar to me too, and I finally realized I’d been there twice years ago.

It started as a Jack Tar 20 or so years back, then became Fiesta Premier, and then the Hilton, before Secrets took over last November and tore everything out but the walls. Lionel Gomez the general manager was shocked they were able to open it when they did.

It has all the details that people expect of a Secrets, no bracelets, top shelf liquor such Chivas Regal, many choices of a-la carts all of which look like restaurants - only one needing reservations - and 24hr. room service. 

There are three pools, each with its own flavour, plenty of towels and you don’t need cards and a complicated keeping track method.  What I found very special were lovely shaded areas to sit and chat and relax. The Unlimited connectivity that lets clients access free long distance to Canada and the US. And Wi-Fi is a nice touch.

This is what buyers lovingly call, “a mountain goat resort”, but the secret to this Secret is that the people movers are prompt, and never did we wait more than five minutes.  Our ride to our suite often included a pause to see the monkeys playing in the trees. 

“I’d love to have staff on bicycles,” says Lionel Gomez, but it is simply impossible. A lot of the staff rides motorcycles.  We, I confess unlike many guests, didn’t climb up and down hills, we were close to the spa, and not only was there a pool, and restaurant there, with a very friendly cat in residence, but at low tide, we could walk most everywhere we needed to go.

Chef Diego Mollenhauer hails from Chile; he is doing an amazing job. In many resorts the lunch buffet is not the best meal of the day, but the buffet at this Secrets was so wonderful I wanted to eat lunch there everyday.

The Secrets Spa by Pevonia is popular, and what a pretty spa it is. 

Active guests love walking up and down the hills as part of their fitness, plus running on the packed dark sand, Yoga, a bike tour, Aqua Yoga, Pilates, stretching, water aerobics, Meditation, and a hiking tour.  And then of course there’s the fitness centre.

You love taking lessons? 

There are cooking lessons at the Market Café, Rum tasting at the Barefoot Grill, and cocktail lessons again at the Barefoot Grill. And for those who really just want to lie around the pool and sip a cerveza, they can do that too, with beautiful scenery. 

All of Costa Rica’s beaches are public which means there may be the odd child or two enjoying the beach. There are also a few vendors and people buying excursions, but once guests say “no” that is the end of it. Yes, there are Vacation Club salespeople; again a “no” is enough. You might suggest that if they do go to the presentation, it’ll be three hours.

“The beauty of this resort is that it’s so different.” Says the general manager.

“We tore out everything back to the walls. 10 staff were kept, and I brought 2 from Zoetry, and 3 from Secrets Maroma.

”Javier is one employee that has worked on the property from the very beginning, some of you might remember his unforgettable smile and helpful attitude. 

Lionel Gomez has an interesting background. He finished a business degree, spent eight years in advertising, wrote a French guide to New York City, and worked in sales at the Sol Melia, before starting in operations. 

He was general manager of Zoetry in the Dominican, before heading to Costa Rica. Like others in the Secrets brand, he is the epitome of a state of the art GM. He even answers trip advisor comments and makes the responses individual. 

What is the biggest complaint? 

“Our biggest complaint is a lack of craziness in the entertainment. This is not a ‘let’s party’ resort. None of the Secrets are. Our resort has the best views of the area and we are on the way to create romance, and create a resort where people will want to come back many times a year. 

“A steak is a steak, a bed is a bed.” The details are the different. Secrets do the details very well.

” As someone writing a review said “The whole experience was wonderful but, the staff is where this place shines! Everybody deserves a raise!”