Excellence vs Secrets
These two fight over the same traveler: adults-only, Mexico-or-Caribbean, upper-mid budget, food-motivated. Excellence is the focused family-owned operator whose handful of suite-only resorts are remarkably consistent; Secrets is Hyatt's sprawling adults-only fleet, where the range runs from spectacular to merely fine, with points as the sweetener.
Excellence ranking · Secrets ranking · Excellence history · Secrets history · How we score · Share as a post ↗ · Last reviewed July 2026
By the numbers
| Excellence | Measure | Secrets |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Resorts in our catalog | 17 |
| ★ 4.9 (better) | Average guest rating | ★ 4.4 |
| 108,148 | Guest reviews analyzed | 47,635 |
| $152–$342/night pp | Nightly rates | $159–$261/night pp |
| 5 of 6 | Adults-only resorts | All adults-only |
| 6 of 6 | Five-star resorts | 17 of 17 |
| Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico | Where | Aruba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain |
| 8.8/10 (better) | Overall score | 8.5/10 |
| 8.5/10 | Beach score | 8.6/10 (better) |
| 8.3/10 (better) | Food score | 8.1/10 |
| 8.8/10 (better) | Service score | 8.4/10 |
| 8.7/10 (better) | Rooms score | 8.4/10 |
| 8.9/10 (better) | Pools score | 8.5/10 |
| 8.3/10 (better) | Value score | 7.7/10 |
| 9.1/10 (better) | Romance score | 8.8/10 |
| 7.3/10 | Nightlife score | 7.9/10 (better) |
| 8.5/10 (better) | Wellness score | 8.5/10 |
Chain averages across the resorts in our catalog. Individual properties vary, so tap into each ranking before you book.
Round by round
Excellence: a short, tightly-run portfolio where the floor is high. Secrets' spread is wider in both directions; its best beat Excellence's best, its weakest don't come close.
Excellence: all-suite properties with swim-outs as a standard category. Secrets matches it only in Preferred Club at newer builds.
Slight edge Excellence on depth-for-price; Secrets counters with reservation-free flexibility and 24-hour room service. Food-obsessed travelers do well at either.
Secrets: far more resorts and coastlines, including Pacific Mexico and Europe. Excellence is five-ish properties across three destinations.
Secrets: World of Hyatt earning and burning. Excellence has no equivalent currency.
Of the 11 measures we call, Excellence leads on 9 and Secrets leads on 2.
The verdict
Booking blind, pick Excellence: the odds of a great week are simply higher across its portfolio. Booking carefully, a top-scoring Secrets property with points behind it is the better financial play. Since you're on a site built for booking carefully: compare the specific properties' scores, and let the points math break ties.
The properties to shortlist
Want it property-level? Put Excellence Playa Mujeres and Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya head-to-head, or open any two resorts in our resort comparator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Excellence part of Hyatt like Secrets?
No: Excellence is an independent, family-owned Spanish group (The Excellence Collection). Secrets belongs to Hyatt's Inclusive Collection, which is why it earns World of Hyatt points and Excellence doesn't.