When I was invited on a group trip to go to Secrets The Vine in Cancun, I never imagined it would turn into one of my favorite girls’ getaways.

I had visited Secrets Maroma in Riviera Maya. While I loved just about everything about the property itself, I didn’t quite love the fact that I was the only person there alone. The staff made me feel welcome and I had a good time, but I didn’t see myself returning there without a significant other.

In contrast, my lone trip to Cancun was with a girlfriend. It was a bit wild and crazy (the resort is no longer there). It was a good time for that period of my life, but I have surpassed my all-nighters and the thought of “belly shots” is not appealing to watch or participate in.

Secrets The Vine in Cancun turned out to be none of those things, offering the perfect atmosphere for a girls getaway, without any of the visions of Cancun that were still pictured in my head.

The first thing that set this resort apart from the others I had stayed at was that it was a hi-rise on a beach strip, lending itself to a more cosmopolitan feel.

I had a junior suite in the Preferred Club so my trip started with a private check-in and a glass of champagne. The room was beautiful and quite large. The only thing that was missing was a tub, but the stunning view took my mind off that.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the spa and Secrets certainly knows how to do pampering. I was early for my appointment so I had time to take full advantage of the sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy. They took the relaxation to another level with cool towels and cucumbers (for your eyes).

I had a Vinotherapy treatment that included a wine-based oil massage, body scrub and lotion massage, before a wonderful facial. I was rested and my skin felt great by the time I left.

There was time before dinner to rest and dress-up, something I never get to do at home. I met the group of mostly ladies at the bar for a pre-dinner cocktail. Among them were two travel writer friends I hadn’t seen in a while, Sue Campbell and Donna Heiderstadt, who I had actually gone to college with. We reminisced while having a leisurely wine-pairing dinner at Secret’s Blue Water Grill.

While the next day started early with seminars, we had a few hours in the afternoon free. Donna and I had a delicious lunch at the Market Café and then headed to the pool, drinking cocktails and reveling in the warm sun.

Dinner with all the ladies was at the Dragon Restaurant. I was a bit hesitant as my fish allergy keeps me away from Asian food, but I was assured that they were equipped to handle allergies. The chef cleared off an area of the kitchen and cooked me a phenomenal meal – wonton soup, vegetable tempura, and chicken pad Thai.

After dinner there was time to go to the piano bar (the resort also has a sports bar) to end the evening with martinis.

The final morning was a leisurely one as I went down for a full breakfast (they seemed to have everything you could think of) at the Market Café before taking a long walk on the beach, just admiring the turquoise water.

I then headed to the infinity pool upstairs in the preferred section. I met Susan and some of the other women up there and we just had an incredible time trying drinks and giggling like school girls.

One of the aspects that made the trip even better was that we were at Secrets The Vine during the Cancun-Riviera Maya Food Festival. Many of the events were held at the resort – something I’ll keep in mind for next year, when planning a girlfriend getaway to Cancun.

After many years as one of the top tennis writers in the country, Marcia Frost now devoting most of her time to travel writing, with a focus on food, wine and spirits. She has her own blog at WineAndSpiritsTravel.com and does weekly columns for Inspirato on Sonoma and Paris (two locations she visits often). Marcia also freelances for many other outlets, including Yahoo!; AOL; Michigan Avenue; Rum Bum; Los Angeles Confidential; Travel, Food & Drink; and Air Tran’s Go! Magazine. She has been contributing to Girls’ Getaway since 2010. For more information on Marcia, visit her website MarciaFrost.com.