"preferred" not to have have upgraded

I am a big fan of the secrets brand. having stayed at other secrets resorts in mexico i wanted to see what dominican republic royal secrets resort was like. i booked a garden view suite and asked for a high level room as i was travelling solo. the initial room was dark and smelly and on the ground floor in a block where the numbers started with "5" it had an access road going down to the beach and was near a pedestrian opening to the resort. i asked to be moved and it would take two hours to wait for the room. having travelled thousands of miles this wasn't the level of secrets i knew. i then asked for a preferred room and it was available at an additional cost of £357 and was a great room. but this level is the level of other standard secrets rooms at other resorts and should be of this level throughout the resort in dominican.
the hotel staff were excellent and the surroundings were clean and tidy. food was good, but i didn't go to now lorimar for the additional dinning options as they were always crowded and a waiting time to get in. it also doesn't give the secrets resort that up market feel to have to use the now lorimar facilities. there is some construction work being done around the preferred pool area and maintenance on the preferred building. some top shelf alcohol brands are not used unless you ask.
spa was nice but expensive. paid to stay two hours for the room after the check out time. considering i had to wait for my room at check in until 6pm this was annoying and should have been waivered. i have never paid to stay in a room after check out for this period of time at any other secrets resort. i did speak to the manager about my complaints and this was addressed but probably not as sympathetically as i would have liked being a returning guest to secrets resorts. it did tarnish the start of my holiday.

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