Choosing An All Inclusive Resort

Choosing an all inclusive resort can be an overwhelming task! With many options out there, how do you know which one you should book? There are many travel snobs out there who believe traveling to an all inclusive resort isn’t really “traveling.” That’s a myth. There’s no right or wrong way to travel. On some vacations, you JUST want to relax and recharge your batteries. That’s where an all inclusive resort fits in. Hopefully this guide will help you narrow it down based on the factors to consider. I visited more than 20 all inclusive resorts, and am able to give proper guidance based on my own experiences.

Adults Only vs. Family Friendly

Think about the type of atmosphere you are looking for. Will you be traveling as a family? If that’s the case, you would be looking into a family friendly resort. There are many wonderful family friendly properties that offer entertainment for all ages. Beaches Turks & Caicos is one of my favorite family friendly resorts! There’s 10 swimming pools, a basketball court, Pirates Island with 2 huge waterslides, waterfalls, surf simulator, aqua play area, lazy river, and zero entry pool. For the little ones, they can meet the whole cast of Sesame Street as they are always walking around the property! There are even educational activities like baking cookies with Cookie Monster.

Family Friendly

At the Dreams Punta Cana, there are live flamingos around the resort that are fun to watch. All of the Dreams Resorts offer a Children’s Activity program called “Explorer’s Club for kids.” It’s exclusively for children aged 3-12 years old. They will engage in fully supervised activities. There’s a “Core Zone for teens,” exclusively for teenagers 13 – 17 years old. There’s an assortment of daytime activities including:

• Ping-Pong
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Jogging trail
• Giant chess
• Tennis
• Bicycle riding
• Board games
• Yoga
• Water aerobics
• Introductory scuba class in the swimming pool
• Kayaks
• Windsurfers
• Snorkeling
• Dance classes
• Spanish classes

The Palace Resorts make great resorts for families choosing an all inclusive resort. I visited all of the Palace Resorts in Riviera Maya and stayed at the Grand at Moon Palace Cancun. It was sensory overload! NINE pools, including an adults-only pool with live DJs and FIVE swim-up bars. There’s a waterpark, mini race carts, bicycle station, Splash Kids Zone, playroom, lazy river, FlowRider double wave simulator. There’s a fitness center for those trying to lose the pounds they gain at the buffet. ‘Wired’ the teen lounge is where teens can go to play video games and hang out with new friends.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana is also a safe choice for families with children!

Adults Only

For those travelers choosing an all inclusive resort without a family in mind consider an adults only resort. Even between adults only properties, there are different vibes. Some properties are more lively and party central. Others are focused on being low key and romantic. Some resorts are clothing optional, like Temptation Resort in Cancun and Hedonism II in Negril. You can party it up at the many Breathless Resorts scattered throughout Mexico and The Caribbean.

Of course if it’s romance you’re seeking, check out a couples only resort. There’s Sandals Resorts and Couples Resorts. Sandals Resorts tend to be larger in size while Couples Resorts tends to feel more boutique-ish.

Adults resorts can be SO dang relaxing and a great way for you to recharge your batteries. 🔋🔋

Food Quality vs. Quantity

Food is one of the biggest factors to consider when choosing an all inclusive resort. While some guests choose to venture off the resort every once in awhile, so travelers decide to stay put. So knowing that, the food quality is very important to them. While some travelers just use it simply for sustenance and could care less about the quality.

The resort chain that prides themselves on having a “Gourmet Inclusive” all inclusive meal plan is Karisma Resorts. They have a greenhouse in Mexico where they produce their own herbs and vegetables. They want the food to be THAT fresh for their guests. I’m not a very picky eater so I’ve never been displeased by a resort’s food. For some guests who have more picky dietary restrictions, it’s best to do a little more digging into the types of dining options available. Of course if you hire a wonderful travel agent they can take care of that for you!

Now the real battle here stems from a focus on quantity (buffet mush) vs quality (a la carte gourmet dining). Most resorts now will have a combination of both. During the day you can enjoy international cuisine at the buffet and casual snack foods. Maybe 1 or 2 a la carte restaurants open. Then at night, you can feast on more a la carte options. At Beaches Turks & Caicos there’s 21 restaurants and bars! You could stay there a full week and not be tired of it. They even have a Mac and cheese truck (full review here)!

Beach vs Pool

I live in Virginia and there are plenty of pools around. It’s more desirable for me to swim in the beach because that’s not something that’s within driving distance. At least not a clear water, powdery white sand beach. For some of my clients, they are perfectly content swimming in the pool! In fact, in Los Cabos there isn’t really a swimmable beach. Many of the resorts there will have you sign waivers and contracts that you will swim at your own risk. So when visiting the west coast of Mexico, you go with the intent to swim in a pool.

But for some… they want the setting to be a nice beach! There is currently a tie (in my book) for the best beaches and that is between Grace Bay Beach in Turks & Caicos, and the waters of Exuma Bahamas. No photo will ever do them justice. Of course I’ll try… peep the pics below.

Essentially, you want to decide if you HAVE to be on a great stretch of beach or if that is insignificant to you.

Lively vs. Sleepy

Another factor consider when choosing an all inclusive resort is if you prefer the resort to be lively or a little sleepy. I recently stayed at Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun and it was a little on the sleepy side. Each night there was 1 act – a fire show, a magician, etc. The fire show was very neat and probably my favorite evening activity. Because this was a Mother-Daughter trip, I wasn’t too worried about it being lively. We were there to relax.

If you’re looking for a place more lively (but maybe not as lively as Temptation, Hedonism II, or Breathless), check out Secrets Resorts! They’re adults only and usually draws a fun crowd.

The Hard Rock Resorts are also known for their raging party scenes.

Spa vs No Spa

This might not seem like a big deal to most, but to some travelers it is IMPERATIVE that there’s an onsite spa. Considering that they are there to relax, it makes sense. Many all inclusive resorts have fabulous spas. One spa in particular that crosses my mind are Naay Spa (found in Karisma adults only resorts) and Vassa Spa (found in Karisma family friendly resorts). “Based on the ancient Mayan principles of the elements, the Náay Spa at Maroma offers a unique set of treatments while nestled among the beauty of the Caribbean. This tropical haven is the perfect setting for the signature Beachfront Sky Massage in the Ocean Palapa, among other treatments that are sure to revitalize the body and soul.”

Adult guests at Naay Spa can enjoy these different treatments:

• Holistic treatment – combines the benefits of traditional Mexican herbal remedies, with aromatherapy and massage
• Tequila ritual – Enjoy an invigorating and refreshing skin treatment using a combination of tequila and melon extract that removes dead skin cells and improves circulation
• Shirodara Experience – During the session, the third eye is stimulated through a fine thread of herbal elixir poured on you, in order to restore your body and mind to a proper state of well-being.
• Sunrise Couples Massage – Watch the sky explode into a kaleidoscope of colors as you greet the day with a cool Fruit Punch and a relaxing side-by-side full body massage on the beach.

Spa treatments AREN’T just for adults though! At Beaches Resorts, the Red Lane Spa offers pampering for kids, tweens & teenagers. You can check out their teen-friendly options here.

Standard Room vs Upgraded Experience

There are literally COUNTLESS ways that you can upgrade your experience. When choosing an all inclusive resort, you don’t have to settle for a standard room with a garden view. You can upgrade to an ocean front room or a swim out suite. Most resorts have an elevated experience in some room categories. For example:

• Diamond Club at Royalton Resorts
• Preferred Club at Secrets Resorts
• Altitude Level at Reflect Resorts
• Excellence Club at Excellence Resorts
• Rock Royalty Level at Hard Rock Resorts

You could book a suite with a baller bathtub. I know Sandals Montego Bay offers many room categories with the luxurious soaking tub on the balcony. Big enough for 2 I might add! UNICO 20 87 also offers oversized tubs in their suites. You can even stay at a Castle Suite as a guest of Sanctuary Cap Cana. The possibilities are quite endless.

What about staying in an overwater bungalow? Oh, you thought Maldives and French Polynesia were the only two countries to offer it? Guess again! Sandals Resorts offers overwater bungalows as well as Karisma Resorts offers the Palafitos Overwater Bungalows.

Top Notch Service vs Independent

When choosing an all inclusive resort that’s right for you, consider the level of service you require. Personally, when I travel whether for work or leisure I like to be left alone to some degree. I don’t require butler service and don’t need much hand holding. Some of my clients do enjoy the extra pampering and see a great value in having attentive service.

Small Boutique vs Large Complex

It’s nice to have the widespread amenities when staying at a large resort complex. However, for those seeking a higher level of service, they’ll benefit from a smaller property. Boutique properties may not have as many restaurants, but often times the food quality is incredible. That goes back to the quality vs quantity battle.

Sometimes, you can have your cake and eat it too. For example, if you’re staying at the Now Onyx resort in Punta Cana, you’ll have full access of the neighboring Breathless Punta Cana (fun party!). Or, if you’re staying at the small Sandals Royal Plantation property you can visit the larger complex Sandals Ochi Beach. Have your cake and eat it too! Exchange privileges offer a wonderful value for clients. Great “bang for buck.”

Admittedly, I like both types of accommodations. I’m sad Sandals Inn is no longer in business because that was a small, boutique feel property where you still had access to the larger Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Caribbean properties.

Specialty vs No Specialty Resorts

Some clients look for a resort that offers something specific to their interests like golf. That’s also an important factor to consider when choosing an all inclusive resort. There’s so many beautiful and challenging golf courses out there.

Location, Location, Location

There’s so many all inclusive resorts around Mexico and The Caribbean. It really just depends on what you hope to get out of the location. Looking for a great dive spot? Check out Cozumel! Looking to be central to nightlife, stay in a resort on the Cancun Hotel Zone. Looking for a couples paradise? Head to Saint Lucia! The water there may be darker, but the beaches are a whole different kind of pretty. With the pitons in the backdrop ready for you to hike, and the wonderful French creole cuisine, you will love Saint Lucia.

If you’re looking for a slightly more remote area head to Antigua, Turks & Caicos or Barbados. Looking to minimize your chance of a hurricane ruining your plans? Head to the “ABC Islands” – consisting of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Those three islands are located under the invisible hurricane belt and experience very little rainfall per year. It’s a great place to set up shop! The only thing is… there aren’t too many all inclusive there. I don’t know of any in Bonaire (correct me if I’m wrong). I know in Curacao there’s the Sunscape and in Aruba there’s a few Divi properties and RIU that are all inclusive.

Another thing to note with location is how close the resort is from the arrival airport. If you’re flying to Jamaica, Montego Bay resorts are just a 10-minute drive from MBJ Airport. Whereas Ocho Rios or Negril will be a 2-hour drive each way. If you only have 3 nights, it’s not really worth it to eat into your vacation time that much. But if you have 5 nights + then I’d recommend it. Same with Cancun… some of the strip properties are close to the airport. If you want to head south towards Playa del Carmen and beyond, you’re looking at a longer drive.

Budget-Friendly vs. Luxurious

The cheapest all inclusive resorts are going to be located in Jamaica, Mexico, and Dominican Republic. So of course you’ll get to stay at nicer properties here for a lower price, creating a greater value. But again, if beaches are an important factor and you want to take a trip to Turks & Caicos you’ll be paying for it.

Conclusion

Most times, I’ve found that clients are more worried about the value they receive rather than the price. I always recommend visiting TripAdvisor before making any purchases. See what other guests have said about the property. It might be a great price but are guests saying the A/C doesn’t work in their room (not fun in 85 F degree weather), the food is inedible, or the staff is rude. Maybe it’s not worth the cheap cost.

Additionally, reach out to your travel agent as many of us have the inside scoop on these properties. We hear from our clients who have stayed there or we have personally stayed there. Hope you found this post helpful. If you’re looking to book your next all inclusive resort stay shoot me an email: cassandra@accent-on-travel.net. Also, if you have any additional factors to consider when choosing an all inclusive resort, be sure to comment below.

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