All Inclusive Vacations
A favorite beach at an all inclusive - note how clean it is, how well maintained, the number of chairs available and the beautiful water.
As the school year is back in session, we find many families are looking for their winter and spring break get aways and there is no time to wait! The last few years, resorts have been selling out for these key travel dates and we want YOU to stay at the best resort for your interest and budget. So today we’re going to talk All Inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean and maybe talk about when an all inclusive isn’t needed as well.
And before we forget we have a DEAL ALERT. Through January 27, 2025, Enjoy Vacationing has an exclusive discount offer of up to $150 off per reservation at participating resorts in Mexico, the Caribbean and even Hawaii for travel before October 3, 2025 with air and hotel packages. (Black out dates 3/9/2025-3/21/2025 and 4/19/2025-4/27/2025) Are you ready to travel?
All Inclusive Resorts
Let’s start with the basics. All inclusive resorts are accommodations in vacation destinations where most of the main elements of the trip are pre-paid/included: accommodations, unlimited (usually) food and drinks and some activities and entertainment.
Not all resorts that are all-inclusive are the same and some packages include more than others. Some may charge for motorized watersports, bowling or upgraded dining or beverage options. Others may include a number of meals per day but not unlimited dining.
Additionally many resorts have a “club” level of room with preferred amenities such as private club pool and beach areas, upgraded liquors, bath products or mini bars, butler service and more. Often these rooms are also in preferred locations in the resort.
There are resorts for almost every type of traveler, adults only, family friendly, zen, plant based, luxury, budget, etc. And resorts with a variety of available activities from beach yoga to green house tours and from water spin classes to crafts and cooking classes. There are even resorts with access to activities such as snorkeling in cenotes, on site Dolphins, DJs and pickle ball courts.
Let’s start talking about where you can travel for All Inclusive resorts.
Mexico, Dominican Republic & Jamaica
Some resorts charge for “extras” and others are truly “all inclusive”. We love it when fun “extras” are not extras, but are included.
These are the three countries that have the most all inclusive properties for winter / spring break travel. Mexico is usually the most affordable, followed by the Dominican Republic and then Jamaica.
For Mexico the most popular destination is the Cancun / Rivera Maya region. There are hundreds of all inclusive options here at all price points and levels of luxury. Typically this area has some of the best all inclusive service anywhere.
Also in Mexico Cabo can be quite popular but it’s important to know that the beaches are not typically swimmable in this area. There are a few other areas in Mexico that have all inclusive resorts - ask us for details!
For the Dominican Republic, most visitors stay in the Punta Cana area with Cap Cana feeling like a destination in itself. La Romana and a few other areas are also on the list. Depending on which side of the island you are on, the beaches can vary widely but beaches are one of the highlights of this destination.
Jamaica focuses primarily on Montego Bay, Negril and a few other locations. Currently the State Department has a level three advisory for Jamaica suggesting Americans Reconsider Travel to this destination.
As we are talking travel advisories, the regions where Cancun and Cabo are located are the same level travel advisory for most of Europe and the United States. Visitors should always be aware of their surroundings and use trusted tour operators for excursions and transportation.
Other Destinations
There are other destinations with All Inclusive Resorts but they are fewer and farer between and generally much more expensive. Depending on the destination, the food and location might be so good that all inclusive just isn’t in demand at the same level.
That being said, we do have all inclusive resorts in other destinations - the quality level can vary widely as can the number of resorts available as all inclusive so a conversation is worth while!
Lovely all inclusive beach in Aruba. That being said our favorite resorts in Aruba are NOT all inclusive
- St Lucia
- Aruba
- Curacao
- Maldives
- Costa Rica
- Grenada
- Antigua
- French Polynesia - Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc
- There are even some in Europe - usually in beach or ski destinations
Destinations where we don’t love All inclusive resorts
- The Bahamas
- The Cayman Islands
- Turks & Caicos
- Aruba
I’m sure I’m missing a few but this is a great list for thinking of where you’d like to travel!
How to Select an All Inclusive Resort
Call your travel advisor! I’m not kidding! We visit all inclusive resorts every year - no not just for a vacation at one but we stay at multiple and visit typically 10-20 per trip. It’s exhausting and not a vacation but it helps us assist clients in selecting the best all inclusive property for their needs.
If you reach out to Stacey about an all inclusive vacation, please be prepared to prioritize your needs in a resort. She likes to know your top three most important elements from this list as well as who is traveling and the ages of any kiddos.
Beach vs Pool - And what would you like from the one you choose? For example, I’d like a walkable beach with little or no seaweed or I’d like to swim in the ocean or I’d like a pool party or a relaxing pool.
Family Friendly or Adults Only
Budget - It’s often true that you get what you pay for but not everyone can afford every resort. Let us know if you have a budget you’d like to stay in
Style of the resort - modern or more traditional finishes? Do you prefer a resort that’s brand new or one that has a solid history?
Do you have a room category that you are interested in? Swim Out, Club Level, Close to the Pool, Ocean Front, Partial or Full Ocean View?
Any activities you’d like the resort to include? Non motorized water sports are often included but some include additional activities like on site scuba (for fee), classes such as language or dance, do you want to try morning beach yoga or need a gym to continue your workouts? What about a pickle ball court or arts and crafts? And for families what about a kids or teens club or program? Are you planning to visit the spa?
Would you like to have a butler available to you for help with dining or other services?
How close would you like to be to the airport or a specific activity or town?
Do you have any food allergies or needs? Some resorts are better at handling dining requests and requirements better than others
As you may be able to guess, we can continue with this list to help narrow down the ideal destination and resort. Just give us a call!
Some All Inclusive Resort Tips
Resorts range from spring break party cheap to luxury all inclusive with everything in between. Let Enjoy Vacationing help you find the right resort for your vacation!
We get asked a lot about things to think about when traveling to an all inclusive resort. For all destinations there are some things we fee everyone should know
Consider bringing an insulated cup with straw as it will keep your drink cooler longer in the pool area and not all resorts are using straws for environmental reasons
Bring more than one bathing suit so you always have a dry one to change into
Know the dress code for dining. Breakfast and lunch are usually casual (but no wet bathing suits and cover ups are required) but dinner often requires long pants and a collard shirt (polo or button down) and closed toe shoes for men. This is relaxing at some resorts but is still the general rule of thumb
Like to float? Consider bringing your own blow up pool mat or chair just make sure it doesn’t take up the entire pool!
Pools and hot tubs often close by dinner time. Late night swims are not the norm as rooms are close and resorts try to help with noise levels to be considerate of all guests
Find out if you need to make reservations for dining or if it’s first come, first serve
Have a food allergy? Let your Travel Advisor know so she can help you select a resort that will work well with your allergies and contact the resort in advance. But also you need to tell everyone in all restaurants to make sure you avoid any issues.
Know if you need a towel card or not (the nicer resorts typically just have towels available)
Summer can bring seaweed to the beaches - work with your travel advisor to pick the right location for your preferred travel dates
We could go on all day but this is a start! Let us know if you have tips you’d like us to share!