How to Choose the Right All-Inclusive Resort Destination | ShermansTravel
How to Choose the Right All-Inclusive Resort Destination
Kelly Magyarics | March 5, 2025
Courtesy of Blue Haven - All Inclusive
Despite all-inclusive resorts celebrating their 75th anniversary this year, they're having a moment. The first all-inclusive resort was Club Méditerranée (Club Med) in Alcúdia, Spain, founded in 1950 by Gilbert Trigano and Gérard Blitz. After WWII, they felt that people needed "a place to be happy" and wanted to create such a spot as simply and affordably as possible. Thus, a budget vacation destination that rolled everything into one price was born, quickly resonating with singles and couples who wanted to let loose post-war (only in 2004 did Club Med shift its focus to families).
While derided by some, the all-inclusive resort's popularity endures (Business Insider reports that travel agency Fora has seen a 324% increase year-over-year in bookings across top-booked all-inclusive brands in 2024). Budget-friendly and easy to plan, many love the convenience of paying a single price for accommodations, meals, drinks (usually including alcohol), entertainment, activities, and sometimes additional services like airport transfers.
So, you too might be planning to stay at an all-inclusive resort for your next vacation. But where? While all-inclusives exist all over the world, some destinations are famous for their high concentration of them, most of those in tropical locales. However, each of these destinations is different, with its own culture, culinary traditions, and diversions to draw in travelers.
Before you start searching for resorts, read on for intel and highlights of six popular regions known for all-inclusive resorts that let you enjoy an effortless, carefree vacation that sticks to a budget.
Cancun, Mexico
Credit: Courtesy of Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun
Cancun may not have invented the all-inclusive resort, but the Mexican region sure has embraced it, offering a bevy of properties catering to travelers of all kinds. Most are located in the Hotel Zone, a six-mile stretch dotted with hotels, restaurants, shops, and bars. The trip from the airport to the Hotel Zone is about 20 minutes by car, meaning you can get your vacation started that much quicker. Most of the major hotel chains are located in this area, including Hyatt Ziva Cancun and its sister property, the adults-only Hyatt Zilara Cancun, , and . You'll also find more boutique-like, upscale all-inclusive options like and .
The area also houses El Rey, a small pre-Columbian Mayan archeological site, and a slew of other archeological sites can be found outside the city limits, including El Meco and the ancient Mayan city of Cobá. For other off-property activities, there's the famous Chichén Itzá pyramid, about 2.5 hours away, and a boating excursion to the small, car-free island of Isla Mujeres offers opportunities to snorkel, scuba dive, and view a lighthouse and sea turtle sanctuary. A 45-minute ferry travels to the larger island of Cozumel, known for its beaches and coral reef. And beyond all the tacos and guacamole at your resort, be sure to try chilaquiles from the buffet, an addictive dish that's basically breakfast nachos.
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Credit: Courtesy of Grand Velas Riviera Maya
The sprawling area of Riviera Maya stretches south of Cancun down to Tulum. Unlike Cancun, where you can walk along the beach and come across hotel after hotel, many of the all-inclusive resorts here are more spread apart and gated. Some are also part of a complex with one or several adjoining or adjacent properties that might offer reciprocity with restaurants and amenities. Design elements here often highlight Maya culture and the natural surroundings.
Depending on where your resort is located, the ride from the Cancun airport could be 30 minutes — or an hour and a half. (A new airport that opened in Tulum in December 2023 now serves the southern half of the region, though there aren't as many flight options as in Cancun.)
Credit: Courtesy of Grand Velas Riviera Maya
If your resort is located in or near the town of Playa del Carmen, like Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen, Grand Velas Riviera Maya or Iberostar Waves Tucan, you'll have lots of options beyond your resort gates, like hanging at a beach club on the lively Playa Mamitas, swimming in Chaak Tun Cenote, strolling around the many shops, bars, and restaurants on the pedestrian-only 5th avenue, or going on a taco tour in town.
Credit: Courtesy of Hotel Xcaret Arte
The Riviera Maya subdivision of Mayakoba has some great properties located on a lagoon, like the Fairmont Mayakoba, which offers boat tours, kayaking, wildlife spotting, fishing, and even a floating dinner on the water. A huge draw to the region is the eight Xcaret Parks, which feature ziplining, waterslides, snorkeling, cenotes, whitewater rapids, a museum, and an aquarium. Anyone can purchase tickets to the parks, but admission is included with a stay at one of their resorts, like the family-friendly Hotel Xcaret México or adults-only Hotel Xcaret Arte.
Dominican Republic
Credit: Courtesy of Finest Punta Cana
You'll find a large concentration of all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic, which is located on the island of Hispaniola and blessed with 1,000 miles of coastline. On the eastern coast, about a 45-minute drive from the airport, Punta Cana is the main area for all-inclusives, most of them chains, including family properties like Finest Punta Cana and Grand Palladium Palace Resort, Spa & Casino as well as those that cater to only adults including Excellence Punta Cana and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana. Puerto Plata on the northern coast is also home to a range of properties, like the Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada. Most resorts in Punta Cana are located on the 30-mile Bávaro Beach — one of the Caribbean's longest and most continuous white sand beaches. Surrounded by coral reefs, it's also perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. Nearby, Bavaro Adventure Park features ziplining, buggies, horseback riding, and waterfalls. Punta Cana is also known for its many bars and buzzy nightlife.
Resorts here are often designed with a nod to Spanish Colonial architecture. To better understand the country's history, visit the capital of Santo Domingo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's two hours away from Punta Cana and home to the New World's first cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress. Water lovers can cliff dive into a deep azure cenote at nearby Hoyo Azul, and shoppers can peruse hats, sculptures, and bowls made by local artisans. Not to be missed is the mamajuana drink, a local specialty that infuses rum, red wine, and honey with tree bark and spices. Most resorts will offer their spin on it at the bar.
Jamaica
Credit: Montego Bay, Jamaica / lucky-photographer / iStock
Your all-inclusive experience in Jamaica will vary depending on which part of the island you stay on. Bustling, built-up Montego Bay has a variety of very large resorts, including Zoetry Montego Bay and Royalton Blue Waters Montego Bay. The city's Hip Strip is filled with bars, clubs, restaurants, and shops with handmade souvenirs, and you can learn more about local history with a tour of the Rose Hall Great House or Croydon Estate.
Since the northern port town of Ocho Rios (about an hour and forty minutes by car from the Montego Bay airport) is a popular cruise port, you'll find lots of attractions for tourists. Area excursions include climbing Dunn's River Falls, a 600-foot waterfall that flows into a pool, and cliff diving at Blue Hole, a waterfall and limestone sinkhole.
Credit: Courtesy of Beaches Negril
Negril is the most laid-back Jamaican resort area, with small and mid-sized all-inclusive resorts (both independent ones and international chains) like Beaches Negril, which is popular with families, and the romantic Couples Negril, not to mention steel drum bands and jerk shacks dotting the pristine Seven Mile Beach.
Immerse yourself in Jamaican culture by tucking into spicy jerk chicken, drinking a cup of Blue Mountain coffee (and taking bags of beans home as a souvenir), listening to live reggae, and sampling some of the local rum, either neat or in a rum punch or Planter's Punch. Most resorts embrace their roots by offering all of these, as well as by serving flaky meat-filled patties and the national dish of ackee, a fruit grown on the island, with saltfish.
Aruba
Credit: Aruba / iStock / nisangha
Along with Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba is one of the "ABC" islands off the north coast of Venezuela. Its location outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt means that you can be assured of great weather no matter what time of year you visit. Known as "One Happy Island," Aruba has a culture that's been shaped by the Dutch, who colonized it in 1636. Dutch influence is everywhere, from the ubiquitous fried meat snacks known as bitterballen and a thriving gin and tonic culture (genever, the precursor to gin, is a Dutch spirit) to the colorful pastel buildings in the capital of Oranjestad, whose architecture and look are similar to Amsterdam's.
Credit: Courtesy of Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort
The island is served by an airport in Oranjestad, and most resorts are located on Eagle Beach or Palm Beach, both just a 20-minute drive away. Properties tend to be smaller than those in Mexico or the Dominican Republic, with fewer food and beverage options. However, many of them have a casino, as gambling is popular in Aruba. Popular all-inclusive resorts include Barcelo Aruba, Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort, and Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba. The capital is home to casinos as well, plus a variety of nightlife options and boutique shopping.
Divers and snorkelers especially love Aruba, as it has one of the highest concentrations of sunken ships in the Caribbean. Other outdoor pursuits include hiking, swimming, and caving at nearby Arikok National Park, or biking to and then climbing up the 120 steps of the California Lighthouse on the island's northwestern point for 360-degree views.
Turks and Caicos
Credit: Courtesy of Blue Haven - All Inclusive
If there's one thing that Turks and Caicos is known for, it's the beaches, which have white sand and water that's sometimes described as "turks-quoise." The British Overseas Territory consists of 40 main islands and cays, though only eight are inhabited. Some visitors stay in Grand Turk, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and South Caicos, but Providenciales, called Provo for short, is the most popular, and home to the most all-inclusive resorts. Most are strung along the enviable Grace Bay Beach — just a half hour's drive from the Provo airport — and even travelers who prefer the pool to the ocean will be wooed by its gentle surf, blue waters, and pristine shoreline of spots like Blue Haven and Alexandra Resort; for the ultimate in luxury, book a bungalow at the private island resort of Ambergris Cay. Resort restaurants serve Caribbean and international cuisine, and the island's weekly fish fry, held every Thursday in the Bight, is worth the trip to sample fried local catches and cracked conch.
Credit: Courtesy of Ambergris Cay
Thanks to the nearly 350 miles of barrier reef surrounding the islands, T&C is a veritable paradise for those who love snorkeling and diving, including wreck dives, but there are also ample opportunities for other watersports like sailing, kiteboarding, and parasailing. You can also pop into the casinos, shops, and some nightlife in Provo, hike on Bird Rock Trail, or explore the landlocked lagoon in Chalk Sound National Park. If you want to take a day trip to North Caicos, there are several daily ferries; you'll need to take an inter-island flight to visit the other islands.
