15 HIDDEN BENEFITS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS

If you shop around for travel often enough, you have probably seen some resorts advertising themselves as "all-inclusive." While offerings can vary slightly at these properties, this mostly means they include your meals, drinks, room and some added benefits all within a single nightly rate.

Some all-inclusive resorts are for adults only, meaning they don't even let you add children (or anyone under the age of 18) to your reservation. There are also family-friendly resorts that want you to bring the kids along, and they offer features and amenities geared to children as a result.

With these details in mind, you should also know there are some hidden benefits of all-inclusive resorts that aren't entirely obvious. These benefits can also vary by property, but they can include amenities like luxurious spas, on-site waterparks, free babysitting and dedicated butlers that take care of your every need.

If you are considering an all-inclusive property and you're wondering all you can get from the experience, read on to learn about the secret benefits of all-inclusive resorts and some reasons you should probably book one today.

Free Babysitting

Some (but not all) all-inclusive resorts offer dedicated clubs for kids and teens that are staffed with employees who will actually watch your kids for free. These clubs typically have set hours during the day, and they give parents a break by letting them relax or enjoy a nice dinner for a few hours without the kids in tow. The best part? Kids clubs at all-inclusive resorts don't just sit your children in a room in front of a television. The best ones offer games and activities all day long, plus crafts, contests and more.

Airport Transfers

Some all-inclusive resorts will even pick you up at the airport when you arrive at your destination, and then take you back for your flight home once you're ready to go. This varies from property to property, and there are some hotels that only offer this option during special promotions. Either way, having airport transfers included makes all-inclusive resorts even more convenient and affordable.

Unlimited Food (Yes, Really)

If you've never visited an all-inclusive resort, you might believe you're served the standard three meals a day. However, these properties actually offer food around the clock and you could easily eat 10 meals per day if you wanted. Most have an ongoing buffet of food available all day and night in addition to dedicated restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some even have coffee bars with snacks available during overnight hours.

All You Can Drink

Nobody is counting when you order drinks at an all-inclusive resort, and many start serving alcohol fairly early in the morning. This means you can drink as much as you want, from breakfast mimosas at 7 a.m. to wine or cocktails long after dinner. You don't want to overdo it of course, but having access to unlimited drinks can lead to big savings if you frequently imbibe.

Butler Service

Some of the best all-inclusive resorts offer butler service for all or at least some of their rooms and suites. While having a butler isn't always a must, these professionals can help take the guesswork and stress out of vacation planning. For example, your all-inclusive resort butler could make your dinner reservations for you, and they can even save your seats by the pool. Some resort butlers will also help keep your room tidy and organized throughout your stay.

Entertainment Teams

You can easily entertain yourself at an all-inclusive resort, but you can also sit back and let others do the work. These properties feature all kinds of entertainment all day and night, although options vary by resort. Most feature party games at the beach or pool by day and live music, dancers or Broadway-style shows in the evening at a bare minimum.

Water Parks

Many all-inclusive properties geared to families also go the extra mile when it comes to offering things to do. For example, they might have their own on-site waterparks, lazy rivers or both to keep kids worn out and entertained throughout the day. Some of the most popular all-inclusive properties with waterparks include Lopesan Costa Bavaro in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Beaches Turks and Caicos and Hotel Xcaret Mexico in Playa del Carmen.

Rooms with Private Pools

There are plenty of adults-only all-inclusive resorts that focus on romance and privacy, and some of them offer rooms with totally private pools. This option gives travelers the chance to enjoy some pool time without having to suffer through loud conversations or share space with total strangers. One of the best all-inclusive resorts for adults with private pool options is the TRS Yucatan near Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Swim-Up Rooms

While a smaller selection of properties offers private pool rooms, there are more all-inclusive resorts with swim-up rooms. With a swim-up room, your suite will have a door that leads out to a small pool that's typically shared with several other rooms nearby. Some hotels also offer swim-up rooms that offer direct pool access to one of the larger pools throughout the property, including pools with swim-up bars.

Financial Savings

While all-inclusive resorts can have higher nightly rates than average, you have to think about all you get in return. With your meals, drinks and entertainment included, you don't have to deal with a bunch of bills or surprising costs on your trip. Your kids could easily drink 10 smoothies a day, and your trip wouldn't cost you a penny more than you paid. In the end, you may even find you save huge sums of money by booking an all-inclusive property and sticking with all the free meals and beverages that come with it.

Safety and Security

All-inclusive resorts also make it possible for you to truly relax and unwind in one place. This means you won't have to leave the property to go out to dinner, nor will you have to figure out how to safely travel around. All-inclusive properties provide considerable peace of mind for this reason, and many also have full-fledged safety teams that monitor the property and guests 24 hours a day.

Night Clubs

Some all-inclusive properties also have nightclubs that keep the party thumping all night long. These clubs offer live DJs, special performances and dedicated bars to make sure you never have to wait for a drink too long.

Water Sports

Most all-inclusive resorts are located along the ocean, thus they include access to some non-motorized watersports in the nightly rate. For example, you may be able to ride in a Hobie Cat or go kayaking for free, or you could borrow some snorkeling gear and head out into the water to see fish and other sea life. Sandals Resorts even includes scuba diving for certified divers.

Spa Access

The majority of all-inclusive properties have an on-site spa, although spa services typically cost extra. Either way, having a spa within a few minutes walk from your room makes it easy to set up a much-needed massage or full body treatment. Some all-inclusive resorts also feature thermal areas with steam saunas, dry saunas, mud rooms, jacuzzis and more.

Convenience

Finally, you really have to enjoy an all-inclusive experience to understand how convenient it is. These properties let you choose your travel dates and your room type, but they take care of all the details from there. For example, you won't have to worry about where to go to dinner, how you'll travel around or how much your trip will cost when all is said and done. Not only can the best all-inclusive stays be affordable, but having the option to prepay for your entire trip upfront just makes things easier.

2024-03-26T23:12:29Z dg43tfdfdgfd