Surprise!
I love a good surprise, don’t you? There’s nothing like something wonderful coming from out of nowhere to make your day extra special.
Having said that, there are surprises that are not so enjoyable, especially in travel.
One of the least favorite surprises in travel is an unexpected “balance due” at the end of your trip. Which brings to me to one of my favorite types of travel, all-inclusive resorts.
I truly love all-inclusive resorts. I didn’t when they first began over two decades ago. The food was substandard, the drinks were what my father would have called “rot gut”, and the rooms were decidedly cut rate.
Then along came the brands that aimed their products at American markets. The food became excellent, the drinks were top shelf, and the rooms were truly luxurious. Best of all, you know exactly what the cost is going to be before you go, and you have it all paid in full so you can relax on the beach without a worry in the world.
If you haven’t experienced a great all-inclusive resort, let me go over what they generally include and some ways in which they vary.
All-inclusive resorts include your room, of course. The better your room location, the more it costs. A room overlooking the tropical forest at the back of the resort costs significantly less than the oceanfront room on the beach.
They also include your meals. All-inclusive resorts across the board have amazing breakfast buffets. They also have great lunch restaurants and buffets, many of which are poolside or oceanfront, so you don’t have to leave the area you are enjoying the most.
Evening meals are an area where your options may vary. More budget friendly resorts may offer 11 restaurants, but depending on the length of your trip you may only have access to a few of the a la carte dining options, with their ample buffet restaurant filling in on the other evenings.
For instance, if you have a five night stay, you will usually have three night’s approval for a la carte dining and two nights where you’ll be limited to the buffet. You have to make reservations for those a la carte restaurants, and it’s a source of constant frustration to wait in line for two hours on vacation trying to get a dinner reservation.
Resorts in a more mid-range price point now offer unlimited a la carte dining, and the resorts at the upper end of the price point don’t even offer a buffet on property. You’ll have an excellent choice of a la carte dining choices, as well as 24 hour room service with a full menu.
Nonmotorized water sports are also included in your price. Snorkel gear, hobie cats, boogie boards, as well as many other activities are at no additional charge. All-inclusive resorts are famous for their Entertainment Teams. These fun folks offer all kinds of fun, all day and well into the night. Beach volleyball, pool volleyball, exercise classes, yoga, trivia, I can go on and on.
Adult beverages are also included. Most all-inclusive resorts offer multiple bars, lobby bars, swim up bar, and beach bars. Wine and cocktails are also included with your meals, at no additional cost.
Kids Camps are also included at no extra fee. They separate the kids by age groups and have fully trained staff members whose sole purpose is to make sure your children have a terrific experience. There are video games, cultural activities, events focused on the natural elements around the resort, pool and beach games of course, and so much more.
Spa treatments are an extra fee, as are off-property excursions. Other than that, once you arrive you truly never worry about your children ordering a virgin mud slide, or a plate of hot wings. There is no charge.
If you haven’t given all-inclusive vacations a try, I encourage you to so do. I think you’ll love them as much as I do.