I’ve never stayed at one myself but two winter destinations
on my bucket list (Cancun and Dominican Republic) offer many such resorts. In the Caribbean, it seems that there are
more all-inclusive resorts than standard hotels. I’ve done some research on this subject, so I
feel somewhat qualified to give advice to my fellow travelers. Is it worth it? That depends on what you are looking
for.
Advantages:
Convenience is by far the biggest plus here. Often, you can simply take a shuttle directly
from the airport to your resort. No need
to rent a car or even take Uber. You will be transported to a luxurious gated
community and can do pretty much whatever you want as well as eat and drink
free of charge once you get the coveted wristband upon check-in. Typically, the resort has multiple
restaurants and bars as well as free room service. In other words, you won’t even need to leave
the grounds of the resort. Just leave
your wallet in the hotel safe and use the credit card for small souvenir purchases. Safety is another important factor. If you are visiting a third world country
with a high crime rate, you may not feel it is safe for you and your family to
go outside the resort. Inside, you can
bet that it will be well patrolled, and you won’t get very far without a wrist
band. I certainly would not allow a
teenager to roam the streets of a foreign country unsupervised even if he or
she is with a friend. Remember Natalee
Holloway.
Disadvantages:
To me, the biggest disadvantage is the lack of authenticity. I can imagine a couple returning from a
Jamaican all-inclusive resort and commenting about how much they loved the
country. Nope. You just loved your resort. Most hotel guests are either American or
European so outside of the resort staff, you will have little to no
opportunities to interact with locals and take in the culture. If the same resort had a location in the
Dominican Republic, you could have had pretty much the exact same experience
there. I’m sure that many resorts offer
excursions to nearby attractions, which is good, but it also locks you into a
specific schedule. If the buses don’t
run several times per day, it could be big trouble if you miss the ride
back.
Hidden Fees:
Often the quoted price is a very reasonable $200-250 per
night. That said, you get what you pay
for. There could be an additional charge
for multiple guests in a room as well.
Unless it is a 5-star resort, you can bet that food will be mediocre and
it may not even be fresh either. Drinks
will be small and watered down too.
Extras such as souvenirs, sun tan lotion and even wiFi probably will NOT
be included while excursions to nearby hiking trails will certainly be
extra. Some resorts are family friendly
while others are adults only and catered toward honeymooners and other young
couples. I doubt that very many will be
catered to singles.
Me:
I would personally opt for the standard hotel even if I must
walk a few minutes to the beach. I
prefer the authenticity of the local culture.
If a country has a Level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory, I am not going even if
it’s just to a resort. I don’t care how
beautiful it is. In a resort tailored to
couples, sitting alone at a restaurant table would be quite depressing. I really don’t care about the fancy spas or
getting pampered with a massage. Just
give me a basic room that is clean with a comfortable bed, TV, fridge and
microwave and that’s all I need. I’m primarily
there for the beach but I do want a strip of authentic restaurants and fun bars
within walking distance. If I am with a
girlfriend, yes, I would be willing to compromise and stay in an all-inclusive
resort. I would want it to be within
walking distance of local attractions and would like to eat one meal outside
the resort per day. For example, if I’m in Cancun, Mexico, I want a serving of real
Mexican food, not a pizza or chicken buffet.
Fair enough?
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