If you are an avid reader of this blog, then you will know that an all-inclusive vacation is the last type of trip that I would normally advocate for.
I prefer a play-it-by-ear, chose-your-own-adventure, off-the-beaten-path type of vacation — but during the depths of COVID lockdowns, when I was going completely stir-crazy, I started looking for all-inclusive vacations, as they seemed like the easiest (and safest) way to travel with all the new restrictions that had been put into place.
And so, that is how I found myself spending a week at the Hotel Riu Palace Baja California in Mexico, and where I came to realize that there is a time and a place for an all-inclusive vacation.
If you are trying to decide if an all-inclusive is the right trip for you, this post offers 8 reasons why it might be (or 8 reasons why it is not, depending on how you look at it).
1. You will be safe
If you are planning on visiting a place where your safety is a concern, booking an all-inclusive might be the best option for you. These types of vacations cover your transport to the hotel from the airport, and provide security on-site, ensuring that you, and your belongings are safe.
Outside of physical safety, there is also your health to consider. These all-inclusive resorts usually have on-site health practitioners and are held to high standards when it comes to cleanliness in kitchens, rooms, etc.
2. You will have easy access to safe food and water
The food at all-inclusive is prepped to ensure that it is foreigner-friendly (washed with filtered water, etc.), so that food-poisoning or contracting a bug is less likely.
You will also have access to safe, filtered water to drink in your room, by the pool, at dinner, and throughout your hotel.
3. You can do absolutely nothing
If rest is what you are after, then an all-inclusive is for you. If you would rather spend your time visiting tourist sites, museums, and going on adventures, the resort may be a bit lost on you.
All-inclusive vacations are perfect for moving slow — waking up late, having indulgently long breakfasts, laying by the pool all day, and having slow leisurely dinners.
4. You are ready to take advantage of amenities
All-inclusive vacations are literally all-inclusive, which means you have access to everything that the hotel has to offer. Drinks, various bars and restaurants, pools, entertainment, gyms, sports equipment, and more.
5. You don’t have to leave for entertainment
Because everything is provided for you, you don’t have to plan anything or go anywhere.
Your entertainment is handed to you on a silver platter. Even when there are options to leave — on an excursion, for example — it is all planned out for you, so all you have to do is show up.
6. You have access to beautiful views, spaces, and places
All-inclusive resorts are usually placed to take advantage of views in beautiful places. You will wake up and fall asleep enjoying pristine sunsets, sunrises, and breathtaking vistas.
The resorts themselves are built to be adult playgrounds, outfitted with whimsical, over-sized, and stunning decor that plays to the culture that you are visiting.
7. It will be easier to avoid scams
The security at resorts usually keeps out those that will try and scam you into buying a tour that takes you nowhere, or purchasing a souvenir for three times the price. They will also help you find safe rides to other areas of the town you are staying in, or to sister resorts.
If you are not familiar with avoiding these scams yourself, or if you want to avoid the hassle, an all-inclusive is a great choice for you.
8. You can avoid language issues
If you have concerns about communicating in a place that has a language different from your own, an all-inclusive will solve that issue for you.
Employees at these resorts usually speak English, and multiple other languages, depending on where the majority of their visitors are from.
______________________________
Will an all-inclusive ever be my go-to vacation of choice?
No.
But, can I admit that there is a time and a place where it makes sense? And, did I thoroughly enjoy my last trip to one?
Yes, and absolutely.
What do you think? Will you try an all-inclusive if you’ve never been to one before?
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Meet The Author
Lindsay Shapka is an avid traveler and the creator of The Anthrotorian — a website dedicated to sharing travel tips, stories about adventures, culture quirks, artists you should know, fascinating bits of history, and more!
She is also an artist, marketing specialist, editor, and freelance writer who has work featured on websites, blogs, and in magazines like National Geographic Traveler.
Tourists make the perfect mark for a scam artist. We are disoriented, don't know the language, are wide eyed, and are distracted by the new world that we have found ourselves in.
I have been approached by people all over the world who, while they seem kind, are actually out to relieve me of my wallet or other valuables.