This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
All-inclusive resorts are becoming more and more popular while vacationing in tropical destinations. After talking with a few friends, I decided to put together a list of tips that I have learned from my own personal experiences while staying at all-inclusive resorts.
10 things you need to know before staying at an all-inclusive resort:
Pool Etiquette– Many people come down to the pool area early to reserve their chairs before they have even showered and eaten breakfast, they want to make sure that when they are ready to come down, they will have a perfect spot to lounge for the day. So word of advice, if you are traveling to a resort during peak season, send someone down to the pool early (ie: 6-7 a.m) to claim your lounge chair. This may seem like a no brainer to some, however while at my most recent stay to the Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun I witnessed two ladies get into an argument over pool chairs. If you see a towel or any item on a pool chair, it is claimed. Even if you haven’t seen anyone occupy the chair in over 2 hours, the chair is claimed.
Child Care Services– Bringing the entire family on vacation with you? Just because you are making this a family trip, doesn’t mean you and your spouse can’t enjoy a nice meal alone together. Many resorts have kid’s clubs where you can check your child in and leave them in a fun facility that is not only safe, but the staff there truly enjoy taking care of your children and it’s free. Check with your resort ahead of time, some resorts will accept all ages, while some will only take those ages 4 and up. If you are uncomfortable leaving them in a kid’s club, you can ask the concierge about nanny services they recommend.
Bring Money For Tips– I know they say tips are included, however I have never experienced service quite like the service you experience in an all-inclusive resort. They go above and beyond to make your stay as comfortable as possible and truly wait on you hand and foot. Minimum wage is significantly lower than in the USA and a simple tip can really make the staff’s day. My husband and I always make sure to at least bring $100 in $1 bills strictly for tip money.
EDIT: Some resorts like (Beaches) don’t allow you to tip at all.. So please look into the resorts policy before tipping.
Make It A Double– Just because you are staying in an all-inclusive resort doesn’t mean you need to have weak drinks. If you tip your bartender, they will make your drinks stronger. However, feel free to tell your bartender to make your drink a double. No matter what type of drink it is, they will double the alcohol if you ask. I say this with warning because there are a lot of really drunk vacationers come dinner time, and you do not want to be one of those people. Enjoy your stay without getting trashed!
Bring Your Own Sunblock– Please do not make the mistake we just made. I grabbed a bottle of sunblock that was near empty and half way through my trip, it ran out. The gift shops know that if you run out of a necessity like sunblock while there, you have no where else to get it but from them (unless you are near a local store). Our sunblock ran us $25 USD. Ouch.
Pace Yourself– There’s literally all the food and alcohol you can imagine at your disposal and your body may not be used to it. Combine that with being in the sun all day, and the last thing you want is to get sick halfway through your trip. Ease into the eating and drinking and don’t forget to bring some medicine like Tums and Advil in case you wake up one morning feeling icky.
Keep Your Passports Safe– I can’t not stress this one enough. They provide you hotel safes for a reason, use them! The moment you walk into your hotel room, set your code for the safe and store all valuable items in there along with your passport. YOU DO NOT NEED YOUR PASSPORT WHILE THERE. The only times you will use them is at the airports and when checking into your resort. They slap a wrist band on you and that will be your voucher for your age during your stay. A friend of ours and his fiance booked a tour during a stay in South America and their bus was hijacked and they stole everything on them. I remember him saying when he got back into the USA, that he was so thankful they left their passports at the hotel. You do not need your passports, even on a tour. We didn’t take ours during our tour of Tulum while we were in Mexico and were just fine without them.
Transportation– I advise you set up your transportation with the resort before you travel. While it may be slightly more expensive, it is a lot safer. Always follow the instructions the transportation service you set up has provided. I’ve noticed in many international airports the staff of time shares will lie to you just to get you over to them. They will tell you that you need to check into your car service or shuttle with them when your ride is outside the doors waiting for you. If you are planning on taking a cab, ask at Customs where you can catch a cab, many airports have a very visible cab service sign. Always go with your gut on this one and be cautious of your surroundings.
Activities Not Included– Okay, well most are. If you are looking to do some adventurous things like jet skiing in the ocean, zip lining, tours, swimming with dolphins, spa services, etc., those are all additional resort credits which you can purchase once you are at the resort.
Are All-Inclusive Resorts Worth The Cost?– In my experience, yes they are. The convenience of an all-inclusive resort makes a stay so much more enjoyable. You honestly don’t have to worry about anything while you are there. Multiple restaurants, buffets, bars, pools, resort entertainment, tips, in-room snacks and drinks, etc are ALL INCLUDED! You don’t even have to worry about exchanging your currency. From the moment you check in you are in great hands.
Here are some all-inclusive resorts to check out:
21 Reasons Why You Need to Visit Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa
Hard Rock Hotel Cancun: All-Inclusive, Family-Friendly Resort
http://www.simplyrealstyle.com/posts/omni-hotel-and-villas-all-inclusive-resort-in-cancun/
Hi there! I just wanted to comment on the tipping suggestion for people going to a resort like this. You need to be very cautious about tipping. I have witnessed a waiter being fired over accepting a tip. These hotels want guests to feel unobligated to tip or spend anything while there, hence the all inclusive name. The hotel hired someone to come in and tip the guy. If they accept the money, they get fired. All places aren’t like this, but don’t be surprised if your tip is rejected. Find sneaky ways to get it to those hard working individuals if you want to tip.
Thank you so much for the information, Krysta. That has not been my experience, but I can see how some resorts may be stricter than others about this. I appreciate it!!
I don’t agree with the whole towel saves a chair. If your near the chair (pool, ocean, on beach) than yes, but people who put towels on chairs early am before being ready to make use of it or think a towel saves their chair for hours or an entire day are selfish and rude. There are never enough chairs for every guest, remember they are guest chairs, not your personal chair. Be grateful you had it for stint and give someone else a chance.
I have been all-inclusive and left my towel on a chair to grab a snack at the beach grill and lost track of time. When I came back someone else placed my towel on the ground and was in the chair. Big Deal, I picked up my towel and moved on without a word and I expect the same respect from other guests.
Hi Mikey,
Just sharing what I have witnessed from our many stays at all-inclusive resorts. We personally don’t worry about chairs as we like to keep busy by swimming and exploring. I appreciate your input and hope others do too!
Thank you for this article. I am going to pass this along to my brother who is doing an all inclusive resort for the first time. We have made many of these mistakes before (not enough sunscreen, too much alcohol) and this list is a great reminder of what to expect when doing an all inclusive resort.
Thanks Jennifer! I need to update that some all-inclusive resorts are really strict about not tipping (like all the Beaches/Sandals resorts) so it’s best to look into that.
I hope your brother enjoys his all-inclusive vacation. It really is my favorite way to travel. 🙂
How disrespectful to suggest $1USD. You might as well not tip at all. I’m literally still in shock at this suggestion.
I am sorry you feel that way. I said that even something as simple as $1 can make the staff’s day, which is true because I have seen it first hand. I didn’t say to only tip that amount. We always tip a couple dollars, but some resorts won’t even allow a tip at all. But I will edit how I worded my paragrph. Thank you for your comment.
Hotel in room safes are NOT secure. There is a master PIN number as well as a master key in some cases. The cleaning staff have this number as does the front desk and security. There are a few security accessory options that are worth the investment. Pac Safe makes a lot of lockable cut proof bags. There are also safety straps you attach to the in room safe to provide more personal security.
I appreciate that your comments are directed to the all-inclusive. My opinion is that you learn nothing of a country or its people by staying in an all-inclusive. Do your research, get your currency exchanged at home then make your plans to stay two weeks at a minimum AND respect their customs and try to learn a bit of their language. Hogging a lounge chair by placing a towel is, again in my opinion, disrespectful. In most resorts it is frowned upon. We spend four months a year in Mexico and our habit is to travel with a photocopy of our passport and the original of our tourust ‘visa’. Mexican authorities at any time can demand that you produce your tourist visa and there is a fine payable forthwith if one is unable because it’s back at the hotel locked in a safe.
You really do want to make sure that you have packed all of your essentials before you head out to stay at a resort. This way you can minimize how much you have to spend on miscellaneous things that you might run out of. It might help to make a comprehensive list before you start packing. That way you can make sure you’ll get everything you need.
So, you are one of the towel game gang. can,t justify this practice.most all inclusive resorts frown on this, but hard to enforce.
Nope, I am not. Re-read what I wrote. I said if you want a chair send someone down early because of people like this. I just let people know because I didn’t know it was a thing until I witnessed it.