All Inclusive

Cancun is one of the world’s major All Inclusive destinations. Along the Hotel Zone and the coast north and south of Cancun there is an enormous range of resorts where rooms, food, drinks and activities are sold as one combined package. But does that mean you should choose All Inclusive? Not necessarily. For some, All Inclusive is the perfect Cancun holiday. For others it can actually limit the experience. Here we explain the difference. What does All Inclusive mean in Cancun? Exactly what is included varies from hotel to hotel. Usually the package includes:

• hotel room
• breakfast
• lunch
• dinner
• snacks
• soft drinks
• water
• alcoholic beverages
• pool
• gym
• entertainment
• certain activities

At higher-end resorts the range of restaurants and beverages can be very extensive. But All Inclusive does not necessarily mean that absolutely everything is free. What can cost extra? Depending on the resort this can include, among other things:

• spa
• massage
• motorized water sports
• certain premium wines
• special dining experiences
• lobster or other premium dishes
• excursions
• golf
• private cabanas
• romantic dinners
• transport

Always read the current terms of the hotel.

Advantages

You know most of the holiday cost in advance

This is perhaps the biggest advantage. Especially for families it can be nice not to have to add up every ice cream, soda and lunch.

Easy with children

Children get hungry at inconvenient times. With All Inclusive it is often easy to grab something to eat or drink without thinking about the cost.

The resorts are built for holidays

Pools, beach, restaurants, activities and entertainment are gathered in one place. In principle you do not need to leave the hotel.

Can offer good value

If you eat all your meals at the resort and make heavy use of the facilities, All Inclusive can be economically attractive compared to buying everything separately in the Hotel Zone.

Disadvantages

You have already paid to stay at the hotel

This is our biggest objection. If you have paid a lot for All Inclusive, it can feel like a waste to dine Downtown. The result can be that you experience less of Cancun and Mexico.

Full-day excursions reduce the value

If you plan to visit:

• Chichén Itzá
• Tulum
• Isla Mujeres
• Xcaret

...you will be away from the hotel for large parts of the day. If you have four such days in one week, you have paid for many meals you do not use.

Food quality varies

"12 restaurants" does not automatically mean fantastic food. Quality matters more than quantity. When we evaluate All Inclusive resorts on Cancun.no, restaurant quality will therefore carry significant weight. Who should choose All Inclusive? We would especially consider it for:

Families with children

The simplicity has great value.

Couples on a relaxation holiday

If the plan is beach, pool, cocktails and good dinners, the concept fits perfectly.

First-time travelers who want an easy holiday

Transport, restaurant choices and ongoing holiday expenses become simpler. Who might consider skipping it?

Food enthusiasts

If a large part of the travel experience is finding new restaurants each evening, All Inclusive becomes less attractive.

Those who want to explore a lot

If the hotel is mainly where you sleep, you should not pay large sums for a resort you barely use.

Budget travelers

A Downtown hotel + local restaurants can become significantly cheaper.

All Inclusive with children

Here we think the argument becomes stronger. Imagine a family of four. Breakfast. Then someone wants a smoothie. An hour later, ice cream. Lunch. Drinks by the pool. More ice cream. Afternoon snack. Dinner. Maybe a drink afterwards. On a regular hotel holiday this becomes many small purchases throughout the day. With All Inclusive it is already paid for. The economic value varies, but the practical value can be enormous. Hotel Zone or Playa Mujeres?

Hotel Zone

Best if you want to combine All Inclusive with experiencing Cancun.

Playa Mujeres/Costa Mujeres

Best if the resort itself is the holiday. Here several large resorts are located where the concept precisely is that you have almost everything you need within the hotel area. What about tipping? Even if you stay All Inclusive, tipping is common in Mexico. Check what the resort states about service charges and gratuities, and have some small cash available if you want to tip staff for good service. We will publish a separate guide to tipping culture in Cancun.

The best All Inclusive hotels

We divide recommendations by holiday type.

Family + location

Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Large family resort

Moon Palace / The Grand

Family + Playa Mujeres

Dreams or Finest Playa Mujeres

Adults Only + luxury

Le Blanc Spa Resort

Adults Only outside the Hotel Zone

Excellence Playa Mujeres

All Inclusive or not – our advice

Ask yourself one question: How many days will we actually be at the hotel? If the answer is:

"Almost the whole holiday."

Then All Inclusive can be an excellent choice. If the answer is: "We are going to Isla Mujeres, Chichén Itzá, Tulum, cenotes and Playa del Carmen and will eat out several evenings." Then we would carefully calculate whether All Inclusive is really worth the extra cost. The most expensive option is not necessarily All Inclusive. The most expensive option can be to pay for All Inclusive and then spend half the holiday outside the hotel.

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