4 Reasons to Stay at an All-Inclusive Resort: A Mexico Vacation

It’s only been a few days since we got back from Riviera Maya, but I am already planning a trip back! It was absolutely amazing! Growing up I went on vacation with my family each year, and we never tried an all-inclusive resort. For our trip, we decided it was a good idea since we didn’t know the area, and figured we’d mostly be at the pool or beach eating and drinking all week. We stayed at The Occidental at Xcaret Destination, an all-inclusive resort. The property was massive and so beautiful! It was right on the water, with several restaurants, pools, and beaches areas, plus all of the amenities a regular hotel would have, like the spa, gym, and activities.

We only left the resort twice. First, to see Cirque du Soleil, Joya, which was amazing, and then on our excursion to Tulum. Our resort was basically a jungle, right next to the Xcaret eco-archeoligical park, so there were a ton to see even just walking to breakfast! Animals were wandering around all over the place, and I had to convince Kale that customs would not allow him to bring home a monkey!

The Occidental was beautiful, all of the people were accommodating, the pools were amazing, food and drinks at our finger tips, and anything else you would ever need only a short walk (or golf cart ride) away! All of these things were a possible because we chose to stay at an all-inclusive, so here are my top reasons to choose an all-inclusive resort.

Reasons to Stay at an All-Inclusive Resort

1. Budget: Being in our mid-twenties, we aren’t exactly rolling in dough here, so we wanted to keep to a budget and not spend a million dollars, which can get easy if you’re eating out for a week, going on excursions, and seeing shows. Eliminating the hotel, food, and flight costs up front, made the trip stress free and so easy! *This is especially if you are drinking, those add up quick!
2. Easy: If you’re looking for a tropical place to relax, and you don’t want to do a ton of exploring on your own, this is the best option. We knew we wanted to relax by the pool and get our tan on, so we didn’t need to wondering where we’d eat next, or what we were going to do the next day, just which pool we wanted to lay by! It was even easy to book! We used Cheap Caribbean, and found the reviews were accurate and the descriptions were spot on. Everything from our flight to our resort, and even our ride to and from the airport was included in 2 easy payments and set months before we left, so we didn’t have to worry about a thing.
3. Safety: When you’re in a different country, the most important thing is safety for you and your things. All of the resorts we drove past to and from the airport were gated off with a guard tower at the entrance. If your name wasn’t on that list, you weren’t getting in. I’m sure that goes for all resorts, not just the all-inclusive resorts.
4. Everything you need is just a short walk away! Hungry? Tacos are up the path to the left. Thirsty? There’s a bar at every pool and in every restaurant. Did you forget medicine, souvenirs, or sunscreen? Shops are right outside the lobby, with an exact exchange rate. They make it easy to stay there and not worry about anything on your vacation.

All-inclusive resorts aren’t for everybody, and not for every occasion, but from my experience, I highly recommend one if you’re in Mexico! I have been with my family in Cancun, and while the two experiences were completely different but comparing the hotel and food experiences, the all-inclusive resort is the way to go.