As this blog can attest, I’ve been around. While I’ve done the backpacking thing, the complicated multi-country treks, and the run-of-the-mill big city weekends, I had never taken an all-inclusive vacation. Until now. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic for my wife’s birthday, and while I enjoyed it overall, it has its downsides, too.
Pro: The cost
Depending on where you go, a double occupancy room at an all-inclusive hotel can run from $200 to $800. This seems like a lot but if you consider what you might spend on breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two people in many places in the world, this is actually a great value. If you drink alcohol and you add up the cost of the occasional beer or cocktail on vacation, this is an even bigger savings.
Con: The cost
I don’t know about you, but it stings to pay up to $2,000 or $3,000 all at once for a vacation. Even if it’s ultimately cheaper than other kinds of travel, it’s a lot easier to pay for your flight in advance and then the hotel a few months later and all your food and activities while you’re on the trip. The sticker shock could be discouraging to some people, and it may require saving in advance.
Pro: It’s an amazing way to travel with a big group.
We went to Punta Cana as a group of 9. I can’t imagine anything more hellish than traveling anywhere with so many people. Everyone has a different pace of travel, and there’s bound to be frustration. It’s hard to go to any restaurants with so many people and it’s hard to agree on what everyone wants to do at any given time. God forbid anyone is late to something with timed entry.
But at an all-inclusive, it could not have been easier. We all rolled out of bed at our leisure, some of us met up for breakfast while others went to the gym. Some of us went to one of the restaurants for lunch while others stayed in the pool. It was truly effortless, because at no point is the most active member of the group pulling everyone beyond their capacities or the slowest member dragging everyone down. Everyone is free to exist exactly as they are.
Con: It’s a terrible way to discover a real place.
An all-inclusive resort is like an insulated commune, completely devoid of the real culture of a city. Most people are incredibly nice and welcoming, the way you only see on an episode of The White Lotus. You don’t get to enjoy organic interactions with locals at all. You also get very little local flavor. I’m not sure why the resort had 10 restaurants and none of them served Dominican food, but I would have gladly given up their incredibly poor interpretation of sushi for a traditional homecooked Dominican dinner.
Pro: It’s an incredibly relaxing vacation.
If you like to discover every museum, take every touristy photo op, and see every roadside attraction, then an all-inclusive is not for you. However, if what you want out of a vacation is to actually relax, an all-inclusive could not be better. Everything is handed to you on a silver platter. You can always get food or drinks or fresh towels, without even leaving your room if you choose. I was sad it was over, because it meant I would have to become a functioning member of society.
Con: The food is probably going to be sub-par.
Let’s be real, no all-inclusive hotel is going to win a Michelin star for their restaurant offerings. While we did have some great food, a lot of it was mediocre at best. Like on a cruise, the food also gets repetitive. Even if you have a huge breakfast buffet, you will probably gravitate toward the options you like best, and there’s only so many omelettes you can eat back to back before you’re dying to get off the island.
Pro: You don’t have to worry about anything.
My favorite thing about the all-inclusive stay is that it eliminated every tiny thing that makes travel kind of stressful. I didn’t have to worry about getting a taxi or Uber from the airport because the hotel arranged transportation for us. I didn’t have to worry about going to find a drugstore because I forgot my toothbrush; there was already one in the room. I didn’t have to worry about looking up restaurants and making dinner reservations. There were almost a dozen dining options all within a short walk.
Con: The all-inclusive bros and pros.
The highest concentration of all-inclusive resorts in the world is found in the Caribbean and the Americas, with Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica being popular hubs. This attracts exactly the kind of people you would expect. People who only travel this way… so Americans who plant their shit on a lounger all day even if they don’t intent to spend any time at the pool, who carry around their MAGA-branded Stanley cups, and who steal your floatie if you look away from it for one second.
I’m not saying that Europe doesn’t have its share of misbehaved tourists, but the blue lives matter flags were a jump scare every time. It took a lot for me not to tell them, “You’re in the Dominican Republic, you need to speak Spanish.”
Pro: Adults only. Keep your brats at home.
Not all all-inclusives are adults only, but there are more adults only all-inclusive options than there are adults only hotels in your average city. For my friends with kids, the vacation was a respite from the constant toil of parenthood. For those of us who are childless, it was a quiet space full of adult conversation and no screaming toddlers. This makes an all-inclusive a great choice for romance. It feels luxurious and laid-back, without the jarring sounds of kids playing (and peeing) in the pool.
Is an all-inclusive vacation for you?
For some people, getting out of their comfort zone means getting on a 15-hour plane ride to go to a country where no one speaks your language or going on a multi-day hike in Peru. For some, it means learning to do nothing. An all-inclusive is a great way to do that. If you already know that the best way to unwind and disconnect from your regular life is to float in a resort pool drinking a pina colada out of a coconut, then you already know the answer.
If you’re like me, and you’re normally eager to see and do things, I recommend you get out of your comfort zone. Sometimes it really pays off to take a vacation you don’t need a vacation from afterwards. I may not become an all-inclusive regular after this experience, but I’m glad I tried it at least once. It was everything that this 9-person reunion trip needed to be.
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