Can all-inclusive resorts really be as good as the world’s most luxurious 5-Star and 5-Diamond properties?
Absolutely. In some cases they are one and the same.
The appeal of the all-inclusive vacation is obvious: you know what your total cost is going to be before you ever leave home, and in many cases, these vacations are good values compared to buying food, beverages, lodging, and activities a la carte. This is one reason why cruises, which are almost always all-inclusive, are so popular for families, and increasingly, resorts are offering the same structure.
But there is a downside to the all-inclusive model, when quantity does not equal quality. All your meals may be included, but the food often is not good, with disappointing buffets and chewy steaks. The margaritas and “champagne” may be free flowing, but this usually involves very cheap tequila and sugary mix, and the bubbly is rarely champagne. Accommodations at all-inclusive resorts are sometimes closer to college dorms than traditional hotel rooms. And the most interesting activities, like off-site excursions and “deluxe” sports, are usually excluded.
Usually but not always – here are ten surprising exceptions to the ordinary paradigm, ten truly unique all-inclusives that buck the mass market model and deliver on the promise of excellence, from food to service to activities, and in most cases, have a one-of-a-kind experience that sets them radically apart. Some are simply much more luxurious take on the mainstream all-inclusive beach resort concept, but others offer an entirely different vacation experience that travelers may not associate with “all-inclusive.” It is not just tropical resorts that offer this kind of pricing structure, but safari lodges, eco-adventure and nature retreats, even ski resorts. They are not necessarily bargains, with some so luxurious they attract a stream of A-list Hollywood celebrities, but they are almost always values when compared to their a la carte luxury peers.
At the tiny end of the spectrum is Twin Farms, a boutique resort in Vermont that is consistently among the highest rated on earth. Twin Farms is not just a great small resort, it is arguably the best small resort in the United States, and was named just that by readers of the influential Zagat Survey (Number One Small Hotel US). Twin Farms also received the highest possible ranking from the highly critical Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, Grand Award Winner, and has been awarded the highest Forbes 5-Star (previously Mobil 5-Star) rating for 16 consecutive years, yet offers just 20 luxurious accommodations on 300-acres of private and pristine countryside in rural Vermont. Most of the lodgings at Twin Farms are standalone luxury homes, each decorated with a theme, like dogs or fishing, and adorned with museum quality original art by renowned artists. There are about 50 U.S. hotels and resorts that receive the coveted 5-Star rating from Forbes – out of thousands of properties – but only two are all-inclusive.
Meals at Twin Farms are truly gourmet, customized to every guest’s need, and all are included in nightly rates. So are alcoholic beverages, including sommelier wine pairings at lunch and dinner. So are all activities (expect spa treatments), and the resort has its own private downhill and cross country ski areas in winter, and in summer a hiking trail network, fishing, tennis, and much more. Want hot cookies and milk in the middle of the night? A champagne picnic lunch delivered trailside on your hike? All included. Of course, this luxury does not come cheap – nightly rates for two start at $1300.
At the larger end of the spectrum are the two Grand Velas resorts in Mexico, one on the east coast in the Riviera Maya, and one near Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific. Grand Velas made history among all-inclusives by earning the highest possible AAA 5-Diamond rating at both properties. This duo takes the traditional large beach resort all-inclusive model and raises the bar high, with fine dining restaurants that are a la carte, no buffets, top shelf liquor, 24-hour room service included, butlers, yoga and pilates classes, and first class service and amenities all around. The hotels also get 4-Diamonds for their cuisine, have won awards for their spas, and feature accommodations that rival any luxury hotels. Rooms are all suites, starring at 1,000 square feet, most with hot tubs, and the full slate of decadent touches from spa-like bathrooms to flat screen TVs.
Then there are all-inclusives that offer a unique activity or attraction in addition to first class lodging and meals. One of the most surprising is Portillo, Chile, the only all-inclusive destination ski resort in the world. Portillo is Chile’s premier ski mountain, high in the Andes, with world class terrain and deep annual snowfalls, and many national ski teams and Olympians train here. What few people know is that since there is no town and no other place to stay, the entire resort is operated like a cruise ship, with weeklong package stays in the comfy Hotel Portillo that include lodging, lift tickets, and four meals daily (breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner), along with yoga and other classes, movies in the hotel theater, a disco, even a ski and boot valet. Rates start at just $1790 per person for the 7-nights lodging, skiing, and all the meals and entertainment, something you would be hard pressed to equal at Aspen or Vail.
From luxury African safari lodges to the natural wonders of Patagonia to trekking in the Himalayas of Bhutan to an entire Colorado ghost town reborn as a decadent adventure resort, the world’s best all-inclusives offer surprising vacations for every taste. These are ten of the very best:
