13 Best Affordable All-Inclusive Resorts for a Dreamy Vacation That Won’t Break the Bank

Boredom doesn’t have a chance to catch up to the kids when you book this cheap all-inclusive resort and add on the Xcaret Pass. Available only to guests of this property, this whole-stay pass provides in-and-out access to the flagship eco-archaeological Xcaret Park and more than 40 exhibits and attractions. Give the kids a thrill by getting there by leisurely boat right from the hotel, or take the five-minute walk to the gates. Unlimited visit passes to the other parks—which feature zip lines, cave tubing, cenotes, amphibious vehicles and more—are also available for far less than any domestic theme park trip. All include meals and rides you won’t have to wait long for.

Back at the resort, there’s a kids club on site, mini golf, a game room open until 11 p.m., seven pools and 11 restaurants for the family to check out. Best of all, it’s all at such a great value that opting for a two-bedroom or two connecting Occidental Royal Level rooms that can sleep 6 adults and 4 children still puts you well under the per-person rate we’d chosen as our max.

Pros:

• Two connected rooms is a cheap option
• Close to some of the best theme parks in the Riviera Maya
• Lots of dining options

Cons:

• Extra charge for room service
• No beach
• No elevators

Most resorts boast that they have something for everyone, but this recently opened resort really means it, especially as it hits a lot of marks for multigenerational travel. One of the most common requests for families traveling together is connecting rooms, and this high-rise overlooking the Caribbean Sea makes it easy to accommodate this request, as nearly half the 416 all-ocean-view rooms are connected.

Another important detail for families is that, as a single building with plentiful elevator access and flat ground, this property is aces for accessibility and mobility. This all-in-one design also makes it easy to get around and keep track of everyone … even if some of the family snuck away for a round of golf, since the hotel overlooks its own course. The kids club and teen hangout give the next generation of vacationers their own space and activities, but the water park with surf simulator is open to everyone.

Beyond the convenience of the on-site amenities and the dining plaza, the gated community the hotel is located in is also close to the airport, ferry station for day trips to Isla Mujeres, visible from anywhere on the property, and a nearby downtown.

Pros:

• Easy to get around for mobility-impaired guests
• Close to main transportation hubs
• High probability of being able to get connected rooms

Cons:

• Beach is on the smaller side
• At the top of the budget

Getting up close and personal with Hollywood glamour is a lot more accessible than you think with this affordable all-inclusive resort designed for cinephiles. Movie and TV show memorabilia is everywhere you look on the property, and anything that isn’t still offers pop culture references and pop star luxury. For instance, see if you can recall the movie moment of the quote on the wall visible from their custom-developed PHabulous Beds. Stay plugged in even from the black sand beach with ultra-fast Wi-Fi, or at the bar with their Main Event Guarantee, which promises showings of your favorite sports match and awards show in real time.

You can even relax like a celebrity, whether that means cabana rentals at the pool, a spa session or fitness classes and training with pros from across the globe. Children have their own Splash Zone outside, and indoors, Talent Managers man the kids club and guide them through activities like acting, singing, costume and set design, directing and even shooting and editing video. Evening live entertainment and outdoor movie screenings are perfectly themed caps to these Costa Rican days.

Pros:

• Immersive entertainment, with theme parties like Oscars Night with red carpet “paparazzi”
• Fully themed kids club and activities/workshops
• Great exhibits and displays

Con:

• Some activities and menu items have additional costs

It can be hard to get a teen to buy into a family vacation—but not when you promise it’ll rock hard. That’s practically a guarantee at this large all-inclusive property in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Accommodations are spacious and decorated in warm, rich tones, but they’ll be spending more time in Vibe City than in their room.

New friends aren’t hard to make at this mega-resort when available activities at Vibe City include a bowling alley, laser tag, Bounce Town trampoline park, dodgeball tournaments, music quizzes and dance contests. The gaming lounge is a modern paradise for teens, challenging kids 10 and up to Mario Kart tournaments, Super Smash Bros. and Xbox and VR entertainment until midnight.

Then there’s the Music Lab for serious bragging rights. This program lets kids and teens take part in a jam band, record a music session with a producer, star in a music video, borrow a real Fender guitar and more. But everyone’s a kid at the on-site Rockaway Bay Water Park.

Pros:

• Unique included features, like a gaming lounge, music lab and water park
• Mature and tween-geared amenities and programs
• Wide, diverse range of dining options for picky eaters

Con:

• Can be at the top range of the budget

There’s nothing quite like spas at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, where sumptuous service and elaborate relaxation areas are par for the course. However, the Pevonia-affiliated spa at this resort raises the bar … by channeling the underground. Specifically, the caverns and cenotes of the Riviera Maya where it’s located. The entire spa, down to the hydrotherapy circuit, is designed to emulate that environment for a novel experience designed to transport without ever leaving the hotel grounds.

The rest of the property—family friendly as it is—also takes on the nature theme, but in different ways. The ride over the bridge to the lobby traverses mangroves that you’ll get even better views of once inside, and the green, verdant grounds are punctuated with lots of soothing water features, including a lazy river and water slides. A free roll glider offers aerial water views, but of the sea, and like the lively evening market and entertainment, it’s fun for all ages. However, there are plenty of adults-only spaces, as well as areas reserved for kids and teens.

Pros:

• Unique spa setting
• Treatments backed by an acclaimed brand
• Family-friendly with unique features

Con:

• Ranges toward top of budget

Modern, swanky and sexy, this adults-only offshoot of the Royalton resort brand is designed to keep things spicy. Stylish, ultra-contemporary suites with underlit DreamBeds are another spot to rest your eyes … or not. Included 24-hour room service lets you stay in bed or on your private balcony or terrace, but reservation-free dining at seven restaurants means date night during your romantic getaway is only steps away.

Accommodating different love languages, fitness facilities, a spa and a casino let guests choose the way they want to make memories. But novelty acts like CHIC Angels—who appear without fail at the weekly foam party at the oversized pool—and a mermaid pool give couples something new to talk about at every turn. Any lulls in conversation and connection should be reserved for dozing off on the goldenrod sands of Uvero Alto.

Pros:

• Adults-only resort
• Stylish, trendy and exciting–great for reigniting a spark
• Magnificent pool with ample seating in and around it
• 24-hour room service included

Cons:

• Can be loud by the pool
• Limited ocean views

Whether you’re looking for a cheap all-inclusive resort for a bachelor or bachelorette party, birthday party or any kind of friends trip at all, Riu Santa Fe in Los Cabos is a highly happening resort in Mexico that’s perfect for groups. With room setups that include supersized king beds, as many as three beds in a room, twin extra-longs and two doubles, there’s a configuration for every kind of friend group. Add to that by-request adjoining rooms for in-person wake-up calls and an enormous inventory of accommodations, all of which have in-room liquor dispensers.

The hotel offers party-atmosphere events that vary by day … and night. During daylight hours, expect jungle- and pink-themed parties at the adults-only pool. If that’s not your idea of a good time, there are nine different pools to splash in on this property, many of which offer iconic views of Lands End and the famous rock arches. At the main pool, a DJ spins twice weekly as live entertainers perform. What’s more, it’s one of the few Hotel Riu properties that allows spring breakers, if you’re really looking to let loose.

Pros:

• Room setups that easily accommodate friend groups
• Adults-only pool parties
• On-site water park open six days a week

Cons:

• Like many Los Cabos beaches, this one is not swimmable
• With 1,200 rooms, this is a very large property to navigate

For those who find “free golf” the best value for their green, it’s hard to overlook a resort known for a package that offers unlimited rounds of golf on a P.B. Dye–designed course. Staying at the newly rebranded JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar opens up that option at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club, well known as an international host for championship games and qualifiers. Or, if one game’s enough before moving on to another nearby experience, reduced green fees are par for the course, and exclusive benefits include a bar cart with snacks and drinks, transportation from the hotel, and use of a shared golf cart.

After, free hydrotherapy at SPA Sensations, which features both Turkish and Roman baths as well as thalassotherapy, is great for some relaxation. But for many guests, the private beachfront and saltwater pool with a swim-up bar are enough for decompression, especially followed up with dinner at one of the six restaurants on the property, plus the outlets and bars at a whopping nine hotels in the complex and neighboring area.

Pros:

• Variable packages available as add-ons
• Dining privileges at nine other nearby resorts

Cons:

• Still have to pay for golf cart rental
• Need to pack your own golf clubs, or rent them at an additional cost

Rather than all you can eat, this recently renovated resort in the Riviera Maya is where anyone can eat. That’s thanks to an allergy-conscious program created with dietitians and strictly enforced by chefs and food-prep staff. Guests are asked to identify their food allergy at check-in and are issued a color-coded bilingual card that also gives them a cheat sheet for buffet selections and menu items at any a la carte restaurant. From gluten-free and Type 2 diabetes diets to allergens such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, seafood, egg, dairy/lactose and fish, this team is on top of it across their entire property.

By that, we’re including neighboring Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa and Grand Palladium White Sand Resort & Spa, which multiply guest dining options due to a generous exchange privilege policy that excludes only the TRS Yucatan Hotel. This also means access to 20 restaurants and bars throughout the complex, including the newly opened beachfront restaurant complex, so foodies be warned—pace yourself! Or just work it off at the fitness center, outdoor sports facilities for soccer, tennis and volleyball, mini golf, kayaking or walking the paths to visit the resident flamingos and wild coati.

Pros:

• Allergy-friendly dining
• Global a la carte restaurant themes go beyond the expected

Cons:

• There’s an additional charge for room service
• Reservations are required for dining

Learning to appreciate different cultures and the world around us is one of the best parts of traveling, and it’s never too early to teach that lesson. This renovated eco-friendly resort offers a multitude of fun ways for children to make discoveries, from a kids club with 10 Mayan-themed play areas—including a zip line and a water park—to planned activities, such as archeological digs and stories about the ancient gods of the jungle.

The Eco Bahia program puts an environmental slant on its teachings and is part of the Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts commitment to responsible travel. This focus has won the resort multiple awards for sustainability and social and environmental responsibility, which is even more impressive when you consider the breadth of what it offers: six restaurants, a buffet that has its own kids section, a teen club designed with input from actual teens, and exchange privileges with free shuttle service every 10 minutes to nearby Bahia Principe Grand Coba, another affordable all-inclusive in Mexico. Plus, flying to the new airport in Tulum can reduce your commute on land, helping you do your part to reduce emissions.

Pros:

• Committed to ecological conservation through water, waste, energy and recycling programs
• Meticulously maintained white-sand beach
• Extensive kids services and attractions, with an emphasis on local culture, history and the environment

Cons:

• Semi-formal resort attire required for a la carte restaurants
• Only one hour of non-motorized sports daily

Can’t get enough Nick Jr. or Nick at Nite throwbacks? The Nickelodeon hotel in Punta Cana is a fully immersive experience into the world of Nickelodeon, and the whole cast of characters is present and accounted for. The crew from PAW Patrol, Dora the Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fairly OddParents, SpongeBob SquarePants and all their friends pop up daily, and scheduled “slime” dumps at the water park—for which admission is also included—are all part of any trip here. The rooms are also decorated with the channel’s style in mind, including splashes of that signature orange, but given the polish of contemporary luxury.

Novelty eateries in the nine-restaurant Gourmet Village range from space-inspired dining to a gorgeous marketplace with cooking stations, proving that wanting a kid-at-heart, playful experience doesn’t have to come at the expense of grown-up taste.

Pros:

• Certified Autism Center since 2018; 80% of staff have received 14 hours of autism sensitivity training
• No additional cost for random character encounters
• Above-average, Gourmet Inclusive dining
• Plentiful amenities for families with infants to children

Cons:

• Smaller rooms for the money that may put you over budget if not sharing
• Need to walk to the water park
• Lots of young children

The Grand Oasis Cancún is party central in the heart of Cancún’s all-inclusive haven, the Hotel Zone. It takes its cue from Las Vegas but adds plenty of Mexican spice for something really special. Bungee, tightropes, beach soccer and water slides also make fellow guests part of the entertainment.

At the open-air bar Zocalo, a DJ spins three times a week, and a live band and Mexican or Caribbean celebrations take place the other four. Multiple other venues take the spotlight once the sun sets: The Oasis Arena features concerts by international artists—and is known to host a boxing championship or two. Fire and drum shows take place at the Atrium theater, but for something more risqué, the Kinky Night Club, featuring burlesque, live music and sketch acts, draws in revelers. Then there’s the 24-hour casino, plus 13 restaurants to choose from. Or go for the extra-cost sensory gastronomy and specialty restaurant experiences, if your favorite performance art is culinary.

Pros:

• Nonstop schedule of events for those who like to stay busy
• Adults-only spaces, evening venues and entertainment

Cons:

• Can be loud and overstimulating
• Several restaurants require additional cost

You’ll definitely get your daily steps in at the Platinum Yucatán Princess while exploring the grounds, visiting all 13 of its pools or hanging out at its two sister properties, Grand Riviera Princess and Grand Sunset Princess. They’re connected with walking trails, but you can get acquainted with them via a guided bike tour first. This resort has the usual gym, spa and shops for low-key activity, but its Activity Zone is appropriately named. That’s where organized activities, music and a weekly foam party take place. You can unleash your inner, past or present athlete at the Sports Park, which features batting cages, a putting green, ping-pong, mini billiards, an air rifle target range and more. Or head over to the tennis courts.

However you choose to spend your busy day, you don’t have to worry about planning ahead—reservations aren’t needed at the five included restaurants. Afterward, relax in spacious rooms with glossy, polished tile floors, a seating area and a furnished balcony or terrace. All are junior suites and fitted with cool, neutral decor, with pops of jewel tones in the trim.

Pros:

• Plenty of offerings for active travelers, especially at the Activity Zone
• No reservations required for most a la carte restaurants
• 24-hour room service included
• Access to two sister resorts
  

Cons:

• No beachfront views
• Guests must be 18 or older

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