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All Inclusive Family Resorts

by Jonathan Hunt

Vacations have always been a means to unite the family. In many cases they literally institute family togetherness by confining everyone to a car or a boat or a resort. With all of the focus on bonding, the possibility for faulty planning, botched reservations or even something as simple as forgetting to pack your travelers checks can all be solved by choosing the right type of vacation.

A type of vacation has nothing to do with its location or its theme or the reason for your visit, but instead falls into two categories, all dependent on the resort you stay at-non-All-Inclusive and All-Inclusive. Unless you are experienced in the latter, a non-All-Inclusive is an accommodation you are most likely accustomed to. When you pay for a night's stay, what you get is what's in the room; this is commonly accented by a swimming pool and a breakfast.

Depending on the size of your family and your destination, an All-Inclusive may be a route worth considering. It used to be that this style of resort catered to an older crowd-older being 21+-and was frequented by newlyweds on their honeymoon or any other combinations of people, but they were places you could enjoy with your family. All-inclusive resorts typically keep to a similar set of features that are all covered by one flat rate, including:

Room

Meals

Drinks on tap.

Non-motorized Watersports.

Extravagant Pools.

And those are just the basics. Different resorts will always offer their own different definitions.

Over the past twenty years, tourism has seen a flux in All-Inclusive family vacations, adding emphasis to providing activities for children 4-12. This does not mean that you will be forced to sacrifice peace and relaxation to accommodate a younger crowd-and in many cases resorts still only market toward adults-but that it is becoming standard practice to offer special activities and programs to families so that they can still vacation without having leaving the kids at home.

It is understood that the All in All-Inclusive alludes to "everything is included"; however, in many cases this is not always the case. While on-site dining and amenities are part of the package, the following commonly-overlooked costs should be taken into consideration before booking your vacation:

Tipping

Scuba

Spas

Off-Property Outings

Motorized Sports

It would only be wise to create a family budget to prevent any blindsiding, and is something that is always encouraged in case of emergencies.

The gentrification of family vacations does not fall short of activities to busy your children while you're off on your own. Most, if not all, resorts have programs for kids 4-12. These range from standard daycare services to full-scale camps. Another consideration to factor into any planning is your child's age. Tween to teens will probably find the idea of a kids-club insulting and will grow to harbor that resentment. Although some resorts are beginning to provide alternatives for older children, it may be worth considering allowing your teen to bring a friend. Something to remember; unlike the United States, many countries' drinking age is 18.

It is understood that by purchasing an All-Inclusive vacation, you are also buying into a form of isolation. It is too easy to become consumed by convenience that you forget to explore outside the boundaries of the resort. Doing so, however, factors in as unforeseen expenses, so if while planning your vacation you decide to allow some traveling room, consider some activities that are typically located near, if not at, many All-Inclusions:

Scuba Diving - Normally expensive and for ages 12+.

Finding an All-Inclusive that offers this as part of their package is your best bet.

Snorkeling - Either right off shore or on a charter.

Horseback Riding - Can be booked at many resorts.

Jeep Rentals

Shuttles to nearby attractions/towns.

When the decision comes down to a final click or phone call, what you are inevitably left with is an All-Inclusive that best resembles the personality and interests of your family. It is only expected that you still have questions, or even doubts, lingering. A handful of premier resorts, grouped by location and fielded by their price, are listed below to aid you in your decision.

Cancun

Blue Bay Club Cancun - Located in Puerto Juarez, 5 miles North of Cancun. 800 feet of white-sand beachfront. Large freeform pool and pool-side games, and kids-club activities.
All-Inclusive Rates: 138-212/night. 2 Children up to 6 are free, 7-12 pays $25.

Avalon Reef Club - Located a shallow beach near a small town. Seemingly distant from nearby Cancun. Kids club, kayaks, and Jacuzzis.
All-Inclusive Rates: 169-202/night. Kids 12 and under are free.

Punta Cana

Paradisus Punta Cana - The only all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean with 10 different restaurants, 7 bars, 24 hour room service, daytime and evening activities and entertainment, unlimited golf, a casino, a world-class spa, an ecologic walking park, and a new Action Park with batting cage, archery, bicycles and a climbing rock. The Cocotal Golf and Country Club is just minutes from the resort and features the Meliá Golf Academy with private and group lessons available for resort guests. All these services and facilities make all the difference for families, golf lovers, and couples.

All-Inclusive Rates: 220+/night.

Club Med Punta Cana - 519 2-room suites. Half-mile white-sand beach, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, kids pools, and nightly entertainment. Offers programs for children and teens

Jamaica

Starfish Resort - Located on the North coast of Jamaica. Offers 350 rooms, and 40 cottages. Is a very large and sometimes noisy resort. Minigolf, Rock Climbing, and a Pool with a 124' water slide. Kids programs from 6 months to 12 years.

All-Inclusive Rates: 116-304/night. Sometimes discounts at Starfish send rates below 100.

Beaches - A Sandals resort. Set on a 7-mile stretch of beach. 5 specialty restaurants, 3 pools, and 2 swim-up bars. Provides a Pirates Island Waterpark and Kids Camp.

Bahamas

Although the Bahamas is not typically known for its All-Inclusive Family Resorts, it does offer many for an Adult crowd. One, however, is a smaller property that offers activities that are less geared towards themepark-esque gimmicks and more towards the Bahamas ecology.

Small Hope Bay Lodge - Beachfront. Hammocks dating to the 1960s, no televisions, phones, or fax machines. Offers 14 private cabins and 4 family cabins. Eco-tours, bird watching, fishing, and scuba diving.

All-Inclusive Rates: 95/Children. 209-309/Adults.

Wherever you decide to book, remember that the purpose of an All-Inclusive Family Resort is to accommodate both you and your children. By taking this route with your next vacation, the best choice will be the one that offers variety and makes it so that nothing will need to be sacrificed in order to have a good time.