Best Affordable All-Inclusive Resorts

Barcelo Playa Langosta
Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Who Should Go: Surfers, active couples, and families with older kids

Why: This glorious arc of Pacific beach has attracted surfers since the ’60s, and when you see the ocean from the ideal vantage point of Barcelo Playa Langosta, you’ll understand why. Getting in touch with nature here isn’t a challenge: without any more effort than a stroll along the beach or even across the grounds to the hotel pool, you can see howler monkeys, iguanas, raccoons, butterflies, hummingbirds, and parrots. A wild nightlife is another thing, though—travelers in search of a lively scene should take the $5 cab ride to the nightspots of Tamarindo.

The Dollars: Doubles from $165/night.