Amazing All-inclusive Resorts in Mexico

Lovers of edibles and potables, rejoice! The Fairmont had you in mind when they designed their “premium appetite” package, which includes unlimited eats and drinks—plus bikes and tennis courts to burn off those calories afterwards, if you feel like it. As of this writing, the rate was $494 per night for two people—and kids under five stay for free.

For a more luxurious vibe, consider the Valentin, an adults-only resort with plenty of thatched-hut cabanas along a private half-mile beach, luxe restaurants, two swim-up bars, and even a glass of Champagne when you walk in the door.

If you want some healthy distance from the sunscreen-slicked spring break kids of Cancún, head slightly south to this resort’s gorgeous bungalows, set right on top of the ocean—with transparent swaths of floor—so you can get a massage or tuck into 24-hour room service eats while gazing at fish lazily paddling about in the aquamarine waters below you.

On the Western coast is another adults-only option with enormously popular restaurants and a focus on little luxuries such as a “pillow menu”—not a high-end selection of Andes mints, but rather a selection of pillows, depending on your preference.

If when you hear “Mexico,” you hear only “Cabo,” this luxurious spot that truly feels like the end of the earth could be right up your alley. Though not technically 100 percent all-inclusive, if you stay three nights or more you can tack on a $120-per-day dining and drinking budget that covers everything you can think of short of lobster. Then there are the ocean-facing verandas, infinity pools, child care on the premises, and hospitality its fans laud as nothing short of incredible.

If you’re the sort of person who likes a monkey to waltz up to you—or your kid—and pluck a banana from your hands as you stroll to your hotel room, Sandos is the place for you: Monkeys, peacocks, and donkeys roam the grounds here. Fussy kids have pools, oceans, and swimming holes to choose from, so everyone should be happy—including adults, who have their own private pool with a Jacuzzi, should they need to get away from it all.

Dreams is the rare all-inclusive resort that seems to anticipate why people choose this sort of vacation: It’s wristband-free, cocktails are included, and the food is actually great: Nine restaurants and half a dozen bars serve French, Italian, Asian, Mexican and seafood, among other options. (Seek out the latter two, where you might find made-to-order ceviche and catch-of-the-day paella). This is a very family-friendly resort, with diving lessons and pool parties, kayaking, and a kids-only “Explorer’s Club” replete with a climbing wall, splash fountain, movies, and sandcastle contests.

Club Med has, as we’ve said, shed its retro reputation nowadays, and this outpost north of Acapulco is a good deal with unique options for vacationing families. (Trapeze school, anyone?) Just read the fine print carefully: You may have to shell out for that Club Med membership, but wine and beer are always included. Cheers to that.