All-inclusive hotels are making a big splash for luxury travelers.
In the wake of the pandemic, demand for all-inclusive resorts has soared, according to JLL Research Hotels & Hospitality report. Travelers — suddenly and en masse — wanted vacations that were stress-free and easy to plan, ideally with a wellness element, according to the report.
That’s when travelers discovered that the all-inclusive resorts of yesteryear—known for bottom-shelf booze and food in quantity and quality—had changed.
Much of the industry had become luxury.
As of 2022, the percentage of “superior luxury” and luxury resorts in the Dominican Republic was 47% of total all-inclusive resort offerings — up from 31% in 1990, according to JLL. The numbers are even higher in Mexico, where superior luxury and luxury all-inclusive resorts accounted for more than half (55%) of its all-inclusive resorts in 2022.
Prices at all-inclusive resorts – once known as a relatively inexpensive form of travel – are also rising, quickly surpassing 2019 levels, according to JLL.
Marriott and Hilton have also expanded into the field, with brands travelers might not normally associate with all-inclusive resorts—from DoubleTree to Westin to Luxury Collection.
Private beaches and butler services
Resort operators have upgraded the all-inclusive experience with everything from larger suites to special resort benefits.
Visitors on the beach Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort Spa & Casino in the Dominican Republic you can choose a “Unique” room at the resort, which comes with an upgraded room, personal butler and access to a private beach.
“We’re seeing more and more guests traveling for a slow, unplugged experience with a classy twist,” said Karina Arguello, the resort’s chief commercial officer. “In addition to the features you get when booking an all-inclusive resort, private and additional amenities help elevate this experience.”
The beach club at Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort Spa & Casino in the Dominican Republic.
Source: Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort Spa & Casino
Club Med presented the “Exclusive Collectors Areas” at select resorts that provide additional perks to guests, such as private transportation, continental breakfast in the suite, champagne in the evenings and, as the name suggests, access to exclusive resort areas. One of these, Club Med Tignes, is a ski resort near the Italian border opened in 2022.
The brand also has six resorts — in the Maldives, Mauritius, Italy and France — that make up the ‘Exclusive Collection’. Prices at their height Valmorel Chalet-Apartmentsa ski destination in France, start at $2,475 per person in June and rise to $4,250 per person in December, according to its website.
Club Med Tignes, located in the French ski resort of Tignes near the Italian border, opened in 2022.
Source: Club Med
Sandals, an all-inclusive adults-only resort in the Caribbean, provides butler service for the higher level suites. Butlers will unpack guests’ belongings, make dinner and spa reservations, serve drinks on the beach and expedite room service orders, according to its website.
Travelers with a bigger budget choose these services, said Kelly Connor, a New Jersey-based travel consultant with the AAA Club Alliance. But they are not alone.
“Honeymooners … like the highest levels of luxury,” he said.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines sandals, opening in March 2024, introduced a new room category for the brand – the 1,248-square-foot, two-story Vincy Overwater Villa. A seven-night stay in late June for two adults with butler service costs $22,505 — and that’s after a 55 percent discount.
Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines opened in 2024 and is the brand’s 18th all-inclusive resort.
SourceL Sandals
To combat criticism that all-inclusive vacationers don’t see much beyond the resort, Sandals Royal Curacao and Sandals Royal Bahamian are giving guests who stay a week in a butler-service suite a $250 restaurant dining voucher all over the island. . They are also provided with a Mini Cooper convertible to get there.
Another option: luxury hostels
Half-board and full-board dining options have long been popular in places like the Maldives, whose one-resort-per-island model makes it difficult to eat elsewhere.
But luxury resorts, many in remote locations, are also opting for all-inclusive models.
Rosewood Cape Kidnappersa luxury guesthouse in New Zealand’s North Island, provides guests with a half-board option, which includes breakfast, dinner and aperitifs, but excludes other alcoholic beverages.
Prices in British Columbia’s Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge includes all meals and snacks, plus wine, beer and spirits. A stay in one of the refuge’s 25 tents also comes with guided activities such as swimming in glacial waters and a half-day wildlife-spotting trip, according to the website.
Rates start at $2,900 per night.
— CNBC’s Monica Pitrelli contributed to this report.