Best 5 Star All Inclusive Resorts (2023)

Majestic Mirage Punta Cana is a luxury all inclusive resort on Bavaro Beach, widely considered the Dominican Republic’s, and one of the Caribbean’s, most beautiful beaches. It has eight restaurants, six of them a la carte, a range of bars, at least one of which is usually open 24 hours, daily & nightly entertainment, numerous free activities, an enormous lazy river style, swimming pool, a lovely stretch of beach (though the beach can get busy), spa facilities and access to the nearby Punta Cana Golf Course and the Majestic Resort’s own casino. It is a relatively calm resort with a more upscale, classy vibe. If feels more mature, and more exclusive, than most Punta Cana all inclusives, which can be quite raucous affairs. Families are welcome but it doesn’t have many child focused facilities or activities on-site. All guests though have access to Majestic Mirage’s more child friendly, and more lively, sister resort, Majestic Colonial Punta Cana. This resort is more suited to adults overall we feel, but even so it also has a separate 18+ only ‘Mirage Club’ section, which is a little more expensive and exclusive with its own pool, lounge areas and butler service. Accommodation: The accommodation is comprised entirely of suites, 511 in total. They are spacious and luxurious and come kitted out with all sorts of modern hotel amenities: large screen satellite TVs, Nespresso machines, mini bars, 24 hour room service etc. They also all come with some nice outdoor space, be it terrace or balcony, with a jacuzzi/hot tub. They range in size from the huge Family Suites which can house up to six to more romantic, intimate one bedroom suites, including swim up. Intimate or not, all of the suites are notably spacious, and elegant and chic. They definitely feel a cut above most all inclusives in Punta Cana, or anywhere else for that matter. They are divided into Standard and Club accommodation. Club gives access to separate VIP pool and lounge areas which serve a la carte food and drink and have their own live entertainment, plus some extra perks like personal butler service and unlimited free golf at the Punta Cana READ MORE

Valentin Imperial Maya is a 5 Star, adults-only all inclusive in Playa del Carmen’s exclusive Playa del Secreto. A resort we judge to be the best value adults only resort in Playa del Carmen. This beach it sits beside is gorgeous–Playa del Secreto is one of the most beautiful sand beaches in Mexico. The resort also has, among its attractions, three pools, including one of the largest resort pools in the country, a lazy river, seven restaurants (none of which require reservations), seven bars (with premium alcohol all inclusive) including two swim up bars, a theater and a full service spa and gym. It’s a luxury resort and attracts an upmarket crowd. The atmosphere is one of relaxed contentment, the food and drink are great, and the service levels fantastic. Accommodation: They have 540 suites in various price levels and ranging in size from 516 square feet to 1,032 square feet. Many have lovely ocean views, some look out over the jungle or pools, and some are ground floor swim-up. The main market at Valentin Imperial is couples and so almost all the suites come with a single king-size bed. Some though do have a choice of one king-size, or two doubles to sleep four. All have seating/lounging areas inside and furnished balconies, patios or terraces. The bathrooms are spacious and luxurious looking, and well equipped–all come with large jetted bathtubs and separate showers for example. Some of the top suites also feature whirlpool baths on their private terraces. Overall the furniture and fittings are nice but could in some cases do with updating. We are pleased to report that as of February 2022 the process has already begun. Other hotel perks include satellite smart TV, coffee/tea stations (either filter coffee machines or Nespresso) mini bars, and Valentin Imperial Maya own brand own brand luxury toiletries. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food is excellent at Valentin Imperial Maya. The main buffet venue is Le Marche for breakfast and lunch, with the casual beachfront Mar & Tierra also having buffet selections. There are also a READ MORE

Certainly one of the classiest all inclusives in Cancun, and indeed in Mexico, Excellence Playa Mujeres is an adults only, luxury resort in a secluded location just north of the city with its own private marina. It has 450 rooms and suites, seven pools, ten restaurants, eleven bars, top of the range spa facilities, sporting activities, daily and nightly entertainment, and even a theater. It attracts an upmarket crowd, majority of them couples, of all ages. It can be lively and fun but the relatively sophisticated crowd means it never gets too rowdy. Accommodation: They have a total of 450 suites at Excellence Playa Mujeres, all of which, even the entry level Junior Suites, are spacious and beautifully appointed, and all of which come with 24 hour room service. All too have furnished outside space–balconies or terraces on the upper floors and patios at ground level. Swim Up Suites are also available. Their top suites are the two story, Rooftop Terrace Suites with Ocean View. They have private plunge pools and the best views in the resort. Other identical Rooftop Terrace Suites are also available but with views over the gardens or the pools. Overall every suite at Excellence has a veritable touch of class with standard features such as king-size beds, large satellite TVs, iPod docks, comfortable seating areas, generous complimentary mini bar with premium liquors, and coffee and tea stations. The marble bathrooms come with double vanities, both rainfall showers and bathtubs, and luxury toiletries. Above the level of Junior Suite, whirlpool baths are also present. Prices: Check out all the price details at Hotels.com here or at Expedia.com here. You will note on the booking page that some suites have the appendage ‘Excellence Club’. Guests who reserve these receive extra perks such as a private concierge desk, access to a private lounge with buffet and bar service, and two private heated pools and whirlpools. And finally they also receive extra-premium drinks in the mini-bar and luxury Bulgari toiletries in the bathroom.  (Our take is that unless you’re planning a very special trip, and/or you want to really spoil a special someone, you might find the Excellence Club READ MORE

Hideaway at Royalton All Inclusive Saint Lucia is the swanky adults only section of the huge Royalton St. Lucia resort complex. Guests here have access to the myriad facilities of the broader resort along with Hideaway’s exclusive facilities – a very nice infinity pool, section of private beach, restaurant and bar. The Royalton is part of the Marriott hotel group’s foray into the all inclusive market and you’ll find standards very high on all fronts. Accommodation: Standards at the Hideaway are particularly high on the accommodation front, more so than The Royalton resort in general. Their entry level accommodation is the Junior Suite, some of them swim up with semi-private pools. At 600 sq ft they are spacious and come with seating areas/work areas, sofa beds, balconies or terraces and beautiful bathrooms. Then your choices go straight to the Presidential Suite and Penthouse level which might be some of the best accommodation on St. Lucia. They share the same amenities as the Junior Suites, though some also come with jacuzzis, but they are larger obviously, more than double the size in fact. They also come with the best views. All the accommodation is kitted out with the best of modern amenities: bluetooth sound systems, smart TVs, Royalton’s signature DreamBeds, minibars, coffee makers, aromatherapy menus, and in the opulent bathrooms: bathtubs, double sinks, rainfall showers and luxury bath products. The accommodation also has a choice of Diamond Club or not. Going for the upgrade allows access to VIP lounges, pools, a section of beach (and beach bar), and enhanced room service including the services of a butler for the duration of your stay. Prices: Check out all the price details on tat Booking.com here, at Expedia.com here or on the Marriott website here.  Food, Facilities & Things to Do: This is a luxury all inclusive and the food here is excellent. As mentioned guests at the Hideaway have access to all venues of Royalton Saint Lucia, all but one a la carte, and, very happily, none of them require reservations. These include Armadillo which serves Tex-Mex, Marché the all day buffet restaurant. Zen does Japanese sushi and teppanyaki. Grazie is an READ MORE

Privilege Aluxes is a luxury all inclusive at Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres’ best beach, that receives consistently great reviews, particularly for its staff. It is a small and intimate resort, and can be seen something of an antidote to the many larger, busier all inclusives in Cancun. It has three restaurants and three bars, one a swim-up bar in the main pool, a large, full-service beach club on Playa Norte and a spa and gym. It is adults only, couples mainly, and a solid choice for our list of the best adults only all inclusives in Cancun. Accommodation: They have 124 contemporary rooms and suites at Privilege Aluxes, from entry level double rooms to premium suites with jacuzzis on the terrace and ocean views. Standard features include king size beds, minibars well stocked with complimentary liquor, 40 inch smart TVs, blackout curtains, AC, 24 hour room service, coffee & tea makers, bathtubs and luxury bathroom niceties like bath salts and vanity kits. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: You have a choice of three food places at Privilege Aluxes: Sabor, their main international buffet restaurant (which also does a la carte lunches), the Beach Club restaurant, a pool snack bar and then the Satay restaurant for Thai & Oriental cuisine, the latter requesting reservations. The food is good overall though some guests have been disappointed by the buffet. Their a la carte is almost always highly rated though. There are different themed dinner buffets each night at Sabor and, every few days, Mexican barbecue nights down on the beach. All food is included in the all inclusive except for the odd premium item, such as lobster, which will be listed on the menu as such. All drink, except some premium wines, is also all inclusive. The two main drinking spots are the pool swim up bar, which is open until 8pm, and the Beach Club, open until 11. Privilege Aluxes is not a place for nightlife but guests often start their evening here then take the very short walk to Isla Mujers’ bar district for a lively READ MORE

Renaissance Wind Creek offers 5 Star luxury accommodation, and an on-site casino, in the heart of Curacao’s tourist district. It is a fabulous resort, ran by Marriott, that attracts a well-heeled international clientele. It is not fully all-inclusive it must be noted though, rather it offers all-inclusive packages alongside pay as you go. To see details of what is and isn’t included in their current all-inclusive package go here. Though Renaissance Wind Creek is family friendly, the majority of guests will be adults. Accommodation: Their 237 rooms and suites vary wildly, from windowless internal rooms (the cheapest obviously!) to top of the range suites with king size beds, lounge areas, whirlpool baths and wrap-around balconies. Your two most luxurious options at Renaissance Wind Creek are the Majestic Suite and the Imperial Suite. All rooms and suites are tastefully though not extravagantly set up in light colors with some reds and oranges mixed in. Amenities are standard across most rooms except for the higher end ones that have their own whirlpool baths for example. Expect cable TV, tea & coffee makers etc. plus bathrooms with luxury bath products and lighted make-up mirrors. Prices: Check out all price details at the Marriott website here, at Booking.com here and at Expedia here.  Food, Facilities & Things to Do: There are two main dining options on the resort. The lively Nautilus serves a range of Caribbean and international food including some extravagant buffets while Xquisit is the higher end option offering a la carte steakhouse style cuisine in a more formal atmosphere. The lively casino adjacent to the resort has options for every level of gambler, though non-gambling guests have sometimes cited the noise from the casino as a downside. The resort is right on the coast, and though there is no natural beach here, they built a small sand beach around the stunning infinity pool looking down over the ocean. Their Infinity Beach Club, right by the pool, is a popular place to hang out with a cocktail, and can get fun in the evenings. Other facilities include a top of the range fitness center and the adjacent Natural Blends Esthetics Spa. Massage therapy can also be READ MORE

The family friendly Jewel Grande is a luxury all inclusive in Montego Bay with an emphasis on wellness. It has relatively few rooms for an all inclusive which means it is more personable than most and rarely feels crowded. Likewise though it’s family friendly it still feels laid back and relaxed, and sees lots of couples on romantic breaks as well as singles, groups of friends and families. It has seven restaurants, two bars including a swim up, three cafes, two scenic pools sitting high above the ocean, a nice long stretch of beach below, a kids’ club, excellent spa treatments (extra fee), plus wellness classes & yoga, and a full gym among its facilities. Non motorized water sports are all inclusive, as are green fees at two local golf courses. There is private butler service in all suites and 24 hour in-room dining. Accommodation: They have a total of 129 rooms at Jewel Grande in 16 different categories and sizes from one bedroom suites to gorgeous three bedroom penthouse suites and villas equipped with kitchens and washing machines. Check out all your options here at Expedia.com. The style is modern and bright, you’ll have plenty of space and a sitting/lounging and some outside space as standard. Some of the penthouse suites utilize this best with outdoor hot tubs, wrap-around balconies and breathtaking views. Standard facilities across the board include daily restocked mini bars, air con, Wifi, bluetooth speakers, coffee makers and luxury bathroom toiletries. All also come with private butler services. These services could include unpacking your luggage, pouring you a bath, showing you around the resort and making dinner and spa reservations. They are generally tipped at the end of your stay. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food and drink, both buffet and a la carte, at Jewel Grande is very highly rated and includes casual comfort food, sea-food, Jamaican, Tex-Mex, steakhouse, Italian and teppanyaki-style Asian fusion. Reservations are required at the latter, the Pier Side Restaurant. The main bar is the Lobby Bar and seems to be the evening social center of READ MORE

Don’t be mislead by the somewhat tacky sounding name, Grand Fiesta American Coral Beach has long been one of Cancun’s most sophisticated luxury resorts. One which has just recently gone all-inclusive. It occupies a prime position in the heart of the city’s hotel district but remains somewhat elegant, refined and surprisingly peaceful. It also has possibly the best stretch of beach and water in the city and all rooms have ocean views. Its enormous Gem Spa is well known in Cancun for its great array of modern facilities including a 10-step hydrotherapy circuit (treatments though are not included in your all inclusive package). Food and drink are excellent, and varied, at Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, both buffet and a la carte. It sees an eclectic mix of tourist: families with children, couples of all ages, singles and groups of friends. It is a fun, friendly resort but, relatively speaking, not a place for rowdy nightlife. Accommodation: They have a nice variety of suites here and the accommodation is designed so that all have balconies and ocean views. All are very spacious too, with entry level suites being a generous 560 sq. ft., and have king or queen size beds as standard. There also come with seating, study desks and sofas, as well as table and chairs on the balcony. Bathrooms are a major highlight across the accommodation. They are spacious and elegant and come with double vanity sinks and deep soak bathtubs and, in the Master Suites, whirlpool baths. All have air-conditioning, minibars, coffeemakers, toiletries, TVs with premium channels, and free Wi-Fi. Unlike many all inclusive resorts there isn’t a huge amount of difference here between their entry level and top level accommodation. Not enough reason to splash out more we’d say. If you’re a couple on a special romantic break though you could take a look at their ‘Infinite Ocean Front Honeymoon Master Suite. It’s not the largest suite in the resort, some family suites are larger, but it is the most impressive with a giant private terrace and, as the name suggests, unrivaled views of the ocean and Isla Mujeres. Prices: Check out all the price details READ MORE

The very first Sandals, Sandals Montego Bay, is still among the most well known and popular all inclusives in Montego Bay and ın Jamaica. Its 26 acre estate sits by a long, lovely stretch of beach just minutes from Sangster International Airport and is a busy, lively place with a typically Sandals range of 5 Star facilities including nine quality restaurants, a spa center, six pools, three whirlpools and numerous sports facilities. Accommodation: The 272 rooms and suites are divided into 27 categories, from basic entry level rooms to some very lovely swim up butler serviced suites They are all modern style, bright and sleek with the exception of the Caribbean category rooms which are more old colonial style. Most have four poster king size beds and all, as is typical with Sandals, have very nice marble bathrooms with bathtub and shower. All but the entry level rooms also come with a whirlpool on their terrace or balcony. Check out all your options on the Sandals Website here. Club-level rooms grant access to the Club Sandals private lounge plus extra perks such as a dedicated concierge and round-trip private BMW airport transfers from Sangster or Norman Manley Airports. The Butler Elite shares the same perks but with a private butler and 24-hour in-room dining menus. Prices: Check out price details at the Sandals website here or at Expedia here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: There are nine quality restaurants at Sandals Montego Bay. The main one, Bayside, does the enormous buffet breakfasts and lunches then goes for a la carte French menu for dinner. You have food from all around the world here: Asian, Italian, Mexican Jamaican and Caribbean are all represented and the food quality is consistently very high. Two need reservations and are semi-formal: the Jamaican eatery Oleander, and the Italian Cucina Romana. There are four fun bars at Sandals Montego Bay, include a swim up bar, a chic piano bar and an English style pub, The Cricketer’s Pint. There is live daily and nightly entertainment around the resort – theme parties, talent shows, live music etc. Guests at this resort can also access, via free shuttle, READ MORE

It’s not cheap by any means but the decidedly swanky Le Blanc Spa Resort is to our minds the finest adults only all inclusive in Cancun. It’s a gorgeously chic property with opulent spa facilities, fabulous bars and restaurants (all but one of which don’t require reservations), and levels of service and pampering unmatched by almost any other resort in Cancun. Accommodation: Their rooms and suites are bright, spacious and very well appointed, and generally come with views of the lagoon or the ocean. Only some have proper furnished balconies though, most are just small Juliet-style, which is definitely a negative, though in fairness probably the only one. The one bedroom units will either have a king bed or two double beds to sleep up to four. Then there are larger two room units with two king beds. The largest and most opulent at Le Blanc is the Two Bedroom Presidential Suite, a gorgeous, and enormous space with a whirlpool on its large balcony amongst other impressive features. Standard features of all the rooms include satellite TVs with Netflix, iTunes, Apple TV  etc. generously stocked minibars, premium liquor dispensers (Johnnie Walker Black, Absolut Vodka, Bacardi etc.), wine, Lavazza coffee-makers, aromatherapy & pillow menus, and 24 hour room service. Their opulent marble bathrooms are as nice as you might expect and come with TVs, showers, bathtubs, Bulgari toiletries and your personal butler can prepare a bath for you with customized bath salts and rose petals. Some suites have whirlpool baths too, either in the bathroom or in the main room by the window. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food and drink at Le Blanc Resort Cancun win consistently great reviews, quite a feat for an all inclusive, and all fine dining and premium drinks are included in the all inclusive package. Blanc is the main buffet venue and has tremendous spreads during the day. It also serves Mexican and steakhouse a la carte in the evenings Some excellent Italian and Asian a la carte cuisine is also available in two other chic venues, and all READ MORE

Zoetry Curaçao is the smaller, classier sister resort of Dreams Curaçao whose facilities and beach Zoetry guests have full access to. It has very high quality food and drink, and superb accommodation, things that place it firmly in the luxury resort category. It has great spa services (one spa treatment free per guest per stay) and, as most of the (potentially noisy) entertainment is across the road at Dreams, is very much a place to relax and unwind. Other on-site facilities include a swimming pool, two full restaurants and three bars. Its location, by the lovely Piscadera Bay is, rather happily, just ten minutes away from the airport, while Willemstad city center is no more than fifteen minutes’ drive away. Zoetry is family friendly though it doesn’t have much on-site for kids. They can though of course use the many child friendly facilities at Dreams which includes a kid’s club. Accommodation: They have 72 elegant suites at Zoetry, divided between Junior and Master Suites and where they look out on – the pool, the gardens or what they refer to as a ‘tropical’ view, i.e. lush jungle like foliage. The pool suites at both suite levels come with a slight premium, making their Master Suite Pool View the most expensive and their Junior Suite, 1 King Bed, Garden View the cheapest. We believe many guests may not see the point of paying extra to be facing the pool, especially when the garden and tropical views are charming in their own right. None will disappoint though we’re sure. They are all beautifully furnished, super comfortable and feel spacious and airy, with their plush bathrooms being a particular highlight. The Master Suites are particularly spacious at 753 sq. ft. with the Juniors having 430. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: There are two main restaurants on site at Zoetry both of which have extremely good food by any standards not just those of an all inclusive. Both are semi-formal, their indoor Bloom Restaurant slightly more so. It serves broadly international food alongside some local Curaçaoan dishes. There is READ MORE

One of the Dominican Republic’s most well known all inclusives, Grand Bavaro Princess is a 5 Star resort in Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, one of the Caribbean’s most lovely stretches of sand and water. It is a huge resort with two swimming pools, a full-service spa and a wide selection of restaurants, bars, sports and entertainment zones. It is very family friendly, kids are very well taken care of, but it’s also a place where grown ups can let their hair down. It generally sees a good mixture of nationalities – Americans, Canadians, Europeans and Latin Americans. Grand Bavaro Princess has its honeymoon suites and they are popular, though we feel it’s pretty much not the place for a peaceful, relaxing romantic getaway. Accommodation: They have 1290 luxury suites in total at Grand Bavaro Princess, spread out across a large area near Bavaro Beach. The suites are sleek and modern with good sized lounge with sofa or sofa bed, dining table, work desk, 50″ cable TV and well stocked free minibar, bedrooms with very comfortable king size beds (can also be two doubles if required for extra guests) and nice bathrooms with bathtubs. Outside space will be a furnished patio or balcony. They are all broadly identical, in terms of size and design, though the Honeymoon Suites are well, just that bit more lavish with pillars by the bedroom entrance, round beds, mirrors and smooth lighting. Their bathrooms also come with a whirlpool bath/jacuzzi. You can choose to pay a bit extra to go ‘Platinum’ and be granted perks like table reservations at the restaurants and access to a VIP type private pool and beach area. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: It’s a large resort and you”ll have plenty of all inclusive food to choose from. The a la carte choices include steakhouse, seafood, Japanese and Italian. The food is very good across the board though you sometimes have to wait to get a table. Having a Platinum room here will come in handy as you can make reservations in advance. There are buffets for READ MORE

Crystal Cove by Marriott is a boutique luxury all inclusive on Barbados’ Platinum West Coast. Sitting high on a cliff it comes with some stunning views over the Caribbean. Its grounds are lush, green and beautifully kept too, and among its notable amenities is a rather special freshwater three-tier pool complex, complete with waterfall and a swim-up cave bar. Accommodation: It has just 88 rooms and suites in total across three classifications: Basic Rooms, Junior Suites and One Bedroom Suites. The interiors are cosy, comfortable and homely, and display lots of the resort’s hallmark color scheme of bright, happy oranges and reds. Facilities include satellite TVs, iPod docks, coffee and tea stations, desks and seating areas, well stocked mini bars and luxury pampering products in the bathrooms which all come with double sinks and bathtubs. All rooms have balconies, or patios if ground level. Top Rooms & Suites: Those after the ultimate experience at this resort should consider the One Bedroom Suite with Ocean View. The Junior Suites too, some of which also have ocean views, will offer most of the same features, but with a smaller amount of space. Prices: Check out all price details at the Crystal Cove website (Marriott) here, at Booking.com here or at Expedia here.  Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The resort’s most famous feature is its unique three-tiered pool and waterfall complex, with the top level hosting the very nicely designed, and atmospheric, Cave Bar. You have two main restaurants at Crystal Cove: the more formal (smart causal) of the two being Reflections which has international food, both a la carte and buffet, in an outdoor setting with sweeping sea views. The also outdoors, Drifter’s Beach Restaurant and Bar is a more casual offering, and does mainly Caribbean food, again both a la carte and buffet. Along with its award winning Cave Bar, Crystal Cove has a relaxed, cool beach bar plus you can enjoy some drinks and/or coffee at the Vista Coffee & Wine Bar. On the beach during the day guests can participate in a wide range of water sports and activities, including tubing, snorkeling, banana boating, water-skiing, boogie boarding and others. All, including READ MORE

Sandals Barbados is an adults only, 5 star luxury all inclusive resort on Dover Beach, a short drive from the island’s international airport and many other local attractions. Sandals is very much considered one of the most luxurious resorts in Barbados, and includes 13 restaurants and 7 bars that span a wide range of global cuisine. Accommodation: The resort has 280 rooms that come in 14 different styles and layouts, and three different service levels. The most basic unit is a Deluxe Suite with Garden Views. If you want something a bit different, try booking the ground floor of Crystal Lagoon and you will be able to swim right from your patio door. If you are looking for a truly luxurious experience though, consider the Ocean Side Villas that come with around-the-clock butler service, your own bar and outdoor tub. The rooms and suites are all broadly similar in style. Expect turquoise and white color patterns with classy mahogany furniture and finishings, and 4-poster, king sized beds in many. Built in 2015, the resort also has all the best modern conveniences and amenities. Top Rooms & Suites: It’s not hard to identify the cream of the crop at Sandals: the Beachfront Penthouse One Bedroom Butler Suite is the ultimate in luxury, but be warned – it gets booked up well in advance.. There are plenty of other options though, from standard Deluxe Suites to Honeymoon Suites and other oceanfront options. To the average vacationer some may seem only a little less extravagant than the Penthouse Butler Suite, but at a less premium price. Bathrooms feature a double basin vanity, dual control walk in shower and separate bath tub. Luxury suites include other luxury upgrades like a Kohler claw foot bath tub.  Prices: Check out all price details at the Sandals website here, at Booking.com here and at Expedia here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: With the many pools and a river (known as Lagoon Pool) winding through the resort, there’s plenty of place for couples to hang out apart from the beach. There is also a luxury spa with a good range of fully complimentary treatments. For those who like to be center of READ MORE

Updated on October 4, 2022. One of two Sonesta all inclusive resorts in Sint Maarten, Sonesta Ocean Point sits right beside its larger neighbor, Sonesta Maho Beach. Sonesta Ocean Point differs quite a bit from Sonesta Maho Beach though. It is adults only, a lot more luxurious, 5 Star even, and has a much more sedate, refined atmosphere. Guests here though have full access to all the facilities of its more lively neighbor. Ocean Point is also therefore by the famous Maho Beach, where planes landing at Princess Juliana Airport fly over seemingly just meters above visitor’s heads: a classic photo opportunity. Accommodation: They have 129 spacious suites at Sonesta Ocean Point Resort. All of them firmly in the luxury category. Your most basic option here is a 460 square feet Junior Suite with king size bed, separate seating area and furnished balcony or patio. The ground floor Junior Suites are swim up while the upper floors have sea views. The accommodation then goes up in size, and price, until the cream of the crop: the Rooftop Butler Suites. They cover 785 sq. ft. and come with a large sofa and good sized terrace outside with the best views of all. The bathrooms come with a soaking tub and twin vanities. Facilities across all the accommodation include mini bars with premium drinks including full bottles of liquor like Ballantine’s scotch and Beefeater gin, espresso machines, satellite TVs, blackout curtains, Molton Brown toiletries and very comfortable, 400 thread cotton bedding. Prices: Check out all the details and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Sonesta Ocean Point is the quieter, more upscale partner of Sonesta Maho Beach with the latter having a huge array of facilities which Ocean Point guests can access freely. There you have five restaurants, a number of bars and pubs, one of Sint Maarten’s most well known nightclubs Tantra, a shopping mall, a casino, a fitness center and spa facilities. Ocean Point is far more low key but it does have facilities of its own, and the food for one thing is generally better here than at Maho Beach. READ MORE

Sandals Emerald Bay is an adults only 5 Star resort on Great Exuma, one of two Sandals’ resorts in The Bahamas. It’s a 245 room property with a lovely, mile long stretch of beach and 500 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. It’s a friendly, sociable place but with more than enough space for couples to find as much alone time as they wish. Amongst other things it has seven different restaurants, a good social scene, numerous pools, tennis courts, spa facilities and a scenic, 18-hole, Greg Norman designed golf course with green fees all inclusive. Accommodation: Their 245 rooms are divided into various categories and price points, from solidly good entry level choices to their most expensive option: the very impressive, two story detached, beachfront One Bedroom Butler Villa Suites. Mini mansions you could say, they offer loads of space indoors and out, private plunge pools and broad, unobstructed views over the sand and sea. Entry level rooms are very good value at this resort though, with their most basic choice lacking very little except large amounts of space maybe. Check out your options on the Sandals website here. They all have a nice old colonial feel with impressive mahogany furniture including poster beds. All have some degree of outside space – balcony or patio – and some kind of sea view. There are two levels of service to choose from at Sandals Emerald Bay: Club Level, their entry level offering, and Butler Level. The Butler Level has of course a personal butler service, but also perks such as premium liquor in the mini bar, pillow menus and separate bedrooms and living rooms. All bathrooms are plush and spacious with marble vanity units, bath tubs, luxury bathrobes and the usual opulent Red Lane Spa toiletries. Prices: You can check out price details on the Sandals website here Food Facilities & Things to Do: The large, two-level Bahama Bay is the resort’s main restaurant and serves international buffet spreads for breakfast and lunch, and a la carte, mainly Caribbean dishes, for dinner. Cafe de Paris is the main coffee shop and also serves up pastries, snacks, desserts and smoothies all day. READ MORE

The wonderful Couples Sans Souci is a five star adults only all-inclusive resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Though the resort is large it has only 150 suites so never feels crowded, and the atmosphere is warm and personable. What we particularly like about Couples San Souci is the idyllic natural setting – much of the grounds are left almost entirely to nature with narrow walkways and footbridges through thick jungle. Mountain bikes are provided by the resort. There you can spot all sorts of tropical flora and fauna and the resort has two private beaches (one of which is nude), a freshwater lake, a waterfall and a natural mineral grotto and mineral spring pool. At Couples Sans Souci you’ll also find three swimming pools, three jacuzzis, fitness, sports and spa facilities, seven bars and five restaurants. Accommodation: The suites at Couples Sans Souci are generally spacious and well furnished but here more than in most resorts there is value to be had in spending a little extra. The price difference between the Garden Suites and higher level suites isn’t too much but you’ll appreciate the extra space, facilities such as jacuzzis, and better views though there are no full ocean views as the jungle trees partially block it. Check out all your options here at Expedia.com.  Note: there is a three night minimum stay. All suites have nice balconies though and other facilities include satellite TV, daily restocked minibars, king size beds, coffeemakers, air-con and luxury bath products. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Couples Sans Souci has five dining venues: The casual Sunset Beach does buffet lunches and international standards – burgers, fries, nachos, sandwiches, salads etc. Palazzina is a slightly more formal bistro open for breakfast lunch and dinner both buffet style and a la carte. Ristorante Casanova is a, more formal again, fine dining venue open for dinner only. Both serve something of a fusion – Italian standards but with much Caribbean influence. Bella Vista is an open air beachfront grill, open for lunch, dinner and late night snacks until 6am. The food is READ MORE

Sandals Grenada Resort & Spa is an adults only (couples only), 5 Star luxury all inclusive less than five minutes drive from Grenada (Maurice Bishop) International Airport. It lies on a 17 acre estate beside the scenic (though small, it must be said) Pink Gin Beach. It has 10 restaurants and bars, five pools, spa facilities and a whole host of water and land based activities to enjoy. The service is consistently good, the atmosphere relaxed and friendly, and though it is a romantic getaway for couples the bars can get pretty lively. Accommodation: There are 225 rooms & suites in total here, within a wide range of categories and price ranges, and set over four different sections: Pink Gin Village, South Seas Village, Italian Village and Lover’s Lagoon Hideaway. These sections, though stylistically somewhat different, are broadly similar and so there probably won’t be any important reason to prefer one ‘village’ over the other. Most of the top level suites are to be found in the Italian Village and South Seas Village, though the Pink Gin Village is closer to the beach. Internally all rooms are classy, luxurious and beautifully furnished and fitted. Some come with spacious living areas, terraces with soaking tubs, spa bathrooms, private, infinity edge plunge pools, stunning views and 24 hour butler service. Take a look at all your options on the Sandals own website here. The top suites may not be within everyone’s budget of course, but even the most basic of rooms at Sandals Grenada will make you feel pampered. Pick of the bunch though at Sandals Grenada we think are their ‘Italian Oceanview Skypool Butler Suite with Balcony & Tranquility Soaking Tub,’ These are plush one bedroom apartments with sweeping sea views and private infinity plunge pools, accessible both from the balcony and the bedroom. The living area offers a comfortable sofa, dining table for four, study desk, balcony with sun loungers, smart TV and wet bar with top brand liquors. Their bathrooms are opulent and stylish, clad in Carrera marble and ivory patika travertine stone, they come with Kohler claw foot bathtubs and luxury, Sandals Red Lane, toiletries. Prices: Check out READ MORE

On the lovely Uvero Alto Beach lies a fairly new addition to Dominican Republic’s collection of resorts – the adults only Live Aqua Resort. It is a 5 Star Punta Cana all inclusive that is more than a step ahead of the competition in this ever popular Caribbean vacation hotspot. The food, the service, the facilities, and the design and decor all consistently impress and, with it being a relatively small resort, the atmosphere is more personable than most. It sits on the lovely Uvero Alto Beach, a quieter more relaxed stretch of golden sand than those nearer the center of Punta Cana. Accommodation: Aqua Live has a broad range of very elegant rooms and suites including swim up, with luxury amenities that include private infinity pools and jacuzzis. All have some outside space, either a terrace or balcony, and they are generous in general with space – their smallest rooms are around 500 square feet, not all that much less than the largest suites which are around 860 sq ft. Check all your options out on the booking page here (Expedia). Each has a choice of view, either garden, pool or beach, with the beach views, not surprisingly, being the more expensive. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: It must be said the food at Live Aqua is exceptionally good for an all inclusive resort, or for any resort for that matter, in Punta Cana or anywhere else. Live Aqua is a reasonably small resort but you have a very good selection of quality food venues. Your choices include Liberi, their main restaurant and breakfast spot, it serves a broad range of international dishes both buffet and a la carte. Then there’s Sospiro, their relatively casual Italian a la carte. Huzur has dishes from right across Mediterranean, Seishin does Asian Fusion, Atl does some great Mexican while Miraflores does a range of ceviche and other seafood. All of their venues have a reasonably casual atmosphere except for their French traditional Chez Rose Restaurant which is undoubtedly formal. Room service can deliver food from any of these venues READ MORE

Right on what is generally considered Grenada’s best beach, Grand Anse, is what many consider the country’s best resort–the elegant Spice Island Beach Resort. It has 64 high class suites which grace the quieter southern end of the beach and though it is a luxury resort it has a laid back, relaxed charm. The staff here are excellent, and the food equally so. It has very nice spa facilities and a host of land and sea activities on offer. No single demographic dominates — honeymoon couples, elderly retirees and young families are all at home here. The clientele, though certainly upmarket, is not showy. One of Spice Island’s marketing slogans is Unpretentious Luxury, and that fits well. Accommodation: They have 64 suites in total, 32 of which, the ‘Seagrape Beach Suites’, open right up onto the golden sands of the beach. Those of you who would prefer more privacy can go for some of their Garden Suites or, for a little extra, the likes of the Almond Pool Suites or Anthurium Pool Suites which are secluded in the gardens and come with private terraces and pools. The most impressive of all is perhaps the Royal Villa, it covers 1500 square feet and along with a swimming pool has its own private sauna. Prices: Check out all the price details at Booking.com here and at Expedia here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The gorgeous beach is the main focus here though there is also a nice large, curved pool at the center of the resort. On land facilities, all of which are included in your rate, include tennis courts, a gym, yoga pavilion, golf (nearby) and their highly rated spa facilities. Water-sports are of course at your disposal too and you can help yourself to kayaks, paddle boards, hobie cats and more. Grenada’s best shopping mall is within walking distance but you also have two designer boutiques within the resort as well as souvenir shops. Kids are welcomed at Spice Island and have their own, well kitted out and staffed, Nutmeg Pod Kid’s Club. It is open from 9am to 5pm daily. There are two excellent restaurants at Spice Island: The READ MORE

Sandals Royal Bahamian is a relatively small, adults only 5 Star resort in Nassau, Bahamas with an illustrious history going right back to the 1940s. Back then it was the swanky Balmoral Club one of the leading lights in the dawn of luxury Caribbean travel, and one which saw a steady stream of famous guests from Richard Nixon to The Beatles. It became a Sandals in 1995 and received a major re-fit in 2022. It now has three levels of accommodation, twelve dining options, eight bars, two large pools, a private offshore island with two very beautiful stretches of golden sand and the usual Sandals’ generous selection of free activities and events on land and water. Accommodation: Rooms are divided into three price levels with the private butler suites being the most expensive. In many Sandals’ resorts the entry levels can offer good value in comparison to other rooms, at Sandals Royal Bahamian less so we feel. They are smaller and set farthest away from the beach in a low rise building by the tennis courts. Some of these rooms also don’t allow in-room dining via room service, something generally seen as standard at all Sandals resorts. Still though you can’t fault the decor and design. They all smartly furnished and very comfortable, with solid mahogany four-poster beds, nice sitting areas and elegant bathrooms with bathtubs and fancy Red Lane toiletries. Moving up a notch you have the Club Level Rooms. Guests here have private, preferential check-in, a dedicated concierge service (useful for arranging excursions and activities, and for reservations at some of the restaurants), free airport transfers and access to the Club Lounge facilities. They are also generally more spacious and in a more appealing location – near the beach, facing out towards the sea. More spacious again are the Butler Suites, the highest room class at Sandals Royal Bahamian. They can range from swim up suites to entire villas with private pools and outdoor soak tubs. They have all the perks of the Club Level too but with little extras such as the airport transport being in a luxury vehicle (Mercedes or Rolls Royce) and on top of READ MORE

Mia Reef is a fabulous, family friendly 5 Star all inclusive on a private island just off Isla Mujeres. Its location makes it feel rather exclusive and it has an absolutely pristine stretch of private beach. As the islet is small and is surrounded on almost all sides by open water many rooms come with lovely sea views. It’s a friendly, sociable place and, due to the limited size of the islet, can sometimes feel busy, but the atmosphere is somewhat laid back and with just two bars it’s certainly not a place for wild nightlife. Accommodation: They have 164 rooms, suites and villas at Mia Reef. Though not particularly spacious all of them are bright and colorful, and display nice touches of pop-art styling. They range from what they term Basic or Deluxe Double Rooms, through Superior Oceanfront Doubles and Deluxe Ocean View Rooms, and then on to their Beach Front Villas. The Basic Doubles are good value and pretty similar to the Deluxe and Superior Ocean Views internally, but they lack a view of the sea. In Mia Reef this is definitely worth the extra. In a lot of resorts an ocean view can means an ocean view in the distance and a bunch of other stuff in between but here no. For not a lot extra you can have a Superior Ocean View room or, better still – what we see as the best value – the more spacious Deluxe Ocean View rooms (they can sleep up to 4 if required in two double beds), and see almost nothing but sea and sky from your balcony. There are larger, more independent villa type units along the beachfront too. These are more spacious and can sleep up to five in a studio room with two double beds and a sofa bed. They are the most expensive but with them being at ground level the views are of course not too impressive. Facilities in all of the above include AC, digital safes, coffeemakers, well stocked minibars and mini fridges, cable TV and blackout blinds. Bathrooms are surprisingly ordinary for such a top class resort it must be said. Functional READ MORE

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa is a luxury all inclusive on a gorgeous stretch of white sand beach just north of Tulum and 90 minutes from Cancun Airport. Built in a semi-colonial style and with beautifully designed and landscaped grounds, it has much of the look and feel of an old hacienda property, making it a little more charming than most modern style all inclusives. It sees a generally well-heeled but eclectic crowd: families with children, couples, groups of friends etc. And all ages mix happily here. It has two pools, six restaurants, five bars, a holistic spa and a kid’s club among its facilities. Accommodation: Dreams has 432 rooms & suites, to sleep up to seven guests in total, with one section being for adults only. All are spacious, well appointed and comfortable though the odd bit of wear and tear can sometimes be found. The accommodation ranges from swim out rooms and deluxe suites to large family rooms and a stunning 1948 square feet, hacienda style Presidential Suite. They all have either a balcony or a patio and you’ll have a choice of garden or ocean view, with the ocean view being naturally the more expensive. In-room amenities across the board include generously stocked minibars, satellite TVs, coffee makers, study desks and seating. All bathrooms have both showers and baths with some having whirlpool tubs, and luxury toiletries. Prices: Check out all the details and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: You have a choice of six main buffet and a la carte restaurants at Dreams Tulum, with international staples and cuisine from Mexico, Japan, Italy, France, and a US style steakhouse. Then there is the Poolside Bar, the Barefoot Grille and the Sky Sports Bar where, as well as alcohol, you can order pizzas, burgers and the like in a more casual atmosphere. Other bars include a swim up bar, the Sugar Reef Beach Bar, The Rendezvous Bar, a non alcoholic smoothie bar and a cafe. The choice of drinks and the cocktails here are generally very good though some guests have found the food to be inconsistent READ MORE

The all inclusive, adults only, Sandals Grande St. Lucian is another solidly good Sandals resort with a range of accommodation from top of the range overwater bungalows to decent value more basic suites. The overwater bungalows, the only ones on St. Lucia and one of just a few in the entire Caribbean, take center stage here. They are a honeymoon favorite and, with only nine of them, they get booked up long before the other suites and rooms. The service throughout this resort is excellent: professional but personable. Their food and drink are of the highest order and there is a great range of all inclusive activities on offer. Accommodation: They have a nice range of accommodation at the resort from, at the top of the price range, the Overwater Bungalows, Beach and Presidential Suites to a number of very good value lower level suites. Their gorgeous overwater bungalows are very special of course but also, despite their price, incredibly popular. If you’re interested and you see one free for your dates you’d be wise to book it immediately. We like the beach suites a lot too though. They might not have the same novelty value but they are pretty special in their own right. They are just steps from the beach but nicely positioned to feel private and relatively secluded. Lower down the scale you can, depending on your dates, you can find some very good value at Sandals St Lucian. Even their lowest level of suite seem pretty indulgent. All will be spacious and airy and come with hardwood floors, comfortable king-size beds, large smart TVs and generously stocked free mini bar etc. etc. Some suites have large, spa style bathrooms with soaking tubs for two. You’ll have 24 hour room service, and in some suites you have the services of a personal butler. Prices: Check out all price details at the Sandals website here, at Booking.com here and at Expedia here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Sandals Grande St. Lucian has twelve restaurants and bars which include a British style pub and a very lively swim-up pool bar. Check them all out here. The quality of the food and drink is READ MORE

Iberostar Grand Rose Hall is a very impressive 5 Star, adults-only all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay, the most upscale of three adjacent Iberostar resorts in Montego Bay. A stay here allows full access to the facilities of these two other resorts – Iberostar Rose Hall Beach & Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites – but not vice versa, making Grand Rose Hall feel extra exclusive. The clientele here is also upmarket, and of varying ages, with many couples, and there is much less raucousness than at most of other local all inclusives. Accommodation: Iberostar Grand Rose Hall has 293 spacious, nicely designed and nicely furnished suites, including swim up suites. They mostly have one king bed though some may come with two queen beds. They also come with lounging areas, coffee makers, safes, satellite TV, generous minibars, a pillow menu and 24 hour room service. They all have outside space, some with lovely sea views. These balconies or terraces are also nicely furnished with swing chairs, sofas and coffee tables. Across the board the bathrooms are particularly nice, and particularly spacious. Decked out in marble they have whirlpools, double sinks and double showers, and luxury toiletries. You also have the services of a butler throughout your stay. They can help you unpack, and customize your experience in things like your choice of pillows and your minibar stock. They can also draw you a bath, recommend aromatherapy essences and even shine your shoes. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Iberostar Rose Hall has 7 quality restaurants, serving both buffet and a la carte. Reservations are generally required for dinner in the a la cartes. The Surf and Turf Gallleon serves charcoal-grilled meats and seafood. La Toscana has a range of well known and not so well known Tuscan and Italian paired with fine wines. Teppanyaki Kiniro serves Japanese and has a teppanyaki tasting menu while Port Maria does a range Jamaican classics such as jerk barbecue and coconut shrimp. Then finally there is the gourmet showpiece Es Palau Restaurant which serves French haute cuisine. During the day most of READ MORE

The 5 Star Sandals Ochi is a large and lively, adults only all inclusive in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The setting is beautiful – a lush, hundred acre estate overlooking the ocean – and it has a tremendous array of facilities including sixteen restaurants and eleven bars. It also has two spa centers, dozens of pools and whirlpools and, among its many sports facilities, one of Jamaica’s best golf courses and the largest climbing wall in the Caribbean. Accommodation: They have 529 rooms, suites and villas at Sandals Ochi in ninteen different categories. All are spacious, well equipped and nicely decked out in old colonial style – four poster beds and regal looking dark wood furniture pieces. Facilities include 40 inch cable TVs, mini bars, mini fridges, coffee makers, microwaves, marble bathrooms with bathtubs and Red Lane pampering products. They all have some outside space too in the form of a patio or balcony, and their splendid villas come with a private pool. Check out all your room options on the Sandals own website here. Club Level and Butler Suite rooms have extra perks like in-room bars, access to the Club Sandals lounge and a dedicated concierge. Butler level are a step above that and come with, as you may guess, the services of a private butler. Prices: Check out all price details at the Sandals website here or at Expedia here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: You have sixteen dining venues at Sandals Ochi and food can be ordered to your room at any time. The food choices are pretty much everything you can think of: Asian, Caribbean, French, Tuscan, seafood, tapas, pizza, steakhouse and plenty more. Some of the restaurants have a smart casual dress code i.e. no shorts or sandals. There are eleven bars at Sandals Ochi, including swim up bars and, with the size of the resort and the relatively young clientele, they can get very lively. All food and drink including premium liquors and wines are included in the all inclusive package. There are dozens of pools here and the main pool is enormous, has a swim up bar and is a very popular place to READ MORE

Palmaïa, The House of AïA, is a very highly rated wellness retreat in a private corner of Playacar Beach, Playa del Carmen. It only opened its doors in late 2019 but, despite this woefully unlucky timing, it has quickly created a buzz on the Riviera Maya and beyond. Eco-friendly vegan wellness might seem a tricky thing for an all inclusive resort to pull off, and vice versa, but Palmaïa, The House of AïA has married the two to great effect. It offers ‘holistic activities and healing experiences based on ancestral rituals and practices, promoting balance and reconnection between oneself and Nature,‘ something they summarize as ‘Progressive Wellness.’ Palmaïa has 314 guest rooms, so neither too big nor too small, four restaurants, a food truck, a beach bar (on its fully private beach), four outdoor pools, a wonderful jungle spa and a 24-hour fitness center. Holistic activities are a huge focus here and the whole experience can be quite magical. More conventional resort activities  are also available (and guests can also use the facilities of the larger Sandos Playacar Resort next door). The food here is exceptional, and mainly, though not entirely, vegan. It has undoubtedly among the best vegan food on the Riviera Maya, and remember again that it’s an all inclusive. Palmaïa attracts a well heeled, hippie chic crowd–more Tulum than Cancun–and a mix of couples, families, groups of friends and single people. You’ll find much higher proportion of the latter here than in most resorts in Riviera Maya, and a higher proportion of younger people in general. Those with a sensitive stomach for Bobo pretentiousness though should be warned that private butlers are referred to as ‘Nomadic Guides’, and that’s just one example! Accommodation: Accommodation is in the form of luxury suites, spread across four fairly conventional looking, five-story buildings, to sleep from one adult to a maximum of two adults and three kids. These include on the swim up suites at ground level (obviously!), and some stunning ocean view master suites on the top floor. All suites are spacious, stylish and well appointed, Palmaïa is a luxury resort after all. Standards include King or Queen size beds, READ MORE

Updated October 4, 2022 Bungalows Key Largo is an adults only, luxury beach oasis that is also the Florida Keys’ only fully all inclusive resort. It is a classy place with a lovely secluded location, very private accommodation, particularly good food and drink, and friendly staff who really go out of their way to help. The clientele at Bungalows Key Largo is mainly, though not exclusively, couples. Accommodation: The accommodation is entirely in the form of private bungalows. All of them are broadly similar, spanning nearly 1000 square feet, their airy interiors come with either a large double bed and a sofa bed or two large double beds and very plush bathrooms. The private outside space is nicely crafted, and you may find yourself spending more of your time there where you’ll find seating and lounging furniture, a soaking tub and an outdoor shower. Other little niceties at the bungalows include 60 inch Smart TVs, Coffee makers, mini bar, fridge, microwave, work desk and 24 hour room service. They also have complimentary bicycles parked outside for guests to go exploring with. Prices: Check out all the details and compare prices at Booking.com here and Agoda here.  (Note: There is a 3 night minimum stay at Bungalows Key Largo) Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The resort has its own stretch of private beach plus two outdoor swimming pools and jacuzzis, four great restaurants, a fitness center and a full service spa. Their Zen Spa offers luxurious treatments in what they refer to as the Zen Garden. Asian themed, it has five outdoor treatment cabanas, waterfront treatment tiki, a Himalayan salt room, a steam room and various spaces for just relaxation and meditation. There are also daily yoga sessions on the beach. Water-sports can be enjoyed at the resort with all non-motorized sports such as kayaking and paddle boarding being complimentary. The food and drink here is nothing short of excellent and all inclusive with the exception of a few premium wines and Bogie & Bacall, their showpiece steak restaurant where guests are just allowed one complimentary reservation per four night stay. Beyond that it costs $300 per two-person reservation. The READ MORE

Sandals Royal Plantation, Jamaica is a very elegant, colonial era estate near Ocho Rios’ resort zone, that is now a Sandals adults only, all inclusive, one which differs somewhat from most Sandals in its relatively low key, refined atmosphere. With just 74 suites in total (plus one private villa) it is intimate and personable too, and it is Sandals’s only All Butler Resort, i.e. all accommodation options come with private butler service. The food at the restaurants is entirely a la carte too, another rarity in all inclusive resorts. With it being much smaller it doesn’t have the same breath of choice in restaurants and bars of course but guests at Royal Plantation are granted access to all the facilities at the much larger Sandals Ochi next door. The private beach here is absolutely gorgeous, and though small it never feels crowded due to the size of the resort. Accommodation: The suites at Sandals Plantation look and feel as elegant and as stately as the property in general. All have four-poster king-size beds, comfy seating areas, grand looking wood furniture pieces and spacious bathrooms with double sinks and bathtubs or jacuzzis. They also all have ocean views and come with either a terrace, balcony or Juliet balcony. There isn’t a huge divide between entry level suites and the rest at Royal Plantation though the top choice, the Governor General Oceanfront is a stunning space with the best views in the place. They have a private villa here too that’s definitely worth a look if you’re traveling with a small group or you and your partner just want to hit the highest level of VIP. Villa Plantana sits by itself over the calmer East Beach. It has three bedrooms in total, lots of space inside and out, its own pool and a team of private staff. Prices: Check out all price details at the Sandals website here or at Expedia here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: Sandals Royal Plantation has five eateries, and guests here have also full access to sixteen further restaurants at the much larger Sandals Ochi next door. All of Plantation’s restaurants are a la carte (though there READ MORE

Royal Hideaway Playacar is a 5 Star all inclusive for adults only in Playa del Carmen that is a low key, classy antidote to the many high energy all inclusives of the Riviera Maya. It has 6 gourmet restaurants, all a la carte, 3 bars, 6 pools, a full service spa, fitness center, numerous land and water sports facilities and a gorgeous stretch of white sand beach among its attractions. It can get lively but it’s not a party resort. The upmarket clientele are mainly looking to relax and the atmosphere is laid back friendly. Accommodation: Royal Hideaway Playacar has 201 old colonial style rooms in various semi-identical low rise buildings surrounded by lush foliage. Check out all your options here at Expedia.com.  All are elegant, beautifully furnished and with luxury hotel amenities like cable TV, free minibars, safes, coffeemakers, music stations, air-con. None are supremely spacious though all come with some outside space – a patio or balcony, and have very plush marble bathrooms with spa baths. Prices: Enter dates and compare prices at Booking.com here and at Expedia.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: The food at Royal Hideaway Playacar is very highly rated. It’s a 5 Star hotel with a fairly sophisticated clientele so expectations may be high from the start but few people come away disappointed. There are no buffets here, all is a la carte. The one drawback to this here it seems is that the restaurants are busy and reservations are required for all except one, though you have 24 hour room service and the bars serve food too. Most have quite formal dining areas and three have formal dress codes – Las Ventanas, Azia and Palazzo. Las Ventanas is open for dinner only and has a chef’s table where guests have front row seats at the cooking station and can chat with the chef. There is an extra charge for this and it will need to be booked in advance. Palazzo is another stylish venue serving Italian, again for dinner only. The award winning Azia does Asian fusion – Thai and Japanese mainly. Spices does some great Mexican and in a lovely READ MORE

Brand new in 2022 is Sandals Royal Curaçao. The company has taken the former Santa Barbara Resort and transformed it into an adults only, 5 Star playground which first opened to guests on April 14, 2022. All of the hallmarks of a Sandals vacation can be found on the 3000 acre Santa Barbara Estate, plus (a first for the company) a giant, two level infinity pool at its center, and two on-site marinas. It is also, very conveniently, just 15 minutes away from Curaçao International Airport. Accommodation: Sandals Royal Curaçao has 350 luxury units in total in a variety of categories and price ranges. All are as opulent as you might expect from a Sandals resort, with vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, custom made furniture including comfy king-size beds, and the latest in modern tech features. The bathrooms will have his & hers sinks with large backlit mirrors, walk-in rain showers, soaking tubs and premium, Red Lane bath products. All rooms also come with private bars that include premium liquors and all feature either 24 hour room or private butler service. Top Rooms & Suites: The pick of the accommodation are the Awa Seaside Butler Bungalows with Private Pool, lined up right on the shore they have private patios with infinity pools overlooking the ocean, over 1,100 square feet of space in total, and personal butler service. The Kurason Island Poolside Butler Bungalows, though less private, are another terrific choice, and slightly cheaper. These bungalows back onto a semi-private heart shaped pool with a small private island garden, shared by just another small number of units. Guests at both the Kurason Island and Awa Seaside Bungalows get a few extra perks such as free use of a stylish Sandal’s branded Mini Cooper to explore the island at their leisure. Prices: Check out all price details at the Sandals Royal Curacao website here, at Booking.com here and at Expedia here.  Food, Facilities & Things to Do: A Sandals hallmark is great dining, of a standard difficult to find in the vast majority of all-inclusive resorts. Sandals Royal Curaçao is a culinary journey too, with 12 unique dining and drinking options including Sandals first ever floating restaurant–The Duchess–and READ MORE

Zoëtry Villa Rolandi is a boutique 5 Star all inclusive on Cancun’s Isla Mujeres built in 2015 to compliment one of The Riviera Maya’s most esteemed restaurants: the Swiss Italian Casa Rolandi. It attracts a barefoot chic, upmarket crowd and the atmosphere is quiet and calm – people very much come here to relax and unwind. With only 35 suites it is also remarkably small for an all inclusive resort making it feel even more exclusive still. Among its facilities are three pools, the famous Casa Rolandi restaurant and one other, French Mexican fusion, eatery, a cozy bar, an extensive wine cellar, a made-to-order jewelry center, spa facilities and a fitness center. Zoëtry Villa Rolandi is technically family friendly but really doesn’t seem to have much in the way of children’s activities. The overwhelming majority of guests are adults anyway, and the majority of them couples on romantic breaks. Accommodation: It has 35 suites of various categories, all of them with ocean views. They are broadly similar in all but size, ranging from 450 square feet to over 2000 square feet in the case of their fabulous Presidential Suite, and the vast majority of them are doubles. At the ground floor you have the Junior Suite Veranda Oceanfronts. Just upstairs are the Junior Suite Oceanfronts and, above them again and with better views again, are the Junior Suite Superior Oceanfronts. The latter two have a hot tub on their private terrace. The multi level Presidential Suite then sits at the very top. It has an enormous terrace and extra amenities such as a sauna, an outdoor shower and a bar. Check out your options here at Expedia. The top level suites are of course lovely, as they are in most resorts, at Zoetry Casa Rolandi but remember that minimum standards are very high: All accommodation comes with canopied king size beds, opulent bathrooms with jacuzzis, steam showers and Bvlgari bath products, indoor lounging areas and, in all but the Veranda Suites, private terraces with outdoor hot tubs, satellite TV, 24 hour room service, pillow menus, black out curtains/blinds, free mini bars and coffee makers as standard. Prices: Check out all READ MORE

The fabulous Sandals Grande Antigua is another adults only, & couples only, mega resort that delivers on the company slogan of 5 Star luxury included. It has nearly 400 rooms and suites on its 27 acre estate which sits by what is seen as Antigua’s loveliest beach, Dickenson Bay Beach. Facilities include six pools, a spa and fitness center, eleven restaurants and seven bars and a whole lot of activities and sports, particularly water sports including complimentary scuba diving, a rarity in all inclusives but a standard at Sandals. Accommodation: Accommodation is divided into two distinct sections, the larger, busier faux-European Mediterranean Village and the smaller more laid back Caribbean Beachfront Village. Both have an equal share of the most impressive, and expensive accommodation though The Mediterranean Village is all suites while the Caribbean also has some entry level, and really good value, rooms. Check out all your options on the Sandals website here. Though you can of course really take it up a notch though with some of the highest level suites, villas and penthouses, all the accommodation shares common features: four-poster beds, private terraces and those typically impressive Sandals’ marble bathrooms with bath tubs. Club Sandals’ rates offers a personal concierge service, while Butler level rates come with just that – your own personal butler. Both also include premium liquors in your mini bars and other small perks. Prices: Check out price details at the Sandals website here, at Expedia here or at Booking.com here. Food, Facilities & Things to Do: There is certainly no shortage of quality eating venues at Sandals Antigua. You have eleven eateries to choose from and eight bars, some of which also do at least snacks. Highlights include the Tex Mex at O.K. Corral, Teppanyaki at Kimonos, and three romantic beachfront venues, Bayside, Eleanors and Barefoot by the Sea, doing gourmet Caribbean, seafood and international. They also have sushi bar and there are two Italian venues, one of them a pizza joint the other specializing in Lombard cuisine. There are bars all around the resort with the main gathering spots being around the lobby, the English themed Drunken Duck Pub, and the pool READ MORE