{"id":3373,"date":"2010-01-08T07:56:15","date_gmt":"2010-01-08T13:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=3373"},"modified":"2016-12-16T22:46:37","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T04:46:37","slug":"all-inclusive-resorts-hotels-up-the-ante-in-luxury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2010\/01\/all-inclusive-resorts-hotels-up-the-ante-in-luxury\/","title":{"rendered":"All-inclusive resorts: hotels up the ante in luxury"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya<\/p><\/div>\n

By Lena Katz<\/em><\/p>\n

If “more for less” is your travel mantra this year, read on. I’ve found four new all-inclusive resorts<\/strong><\/a> that deliver on this promise, big-time. Brands you know and love are debuting new properties in the hottest Mexico beach vacation destinations and up-and-coming Central American hot spots. Check \u2018em out now, and get ready for great deals.<\/p>\n

Though competition is fierce among luxury hotels on the Riviera Maya, for my money, Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya<\/strong><\/a> outshines most of the other all-inclusive resorts. It is one of the few that offers a Four Seasons\/St. Regis-caliber experience, but with a predetermined price.<\/p>\n

The \u201cMargarita Trolley\u201d at Frida\u2019s Mexican Restaurant, the popsicles and fruit kebabs served poolside, the fully stocked ensuite mini-bars \u2026 these perks are so much more fun when you don\u2019t have to sign a room charge for each indulgence. Full disclosure, though: To relax in the $15 million, two-level, 89,000-square-foot spa and try one of the signature Guided Water Journeys, you do have to pay extra.<\/p>\n

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Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe<\/p><\/div>\n

The west coast of Mexico has only a fraction of the Riviera Maya\u2019s offerings when it comes to all-inclusive resorts, but the recent opening of Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe<\/strong><\/a> in December provides Cabo with the all-inclusive resort experience ubiquitous in Cancun and the Caribbean: Seven restaurants, a pool lounge and a nightclub to augment the normal bar offerings, a 60,000-square-foot pool complex boasting a childrens water park and much more. It\u2019s a sprawling come-one-come-all vacation mega-plex staffed by hyper-enthusiastic \u201canimators\u201d that do everything from organize beach volleyball games to lip-synch in nightly theater shows.<\/p>\n

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RIU Guanacaste<\/p><\/div>\n

Another familiar name in Cancun and the Caribbean, RIU, decided to go south instead of west, opening RIU Guanacaste<\/strong><\/a> on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This is the first RIU in Costa Rica, and it\u2019s located in a famous resort area known for great beaches, surf culture and diverse animal species (monkeys in the trees, sea turtles on the beach\u2026) Situated on Matapalo Beach, this all-inclusive resort is big in typical RIU style, though its 701 rooms can\u2019t compare with the massive complexes in Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, etc. It opened in October, and I think it provides an updated, though less relaxed, foil to the friendly, sprawled-out, gently worn Paradisus Playa Conchal<\/strong><\/a> down the road.<\/p>\n

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Breezes Resort & Spa Panama<\/p><\/div>\n

European brands aren\u2019t the only ones expanding into Central America. It was hard to see this one coming, but Breezes is making big moves too. The brand formerly known for its boozy bargain Jamaican beach parties opened Breezes Resort & Spa Panama<\/strong><\/a> in October. Though the name and overall theme are familiar, the setting is a real departure from the norm. It\u2019s in a beach resort community, of course — Santa Clara, on the southern Pacific coast. And it offers reasonably priced \u201cfun, sun, sand\u201d getaways for families and couples. However, Panama isn\u2019t nearly as developed as Jamaica — its tourism revolves around rainforest adventures, not rum-drinking spring breakers. For now, at least. As for whether it\u2019ll stay that way\u2026well, Breezes might be the one to ask.<\/p>\n

Related Orbiz resources:<\/strong><\/h3>\n