What is “all” that is included in Cancun’s all-inclusive resorts?

Aerial view of a Cancun All-Inclusive Resort

The promise sounds good, doesn’t it? Just one payment and you have access to everything needed for a Caribbean vacation. It’s a good practice to know what are we paying for, and when it comes to vacation is no different. Most of us do loosen up a bit in terms of expenses when in exploration mood, but that can backfire if you’re not prepared for what you may be needing to pay later. So, if you’re looking for an all-inclusive Cancun experience, it is recommended that you find out what exactly is included in your package so that your cards won’t be charged with unexpected amounts when checking out of the resort.

So, what is usually included in Cancun’s all-inclusive resorts?

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Cancun All-Inclusive resorts cover most key factors for a nice vacation experience. You can expect them to include within the packages: Room, food and drinks (commonly buffet services), access to the facilities and activities within the resort (e.g. pool games, water parks, arcades, lounge bars, etc.), room service, home-choice wines, towels, transportation within the resort (e.g. from the lobby to another area. Commonly provided in golf cars), phone calls, a safe within the room, laundry service (not every resort), room breakfast set up, ocean-view and maybe some souvenirs as gifts.

So, does that mean I can be cash-free?

Yes and no. While you definitely can be cash-free during your whole stay in one of these resorts, it doesn’t mean that you should. Some reasons for which you may prefer to carry some cash, even after paying for an all-inclusive stay, include tipping, choosing a non-included wine or liqueur during a meal, paying for massages and other spa services, upgrading certain services such as marina access, renting certain equipment such as jet skis, and more.

What is NOT included then?

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As previously mentioned, there are things for which you may prefer to bring some cash on yourself when coming out of your room so that you don’t miss out on the wide range of experiences that you might live in whichever hotel/resort you are staying. What is commonly not included in the all-inclusive packages can be: Premium dishes at a-la-carte restaurants, premium wines or liqueurs, Bali beds (unless you paid for the highest package), spa services, beauty services, third-party tours, items at souvenir or clothing shops, babysitting services, full golf-course access, certain activities such as wine tasting, among many others.

Wrapping it up

As you realize, there is so much more than just the “all-inclusive” packages. So, we recommend you to check on your hotel offers: what facilities it has, how “high” is the package you’re choosing, and what you have access to when acquiring the package are some start-off questions for when you’re checking resort options for booking.