Travel

One old travel adage has it that you never truly fathom the magnitude of the all-inclusive resort until you experience one firsthand. I can personally think of several sets of parents, for example, who, pre-children, were bold free spirits antsy to try every back-alley food stall. Precisely the type, in other words, to eschew package resorts. Now they swear by all-inclusives and, happily, have not seen fit to disown their venturesome ways in the process. Simply put, no such compromise is necessary with the best all-inclusive resorts.

With that, discover 12 significant advantages of all-inclusive travel.

1. Logistical ease.

The one headache people wish most to evade on holiday. Logistics. In other words, where to go, how to get from one place to another, where to stay and what to see. All-inclusives erase all this. For a salaryman with jetlag on endless business trips or a busy executive with chronic insomnia who lives in her office, this is a godsend.

All-inclusives eliminate guesswork and the need to calculate complex budget algorithms. One (usually affordable) price for airfare, hotel, food, drinks and extras is a seductive offer for a family on a budget, a couple on a honeymoon, a gaggle of college students or, indeed, anyone who desires to rapidly and simply get lost for a week.

3. One-stop-shop.

The all-inclusive is just that. All -inclusive, a one-stop-shop, a purpose-built resort sanctum where you need not worry about where and what to eat, what to do and, most importantly, what not to do. Sure, you may have to pony up extra for that massage or activity but the beauty is that the spa is steps away and the beach is within eyeshot of your room.

4. Adults-only.

Need to escape from your brood for a week? Need to escape from other people s kids for a week? You re in luck. More and more all-inclusive resorts cater to the child-averse or child-indifferent and, as such, offer the promise of serenity, romance and flirty fun.

5. Kid-friendly.

On the other hand, if you plan to haul the wee ones along, plenty of all-inclusive resorts cater to parents and children alike. Daycares, kid-specific pools, activity zones, monitors, performers and more make it fun and stress-free for the entire family (and especially mum and dad).

6. No awkward tip moments.

The awkward tip moment (whether to tip or not, how much to tip) inspires many a memorable travel tale. But some prefer to forgo the experience altogether, which is where the all-inclusive comes in.

7. Opportunity to meet new people.

Whether you holiday all-inclusive style in the Caribbean, Mexico, the South Pacific or stay in a small or big resort, you will meet people from every corner of the world (and probably your corner of the world). The all-inclusive culture facilitates a kind of breezy, informal hobnob that you can choose to adopt or abandon at your leisure.

8. Relative privacy and seclusion.

With that in mind, all-inclusive resorts can also be havens of solitude and stillness, where the mind quiets and settles into a delicious anti-routine.

9. No need to schlep.

When you stay in one place for a week or two, you can toss your bags in the closet and forget about them.

10. No surprises.

Life moves fast. The 9 to 5 grind can exact a heavy tool. As such, a holiday with no surprises and a placid predictability can be a wonderful panacea. Enter the all-inclusive.

11. Easy to stay on budget.

Unless you go nuts with side trips and menu extras, all-inclusives make it easy to adhere to the holiday financial plan.

12. You can get away anytime.

After a few days by the pool or with your feet in the sand, you may feel a tug to flee the confines of the resort. No problem. Tour operators in the lobby will be happy to whisk you to ancient ruins, caves, a rainforest, or, if fortune has it, a World Heritage colonial town.

With that, discover some of the best all-inclusive resorts HotelClub.com has to offer: