One price, no maths. That's the appeal of the all-inclusive, and IHG has quietly assembled a portfolio — largely through its alliance with Iberostar, plus Kimpton, Holiday Inn Club Vacations and voco — that now covers pretty much every type of trip. Here's how the lineup shakes down.
Couples have JOIA Aruba by Iberostar on Aruba, a luxury property with three specialty restaurants, four bars and an adults-only spa. There's also golf at Tierra del Sol, Aruba's only professional 18-hole course, and candlelit dinners at GAIA House of Grill if you want full romance mode.
Families who need room to roam should look at Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites on Mexico's Riviera Maya: six pools, a water park with slides, a lazy river and a kids club, all inside a gated complex where guests can use the sister resorts' restaurants and facilities too. Over in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites offers multiroom suites, a lazy river, a kids club and a dining spread running from international buffet to Greek. Further afield, Holiday Inn Club Vacations The Royal Cancun has two-bedroom villas — some with full kitchens — plus kayaking, snorkelling and beach massages.
If you'd rather stay stateside, voco Sandpiper All-Inclusive Resort in Port St. Lucie, Florida, needs no passport. It sits on the St. Lucie River with pickleball, tennis, watersports, four bars and restaurants, and separate pools for adults and kids.
The wildcard is Kimpton Tres Rios Riviera Maya, the brand's first all-inclusive, set on 340 acres of mangroves, rivers and cenotes with eco-trails. There are 355 rooms (some with plunge pools), a 10,000-square-foot spa, four pools and restaurants covering Mexican, Italian and Japanese. Proof the format can be stylish. Meanwhile, in Punta Cana, Iberostar Selection Coral Bávaro leans boutique: suite-style rooms, a 24-hour concierge in select categories, a beach club and access to three hotels in the complex.
The points angle is the real kicker. IHG One Rewards is free to join, earns 10 points per dollar on qualifying stays and stacks elite night credits. Crucially, when you redeem points at an all-inclusive, they cover the whole package — food, drinks and activities — not just the room, which makes it one of the better point redemptions around.
Who's this for? Anyone who wants a holiday where the budget is settled before takeoff. Families get water parks and suites; couples get spas and golf; design lovers finally get an all-inclusive they won't be embarrassed to post. Pick your traveller type first, then pick the resort — it makes the choice much simpler.
