By: Ms. J

This trip to Cancun, Mexico was my first all-inclusive resort trip and I must say it did not live up to my expectations; however that was mostly due to my fault.

Usually, I am a pay as you go type of person on my trips. Meaning that I pay for what I eat and the activities that I participate in individually versus everything included in one as the inclusive option. Considering that this was a celebration, I opted to switch things up so that it would be stress and hassle free by paying everything up front. Our all-inclusive included unlimited food, drinks and non-motorized sports. Perfect! Right…? Sort of. My expectation of this was limited possibly by the resort in which we stayed. The food was mediocre and the drinks were watered down and artificial (not made with real ingredients). Furthermore, we were not able to enjoy the non-motorized sports mostly due to the adventures we were having outside of the resort (I was ok with this).

Now after venting my frustrations about the all-inclusive that I stayed at, I still think it’s a good option because:

a: it is stress free

b: activities at the resort

c: out of pocket expenses were low

d: one flat price

e: easy to stay within a certain budget

The all-inclusive option is great depending on the type of trip you are planning. If you are planning something where you are always out of the resort then it is a waste because you will most likely spend money eating out or on activities outside the resort. It is best to do a pay as you go option if you are on a budget. However, if you just want a leisure vacation where most of your time will be poolside or by the beach; conducting activities that the resort organizes then the all-inclusive is the best option where you can eat and drink without a worry of the bill.

In all, I will definitely try the all-inclusive again however at a different resort and during a time where I want to relax.