Cancun
There are a few different types of trips you can take in life. Adventurous trips, relaxing trips, homecomings, weekend vacays, and of course, the all-inclusive getaway. It's not the kind of trip I was planning on taking now but oh man - it was the trip I never knew I needed.
When looking into the Caribbean for Memorial Day Weekend, I started comparing prices to all-inclusives just out of curiosity. My parents went to one last year and couldn't stop raving about it but I, like most people, assumed it was way above what I wanted to spend for a long-weekend trip. As it turns out, there are a few levels to all-inclusive resorts (like most places, go figure lol) that make some of them pretty damn affordable. We ended up booking flights and hotel for the about the same price as we would a trip to Europe - except all of our food and drinks were included in that price, whereas in Europe that bill would rack up quick. I went with the Golden Parnassus All Inclusive, Adults Only, Resort and Spa. It's one of the older hotels in Cancun's Hotel Zone and while not the fanciest on the block (I mean, the Ritz is right next door) it ended up being the perfect stater Cancun getaway for the bae and me.
In high school, I went to Cancun on a Spanish class trip where we didn't do the resorts. We hit the historical sites, stayed with homestays, and really dug into Mexico as much as we could. This time around, it was a whooooole different world. We booked a driver to get us from the airport (we used Canada Transfers and they were super friendly, affordable, and professional) and once we got to the Hotel Zone, we quickly realized this wasn't really Mexico. I mean technically it is, but it's so heavily catered to tourist that it might as well be Disneyland. Nothing but resorts where nobody really leaves, huge restaurants, and shopping centers. This should be obvious, but if you're gonna stay at an all inclusive resort, you're probably not gonna get very immersed in the culture... but sometimes, that's okay.
Because Cancun's all inclusive resorts are HEAVENLY. Where our hotel lacked in chicness, it made up with sheer comfort and views. The hotel is built so every room on one side is facing the ocean while the other side it facing the lagoon - nothing facing other hotels. So basically, you're bound to get a beautiful view, even without paying extra. Our room had an insane view of the ocean. The pool was huge and had it's own bar and snack bar and looked out into the ocean. If you were feeling beachy, take five steps down from the pool to hit the beach with tons of thatched umbrellas and chairs and another bar. Got a little burnt? There's another two bar indoors, along with five restaurants, a crepe station, a few stores, not to mention activities and 24 hour room service. And it's all free. Well, you paid for the trip, so it's the cost of that. But it feels free.
The first night we ate at the steakhouse-esq restaurant and I was so confused what we did after we were finished - did we need to sign something? Should we tell someone? Nope, you just get up and leave. Every bartender just hands you your drink and you walk away, as if your tab is bottomless. If it's 3am and you're just really craving buffalo wings, someone will be right there with them. It's endless gluttony and so so so relaxing. We opted out of spending more money to take excursions outside of the resort and just milked the whole experience - besides, the staff does such an amazing job at keeping you entertained with bingo, trivia, water aerobics, tequila volleyball (idk either), shows, and more that you don't really need to leave. Instead, we got a sweet tan, ate to our hearts desires, and enjoyed not having anywhere to be and nothing to do. It was the epitome of a relaxing vacation.
I realize this entire post is mostly just me gushing about how overindulgent I was, which is why all-inclusive resorts are definitely not going to be a regular occurrence for me. After a few days, I was getting restless and was ready to head home to do something. But speaking as someone who loves exploring new countries and trying new things, I gotta say it was nice to veg for a weekend and I'd recommend giving it a try too - it's nice to spoil yourself every now and then!
Have you stayed at an all inclusive before? What was it like? Drop a comment!
