Mexico's 5 Best All-Inclusive Resorts

By Laurie Jo Miller Farr

When was your last visit south of the border? Go international without the jet lag – but with the terrific weather, beaches, food, and great service. Choose adult-only or family-friendly. Select Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea. Stay in a top-rated inclusive resort and banish any worries about "Montezuma's revenge," as the water will be purified on-site.

Travel expert and Mexico enthusiast Susan Lanier-Graham, Editor-in-Chief of Wander With Wonder shared her about several of her favorite places in paradise that are jam packed with "wow" moments. With everything you could want or need, all-inclusive Mexican resorts make it so easy to simply relax and save the sightseeing for later.

Hotel Mousai
Carretera a Barra de Navidad Km. 7.5
Puerto Vallarta, JAL. 48390, Mexico
+52-322-176-0710
www.hotelmousai.com

Tucked away on a stunning beach in a sheltered cove, perch yourself at the edge of the world, where the jungle meets the water in Puerto Vallarta. For incredible views of Banderas Bay and the ultimate in lounging with a cocktail in hand, head for the rooftop pool – it's worth dragging yourself away from your private guest room balcony with jet tub.

Speaking of drinks, your all-inclusive suite package even includes alcoholic beverages, wines by the glass, and bottles in your mini-bar. And there's more. The all-inclusive plan also includes free wi-fi, breakfast, lunch by the rooftop pool, and dinner at Blanca Blue, Bocados STK, or Hiroshi Restaurant. Can't be bothered to budge? There's also 24-hour room service included in your culinary package.

If you do want to venture outside the resort to have a look around, they remind visitors this is the location for the 1964 filming for "The Night of the Iguana." It was "a smoldering, behind-the-scenes affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton put Puerto Vallarta on the tourist map." The first and only AAA Five Diamond rated resort in Puerto Vallarta is for adults only.

Just 2.5 hours' flight from Los Angeles, the luxurious Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts sit right on on Baja's sun-kissed Pacific shore near Cabo San Lucas. In fact, Pueblo Bonito has five all-inclusive oceanfront resorts to choose from on this superb spit of land known as Cabo San Lucas. The only tough part is choosing whether you prefer a focus on golf, spa, beach, private villas, nightlife, or romance at an adults-only retreat.

If the latter, opt for The Towers at Pacifica where 47 guest rooms with private terraces and butler service make it a resort-within-a-resort. Why not ask the concierge to set up a private dinner table for two right on the beach? More memorable dining experiences await, as your package includes access to an additional 23 restaurants and 12 bars at the sister resorts. Further highlights: The spa has been singled out as one of the world's best by readers of Condé Nast Traveler and the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course that was named one of the best in North America by Golf Digest has incredible Pacific views.

Grand Velas Los Cabos
Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 17.3
San José del Cabo, Corredor Turístico
Cabo San Lucas, BCS 23450, Mexico
+52-322-226-7923
www.loscabos.grandvelas.com

Located between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, the $150 million beachfront property feels shiny and new. Opened in late 2016, the resort offers the next generation of all-inclusive amenities and facilities with dramatic ocean views and unique spaces throughout the resort. All 304 ocean view suites have 24-hour personalized butler service, private terraces, some with personal plunge pools.

Want to get in shape during your vacation? An enormous spa set up has 16 treatment rooms and a hydrotherapy facility to supplement three pools, a Technogym Fitness Center with personal trainers, exercise programs, yoga, Pilates and meditation. Want to explore local dining? Grand Velas Los Cabos features five gourmet restaurants featuring a wine-based program inspired by proximity to the region that produces Mexico's fine wines. Want to bring the family? There's a separate teens and kids club facility and activity program, too.

Related: Up And Coming International Vacation Spots

On the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, Cancún was purpose-built as a tourism destination in the early 1970s. It has certainly matured in its first half-century and is now considered one of Mexico's top destinations. In the hotel zone that juts into the turquoise Caribbean Sea (where the water is always pleasantly bathtub warm), you'll find that this adults-only, all-inclusive Cancún resort is modern and chic.

But why limit yourself to the gorgeous beach when the resort has no fewer than seven spectacular-looking swimming pools of varied temperatures? Aqua Beach Resort is the place to go to escape the stress of everyday life. Book a cabana, where you can relax all day between ocean, beach and pools. If you should tire of too much relaxation (is there such a thing?) sports activities include trips for snorkeling, diving, fishing, jet skiing, swimming with dolphins, parasailing, and more.

Related: Best U.S. Destinations For Wine Lovers

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