5 Tips On How To Get The Most Out Of Your All-Inclusive Vacation

Disclosure: Dream Resorts provided an all expenses paid trip to Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa including travel, accommodations and activities. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #MomsEscape #ad 

My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to spend an amazing four days in Mexico! I’ve been to Mexico before but this was the first time for my daughter. Of the times I’d been there, this time was special.  Why? Because of where we stayed – the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa. This was the first time I tried an Unlimited-Luxury^® all-inclusive. Have you ever traveled to an all-inclusive location?

Here are a few tips on getting the most out of an all-inclusive vacation.

1. Try New Things

One of the first restaurants we went to at the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa was the Pan Asian. I love Pan Asian food, but it’s reserved for special occasions.  And a teppanyaki table? I’ve only experienced that once in my life.  Well at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, you can sit at a teppanyaki table or enjoy a flaming prepared-at-your-table dessert or try a new kind of sushi at (you’re guessing what I’m going to say, right?) no extra charge.  I ordered this amazing dessert – watch the video.  I’d never seen this before!  Oh, and it tasted as delicious as it looks!

An all-inclusive vacation is the time to try new things.  If you order something and don’t like it, no worries.  Order something else.  I have to admit though, when I saw the smoothie bar at the breakfast buffet, I had to create my daily favorite.  Before we left home, I was regretting that I wouldn’t be able to have my healthy, green smoothie.  Wrong!  Not only could I continue that habit, but I didn’t even have to make it myself.  Just point to the ingredients I wanted and a lovely staff member of Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, blended it for me.

2.  Use Expensive Services

Room service is always a “discussion” (meaning argument) when my husband and I travel. He thinks it’s overpriced and never, never worth the money. I think room service is pampering and the very essence of v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n is to have breakfast in your room. AND at the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, there is no extra charge for room service. You heard me! NO EXTRA CHARGE. No “discussion”.  And the coffee was steaming hot!!

Have you stayed in a resort or hotel with a mini-bar?  Have you had to tell your kids over and over, don’t touch the $10 Pringles?  Been there, done that.  But, at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, not only is there a refrigerator and mini-bar, but you can actually use it… wait for it… at no extra charge!  It is restocked daily with things like Pringles, Peanut M&Ms, juice, beer, and more.

When you are at an Unlimited-Luxury^® all-inclusive resort, this is the time to try a spa.  Try kayaking.  If you love it, you can keep going.  If you hate it, nothing lost.  (Can’t imagine hating it, but you never know!).    Here are some pictures from the spa at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa.  (My biggest oohs and ahs were when I saw the showers.)

Although I am not a big drinker, I love cocktails. I think mixed drinks are delicious! But because I don’t like to feel the effects of drinking too much, I often order virgin cocktails. All the flavors of a drink, without the effects. Unfortunately no-alcohol drinks also have almost all the price of an alcohol drink. Virgin Bloody Marys are my favorite. Even my daughter loves a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri. And on vacation, in a beach location, you want to stay hydrated, hehehe, right? Some resorts I had been to, the pool or beach drink service was rare and always very high priced. Add a tip and ouch! At Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa? Nope! The pool and beach servers were always around and the drinks, whether alcohol creations or not, were served at no extra charge! No charge! Seriously. Our favorite was the no-alcohol cucumber mojitos. MMMMM, refreshing, delicious, and did I mention there was no extra charge?

3.  Participate in Activities

At Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, I was reminded of a cruise when it came to activities.  Each evening, the housekeeping staff came to do a turn-down and dropped off a newsletter with the next days activities.  Whether you like cooking classes, beach volleyball, or salsa dancing, there was truly something for everyone – even those who just like to lounge in their beach chair and watch!  Entertainment is something that is also included in the Unlimited-Luxury^{® Â}  all-inclusive Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa.  There was something different every night, from an acrobat show to a female vocal trio.

4.  Indulge in Luxury

There were so many “touches” that created an atmosphere of luxury at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa.  Things like the soft, cozy, thick white robe.  But Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa always seemed to even go one further.  Not only did you get that luxurious robe, there were even soft white slippers to match!  Not only were there large (no skimpy little bottles) or luxury bath products, at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa there were toothbrushes and amenities you don’t usually find at hotels.

A Jacuzzi tub is a must-have for a luxury room you say?  Well the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa had one in the room… and one on the patio!  Above and beyond.  When you walk in a nice hotel, someone greets you.  When my daughter and I walked into Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, someone said, “Welcome home”, handed us wet hand towels, gave me a glass of champagne and my daughter a fruity drink.  Above and beyond.  Truly, dreams come true.

One of the many things that stood out as unique at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, was the octagonal shape of the room.  It was very large and comfortable.  My daughter had fun creating this tour of the room.  I hope you have fun watching it!

5.  Leave your stress behind

When I was preparing to write this post, I googled “Reasons why people fight on vacation”.  It’s surprising how many of the things that cause stress on a vacation are eliminated with an Unlimited-Luxury^® all-inclusive resort like Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa.  And after all, isn’t that the reason you want to take a vacation?  You want to relax, renew, and leave your stress behind.

A common reason people fight on vacation is because they want to do different things.  Maybe you have a lot of stress at home and make major decisions on a regular basis.  Your idea of a vacation is to have the biggest decision be a win-win choice of, “beach or pool”.  But your partner is looking for exciting things to do and to pack every minute with an activity.  An Unlimited-Luxury^® all-inclusive resort like Dreams Riviera Cancun has the options for both.  Spend a beautiful morning, waking up to that gorgeous ocean-view.  Have breakfast in bed, or on your large patio listening to the waves breaking on the beach.  Then go your separate ways and meet up again later in the day for a few hours at the spa.  Head on separate adventures for the afternoon, then meet for dinner at a romantic restaurant.  Everyone wins.

Another common reason people argue on vacation is because they are spending too much (or too little) money.  At Unlimited-Luxury^® all-inclusive resort like Dreams Riviera Cancun, you should leave your wallet in the in-room safe.  On the last day, take it out to buy gifts, but the rest of the time, don’t even think about money, you don’t need to!

Families argue on vacation because they spend too much time together.  Whenever I travel, I consider safety, but especially when I am traveling alone with my daughter.  Let’s face it, we could be seen as a target.  While you have to be aware and have common sense anywhere you go, I felt very safe at Dreams Riviera Cancun.  Everything we needed was there.  We stayed at the resort the entire time.  There is also a place for kids to be entertained and taken care of without having a parent present, called the Explorer’s Club.  Children are checked in and secure with a fun place and activities to keep them happy and safe while you enjoy some alone time. (and… there’s no extra charge!)

But, you say, those kind of vacations are expensive.  I have a great tip for you – book early.  We are going back to the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa in January.  By booking now, we save up to 55%!  And my plan is to save every week from now until then so our entire vacation will be paid for by the time we travel.  Another idea is to use that tax return!  Cancun in January?  Escape from winter?  Recover from the holidays in sunshine?  Sounds like Dreams to me!  Click here to see Special Offers like Early Bird Booking.  When you get to “Let’s Get Started” if you have any difficulty (my browser was not cooperating), click on “Unlimited Luxury + Airfare” even if you are not booking air.  You have the opportunity in the next screens to choose, “Hotel Only” and re-enter your dates.  Or call, but be sure to tell them Kelly sent you!

I hope your Dreams come true!