Don't Make these Mistakes at an All-Inclusive Resort!

Hello and welcome to All Things Travel. Traveling to an all inclusive resort can be really relaxing as a vacation. Today, we're going to talk about what not to do when planning your trip to make sure that you have the best all inclusive vacation ever.  

Listen in with travel advisors and destination experts Ryan and Julie.

He's your travel professor, teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation. She's your Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. 

Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always All Things Travel.

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Transcript

Ryan: 0:00

Hello and welcome to All Things Travel. Traveling to an all inclusive resort can be really relaxing as a vacation. Today, we're going to talk about what not to do when planning your trip to make sure that you have the best all inclusive vacation ever. Listen in with travel advisors and destination experts Ryan and Julie. I'm your travel professor, teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation. And she's your Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel.

Julie: 0:47

right. So when we start planning your all inclusive vacation, there are so many resorts to you to choose, for you to choose from. Part of our role as your advisor and part of your role as planning your vacation is to make sure that you pick the right resort. We are going to share our top seven considerations when planning your all inclusive vacation.

Ryan: 1:07

So before we get to those tips, if you want to learn all about how to spend your day off at Disney, go back to last week's episode because we have activities for the entire family and adult groups. So the most important part of planning your all inclusive trip is choosing what, Julie?

Julie: 1:28

Your destination, where you're going to go.

Ryan: 1:30

Destination. That is the number one thing. Because you and I both, and this is not a knock to potential clients at all. We get asked a lot of times, I want to go to an all inclusive place here, or here, or here. And they don't have all inclusive resorts there. There are not all inclusive resorts everywhere in the Caribbean. There are not all inclusive resorts, really, in the United States, or the U. S. Virgin Islands, or Hawaii. And I do know that Hawaii is part of the United States when I said that sentence. So really thinking about the where becomes the first question. So a lot of thinking about the location comes down to a dirty little word when we're talking about resorts in the Caribbean, right, Julie? Sargasm. Not the sarcasm that you've known from me for many years, but sargasm, which is what?

Julie: 2:20

It's kind of like seaweed, but it really smells.

Ryan: 2:25

yeah. And I will say We can help you as travel advisors know generally where places are better But Sargassum has a mind of its own so we can try and we can help and there are better places than others but It's not unlikely anywhere it can be florida. It could be jamaica. It could be mexico It can be the bahamas This is just something that you deal with welcome to a tropical destination.

Julie: 2:53

With that being said, there's really three big things to think about. So you make the right choice for your destination relating to the Sargassum. The first would be the time of year because the Sargassum. Sargassum is most common at a certain time of year than it is at another. The second is the location within your destination. So for example, certain areas in Mexico are more prone to having sargassum on their beaches than others. And we do a lot of research to know which is more prone to that and which isn't. That doesn't mean that we can guarantee it won't be there. But we also are more familiar with the resorts that do a little bit of a better job of cleaning it up as well.

Ryan: 3:38

And I would say the other thing to think about with location when you're really starting to talk about travel logistics is the flight. Going to St. Lucia sounds awesome until you figure out how long it takes to get there versus Going to Bahamas or going to Cancun doesn't mean it's not worth the trip but you definitely have to consider it depending on what airports you're using and airline loyalty that you have

Julie: 4:05

absolutely. And that is one of the biggest things that I use to narrow down destinations is if a client comes to me and says that they just want to go to an all inclusive, but they don't know where I'll ask, do you want a nonstop flight or are you okay with a connecting flight? If you only want a nonstop flight right away, we've knocked out half the Caribbean, which is fine. That's absolutely fine. That's not a negative. I just don't want you to make the mistake of thinking that you can get to St. Lucia on a nonstop flight because chances are you can't,

Ryan: 4:40

Between chicago and indianapolis if somebody says they want a direct flight that's either cancun or jamaica

Julie: 4:47

not even

Ryan: 4:48

gives us a lot of gives us a lot of options, but, you know, you really, that, that whittles it down very quickly.

Julie: 4:56

Yeah, it whittles down the destination and then you've got plenty of resorts to choose

Ryan: 5:01

Yeah, that's what I mean. That's what I mean.

Julie: 5:03

So when you're choosing a resort destination, make sure that the resort has the beach or the pool that you're envisioning and that you aren't wasting a whole day of traveling if you're only taking a short trip.

Ryan: 5:13

Number four then resorts are going to post the most beautiful beach pictures on their site And those aren't always accurate and up to date So we'll talk you through whether you're a beach person or a pool person because that can really play a role in Choosing the resort that you have Julie and I a couple years ago We're on a resort tour trip in Cancun and the resort that we stayed at was Had really, really good pools. They did not have very good beaches. So I like a pool. I don't necessarily need the beach. My guess is Julie. You might be the opposite

Julie: 5:51

Yeah. I need a nice beach. It's really important. You would hate to, Plan a trip on your own by researching and googling and looking at reviews and then show up to your resort thinking you're going to relax on a beautiful beach, take a long walk, enjoy the waves, and then you show up and you learn the beach is really narrow, it's full of sargassum, or it's even maybe unswimmable. Similarly, if there's not an adults only beach or pool area and you're only traveling with adults, it might not be the relaxing trip that you've imagined.

Ryan: 6:27

There is a lot to think of there. I'm thinking of going to Moon Palace a couple years ago the beach was actually nice, but it was not big. I would definitely say people could be out there having a good time. Moon Palace is not known as a beach resort, so they really have awesome pools. But they have family pools, and then they have what they call the adults day club. And it's an adults only kind of compound and it was amazing, but yeah if I was an adults only trip, which I was, I don't really want to be around families necessarily. And so, yeah, really understanding what is it you're looking for in a resort and do they have those amenities.

Julie: 7:07

If you're thinking about starting to plan a trip to an all inclusive and you just google best all inclusive resort in Mexico, sure, you're going to get a list, but the resorts are probably paying to be on that list in some way, so it's not the most accurate or the most honest

Ryan: 7:24

And it comes down to when we talk about food, right? Somebody's best is somebody else's meh, or I don't want that at all. Yeah.

Julie: 7:33

Yes. Yes.

Ryan: 7:34

Alright, so we have a couple considerations and things to avoid when planning your next trip. But first, Julie, I want to talk about where in the world does all things travel? So this week, as I looked through locations for listeners, I wanted to find an international destination. And the top international destination that came up, that I don't believe we've talked about before, was Montreal, Quebec. Have you been to Montreal?

Julie: 8:00

No, that sounds awesome.

Ryan: 8:01

So I have not been to Montreal, but I was in Quebec, and I didn't even know I was going to be in Quebec. I was at a work trip in Ottawa, and I had the morning before I was flying back, there was a cultural history museum that I wanted to go see, and I crossed the bridge. And about halfway across the bridge, all the signage changed to French. And I'm like, Oh! I'm in Quebec now! I didn't even know that! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Julie: 8:30

my gosh.

Ryan: 8:31

So, Montreal, where I want to meet our listener is a place that I have seen about Montreal before, and I really want to experience. It's the Underground City. And so it is a series of interconnected office towers, hotels, shopping centers. Commercial complexes, universities, performing arts centers, and they all have these tunnels underground so during the winter time people can be in and out of those areas without being outside. Altogether, Julie, The largest underground complex in the world. Doesn't that sound like a cool place to see?

Julie: 9:12

That does. And I can't even imagine. That sounds so neat.

Ryan: 9:16

I have seen similar things in other kind of winter ish cities, but not underground like that. It just fascinates me, the idea of it. So, hey Montreal! Bonjour, we are so glad you're listening to All Things Travel. Do us a favor, reach out to Julie or myself, either via email or on the Facebook group, cause I would love to send a little thank you note up to you in Montreal with a little gift for being featured on today's show.

Julie: 9:44

Okay, so we've got three more things to consider to make sure that you have the best all inclusive vacation for your next trip. Number five is going to be don't over plan, but do prepare for your excursion. Yeah, after you've chosen your destination, thinking about everything that you're looking for, make sure that you don't over plan your trip. If you're traveling for five to seven days, consider planning an excursion or resort activity for two to three of those days at most.

Ryan: 10:13

no more than that. No, no

Julie: 10:15

no more than that, especially if you're leaving with a resort for some of those because those are typically a full day excursion and that it can be a long day. You want to make sure you have time to relax, but I know personally for me if I spend an entire week sitting on a beach at an all inclusive resort. Like it sounds great in theory, but I feel like a beached whale by the end of it because all I'm doing is sitting and all I'm

Ryan: 10:37

after the breakfast buffets

Julie: 10:38

yes, all you're doing is sitting and eating and drinking. So you want to plan something, but you don't want to schedule every moment of your trip. If you are planning on doing an excursion, you need to be prepared and pack items that you'll need. Such as reef safe sunscreen water shoes and the appropriate clothing.

Ryan: 10:57

Absolutely So the next one number six is check dining reservations and the dress code at a lot of resorts you do need to plan out either make reservations beforehand or at least have an idea of what are the top reservations that you want to get once you're there. Check the resort website to find out if you'll need to make them ahead of time for dining and spa reservations, things like that. Some resorts prefer that you do this 30 days in advance, while others prefer that you do it on site. Sometimes, depending on the level that you're at, concierge level will help you do these, or you have to go down to the desk every morning and reserve those. I know, again, I brought up Moon Palace a few minutes ago. Their app actually populates the day of check in. So, you don't have access to the reservations until that day, but even before you check in, you can make those reservations for your trip. And also, then, read up on the dress code so you can pack accordingly. For a lot of these places, resort, casual, or kind of, Mid resort casual is fine, but you don't want to get there and not have the right stuff.

Julie: 12:05

If you have brought only shorts and a nice restaurant requires pants, they're not gonna let you

Ryan: 12:11

Yeah, I would say, guys, throw in a pair of khakis, or if nothing else, a nicer pair of jeans, and you'll be good to go at most restaurants.

Julie: 12:20

Yeah, and definitely let's let's point out. It's usually the guys that have not brought the correct

Ryan: 12:25

Correct. Yes. Yes.

Julie: 12:28

Okay, so this is something that is always high on my list and I want to make sure that when you choose your all inclusive resort trip, you're thinking about this too. If you have kids with you, make sure you check what activities are available for the kids. The resort website should have information about that. Otherwise, I like to go and read reviews of people who have traveled there recently. You can't usually book kids into an adults only resort, of course, but not all family friendly resorts have activities for kids.

Ryan: 13:02

Yes. That is true.

Julie: 13:04

So just because the resort says it's family friendly and kids are, you know, for lack of a better term allowed, doesn't mean that it's kid friendly in the sense that there's going to be things to entertain your kid, some resorts I'll have a full water park and other resorts don't even have like a kid's splash pad. And I know I personally would be miserable if I showed up at a resort and they didn't even have a splash pad for my kid to enjoy. That would not be a relaxing vacation for me.

Ryan: 13:32

Now, the opposite of that is, if you are looking for a family friendly resort, there are places that have amazing kids clubs and kids centric activities. So, overall there's a lot to consider when you're planning an all inclusive trip for your family, or adults only, or a couple. So follow our seven considerations to make sure that you have the best all inclusive trip ever.

Julie: 13:59

You want to plan a trip to an amazing all inclusive resort but don't know how to get started? As your travel advisors, we work with you to create a customized itinerary for your vacation and take the stress of planning away so you can focus on the fun and creating memories. You can reach me at julie at creatingmagicvacations. com

Ryan: 14:17

You can reach me, Ryan, at CreatingMagicVacations. com We look forward to talking to you next week on All Things Travel where we highlight a great road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway record. Record. Hello and welcome to All Things Travel.