10 best budget-friendly all-inclusive resorts

By Chanize Thorpe | Budget Travel – Fri, 29 Jun, 2012 8:19 PM EDT

Jolly Beach Resort & Spa (Photo: Jolly Beach Resort)

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It's a fact that all-inclusive resorts can be expensive, with the average nightly rate at some of the bigger chains running $450—per person. And when you find one in your price range there's usually a caveat—the beach is a 15-minute drive away, or the "all" only includes non-alcoholic beverages (those margaritas by the pool really add up). We here at Budget Travel love a challenge and—though it wasn't easy—we found 10 beachfront all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America (plus one Mediterranean resort so charming we couldn't resist including it) starting at $100 per person, per night. And they really are all-inclusive: a double room, three meals a day, drinks (from soda to cocktails), and lots of activities. And each one has an added bonus, too, from tennis lessons to scuba instructions. The only thing not included? Caveats.

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Jolly Beach Resort & Spa, Antigua

Set on 40 acres (including a mile of white sand), the Jolly Beach Resort & Spa is great for those who want to get out on the turquoise water. Kayaks, Hobi Cats, and paddleboats are all at the ready and there are also two pools. Would you rather just take in the view of the waves? The 464 rooms all have at least partial ocean views. The resort also has five restaurants, ranging from a casual beach take-out place to the Italian Bocciolo. Bonus A proper afternoon tea with scones and cucumber sandwiches is also offered every day in the courtyard-a nod to the island's British roots. Bolans Village, Antigua, 866/905-6559, jollybeachresort.com. From $171 per person, per night.


Majestic Colonial (Photo: Majestic Colonial)Majestic Colonial, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 

This 658-room resort in Punta Cana gives you a lot of you choice for how to spend your evening: there are eight restaurants, plus nine bars including a piano bar and a sports bar. Not that there aren't choices during the day as well: The main pool is more than 1,300 feet long (there is also a children's pool and a whirlpool) and catamarans and windsurfers are available on the beach. The snorkeling right off the beach is top-notch, and all the equipment you need is also included. Bonus Every room at the resort is a suite with a terrace or balcony (and a Jacuzzi tub). Playa Bavaro, Punta Cana, 809/221-9898, paradiseislandbahama.com. From $150 per person, per night.


Sunscape Dorado Pacifico (Photo: Majestic Colonial Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa)Sunscape Dorado Pacifico, Ixtapa, Mexico

The Sunscape's budget-friendly price makes it a deal, but most people travel here for the location on a sandy beach on quiet Playa del Palmar. The resort re-opened in November 2011 after a $10 million upgrade to all the rooms (including new furniture, flat-screen TVs, and fully renovated bathrooms) and restaurants as well as the addition of a new spa (alas, massages aren't covered in the all-inclusive rate and start at $68). There are only 285 rooms, but you'll find the choices typical of a much larger resort. There are four bars plus eight restaurants ranging from seafood to Italian to Mexican (and the small size means no reservations are required). Bonus Embrace your inner Serena Williams or Roger Federer and perfect your serve at the free tennis clinics. Paseo de Ixtapa S/N Lote 3-A, Ixtapa, 800/087-4890, sunscaperesorts.com. From $151 per person, per night.


Iberostar Costa Dorada (Photo: Iberostar Costa Dorada)Iberostar Costa Dorada, Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic

Iberostar operates six hotels in the Dominican Republic, but this resort 10 minutes from Puerto Plata gives you the most for your money. The 516 rooms (which all have either a terrace or balcony) are located in thatch-roof buildings painted cheerful shades of yellow and purple. The entire property underwent a full renovation in 2011 resulting in completely remodeled rooms, a new lobby, and a renovated kids' club. There are three a la carte restaurants (Brazilian, Mexican, and seafood from the local waters) plus a buffet restaurant. If you aren't content to just sit on the beach or the massive pool, there are activities all around the resort, from archery to merengue lessons. Bonus While some all-inclusive resorts only serve house-brand liquor, bartenders at Costa Dorada pour from imported names as well (Tanqueray, Stoli, etc.). Carretera de Luperon Km 4, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, 888/923-2722, iberostar.com. From $100 per person, per night (three-night minimum).


Barceló Langosta Beach (Photo: Barcelo Langosta Beach)Barceló Langosta Beach, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Staying here affords travelers the best of both worlds: The resort is on a secluded beach surrounded by rainforests and a national park, but is less than a mile from the popular town of Tamarindo. This is a low-key resort, with just one buffet restaurant and one a la carte restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine (there is an additional $36-$42 fee for the a la carte restaurant) and one bar, plus a small casino and an amphitheater with daily entertainment. But the 134 rooms have views of the Pacific Ocean or the estuary of Las Baulas (part of the national park). Bonus Tipping for the staff is included in the rate, so no need to reach for your wallet every time you order another round. El Robledal, Tamarindo, 800/227-2356, barcelo.com. From $180 per person, per night.


ClubHotel Riu (Photo: Club Hotel Riu)ClubHotel Riu, Negril, Jamaica

Head out to the far western tip of Jamaica and you'll find this lively beachfront resort in Negril. It is right on the beach, but the place to be is by one of the umbrella-shaded loungers around the two gigantic pools (both are well over 3,000 square feet). There is a party atmosphere here, and the complimentary mini bars and liquor dispensers in the 420 guest rooms are regularly restocked. If you want to go all out, head to the Pacha nightclub, where reggae is sure to be spinning. If you are looking for quiet, try the solarium terrace. Bonus The resort often adds credits to the Renova Spa in the all-inclusive packages, such as $20 per person toward a 50-minute massage (massages start at $100). Norman Manley Blvd., Negril, Jamaica, 888/748-4990, riu.com. From $101 per person, per night.


Coral Beach Hotel & Resort (Photo: Coral Beach Hotel and Resort)Coral Beach Hotel & Resort, Paphos, Cyprus

While the other resorts listed here are close to the U.S., this all-inclusive trades the Caribbean for the Mediterranean—and it's worth the trip. The 420-room resort is located on the edge of the UNESCO-protected Akamas Peninsula on Cyprus’s western coast. The beach is lined with blue loungers, as is the 164-foot pool (keep an eye out for members of the British Olympic swim team; they use the pool for training). Have dinner overlooking the boats bobbing in the harbor from the terrace where blue-and-white-checked tablecloths flap in the sea breeze. Then watch some local folk dancing. Who knows, after a glass or two of zivania, you might join in. Bonus If the scenic surrounding inspires your creative side, the resort offers free art classes in pottery and glass-painting. Coral Bay, Paphos, 011-357/26-88-10-00, coral.com.cy. From $144 per person, per night.


Paradise Island Harbour Resort (Photo: Paradise Island Harbour Resort)Paradise Island Harbour Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas

At just 246 rooms, this family-friendly resort is a fraction of the size of the 4,000-room Atlantis next door. But it's also a fraction of the price for the all-inclusive option. Paradise Island is on a private beach and has a large pool and three places to dine (a pool-side grill, a buffet, and a steak and seafood a la carte restaurant). Unwinding is the first order of business here, so you won't find the same 24/7 whirl of activity here as at the mega resorts. But that doesn't mean anyone in your family will be bored. The kids' camp keeps them busy with sand castle building and craft making, plus sports like pool volleyball and beach bowling. Bonus If you've ever wanted to learn how to dive, this is the place: the resort offers a complimentary scuba lesson in the pool. Harbor Dr., Paradise Island, Nassau, 888/582-0192, paradiseislandbahama.com. From $200 per person, per night.


Royal Decameron Golf Beach Resort & Villas (Photo: Royal Decameron Golf Beach Resort & Villas)Royal Decameron Golf Beach Resort & Villas, Farallón, Panama 

This 1,170-room mega resort does things big from its spot on a mile of secluded beach. There are eight pools, 10 restaurants, and 11 bars (including one swim-up), which means you’ll rarely do or see the same thing twice. Play in the Pacific with free paddleboards, kayaks, or windsurfers, or check out the local underwater residents with the provided snorkel gear. The nightlife is also big here and the party goes long after the sun sets (which probably has something to do with the open bar). Bonus Though the base-rate is for a garden-view room, each one has a terrace or balcony overlooking the tropical foliage. Avenida Principal Farallón, Km 115, 011-507/993-2255, decameron.com. From $106 per person, per night.


Krystal Cancun (Photo: Krystal Cancun)Krystal, Cancun, Mexico 
This Riviera Maya resort makes the most of its location: the pool runs lengthwise along the sand, and there's even a beachfront infinity whirlpool. The Krystal, which is in the heart of the Hotel Zone on Punta Cancun, has 453 rooms, and each one has a view of either the Caribbean Sea or Cancun Lagoon. The rooms were also renovated in December 2011 with updates like marble floors, flat-screen TVs, and rain showers—perfect for washing off all that sand. Bonus One of the downsides of an all-inclusive resort is that you have to eat every meal on-site. Krystal includes a Discover Cancun pass that covers one dinner at a local restaurant. Paseo Kukulcan Km 9.5, Cancun, 800/437-9605, krystal-hotels.com. From $100 per person, per night.

See slideshow: 10 best budget friendly all-inclusive resorts

Places to see

Aprada tepui, a remote rainforest mesa on the border of Venezuela and Guyana, is so little explored that in 2006 researchers discovered a cave - Cueva del Fantasma - large enough for a helicopter to fly into it. The area is also home to rare poison dart frogs, carnivorous plants and hundreds of other undiscovered species - and who knows, maybe a cave that can accommodate a jumbo jet




Most of the beaches in the 800-island Mergui Archipelago, Burma, have never been visited by anyone but the native sea gypsies. That means endless coastlines of virgin scuba diving. The problem is getting there - between 1940 and 1997 Mergui was off limits to outsiders, but now the Burmese government allows limited access to dive boats, though they strictly control their movements.




As far as geographers can tell, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world is Gangkhar Puensum, a 7,570 metre spine of granite marking the border between Tibet and the tiny kingdom of Bhutan. Mountaineers made failed assaults on the peak in 1985 and 1986 but couldn't knock it off. In 1998, after Bhutan blocked access to the mountain for spiritual reasons, a Chinese team tried and failed to reach the peak from the Tibetan side.




The Pan American Highway runs unbroken from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to the farthest tip of Argentina...except for a 87-kilometre break between Panama and Colombia known as the Darien Gap. Home to two national parks, this swampy, mountainous terrain has only been crossed by a handful of off road expedition vehicles and a small cohort of hikers. No wonder - impossible terrain and roaming bandits and armed guerillas have kept this one of the least visited spots on Earth.




Mexico's Yucatan is dotted with cenotes - underground lagoons; some 500 km of watery passageways have been documented crisscrossing the peninsula. Scientists and explorers, however, think there could be countless kilometres of underwater rivers and passages still to be discovered. Several local groups, including the Global Underwater Explorers, discover new caves every year.




There is no road access to Ivindo national park, in Gabon, one of the last intact and unexplored rainforests in Africa. In 2001, during his megatransect of the continent, the biologist Michael Fay discovered the Langoue Bai, deep within Ivindo, a glade where elusive forest elephants, buffalos, gorillas and chimps romp with little fear of humans.




For several years, the Japanese mountaineer Tamotsu Nakamura has catalogued the unclimbed mountains in the eastern Tibetan Nyainqentanglha range, which is tightly controlled by the Chinese government. His photos of the unclimbed peaks have the mountaineering world drooling. According to one estimate the area has 164 mountains over 6,000 metres, with 159 yet to be summited.




This vast area of thorn and scrubland on the border of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia has remained little developed because of its brutal climate. In particular, the three million hectare Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco national park, the largest in Bolivia, is an impenetrable thicket that protects some of the continent's last remaining jaguars, pumas, maned wolves, and at least one indigenous tribe that has no contact with the outside world.




Though the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula has exploded in popularity with adventure travellers, especially fly fishers, over the past decade, most of the area's rivers and streams have yet to be mapped. Last summer, a team of six veteran kayakers set out to descend as much virgin whitewater as they could as part of the Kamchatka Project expedition, which was intended to raise conservation awareness and perhaps spark a kayaking industry.




The Mozambiquan region of Mt. Mabu is so remote that scientists only discovered it when they noticed a blank spot on Google Earth in 2005. When they finally trudged into this mountainous rainforest, three years later, they discovered a whole ecosystem untouched by man, including new species of snakes, butterflies and a chameleon. Now scientists are wishing they could scrub it off the map again to keep the treasure trove safe from local loggers.




You'd think that after 5,000 years, we'd know something about the Nile and its tributaries, but the Blue Nile river, originating in Ethiopia and running through the Sudan before connecting with the main event at Khartoum, was only fully navigated for the first time in 2004 when the filmmaker Gordon Brown and Pasquale Scaturro made it from Ethiopia to Alexandria in Egypt. The river's countless tributaries and rugged terrain continue to stymie explorers and cartographers.




There are literally thousands of unclimbed and unskied peaks in British Columbia, but some of the most spectacular are in the Coast Mountains, including the 2,400-metre Spectrum Range and Rainbow Ranges. Skiers with the stamina and ambition to make the trek into the mountains can make genuine first climbing ascents and first skiing descents to their hearts' content.




The vast, unforgiving icecap covering the interior of Greenland has been an exploration blank spot, with most expeditions keeping close to the coast. But in the past decade explorers have begun venturing further and further into the interior, often by kite-ski. In June last year, the Greenland Legacy Crossing set a world record when two kite-skiers travelled an astounding 370 miles in one day in their sleds.




Taimen are the largest salmonid - think trout and salmon - in the world, with the aggressive toothy fish reaching 100 to 150 centimetres. Mongolia is one of the last refuges of the sport species, and adventurous anglers, often using ground squirrels as bait, are still finding untouched fishing tributaries off the Eg and Urr rivers in the country's north.




Off the Bonney Coast of Australia lies an underwater canyon system so deep and so vast it is only now being mapped. The maze, which reaches depths of 5,000 metres, has turned out to be a biological hotspot, with the specially equipped Southern Surveyor research vessel pulling up undiscovered species of fish and plankton almost every time it voyages out.

By Jason Daley

The world's last remaining adventures