| | 3 things I learned | | by Ellie Nan Storck, Managing editor, hotels | |  | I've never been much of a beach resort traveler.
Boutique properties and slightly off-the-beaten-path lodgings tend to be my cup of tea, but after nearly two years at The Points Guy, I figured it was high time this hotel editor got some all-inclusive beach resort experience under her belt.
And I have to say: Now I get it.
This summer, I spent a week in Isla Mujeres, an island off the coast of Cancun, splitting my time between Almare, Marriott's first adults-only, all-inclusive resort in the brand's Luxury Collection, and the Hyatt-owned Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets. I learned a few key things about all-inclusive beach vacations during my stay.
First and foremost? The fact that you can use points to book these properties feels almost too good to be true. Whether you have a hotel cobranded card or transfer credit card points to Marriott Bonvoy or World of Hyatt, the value is real.
Within a few hours of arriving at Almare, I was pinching myself because not only was the resort simply stunning — think bright, airy spaces and expertly landscaped flora and fauna — but it also felt like everything was available in abundance, toppling all of my preconceived notions about the all-inclusive concept.
Secondly, the days felt like they stretched on luxuriously because there was so much to do (or not to do). I was either spending endless, blissed-out hours drifting from oceanside chaise lounges to the swim-up bar at the pool or bopping around the resort testing out different included activities (at Impression, I managed to create my own body scrub at the spa before a lengthy tequila tasting and still got in several hours at the beach).
The last thing that surprised me about my experience was the food, which far exceeded my expectations based on the off-putting lore I'd heard about lackluster food at all-inclusive resorts. Despite being floored by all the variety, I found the local cuisine was by far the best. I opted for Mexican restaurants nearly the entire time and recommend choosing the local cuisine when it's an option — you can taste the authenticity.
How to book these hotels on points (and save money): - Almare: Rates from 78,000 Marriott Bonvoy points versus $569 per night
- Impression Isla Mujeres: Rates from 42,000 (off-peak) to 58,000 (peak) World of Hyatt points versus $1,200 per night
I could go on and on, but the best way to decide if an all-inclusive resort is right for you is to save up those points using one of TPG's favorite travel credit cards and get to planning!
Here are a few articles to help you learn more:
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