What are the best Marriott All-Inclusive beach hotels and resorts? There are very few All-Inclusive Marriott hotels, and these include the Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal in Costa Rica, Armar House, and All-Inclusive in Cancun. More recently, Marriott acquired Elegant Hotels Group, which owns and operates seven luxury hotels with 588 All-Inclusive hotel rooms on the Caribbean island of Barbados.
Last summer (2019), Marriott announced it was launching a Marriott All-Inclusive platform for many of its more upscale and luxury brands including Ritz-Carlton, Luxury Collection, Marriott Hotels, W Hotels, Autograph Collection, and even Westin Hotels and Delta by Marriott.
More All-Inclusive hotels are also available to Marriott Bonvoy loyalty members because of the Elegant Hotels Group’s acquisition, so six new Marriott Bonvoy properties have been added to the Marriott All-Inclusive portfolio, located on the Platinum Coast on the western side of Barbados, known for its beautiful white-sand beaches. Almost all of the hotels are all-inclusive, with two being adults-only properties. Elegant Hotels Group All Inclusive hotels are expected to be available for Marriott points earning and redemptions by summer 2020.
Marriott’s plan is for All-Inclusive W Hotels to cater to adults, while Marriott properties will be more family-focused. Five new-build, All-Inclusive properties include a 650-room Autograph Collection resort expected to open in 2022 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The other four properties will be found in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, and will be part of a “flagship, All-Inclusive destination” called NIA.
The 220-acre project will include a 240-room Ritz-Carlton resort and a 400-room Westin Hotels resort (both expected to open in 2023), followed by a 300-room Autograph Collection resort and a 500-room Marriott Hotels resort, slated to open in 2025.
For now, why not consider upgrading to Club Level at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, which will include all the drinks (including alcoholic drinks) and all the food you could wish for with five servings a day? In most respects, these Club Levels offer All-Inclusive, although you have to be in the lounge to take advantage of the food and drink. In Cancun, we have selected the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton for their excellent club levels, even though both hotel lounges are internal rooms.
If you want a club lounge with a pool, where you can be served complimentary cocktails poolside rather than in a lounge environment, why not try one of the resorts Ritz-Carltons in Asia like the Ritz-Carlton Bali?
There are currently two best Marriott points earning All-Inclusive hotels within the Marriott portfolio that we know of, available for earning and spending your loyalty points. These are:
1. Westin Golf Resort & Spa in Costa Rica
Westin Golf Resort & Spa in Costa Rica is a Rewards Category 8 property. This All-Inclusive, eco-friendly retreat is set between the exotic forests and unspoiled beaches of Costa Rica’s North Pacific Riviera.
At 2,400 acres, this All-Inclusive resort offers all you need to thrive: a lagoon-style pool, a WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio, tennis courts, and championship golf. Relax fully with the Westin® Kids Club, complimentary fine dining, and The Spa.
There are 406 stunning guest rooms with a refreshment center stocked daily and Westin Heavenly® Beds. All have a balcony or terrace, which is ideal for soaking up the sun and views. Although this resort is large, it feels boutique with wonderful resort grounds and small, two-story, 8-room villas clustered up and down winding paths with lots of lush greenery and wildlife, including birds, coatis, and howler monkeys.
2. Armar House All-Inclusive
Armar House, All-Inclusive, is another Marriott Bonvoy hotel that is All-Inclusive.
They say: “Armar House is a new All-Inclusive Resort located in the ever-vibrant beaches of Cancun and close to some of the most alluring and exciting destinations in the area. Hit the scene and experience Mayan culture by exploring nearby archaeological sites or cenotes – underground swimming holes – full of mystery and fascination. An alternate escape route is found by nighttime when epic parties come alive at lively clubs and bars. Indulge yourself in expertly-curated meals, therapeutic Spa treatments, and top workouts…”
The hotel is 4.7 km away from Museo Maya de Cancun. Restaurants, nightclubs, and golf courses are a stroll from the hotel. There are shops, bookstores, and chemists nearby.
Every day a hot breakfast is served in the dining room. Guests can savor tea and coffee in the beach bar. 20-minute drive will take guests to Cancun International airport. Facilities within the hotel include a swimming pool, tennis court, a gym, and a jogging track. Unfortunately, reviews are sparse on the quality of this resort and the food available.
3. The House
Although it is hard to be confident about which of the Elegant Hotels are best, Crystal Cove has voted the top 5 hotels in the Caribbean & Central America via Conde’ Nast 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards. The House was ranked number 2 in the Best Hotel in Barbados and number 44 in The Caribbean via 2019 U.S. News & World.
The House is certainly a very special All-Inclusive hotel that is expected to shortly become a Marriott All-Inclusive. Its sits on a gorgeous patch of sandy beach on Barbados’ West Coast, The House is the beachside version of a hip downtown hotel.
This hotel is ultra-chic, with white love seats and torches in the evening. For food lovers, Daphne’s is found right on the beach, which focuses on Italian seafood and can be booked for your evening meal (note: this All-Inclusive appears to include canapes in the evening but not the main meal.
Let your Hotel Ambassador organize your complimentary jet-lag massage, a round of golf at nearby Apes Hill Golf Course, spa treatments in a beachside cabana, or try your hand at the complimentary water sports. Also included is complimentary afternoon tea and evening canapés.
4. The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun
OK, The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, is not actually all-inclusive. Still, if you book into this hotel on the executive club level with its free drinks and food (5 servings) throughout the day, you are getting almost all of the benefits of an All-Inclusive Marriott even though “All-Inclusive” isn’t officially on the label.
Resting on the tip of the exotic Yucatan peninsula is The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, a AAA Five Diamond resort. This Rewards Category 6 luxury resort offers an enticing stretch of white sand beach, indulgent amenities such as the full-service Ritz-Carlton Spa and award-winning restaurants, and the intrigue of the ancient Mayan sites nearby. Recreational facilities include a 1200-foot sand beach, two sculpted outdoor pools, an oceanfront whirlpool, two tennis courts, and Fitness Center.
The resort has 363 guestrooms, including 50 suites with ocean views and private balconies or terraces. Each of the resort’s guestrooms and suites is a sanctuary of comfort featuring sweeping ocean views and a wealth of welcome amenities. For families with infants, specially designed rooms offer all the comforts of a home nursery, including a crib, a changing table, and a menu of baby essentials that can be ordered prior to arrival.
Guestroom amenities include Egyptian cotton linen and duvet covers, television with international cable, CD Player, individual air conditioning controls, fully stocked refreshment cabinet, multi-line telephones with data ports and voice mail, high speed, Wi-Fi Internet access, in-room safe, marble bath with double vanities and separate tub and shower, plush terry bathrobes and more.
Whether sampling Five Diamond cuisine, dining al fresco under the stars, or attending a tequila tasting session featuring the finest and most exclusive varieties, guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, will experience innovative cuisine with unparalleled service.
The Ritz-Carlton Club Level provides guests with the highest level of personal service with five complimentary food presentations daily. Worth noting Platinum and elite Marriott Bonvoy members don’t get free lounge access. Everyone who uses this lounge has paid for a club room.
Often referred to as a hotel within a hotel, this oasis offers a dedicated concierge who attends to individual needs in a well-appointed, relaxed lounge environment. The Club Level food includes breakfast, lunch, light snacks, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, chocolates, and Cordials.
Beyond the food, there is also a selection of wines, liqueurs, beers, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages available, complimentary wireless, in-room internet access, and two garments pressed daily.
This lounge is super smart, with double-height ceilings and intricately carved wall features and the whole lounge is designed in browns and olives with lots of wood and thick chunky marble. The meals are excellent and filling, you will not be disappointed, and you will leave full (both with food and alcohol if you want).
5. JW Marriott Resort & Spa Cancun
Also in Cancun is the JW Marriott Resort & Spa Cancun which is a Rewards Category 6 Marriott Bonvoy hotel. This hotel is fabulous, with an excellent club lounge, which means it could be considered All-Inclusive if you book a club room.
JW Marriott Resort & Spa Cancun has upscale amenities, including spacious, sand-toned accommodations and on-site dining. Explore the historic Mayan ruins and experience the area’s lively clubs and bars. Relax in the family-friendly freeform pools or adult-only infinity pools, or work out at the fitness center, featuring cardio equipment and free weights. The beach here is white sand with a glorious blue sea. Wonderful! There’s an indoor pool and arcade-style game machines for rainy days for the kids.
Be aware of the extra charges at this hotel. Private cabanas cost $250 USD a day, and you can reserve lounge chairs with prime ocean views for $180 USD a day. Ouch! Reports suggest that you are also meant to tip the staff for the free drinks in the club lounge.
The JW Marriott, like The Ritz-Carlton and other big hotels in Cancun, is in the Hotel Zone, around half an hour by car from Cancun Airport (CUN). The JW Marriott is around a kilometer south of The Ritz-Carlton. The foyer is beautiful, with lots of marble, pillars, and huge flower arrangements.
The Club and Club level rooms have been renovated. Club rooms are modern with tiled floors, pine headboards with Mayan patterning on, and blue and tan hues bringing the beach inside. Bathrooms are large and stylish, with nice rough stone tiling on the walls and Aromatherapy amenities.
The lounge looks equally appealing, with the same tan and blue hues and wonderful windows looking out towards the ocean. This is a really nice and stylish place to hang out.
Inspired by the great pyramid of Kukulcán, the executive club lounge labeled Club 91 is an exclusive haven of luxury. Located on the 14th and 12th floors of the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Club 91 guests experience exclusive privileges and a lavish array of world-class amenities.
Is this JW Marriott “Club 91” Lounge worth paying the extra for (usually around $20 USD per person per room)? This is a common question as Platinum, and elite Marriott Bonvoy members don’t get free lounge access. Like the process at Ritz-Carlton hotels, even elites need to pay for access. They say: “A rate with Club 91 access must be booked in order to take advantage of Club 91 benefits. It is not included in Reward Member benefits.”
There are mixed thoughts on whether this lounge is worth paying for. If you have club lounge access, you get free breakfast, free evening snacks, and alcoholic drinks. Throughout the day, you have snacks and soft drinks. If you like a few evening alcoholic drinks, the lounge is probably worth paying for as you get free breakfast, free evening nibbles, and those valuable free drinks. If you only drink soft drinks, this lounge may not be as valuable to you as the hotel is in an area that feels safe, with plenty of local restaurants in the area that offer good value for money, so you may prefer to do this.
If you decide to book into the lounge, expect five decent food events daily with rotating hot dishes and cold cuts, cheeses, smoked salmon, and veggies. An open bar is available from early in the evening.
6. The Ritz-Carlton Bali
The Ritz-Carlton Bali is possibly the best All-Inclusive style Ritz-Carlton as if you book their club lounge, you have access to the exclusive Ritz-Carlton club pool area with free drinks and food.
Offering 313 spacious and sumptuously appointed suites and villas in an elegant tropical ambiance, The Ritz-Carlton Bali is a luxurious resort benefitting from a stunning clifftop and beachside setting. It also has one of the best club lounges in Bali.
Tranquil views over the azure waters of the Indian Ocean are the perfect setting for resort guests to indulge in an idyllic romantic, family, or business interlude. Along the foreshore are The Ritz-Carlton Club, six stylish dining venues, an indulgent and exotic marine-inspired Spa, a glamorous beachfront chapel, fun and recreational activities at Ritz Kids, and extensive meeting and celebratory event venues for a stay that makes memories that last a lifetime. Guests can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, access to Ritz Kids (Kids Club), a daily schedule of recreational activities, and refreshments served every hour by the pool.
Experience exquisite service at The Ritz-Carlton Club® with your own exclusive Ritz-Carlton Club Concierge. This club lounge is great, with its own private pool and a manned cocktail bar. Ritz-Carlton hotels don’t offer free club lounge access to Marriott Bonvoy elite members. You only get lounge access if you book a club room or many Ritz-Carlton resorts offer discounted lounge fees to elite members. At this Ritz-Carlton, the rates are around $80 USD per person to upgrade or $60 USD per person to upgrade if you are elite.
This particularly excellent club lounge is located in its own villa, halfway between the bottom of the lobby and the beach. Ritz-Carlton club lounges have always been exceptional and are usually the best in their particular city. They offer an extensive breakfast, light lunch, afternoon tea, light dinner, and desserts. This lounge offers red and white wine and beer all day with special cocktails, spirits, and after-dinner liquors. The food on offer is massively generous. It will fill you up and makes paying for access to this lounge worthwhile. There are at least 2 Chefs at any one time to cook up items to order. Breakfast options include everything you could wish for, including Lobster scrambled eggs.
Every food presentation includes a full buffet as well as 4 hot items. Lunch onwards also has canapes. The food quality is exceptional in this club lounge and skews towards Indonesian specialties, Japanese Sushi and Sashimi, and Seafood and breaks down as follows: breakfast, light buffet lunch, afternoon tea, evening hors d’oeuvres, cordials, and desserts.
Ritz-Carlton Bali Club benefits include:
- Personalized check-in and check-out experience at the Club Lounge
- Five food and beverage presentations daily at the Club Lounge
- Sundowner Cocktails by the Club Lounge Pool with a choice of house spirits, wines and beer
- Two pieces complimentary laundry service per day per villa or suite
- 2 pieces complimentary garments pressing per room upon check-in
- Exclusive access to Club Swimming Pool
- Experience daily Balinese traditional cultural activity making
7. Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Resort
Both Ritz-Carlton’s in Naples are excellent, and both have club lounges. The Ritz-Carlton Naples Golf Resort is just ten minutes away by car or resort shuttle from The Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach. Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Resort probably has the best club lounge of all and is probably the best Ritz-Carlton in Florida.
The Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach is an impressive five-star with soaring floor-to-ceiling windows, chandeliers. It is ideal for families, weddings (there is a marvelous Vanderbilt Ballroom), and conventions. For the All-Inclusive feel, book a Club Room to get free food and drinks throughout the day.
Pros of the Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Resort include:
- Stunning Gulf of Mexico views from your room
- Gorgeous beach reached by a wooden walkway
- Super pool with water slides for the kids
- Excellent spa and fitness center with its many exercise classes
- Drop-off, supervised kids’ club for those aged 5 through 12 years & children’s scavenger hunt. Excellent activities are included in half and full day sessions. Animal education with real-life animals along with snacks and crafts to take home are all included
- For teens there is a video game room at the Beach Resort
- Beautiful sunsets
The Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Resort club lounge feels intimate and cozy compared to other resorts in Florida, such as the Ritz-Carlton Orlando. The sunset views from the lounge are a major selling point and mean that you don’t have to head down to the beach to enjoy the stunning sunset.
This club lounge offers 5 meals a day and an excellent breakfast with three hot stations with bacon, scrambled eggs, and pieces of French toast or pancakes. There’s also a cold breakfast buffet of smoked salmon, charcuterie, fruits and yogurt, muffins, croissants, bread, and gluten-free options. A Nespresso machine can be used for coffee.
At lunch, there’s bread, deli meat, and sliced cheese to make sandwiches, wraps, small sandwiches, chicken, and salad.
The club lounge champagne is Pommery and is available in Brut and Rose throughout the day, as are soft drinks and cookies (5 different types). There are sunset views from the lounge if you don’t want to head down to the beach.
In the evening, there are hors d’oeuvres and chef-prepared dishes.
8. Ritz-Carlton South Beach, Miami
The Ritz-Carlton South Beach is an oceanfront luxury hotel inside a historic property designed by Morris Lapidus in the heart of the Art Deco District. It features a wonderful swimming pool, a stunning art collection, a modern spa, and an excellent Spanish restaurant Tatel.
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach club lounge is located on the 10th floor and is reserved for Ritz-Carlton Club Level guests, only those staying in rooms on the ninth and 10th floors. The renovation in around 2017 reimagined the space to create more of a social, lobby-lounge feel, encouraging interactive experiences with guests.
There are five daily food presentations featuring select dishes off the menu of Bistro One LR, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, and biweekly cooking demonstrations from chef du cuisine Luis Quant and pastry chef John Martinez.
A mixologist prepares seasonal cocktails for guests at a weekly Cocktail Action Station. Other events, such as trunk shows, Espa product presentations, and wine and Champagne tastings from select vineyards, are also included if you have club lounge access.
9. Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne
Just 9 miles/ 14 km from the main Miami airport, this tropical island oasis is set on the eastern shore of a unique island that offers guests a tranquil haven surrounded by golden sands (if thin and seaweedy – see below), gentle waters, and towering palms. With a décor inspired by West Indies Colonial design, the 12-acre oceanfront resort captures the beauty of its waterfront setting with floor-to-ceiling lobby windows that offer the first dramatic glimpse of palm gardens and the Atlantic Ocean.
450 guest rooms, including 37 suites, 64 Ritz-Carlton Club level rooms, and suites, each overlooking either the water or gardens. All guestrooms and suites welcome guests with feather beds and down comforters, Frette linens, and comfortable, Caribbean-inspired furnishings.
This hotel is not in central Miami and is instead 20-30 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Miami Beach. The beach here is somewhat disappointing, narrow, and full of seaweed, and golfing options are limited too.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne club lounge gets excellent reviews and offers food presentations daily, breakfast, lunch, mid-day snacks and fine selections of wines, liqueurs, beers and non-alcoholic beverages. There is complimentary wireless in-room Internet access for Club guests along with the pressing of two garments pressed daily.
This exclusive All-Inclusive lounge is on the 9th floor and features endless beverage and culinary offerings throughout the day, coupled with the finest personal service. Views from the lounge and adjacent Club Level guest rooms boast stunning panoramas of Key Biscayne and Biscayne Bay.
We highly recommend booking a room on the Club floor. It will almost undoubtedly work out cheaper than booking a standard room as you have all your meals catered for, for free, and the food in the lounge is excellent. A full breakfast buffet is served daily. Sandwiches are provided for lunch and heavy hors-d’oeuvres for the early evening (lobster, crab, and other delicious offerings). You may choose to eat all your meals there and will certainly use it for breakfast and snacks and, of course, alcoholic drinks, which are available 24/7. You can choose from wine, Champagne, beer, spirits, and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages are available throughout the day.
Kids are welcome here. The lounge has a dedicated kids’ room, fully stocked with classic board games, TV entertainment, puzzles, and more. Along with glass candy, jars are filled with various delectable delights like the Executive Pastry Chef’s delicious cookies.
The lounge is marginally superior when comparing the lounge and property to the Ritz-Carlton in Naples. Still, the beach and the golf and the sheer busyness of this hotel let it down when compared to other Ritz-Carlton’s in Florida.
10. Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
This is the hotel with the best club lounge for the theme parks of Disney and Universal and Sea World. While on-site hotels at both parks have club lounges, none is better than the club lounge at this Ritz-Carlton. Once again, whilst it is not All-Inclusive, it offers free food and drink in the club-level lounge, the perfect place to enjoy the Disney evening fireworks.
The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando is a great luxury hotel choice. It is located in the Grande Lakes part of the city, within a short free shuttle ride to Disney and Universal (included with the resort fee of $35 USD per day). The resort fee also includes Wi-Fi, phone calls, the driving range, some kids’ activities, access to and floaties at the JW Marriott lazy river, and shuttle transport to Disney and SeaWorld (reservation required at least 24 hours in advance) and a one-hour bike rental.
The hotel is next door to the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Orlando Airport (MCO), and parking fees are around $40 USD per night if you have driven to the hotel.
I would choose this hotel because it offers luxury nearby the theme parks and an excellent club lounge. It also has three wonderful pools, a Ritz-Carlton Spa, a Greg Norman-designed golf course, and 11 dining options. You can also use the lazy river next door at the JW Marriott, which kids and the young at heart will love. The Ritz-Carlton Spa is also not to be missed, with its 40 treatment rooms, salon, private heated lap pool, and healthy spa café. Of note, the JW Marriott does not have a club lounge. Hence, you do better booking into a Club Room at the Ritz-Carlton and then taking advantage of the magnificent lazy river at the JW Marriott during your stay whilst retaining access to the RC club lounge.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes is ideal for families, providing convenient access to nearby Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios attractions; plus, the Ritz Kids program is a favorite, and special excursions like kayaking, fishing instruction, and eco-tours allow for adventures while remaining in this 500-acre resort.
The highlight for me here is the pool, both here and next door at the JW Marriott, with its lazy river and the incredible views of the resort holiday fireworks from the club lounge balcony.
The club lounge is on the 14th floor and is classic in design with orange and cream tones, mainly orange soft furnishings, and creamy marbles. The long thin room is shuttered to one side with windows. The buffet here is delicious and filling, with 5 food presentations per day. You can take a tour via the video on the Ritz-Carlton website.
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