Getting Restless on an All-Inclusive Resort Honeymoon
My all-inclusive resort honeymoon is starting to feel a bit like luxury confinement. Want to leave the resort? It will cost you. The public transportation I typically rely on when traveling is not so easy to find via the resorts of the Mexican Riviera.
Wonderful, relaxing, blissful - I admit, I admit. But can you blame me for wanting to mix in SOME exploring?
Tom and I have never stayed at an all-inclusive for longer than a few days, figuring we’d get restless. Even our Mediterranean cruise enabled us to get off the ship nearly every day, where we could easily get around on our own and call our own shots until getting back onboard each night. Here…I’m starting to feel a bit restless. Zoetry Aqua in Punta Cana, the first all-inclusive stop on our honeymoon, which I will write about in detail later, was perfect for unwinding; the perfect amount of time, the perfect location, the perfect everything for right after a wedding. Now, on my second full day at an all-inclusive honeymoon resort in Mexico, I’m starting to feel a bit restless.
Which makes me feel guilty.
Here I am in what may be the nicest hotel room I am ever going to stay in with its swim-up plunge pool, massive whirlpool tub, outdoor bed on the patio that is draped in gauzy fabric for privacy, and I just want to leave it to go explore what’s lying outside the resort.
I’m trying to remind myself that’s not what this vacation is about. This trip isn’t about exploring, it’s about completely relaxing – I’ve read three novels so far on this vacation, I think I’ve ready maybe two books in the past year that weren’t me getting swept up in the Twilight saga – and it’s about starting my marriage with Tom as stress-free as can happen.
If there’s one thing that I can attest all-inclusives are good for, it’s keeping things stress-free. Oh, but wait, I am a little stressed. I am an hour from Tulum and I’m not going to go. Same with Xcaret – a place I’ve been told time and again is amazing, but it’s not going to happen this trip . Not going to these places inherently stresses me out. Tom assures me we’ll be back to the Mexican Riviera someday. But what if we don’t? What if this is my one chance and I’m spending it lounging on a pool chair, being lazy.
Although, if you believe what the glossy women’s magazine say (of which I’ve read several this vacation) everyone needs some time to unwind, de-stress, and do absolutely nothing sometimes.
To which I say I am obliging – but not completely. I am hanging out with my new husband, who I adore more now than ever before, despite him currently reading over my shoulder on our big, plush king size resort-comfy bed teasing me that he’s the only husband in the world who brings his wife on a luxury honeymoon to a foreign country and she bemoans that it’s not worldly enough. Same guy who had his old college professor who married us make sure to mention that he will be taking me to Machu Picchu as soon as he can fit it into school.
Sigh, have I mentioned I love this guy? Now excuse me, I must head back to my plunge pool – my favorite part of our Mexico all-inclusive resort honeymoon – and the fourth book I just downloaded on my kindle.
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I'm a travel marketer and travel writer. My husband, Tom, is getting his MBA and never stops studying. We have two cats. We have a mortgage. We have a passion for traveling. We have limited vacation time and funds.
Our friends and family wonder how we travel so much.
Here's how I balance it all and maximize travel time and getting the most out of a destination when time is short.
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Relaxing stresses me out. All-inclusive resorts drive me mad too, I feel like I should be doing/experiencing/seeing something anything. It’s usually around day 3 or 4 where I realize, “Hey, this is pretty awesome. I could do this for a lot longer!”
Yes, I must say, when it was time to leave after doing two days of excursions in a row, I definitely wouldn’t have minded some more days there to relax!
I feel your pain. I just can’t laze for a long time (I get bored). Sorry to say this but Xcaret is great. The ruins of Tulum are so-so if you have explored bigger Mayan ruins. Hope you can go back one day and take a look at all the sights.
Yeah, I’ve been to Chichen Itza so felt a bit ok missing Tulum, but still a bit bummed about Xcaret! Next time for sure.
My wife and I eat ice cream and stare at the specials wall of the travel agent occasionally. A lot of it is the all inclusive stuff and though the destinations definitely appeal, the idea of actually spending 14 days stuck in a hotel sounds unpleasant. Well, I would be fine perhaps with a laptop and internet, but really sitting doing nothing for solong would not be a good use of our limited vacation time. Even still, I did take a 6 day transatlantic cruise 3 times and found enough to keep my self plenty occupied for the length.
Same Same! I actually started going to all inclusives for 1-2 nights while I travel just for the relax, get away from the backpacking tiredness. But like you, I get kinda restless… and really full from eating and drinking as much as I can. As if I won’t be fed when I leave? haha
Agree that a couple nights is an ideal amount of time for an all-inclusive. And all that food is pretty nice. Quite sure I gained a few pounds while there.
I’m not sure I could handle an all-inclusive for more than a few days. The relaxing and doing nothing and the awesome pool sound great, but I’m with you, it would torture me to know there were these incredible sights within a couple hours and not be able to go.
Yeah, it was definitely a different change of pace from what I’m used to. Glad to hear I’m not the only one who feels that way!
I’ve done all inclusive resorts a few times as part of family vacations, and we all start feeling a bit restless after a few days. Yes, the beaches are pristine and the food is great, but after a few days of looking at the same ocean, I’m ready to head out and explore! I usually book a few day tours during my stays.
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Hi Audrey, great to hear from you! Agree that day tours can definitely help break up the monotony of an all-inclusive. Just wish they weren’t quite so expensive!
I actually admire people who can completely tune out, unplug and stay content to just hang at an AI resort for a week without feeling the siren call of what’s on the other side of the fence, down the road, or over there. My adorable partner referred to that as “going off world”. Now that we stay “off world” in Mexico I always get a chuckle at the people who stumble out of cabs in downtown Puerto Morelos. Their facial expressions are either: “Thank God, THIS is Mexico!! Phew! Happy to be off world” or “OMG WHERE THE HELL AM I? THIS MUST BE MEXICO!!” But never bland or expressionless.
Lol, that does sound like it would be entertaining! We had that feeling after getting dropped off in the middle of Playa del Carmen for an evening while there, except we were dashing around happily, glad to be on real streets again.
I did an all-inclusive once in Tenerife and I don’t think I’d do it again in a hurry. I couldn’t get away from my budget travel roots, so I’d approach each day like I had to get the most value for money possible. I’d eat and eat and eat, and drink as much as humanly possible. Haha, it was not so good for my health!
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Haha, I agree that all-inclusives can be bad for health – and weight! I usually need to do a detox after I get back from them.