32 Caribbean All-Inclusive Resorts Americans Regret Booking

The all-inclusive deal is an American dream come true. Pay once, wear a wristband, and don’t be forced to make any decisions.

But even the slickest all-inclusive resort isn’t without its pitfalls, which may lead to post-check-in buyer’s remorse: Will your room live up to the brochure? Will the buffet provide anything besides chicken nuggets? Will the beach be as uncrowded as the postcard?

32. Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach, Dominican Republic

Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach is the resort you choose when you’ve been seduced by photos of Punta Cana resorts but want a cheaper, quieter alternative in Bayahibe. It offers many of the good points that make Punta Cana resorts popular, but everything’s also just a little more basic.

Rooms are nice but simple. Food choices are somewhat limited. The beach isn’t as empty as the pictures.

31. Occidental Caribe, Punta Cana

At first glance, Occidental Caribe checks a lot of boxes for a Caribbean all-inclusive vacation: Great rates, beachfront location, an unspoiled-looking beach. But cheap sun doesn’t always sit well with Americans.

Rooms are tired, food is forgettable, the atmosphere is impersonal, the beach is nothing special, and the whole thing just feels a little tired.

30. Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica, Runaway Bay

Bahia Principe Grand Jamaica in Runaway Bay is not the place if you’re looking for a restful, romantic, adults-oriented beachfront resort.

Distances are great, crowds are sizable, the food is predictable, and dinner is noisy and hectic.

29. Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa, Lucea

With its beachfront location between Montego Bay and Negril, the Grand Palladium Jamaica all-inclusive resort promises the best of both worlds: An all-inclusive beachfront vacation with excursions to either of two beautiful Jamaican destinations. But getting out to explore is more of an undertaking than you might expect.

So if food disappoints, service disappoints, and the resort’s promise is an overstatement, it’s hard to shake that sinking feeling that you’ve made the wrong choice.

28. Wyndham Alltra Cancun, Mexico

The Wyndham Alltra Cancun all-inclusive resort in Cancun’s Hotel Zone promises everything that makes a Caribbean beachfront all-inclusive so enticing. Rooms are stylish, the beach is lovely, and the resort’s location puts it smack-dab in the middle of Hotel Zone action.

Unfortunately, the Wyndham falls short in some big ways. There’s surprisingly little beach space. Food is nothing special, and the party atmosphere makes the Wyndham feel more like a singles-oriented joint than a majestic family-friendly resort.

27. Impressive Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Impressive Punta Cana checks off all the right boxes for a Dominican Republic all-inclusive getaway: Beautiful beachfront location, name recognition, relatively affordable rates. But the resort’s impressive marketing belies a less-than-impressive stay.

Service is hit-or-miss, food is OK but forgettable, rooms are wildly inconsistent, chair saving is a sport, and little irritations pile up day after day.

26. Punta Cana Princess, Dominican Republic

Adults-only all-inclusive resorts appeal to couples who want to leave behind screaming kids and family-oriented resorts. Punta Cana Princess delivers on its no-kids promise but fails to compensate with an upscale, couples-oriented atmosphere.

Rooms are underwhelming, the beach is nice but hardly stunning, food is forgettable, and overall this is a resort that seems to be suffering from severe middle-age spread.

25. Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana

Dreams Royal Beach in Punta Cana presents itself as an upscale choice, but limited buffets, tired food, and an underwhelming premium club can take the shine off that promise.

Dreams Royal Beach offers good points. At an upscale price, though, good points can leave much to be desired.

24. Royalton Bavaro, Punta Cana

The Royalton Bavaro Resort & Spa’s sleek lines and photogenic pools make this newer Punta Cana resort an attractive alternative to other all-inclusive options.

However, buffet-temperature problems, maintenance issues and a service team stretched thin at full capacity are a few of the problems that have kept Royalton Bavaro from achieving majestic status.

23. Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

The Majestic Colonial Punta Cana has a loyal contingent of returning guests and a prime location in Punta Cana.

But aging common areas, a hit-or-miss experience from room to room and beach conditions that can be good or bad depending on the season have made it harder for Majestic Colonial Punta Cana to wow Americans looking for a stay in the DR.

22. Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, Jamaica

The cottage-styled rooms and laid-back vibe of Decameron Club Caribbean Resort provide a welcome alternative to Jamaica’s more impersonal mega-resorts.

But if your idea of a perfect all-inclusive resort involves polished finishes and top-notch food and service, this rustic retreat might be a little too rustic.

21. Riu Palace Paradise Island, Bahamas

Riu Palace Paradise Island’s all-inclusive offering can feel limited compared with resorts in Mexico or the Dominican Republic.

Located in busy Paradise Island, the resort does its best to live up to its Palace moniker but ends up looking a bit over its skis considering its Bahamian price point.

20. Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, St. Lucia

Coconut Bay’s prime location near St. Lucia’s international airport makes it an easy-to-reach all-inclusive option in this often overlooked Caribbean getaway.

Its position on St. Lucia’s Atlantic side means a windier beach that is far from postcard perfect, however. Better suited for families than couples.

19. Jewel Paradise Cove, Jamaica

Compact and adults-only, the Jewel Paradise Cove Resort & Spa has a dated feel and too few good points to make a return trip sound tempting.

Absence of kids isn’t enough to compensate for just OK food and amenities.

18. Royalton Negril, Jamaica

The Royalton Negril combines the Royalton brand’s sleek lines with Negril’s laid-back ambiance to create an attractive all-inclusive escape in Jamaica.

However, an overly packed beach can remind Royalton Negril guests that it’s not always easy to combine corporate glitz with an area’s local charm.

17. Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort

With an on-site waterpark, the Grand Sirenis Punta Cana is a family-friendly all-inclusive with plenty of appeal for families.

But if you’re in Punta Cana for a restful escape to the beach with your honey, this property’s hectic atmosphere might have you wishing you’d booked somewhere calmer.

16. Ocean Coral Spring, Jamaica

The Ocean Coral Spring Resort & Spa is a comparatively new addition to the all-inclusive resort circuit in Jamaica that proves newer isn’t always better.

While the property’s common areas impress, guest rooms can need maintenance, dining options get packed and the property’s layout is confusing.

15. Memories Splash Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

For just $1,600 per week for a couple, Memories Splash Punta Cana is a bargain.

But its pools are crowded, and its food, although plentiful, is reminiscent of the cafeteria.

14. Club Med Cancun, Mexico

Club Med Cancun still has international cachet. The problem is that the property is getting long in the tooth.

Adults have to decide whether Club Med’s name recognition and family-oriented ambiance outweigh dated rooms and less-than-appetizing fare.

13. RIU Bambu, Punta Cana

RIU Bambu in Punta Cana has a lot of rooms and a shared beach, so it can feel crowded and confusing.

But this entry-level RIU resort is built to accommodate lots of bodies.

So if you’re looking for cheap sun, RIU Bambu delivers.

12. Sunscape Splash Montego Bay, Jamaica

Sunscape Splash Montego Bay costs $2,200 or $2,800 per week for a couple, which is reasonable considering the property’s impressive waterpark.

But most of Sunscape Splash’s good points are in that waterpark; the rest of the resort seems an afterthought.

11. Barcelo Bavaro Palace, Punta Cana

Couples who expect a luxe experience will be surprised by the amount of elbow grease required to enjoy Barcelo Bavaro Palace, as the buffet is extensive, but it can be difficult to snag a table for dinner, and Barcelo charges extra for better wine.

The word Palace might be fitting for Barcelo Bavaro Palace; the effort involved falls short of palace treatment.

10. Sandals Royal Barbados

Sandals Royal Barbados has gorgeous surroundings and spacious rooms. But for $5,500 to $9,000 per week for a couple, Sandals Royal Barbados should provide quicker service.

At such a steep price, Sandals Royal Barbados disappointments seem amplified.

9. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana

Hard Rock Punta Cana is a family-oriented resort with a casino-party atmosphere, which is a strange combination. Its rooms and food are average, but there are a lot of options for entertainment, from Hard Rock casino gaming to kids’ club programming.

Room upgrades resemble celebrity digs, but come with celebrity-price surcharges.

8. Starfish Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

Starfish Tobago might be nice, but Starfish’s modest beach and basic rooms suggest that the draw here is Tobago itself.

The island is billed as unspoiled and, indeed, does seem a cut above the typical all-inclusive experience.

Read More: 9 Caribbean All-Inclusive Resorts That Are Actually Worth the Money

7. Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun

Royalton Splash might have a cute name and beautiful branding but what lies behind the façade is nothing but a giant, run-of-the-mill Caribbean waterpark.

While some will be happy to make this their ideal vacation, those who aren’t can opt to pay extra for an upgrade to the resort’s Diamond Club that will make the place just barely palatable. We wouldn’t recommend Royalton Splash as the ideal place for an exciting, memorable vacation.

6. Couples Swept Away, Negril, Jamaica

The name of this Negril resort says it all: Couples Swept Away is an adult-oriented, couples-only resort. While this can be attractive to many, the cost is outrageous.

At $4,500 to $6,500 a week for two, Couples Swept Away has nice beaches, good sports facilities and great views but doesn’t provide anything more than a stay that can be described as comfortable and pleasant.

5. Sandals Grande St. Lucian

Sandals Grande St. Lucian is located on a peninsula in St. Lucia. Though the peninsula is gorgeous, the resort is anything but. The layout is drawn out and the trek from the rear rooms can be a drag just to get to the main beach.

At $6,000 to $10,000 per couple, this is not a Caribbean all-inclusive we’d recommend.

4. Melia Caribe Beach Resort, Punta Cana

This sprawling resort is so large that its internal shuttle system is part of getting around Melia Caribe.

Though it is a beautiful and exciting resort that seems like it’s ready to give guests that once-in-a-lifetime experience, Melia Caribe can try to sell guests on upgrades as soon as they walk in the door, which is to say that the rooms you’ve originally booked aren’t quite as nice as you thought.

3. Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro, Punta Cana

This adult-oriented Punta Cana resort is nicer and quieter than many of its counterparts in the area but is nowhere near worth the price of admission.

Though the food is better than a buffet resort, it’s nowhere near the level of luxury and service one would expect when shelling out $4,200 to $5,800 for the privilege of spending a week at Iberostar Grand Hotel Bavaro.

2. Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Sandals Royal Caribbean has a private island off the coast of Montego Bay. While the idea of a private-island escape might sound appealing, guests may find the boats’ fixed schedules annoying and the traffic near the main resort bothersome.

At $6,000 to $11,000 per couple, we would definitely look elsewhere.

1. Barcelo Aruba

The Most Over-Hyped All-Inclusive in the Caribbean

Aruba has a reputation as one of the priciest Caribbean destinations and appeals to travelers concerned about hurricanes. Barcelo Aruba does seem to live up to Aruba’s reputation for being pricey, at $4,000 to $6,500 a week.

The food isn’t amazing, beach loungers can be hard to come by, and by early afternoon the pool can be incredibly busy.

We wouldn’t waste your hard-earned money here.

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Stop Wasting Money on Caribbean All-Inclusives That Disappoint

By now we’re sure you’ve seen photos of Caribbean all-inclusive resorts online when researching where to book your next vacation. Those gorgeous shots are very tempting, but before you get caught up in the hype, consider the resorts on this list, no matter how lovely their websites may be.

All-inclusive resorts can be a blast, just make sure you do your research beforehand.