These all-inclusive resorts are all about the food

Minimize planning, relax on property, and budget wisely with impressive meals and perks all included in these bucket list stays.

We asked travel writers who stay at hotels around the world to determine which all-inclusive properties have the most compelling culinary offerings. These are their favorite hotels and resorts for meals and more included in the rate, leaving no need to make additional reservations. Book these stays, from Arizona to Mexico, for beachfront dining, cookouts, picnics, and more food memories included on your next vacation.

Related: The New Reason to Book a Hotel Has Nothing to Do With the Room

01 of 08

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Vietnam (Đà Nẵng, Vietnam)

Tucked into the lush, protected Sơn Trà Nature Reserve just outside Đà Nẵng, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is one of the places I recommend most because it strikes the right balance between world-class luxury and a sense of play. Here, architect Bill Bensley’s characteristically maximalist designs unfold across four levels — Heaven, Sky, Earth, and Sea — all connected via a whimsical old-school funicular. Through the resort’s meals-included Full Board package, enjoy breakfast from one of Citron’s iconic upside-down nón lá dining pods overlooking the East Sea, a Japanese bento lunch at Tingara, and a three-course dinner at the hotel’s beachside seafood spot Terra Mare. Finally, the highlight of any stay for me is always the complimentary naturalist-led wildlife tour, where I’ve had the opportunity to see red-shanked douc langurs in the wild. There aren’t so many luxury resorts where you might spot one of the world’s most beautiful (and endangered) primates in its natural habitat during breakfast — and that’s what makes this place something special. Rates from $570

— Dan Q. Dao

02 of 08

Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz, New York)

Perched on a cliff-lined lake between the Catskills and the Hudson, Mohonk Mountain House looks and feels like a place out of time. In a grand, mountain-ringed dining room still full of original details from its 1893 construction, guests enjoy meals, nonalcoholic drinks, and gratuities — all included in the nightly rate. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style; a three-course dinner is ordered from a rotating menu full of local ingredients: chicken from Ferndale, New York’s La Belle Farms served with spring carrots and pistachio pesto, or wild-caught halibut with a ragout of mussels and mushrooms from Ellenville, New York’s Flowering Sun Ecology Center.

Grab a malt from Mohonk’s Old Fashioned Soda Fountain or, in the summer, head to The Granary for a barbecue lunch or an evening cookout. Swathed in green, Mohonk Mountain House’s most extraordinary feature is its access to some 40,000 acres of protected forest and 85 miles of private hiking trails. There’s no better way to work up an appetite. Rates from $600

— Molly McArdle

03 of 08

Fairmont Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)

Fairmont Mayakoba isn’t like the usual Cancun all-inclusive. Guests have the choice to opt in to the all-inclusive package or just book the hotel stay, and with eight restaurants and five bars, the all-inclusive option makes the most sense to take advantage of all the culinary offerings. The quality of the ingredients, food, and drink are significantly higher than what you’d find at many other resorts in the area. 

Guests dine on docks suspended above the water surrounded by the mangrove forest at La Laguna, which specializes in traditional Mexican dishes like chicken with pink mole and snapper with Axiote sauce. Tauro Steakhouse features Latin America’s largest in-house dry aging program, and Fuego is the resort’s wood-fired grill with dining right on the beach. Cielo Rooftop Bar is a personal favorite, with unobstructed views of the Caribbean Sea and cocktails that celebrate local ingredients like the Abundance with hippocras, Campari, Aperol, gin, and lemongrass foam.  

In addition to the dining, there are plenty of other amenities to make your stay as relaxing as possible. With 10 pools, 24-hour room service, two kids clubs, and a golf course, there’s something for everyone. Rates from $719, ages 12 and under are free

— Sean Flynn

04 of 08

Secrets Papagayo (Papagayo, Costa Rica)

Breakfast at Seaside Grill at Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica, the Hyatt Inclusive Collection’s premier adults-only resort in the country, begins with a chorreador, a traditional Indigenous cotton-filter coffee maker. Every morning, the buffet offers a different Costa Rican beverage, from horchata to agua de sapo, a drink made out of cane sugar with cinnamon and lemon, water, and ice. Every afternoon at the poolside bars, “appretados,” traditional ice creams served in bags and made from local pitahayas and strawberries, are offered to guests. 

Executive Chef Bryan Quiro, a Costa Rican native with nearly a decade’s experience in local kitchens, built the hotel’s food and beverage program around this specificity. Gallo pinto, which Quiro calls “not just a dish but a culture,” anchors the breakfast buffet. It shares counterspace with chorreadas, a corn-and-sugar pancake closer to pudding than bread, and hand-pressed tortillas. 

The local immersion doesn’t stop here. There are two restaurants centered on local cuisine, the buffet always has a few local dishes on offer, while a weekly cooking class and regular tastings enable guests to try Guanacaste delicacies and products. For an all-inclusive with a taste for unique local moments, Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica is one of the best in the country. Rates from $745, ages 18+

— Ksenia Prints

05 of 08

Sandals Royal Curaçao (Willemstad, Curaçao)

It’s not unusual to check into an all-inclusive and never leave the property, and — with its laid-back luxury and breadth of dining options — Sandals Royal Curaçao makes a compelling case to do just that. The oceanfront, adults-only resort is set within the 3,000-acre Santa Barbara estate, a protected preserve on the Caribbean island’s southeastern coast, with views of Spanish Water Bay, a two-level infinity pool, eight restaurants, three food trucks, and 13 bars.

The resort also makes it easy to explore Curaçao’s natural beauty and vibrant Dutch Caribbean culture, with optional guided excursions to places like Shete Boka National Park and the island’s colorful capital of Willemstad, plus a first-of-its-kind Island Inclusive Dining program. Qualifying guests get a $250 dine-out credit (and round-trip transfers) to six restaurants across the capital. Sample Latin-Caribbean shared plates and rum cocktails at Mosa/Caña, perhaps, or order the fresh catch at Sal the Kitchen, where the walls are made from coral. It’s a rare perk that makes exploring Curaçao feel as effortless as everything else during your stay. Rates from $1,000, ages 18+

— Regan Stephens

06 of 08

Castle Hot Springs (Morristown, Arizona)

Entering Castle Hot Springs feels like exhaling a tightly wound breath. Hidden within a remote stretch of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, the serene, bungalow-dotted grounds accommodate just 70 guests at a time, with an all-inclusive concept built around wellness classes, mineral-rich hot springs, and a dining program negating the assumption that landlocked regions are too barren to support abundance. 

Nearly 60% of ingredients used in meals, snacks, drinks, and even spa treatments, come from the hotel’s farm, where around 300 types of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and florals grow, including 30 varieties of heirloom and specialty tomatoes. 

Executive Chef Chris Knouse, Level 2 sommelier Sarah Foote, and agronomist Ian Beger collaborate on every dish served at both a bar and sit-down restaurant — you’ll find no buffet here. Think revolving gourmet menus, farm-fresh produce, a 5,300-bottle wine cellar, and a nightly tasting menu, for a stay that nourishes both body and soul. Rates from $1,250, ages 18+

— Emily Hochberg

07 of 08

Singita Lebombo (Mpumalanga, South Africa)

Whether from its pair of outdoor lap pools or from one’s plush private deck daybed, the elevated river valley views from South Africa’s 16-key Singita Lebombo Lodge mesmerizes. Based on its own private Kruger National Park concession shared with sister lodge Sweni, Lebombo is an earthy, contemporary wonderland where the Big Five roam freely, and chance sightings of lurking crocodiles and stealth lion prides deliver game drive–level activity to one’s doorstep.

The culinary program is as lofty as the remarkable cliffside location. Bush dining gets the tapas treatment: Think springbok carpaccio with edamame and butternut squash, or artfully plated burrata orbs laden with bergamot, peas, and sunflower seeds. Converse with cooking staff in the interactive open kitchen, or help oneself to farm-to-table-sourced charcuterie, cheeses, and fresh juices at the all-day deli counter. Guests can also book cooking classes at Lebombo’s Singita Community Culinary School, which trains young, Indigenous local talent for auspicious kitchen-based careers.

The Singita brand’s 200,000-plus private wine bottle collection — purportedly with the world’s largest South African selection — trickles to Lebombo, which recently unveiled a chic Wine Studio for sommelier-led tastings and special pairing meals. The brand even has its own exclusive wine label, Phato, in collaboration with Western Cape’s premier winemakers. For rarefied gourmet and wine experiences in the wild, Lebombo is southern Africa’s preeminent safari address. Rates from $2,850

— Travis Levius

08 of 08

Twin Farms (Barnard, Vermont)

When you want to get away, Twin Farms’ 22 unique cottages, treehouses, and suites nestled within 300 acres of the Vermont countryside provide a place to pause and the space to reconnect. Time slows down at this Relais & Châteaux retreat, with hospitality that supports your pace and path for a luxurious choose-your-own adventure experience. 

Food and drink are on order day and night and each bite and sip are carefully considered, prepared, and presented. Many of the ingredients come from the property or local farmers and producers, and wines from around the world are sourced for the 17,000 bottle collection. Enjoyment can look like a nourishing breakfast of seasonal fruit, farm fresh eggs, and local meats paired with a Parisian-quality Kouign-amann pastry in the cozy dining room with a view of fields and mountains. A mid-morning bike, hike, or ski on the private groomed trails is the perfect warm up for a made-to-order picnic lunch and wine pairing at a cabin in the woods. 

If slowing down is on the docket, the move might be an afternoon of games or puzzling in the plant- and art-filled library next to a roaring fire with a custom handcrafted cocktail and housemade bar snacks like spiced nuts and an artisanal cheese plate. Or float your cares away in 104°F saltwater at the Japanese bathhouse while enjoying an ice cold mocktail, from-scratch hummus, and fresh crisp veggies. Dinner options abound, from a cozy bistro meal to a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairing. More intimate options include dining in the private wine cellar or sitting at the rustic chef’s table in the kitchen. Craving a middle of the night snack after a long day? Call for burgers or an ice cream sundae spread off the late-night menu delivered to your room. The top-notch team is genuinely excited for you to enjoy this special spot, ready to provide the meals, beverages, activities, and comforts that meet practically every need and desire. Rates from $2,950, ages 14+

— Michelle Edelbaum

To uncover the best food and drink experiences for travelers, Food & Wine polled over 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers, and wine pros from across the globe for their top culinary travel experiences. We then turned the results over to our Global Advisory Board, who ranked the top nominees in each category. For the full list of winners, visit foodandwine.com/globaltastemakers2026.

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