All Inclusive Family Resort in Caribbean or Mexico

[1GoldenSun]

We've been to Moon Palace in Riviera Maya a couple times and we love it. So much to do for everyone of all ages. They have tons of great pools with lots of activities going on all the time--music and games and entertainment. My kids love trying all the different kinds of virgin drinks at the swim-up bars. They have a teen lounge with free-play arcade games, pool, air hockey, video games, etc. They have mini-golf, bicycles, and a surf-simulator. Games and organized sports on the beach, basketball, golf, and tennis (the golf isn't free). The beach has a lot of sargassum, but you can take a bus to their sister resort in Cancun that has a beautiful beach and you have free use of all their restaurants and facilities too. Even with the seaweed the beach at Moon Palace is fine for water sports. Sailing, kayaking, windboarding, and paddle-boarding are included, and you can do motorized water sports for a charge. They have an amazing spa, with very reasonably priced services when you use the resort credits they offer. The restaurants are awesome and there are so many to choose from you can't possibly eat at all of them. There are a couple different Italian restaurants, a Mayan, Indian, Mexican, Asian, a teppanyaki/hibachi place, one of those places where they come around to your table with meat on skewers (like an Argentinian steak house but they don't call it that), seafood, a steak house, a pizza place, and lots more. During the day around the pools there are pizza ovens, food trucks, burgers being grilled, and all kinds of other stuff. Plus a 24-hour coffee shop that offers made-to-order crepes, sandwiches and salads, amazing homemade ice cream and gelato, milkshakes, macarons, chocolate truffles, bakery items, and of course, coffee. All included! There is also 24 hour room service included.

If you go on the Moon Palace Facebook page (I think you have to ask to join) you can get prices to book directly through members, which saves a ton of money over booking directly through the resort. They have "family suites" which consist of a room with a king bed attached to room with two doubles, with a bathroom in each room. We considered this last time since we had an 11 and a 15 year old but at almost twice the cost we just went with the one room. Honestly it was fine. The beds are all doubles and VERY small, so we got two rollaways (complimentary) so each of us had our own bed. There was room for one rollaway to be left out all the time and we rolled the other up against the wall during the day and there was plenty of room. We only paid $2700 for 7 nights, which I thought was truly a bargain. We spent very little beyond this other than airfare. If you book through a member you also get a free manicure and pedicure for the adults (my teen daughter was allowed to use my husband's) and free 30-minute massages for the adults. Plus the resort credits, which you use to pay for extra services like the spa. You just pay a 16% tax.

We are not people who ever vacation at the same place twice (except for Disney and that's only because we live fairly close) and we've been to Moon Palace twice and want to go back again in a few years.

 

[stlrod]

There's some really good pricing at the brand new Hyatt Ziva/Zilara in Punta Cana right now. Adult side just opened and family side will open 12/1 and should be fully operational easily by summer. Waterpark set to open soon and spa in late December. I'm going 12/29 to the adult side. The beach looks amazing and adults can dine on both sides.

 

[Wakey]

Gotta ask, which Couples did you go to? We’ve been to Couples Negril 5 times and totally agree, their food is awesome. The best for an AI by far. This year we also took DS26 & his fiancée. They loved it. They are going to Aruba for their honeymoon but had a blast at Couples.

It was quite a few years ago, but the Ochos Rios one, they now seem to call it Tower Isle.

 

[Wakey]

I think Beaches is the only true, designated "family" resort chain in the Caribbean. While other brands like Riu, Barcelo, Iberostar, Bahia Principe certainly welcome families (aside from designated adult properties), they don't necessarily cater to them the way Beaches would. If Beaches are outside of the budget, I would also recommend a cruise. Royal Caribbean would be great for 13 year olds and you can do all the excursions listed at almost any of the ports of call.

I can only speak of Riu and Iberostar but they certainly are family geared, great for families. I have stayed in Iberostar resorts many times (including in the Canaries) and they are great, and I’ve stayed in Riu in Mexico. Edit, forgot I’ve also stayed in Bahia Principe and that was very family orientated also! I can’t say how they compare to Beaches and Beaches may be even more family orientated but goodness, these three hotel chains are great for families.

 

[nkereina]

I can only speak of Riu and Iberostar but they certainly are family geared, great for families. I have stayed in Iberostar resorts many times (including in the Canaries) and they are great, and I’ve stayed in Riu in Mexico. Edit, forgot I’ve also stayed in Bahia Principe and that was very family orientated also! I can’t say how they compare to Beaches and Beaches may be even more family orientated but goodness, these three hotel chains are great for families.

Beaches resorts have characters, character meals, kids clubs for different ages, and just more targeted kid activities. The aforementioned resorts have some of these things as well, but they don't market themselves as family resorts in the same way that Beaches does.

 

[Darcy03231]

Regarding the bolded, Royal will allow you to put two minors by themselves in a cabin provided it's next to or across from a cabin with the adults.

So will Carnival and Norwegian.

OP- I would definitely look into a cruise over an all-inclusive given the ages of your children. I would also pick a newer ship with lots of activities. We cruised the Norwegian Escape with a big family group with an age range of teens to 70 years old. Everyone had a ball! There was so much to see/do on the ship that we completely missed certain things (like the bowling alley - saw it on the way off the ship). If you decide to go with a cruise, check out Cruise Critic. It's like this board, but for cruising.

 

[PRINCESS Sweet Pea]

Hello! I definitely would not say that any of these other resorts are not family friendly. You don't have to spend that kind of money to book a family resort. I think that all of them would be. And, there are Adult Only resorts. You don't have to spend an entire fortune, and have Sesame Street Characters to be family friendly. Didn't she say that they have 13 year old active teenaged boys. Not sure they would be wowed by meeting Elmo?
Personally, I wouldn't consider some of these resorts in Mexico, because of the safety issues. I have heard scary comments, from the actual person, that they even had a scary encounter at the Hard Rock. They were there with their teenager. I don't know if Barcelo might be better at security than Iberostar, or Riu? Maybe the Palace and Hyatt resorts would be better?