It\u2019s a typical day on a tropical beach somewhere in the Caribbean, or perhaps Mexico. The breezes are cool, the ocean is warm, and the hours are languorous. Butlers carry cocktails to waiting guests who are happy to accept them. Farther inland, children play at a kids\u2019 club and teens chat over games. Diners travel around the world without ever leaving the resort, sampling hibachi, ceviche, and the delectable, edible works of art offered up as dessert. In the spa, tranquil, almost-hypnotic music casts a spell of quieting relaxation \u2014 a rare moment of genuine peace.<\/p>\n
No, it\u2019s not a flashback to the days before COVID-19 (seven months or more like 100 years ago). It\u2019s a portrait of the\u00a0present,<\/em>\u00a0at an all-inclusive resort.<\/p>\n On the beach, the loungers are spaced widely apart. The staff all wear masks and carry hand sanitizer. At the kids and teens clubs, temperatures are checked, and new protocols are explained (most memorably at Iberostar Hotels & Resorts\u2019 Star Camp, where a \u201cmedic superhero\u201d unriddles social distancing). In restaurants, menus are posted to digital boards and accessible by phone, buffets have been reimagined, and new individual takeaway portions have been introduced. Meanwhile, at the spa, beds are disinfected before and after each use, and amenities are sanitized and sealed.<\/p>\n With over 70 years of evolution behind the all-inclusive, it\u2019s unsurprising that when we found ourselves facing a history-making pandemic, these hotels were some of the quickest to act, pivoting without pause to become pacesetters in health and hygiene.<\/p>\n Adapting rapidly, premier all-inclusive brands from across the globe partnered with world-class organizations to establish broad-gauge guidelines for safety, sanitation, and quality \u2026 and give us all hope that vacationing can be safe once again.<\/p>\n When you go to an all-inclusive, you expect the beach to be pristine. Now, new cleaning practices are making every inch of hotel grounds as unblemished as the sands they sit on. Constant disinfecting of common areas? Check. Air purification and water systems testing? Check. Strict requirements for suppliers dropping off products? Check. If it\u2019s in any way part of your experience or a staff function, it\u2019s been scrutinized and sanitized.<\/p>\n For all these changes, however, the heart of an all-inclusive stay remains the same. The luxury is still there \u2014 but more innovative. The recreation is still there \u2014 but safer. The selection is still there\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/em>but with a focus on hygiene. Because, even though new sanitation requirements are rigorous, they\u2019re also unobtrusive. Whether staying at a RIU hotel or a Blue Diamond resort, a Bahia Principe property or a Palladium one, you\u2019ll continue to get that vacation feeling you\u2019ve always known. Plus, with reduced occupancy, getaways feel more private and services more personalized, actually enhancing your experience.<\/p>\n One of the greatest things about all-inclusives has always been their value. When you stay at one, everything \u2014 room, food, drinks, entertainment \u2014 is rolled up into one price, meaning you never have to worry about a budget. Before the pandemic, hotels were busily adding even more to that list: spa treatments, excursions, cultural experiences. Now, more than ever, you can unwind and let go. And that\u2019s the true value of these resorts. Because, when you don\u2019t need to leave the property, you can relax\u00a0like normal \u2014\u00a0<\/em>no worrying about unknown protocols or uncontrolled crowds.<\/p>\n From Cristal International Standards\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0to Ecolab, brands like AMResorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, and the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotels have teamed up with some of the biggest names in safety certification. To make it easy for you and your travel advisor to keep track of the latest verifications, Apple Vacations and Travel Impressions have introduced TripTrust\u2122, a new program which gives an easily identifiable badge to hotels \u2014 all 2,000 of them \u2014 that have reported exacting sanitation standards. With just one glance, you can rest assured your resort is taking every precaution.<\/p>\n This era of new health awareness isn\u2019t ending any time soon. But, thankfully, with all-inclusive hotels helping lead the way, neither is travel.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s a typical day on a tropical beach somewhere in the Caribbean, or perhaps Mexico. The breezes are cool, the ocean is warm, and the hours are languorous. Butlers carry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":12687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSpick-and-Span from Top to Bottom<\/h4>\n
New Standards, Same Mission<\/h4>\n
Far-Reaching Value<\/h4>\n
A Trip You Can Trust<\/h4>\n