$22,000 a week? All-inclusive resorts are large enough to win over luxury travelers.

All-inclusive hotels are making a big play for luxury travelers.

According to one, in the wake of the pandemic, the demand for all-inclusive resorts increased JLL Research Hotels and Hospitality Report. Travelers — spontaneous and collective — wanted vacations that were stress-free and easy to plan, ideally with a wellness component, according to the report.

That’s when travelers discover that the all-inclusive resorts of yesteryear—known for bottom-shelf wine and quality food over quantity—have changed.

Most of the sector had become luxury.

By 2022, the percentage of “upscale” and luxury resorts in the Dominican Republic will be 47% of total all-inclusive resort supply – up from 31% in 1990, according to JLL. The number is even higher in Mexico, where more than half (55%) of its all-inclusive resorts in 2022 were upscale and luxury all-inclusive resorts.

According to JLL, prices at all-inclusive resorts — once known as a relatively affordable form of travel — are high, quickly outpacing 2019 levels.

Marriott And Hilton has also expanded into the sector, under brands travelers might not typically associate with all-inclusive resorts — from DoubleTree to Westin and The Luxury Collection.

Resort operators have upgraded the all-round experience with everything from luxurious suites to exclusive resort perks.

Guests on the beach Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort Spa and Casino One can opt for an “exclusive” room at the resort in the Dominican Republic, which comes with an upgraded room, personal butler and private beach access.

“We’re seeing more and more guests choose to travel for a slower, unplugged experience with an upscale twist,” said Karina Arguello, the resort’s commercial director. “In addition to the elements you get by booking an all-inclusive resort, private and additional amenities help elevate the experience.”

Club Med introduces “Special collection points.“At select resorts that provide additional guest benefits, such as private transfers, in-suite continental breakfast, champagne in the evening and, as the name suggests, access to exclusive areas at the resorts. One of them, Club Med Tugens. , a ski resort near the Italian border that opened in 2022.

The brand also has six resorts — in the Maldives, Mauritius, Italy and France — that make up its “Exclusive Collection.” Its rates Valmorel Chalet – ApartmentsThe ski destination in France, according to its website, starts at $2,475 per person in June, and goes up to $4,250 per person in December.

Sandals, an adults-only resort operator in the Caribbean, provides Butler service For its superior suites. Butlers will open guests’ luggage, make dinner and spa reservations, serve drinks on the beach and expedite room service orders, according to its website.

Travelers with big budgets are opting for these services, said Kelly Connor, a New Jersey-based travel advisor with the AAA Club Alliance. But they are not alone.

“Honeymooners … like the highest level of luxury,” he said.

Sandal St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which opened in March 2024, introduced a new room category for the brand – the 1,248-square-foot Vinci Overwater two-story villa. A seven-night stay in late June for two adults with butler service is $22,505 — and that’s after the 55% rack rate discount.

To counter the criticism that all-inclusive vacationers see little more than a resort, Sandals Royal Curacao and Sandals Royal Bahamian are offering guests who stay up to a week in butler-serviced suites and islands. with a $250 voucher for dining at nearby restaurants. . They are also provided with a convertible mini cooper to go there.

Half- and full-board dining options have long been popular in places like the Maldives, whose one-resort-per-island model makes it difficult to eat elsewhere.

But luxury resorts, many located in remote locations, are also opting for all-inclusive models.

The Rosewood Cape KidnappersA luxury lodge on New Zealand’s North Island offers guests a half-board option, which includes breakfast, dinner and aperitifs, but excludes other alcoholic beverages.

Prices in British Columbia Clevecote Wilderness Lodge All meals and snacks are included plus wine, beer and spirits. According to the website, a stay in one of the lodge’s 25 tents also comes with guided activities, such as swimming in glacial waters and a half-day wildlife spotting trip.

Rates start at $2,900 per night.