rewrite this title Great Cancun All-Inclusive Resorts on Points – NerdWallet

Cancun, Mexico, is a sun-and-fun destination popular with American travelers, and its hotel and resort scene certainly reflects that. You’ll find boutique hotels, luxury brands and everything in between. But if you want to live it up without worrying about constantly signing for food and drinks, an all-inclusive resort is the way to go.

There are plenty of options where you can earn and redeem your points to enjoy your vacation. These are some of our favorites from the major hotel loyalty programs.

Hilton Honors relies on a dynamic pricing model for redeeming points for a stay. This means you won’t know how many points you need for a stay unless you have your exact dates in mind. But one popular feature for Hilton Honors elite members is that they can receive their fifth night free when using points for a redemption. That can bring down the overall cost of your trip.

With 540 suites, the Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe All-Inclusive Resort is the ideal paradise for all ages, with a kids club, a splash pool for kids plus a section reserved just for adults. Its spa uses ancient Mayan wellness principles in its treatments and features a hydrotherapy circuit.

The beachfront resort is in the bustling “hotel zone” and has plenty of variety with eight food and beverage options as part of the all-inclusive deal. There’s also nightly entertainment, beach activities, yoga classes and plenty of pools to enjoy.

Be sure to use the calendar search feature on Hilton’s website, which allows you to compare dates to see if you can get a better deal by shifting your stay by a few days. On many dates in the fall, you can save points by changing your dates, as seen in the above example.

South of Cancun, Tulum is another popular resort destination that now has a new airport, making it easier to get there. The property is laid out with two-story villas housing the rooms and suites, all within a short walk to the pools and beach.

If you’re after the ultimate luxury here, book a room in the Enclave section, which gives guests more privacy, upgraded amenities and access to a private lounge for even more free drinks and snacks.

Redeem your points here to enjoy more than a dozen food and beverage options, nightly entertainment and daily cultural activities. Use the online search feature to compare prices, and don’t forget about the fifth-night-free benefit for Hilton Honors elite members.

With Iberostar resorts now part of the IHG One Rewards program, program members have more options for earning and redeeming points. This includes two properties in Cancun. IHG, like many other loyalty programs, relies on a dynamic pricing model. You’ll need to know your travel dates in advance to determine how many points you need for a redemption.

Not far from the international airport, Iberostar Selection Cancun serves different audiences, including families that love the water park and golfers who appreciate being close to an 18-hole golf course with a food truck.

The all-inclusive resort has a whopping 10 outdoor pools, seven restaurants and seven bars. Parents will be happy to know that the kids club is included in the rate. Keep in mind that during some weeks, there is a minimum-night stay requirement.

The number of points needed will change based on the time of year. On the dates we checked, we found rates around 100,000 points per night. Members can combine cash and points to cover their stay.

Marriott’s growing collection of all-inclusive resorts spans numerous brands, from Autograph Collection and Marriott to The Luxury Collection. Some resorts are reserved only for adults. Others are part of familiar names like Planet Hollywood. Marriott Bonvoy members have a lot of choices to explore in Cancun.

Marriott Bonvoy uses dynamic pricing for award redemptions, which means you will not know how many points you need for a stay unless you know your dates. But Marriott’s website allows you to search by date to compare points rates. And any member who redeems points for five nights will have to pay for only four.

Reserved for guests over the age of 18, this Autograph Collection property features swim-up bars, buffets and a steakhouse. There are also coffee bars and pubs serving drinks that are part of the rate. With no kids around, the atmosphere here is a mix of party vibe and relaxation. The resort has a spa as well as a range of activities, including nightly entertainment.

Use the calendar search feature to find the dates with the lowest points redemption rates that meet your needs.

Families will have a good time at Planet Hollywood’s resort in Cancun. The brand is known for its Hollywood memorabilia and themed experiences that surround the colorful resort. Numerous pools, a full-service spa, a kids club and a long roster of food and beverage options are available for guests. The Jurassic Splash Park, lazy river and FlowRider surf simulator — where guests can surf on a soft surface with fast-flowing water — are all popular with kids.

Use the calendar search feature on Marriott’s website to find the best dates for points redemptions. We saw nights starting at 60,000 points.

The Hyatt family of brands includes several all-inclusive options in the Caribbean and Mexico, including Cancun. World of Hyatt still uses an award chart to make it easier for program members to understand the range of points they will need for a redemption stay. This includes a chart specifically designed for its all-inclusive resorts.

The family-friendly Hyatt Ziva Cancun has eight restaurants and six bars (including swim-up options and a microbrewery) surrounding pools and a dramatic beachfront. Some of the accommodations even have swim-out pools from their terrace or views of dolphins swimming in an on-site dolphin habitat.

This is an Award Category F property, where a redemption night costs between 42,000 and 58,000 points.

A boat ride will take you to this secluded island outside of Cancun. This resort is a stunner and features tiered swimming pools down the hillside connected by a waterslide and a luxury spa.

The seven restaurants (and drinks) are included in the rates here. Down by the beach, guests can lounge on hammocks suspended over the water or participate in numerous watersport activities. Guests can also scuba dive around the sunken sculptures from the Cancun Underwater Museum of Art.

This is an Award Category F property, where a redemption night costs between 42,000 and 58,000 points.