In vacation paradise your mornings begin with chirping birds and the sound of the sea rolling against the beach just a few meters from the private beach bungalow. Under swaying palm trees, you head for breakfast, served in the form of a rich buffet or à la carte. The day continues with some water sports, followed by a light lunch at noon, before spa treatments in the afternoon and later, sunset drinks are on the agenda. After dinner - served wherever you like in the sprawling resort - acrobats from a world-famous circus provide entertainment.

© Getty Images

The world at the luxury all-inclusive resort is diverse but manageable. You choose your favorite activities, the kids have fun in the Mini Club, the culinary offer is the best and the service is attentive. There are no nasty surprises, not even at check-out. This is exactly what makes the concept of an all-inclusive vacation attractive again, some 70 years after the first club resort opened. Carefree is in high demand - no wonder, since the past years were often chaotic and traveling was anything but easy. Today, it's unrest and a post pandemic world that trigger this yearning; in the 1950s, it was the memory of World War II. "Our purpose in this life is to be happy. The right place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now," Gérard Blitz is quoted. He was not a New Age guru - Blitz virtually founded the first all-inclusive resort, the Club Méditerranée, in 1950.

The Long Road to Luxury

Hotel X Caret is among the largest luxury all-inclusive resorts with 900 suites and over 200 included experiences. © provided

However, the brand's first vacation village had little to do with today's standards. Guests lived in old army tents, and the food was mediocre at best. But there was good company among like-minded people, and entertainment and food were included in the price of the trip. Of course, that alone would not have been a sensation. After all, Thomas Cook, actually a trained carpenter and lay preacher, offered the first trip as early as 1841, in which meals and entertainment were paid for in advance in addition to the overnight stay. It led from Leicester in England to Loughborough, 16 kilometers away. The travelers received a gala in the park with tea and cookies for the train ride; a brass band provided entertainment. 

From three-course dinners to snorkeling in the world's southernmost coral reef, Capella Lodge has it all. © provided

The fact that the occasion for the trip was, of all things, a meeting of alcohol opponents may seem curious from today's perspective, but Cook had nevertheless invented the package tour with it. Gérard Blitz expanded the basic principle step by step - it was he who came up with the idea of supervised vacations, so to say an animation. Kids' clubs and the identification of guests with telltale wristbands were also the brainchild of the Club Med founder. The concept was well received, Blitz expanded its offering, and the competition quickly jumped on the all-inclusive bandwagon. But with the masses came mediocrity.

Outdated clichés

At luxury all-inclusive resorts, culinary highs are a given. © Getty Images

Queues in front of buffets that were at best edible, entertainers trying to pull you off your deck chair and get you to play ridiculous games, the kitchen staff orchestrating the club dance late at night, and local booze - these are all images that haunted the horror visions of discerning travelers. These kinds of all-inclusive resorts abounded. They probably still exist in a certain price segment, but modern and luxurious all-inclusive resorts have nothing to do with them.

Kokomo Private Island Fiji is accessible only by helicopter or seaplane. © provided

Guests at Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island in Australia couldn't ask for more seclusion. Situated on a UNESCO World Heritage island that takes 25 minutes to cycle across and is inhabited by just 380 people, you can enjoy absolute intimacy. You live in one of only nine spacious suites and this way you join the small number of daily visitors - a maximum of 400 people are allowed to stay on the island at the same time for nature conservation reasons. The comprehensive all inclusive offer includes not only gourmet breakfasts and daily changing three-course dinners, but also canapés, open bar with premium drinks and everything you need for your successful island stay. Rental bikes, snorkeling equipment for tours of the world's southernmost coral reef, and sunset drinks are just a few examples.

Four Seasons Golden Triangle is all about quiet luxury as well as creating lasting memories. © Four Seasons/Ken Seet

Changing values

In Australia it's all about the coral reef, in northern Thailand it's all about the bamboo forest, on the border with Myanmar and Laos. Embedded in this breathtaking nature is the Four Seasons Golden Triangle, a luxurious tented resort that also caters to its guests on an all-inclusive basis. Just as in the Capella Lodge one sets naturally on the use of best ingredients in the kitchen and in the (wine) cellar. Unique shared experiences are at least as important as the culinary aspects. For example, guests at the Four Seasons Golden Triangle can head out into the garden to pick their own vegetables and herbs and learn all about how they work. Or would you prefer an Elephant Encounter with the gentle giants? Discerning travelers opt for a customized stay - and for quiet luxury - even on all-inclusive vacations.

With only nine suites, Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island is particularly exclusive. © provided

So, in luxury all-inclusive resorts, you can also look forward to good entertainment and varied entertainment, but here the main focus is on creating a deep connection to the destination, creating memories and encouraging guests to learn more about the country and its culture. This is done through local specialties on the one hand, and excursions to communities in the area on the other. In addition, you learn skills through courses, or are even offered to take part in meaningful projects, such as becoming part of a coral rescue program.

Hit for the whole family

An invention of Club Med founder Blitz has caught on all over the world: the Kids Club. While the parents treat themselves to a massage, go on an excursion or simply want to spend time together, children and teenagers experience age-appropriate entertainment and make new friends here. If the kids are happy, the adults usually are too - because all family members can do what they feel like. In many Kids Clubs, especially in luxury all-inclusive resorts, highly trained caregivers even look after guests who are just a few months old.

Thanks to childcare, all family members get their money's worth. © Getty Images

Would you like a little more - more nature, more exclusivity, more sustainability and more luxury in general? Then the next step is obvious: booking a private island. Here, the entire team, from the butler to the chef, takes care of the well-being of its usually very small group of guests, usually families or groups of friends. It's a concept that comes pretty close to Blitz's original idea of time spent together with like-minded people - if it weren't for the helipads, luxury bungalows, gourmet cuisine and infinity pools.

 

Read more: These 6 All-Inclusive Resorts Offer Pure Luxury