Just like Cancun, all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya area come in very different flavors.
Some are adults-only (made for couples, honeymooners, and such), while others are designed specifically for families, with kids’ pools, clubs, activities, and entertainment where children can actually be loud, messy, and, you know, kids.
If you’re traveling with your family, you’re looking for the latter.
What makes a good family all-inclusive? You want pools where the kids can splash around without getting the side-eye, plenty of activities to keep them entertained, kids’ clubs for when they need a break from the adults, and restaurants where you don’t have to panic every time someone spills something.
And that’s exactly why an all-inclusive can work so well for a family vacation. Your room, meals, drinks, activities and entertainment are generally bundled into one upfront price, meaning you aren’t constantly reaching for your wallet every time someone wants a snack, another drink or something else to do.
The upfront price can look like a lot, but when you factor in everything that’s included, an all-inclusive can be a surprisingly convenient option for families.
I’ve rounded up the best family-friendly all-inclusive resorts in Playa del Carmen and Riviera Maya so you can skip the endless resort research and find a place where the kids have plenty to do and the adults can actually relax, too.
One quick tip before we get started: the resort names and locations around here can get a little confusing. You’ll see properties marketed as being in Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Playacar, Puerto Morelos, and other nearby areas.
For this guide, just remember that Playa del Carmen is part of the larger Riviera Maya region, so you may see both terms as you work your way through this list.
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Table of Contents
Map Of The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Playa Del Carmen for Families
1. Hotel Xcaret Mexico
Price Range: $$$
Hotel Xcaret Mexico is perhaps the all-time best all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen for families, thanks to its location and abundance of family-friendly activities.
What other park gives you unlimited and FREE access to all of Experiencias Xcaret’s nature parks and tours?
Yes, you did read that right. Your stay includes ALL the eco-parks within the Xcaret Parks family, including Xcaret, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, Xenses, Xavage, Xoximilco, Xel-Há, and Xenotes, plus each of their dining plans!
Together, these parks and activities add up to 200 experiences of adventure, culture, and a whole bunch of fun. It’s entertainment overload, honestly!
The massive, 900-room Hotel Xcaret is an upscale yet friendly and welcoming all-inclusive resort that draws equal parts families and couples.
The resort sits directly on the beach in Playa del Carmen, making it an ideal choice for families who want a relaxing getaway with their kids. Kids also have plenty of on-site activities, including swimming and snorkeling, plus a kids’ club with organized activities.
Adults will especially love the free yoga and meditation, 10 restaurants with an international buffet, Mexican and Asian options, and 8 bars around the resort. There is also a spa with cave-like treatment rooms, and three gyms.
Resort Highlights: Hotel Xcaret Mexico
- 20-minute drive to Playa del Carmen
- Free access and transportation to Xcaret, Xenses, Xplor, Xavage, Xoximilco, and Xel-Ha parks
- 900 rooms
- 10 restaurants (international buffet, Mexican, Asian, including an eatery by a Michelin-starred chef for an additional fee)
- 8 bars including a swim-up bar
- Several pools, caves, coves, an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, kids’ pool with waterslide, and even a river to kayak in
2. Paradisus Playa Del Carmen
Price Range: $$
Paradisus Playa Del Carmen is a high-quality, family-friendly resort in the Riviera Maya that features direct access to a wonderful white-sand beach. In fact, it’s one of the best all-inclusive resort options in the area for families!
Kid-friendly features include a pirate ship playground and a kids zone. The little ones will have a ton of fun at the tropical-themed water park boasting three swimming pools, giant water buckets, and five water slides.
The Paradisus Playa del Carmen also offers a Family Concierge program that includes a private pool and lounge, butler service, a private beach area, and lots of in-room perks that children will love.
The Family Concierge rooms are even specially designed to offer superior comfort and greater privacy and are the perfect setting for the ultimate family vacation experience.
Adults need not worry because the resort has its fair share of bars and activities to enjoy!
In addition to a great on-site spa, adults can enjoy tasting sessions for fine wines and tequila, develop culinary skills in sushi classes, learn how to make authentic guacamole, dance at a pool party complete with a live DJ and so much more.
And while Paradisus Playa del Carmen is great for people traveling with families, their sister resort, Paradisus La Perla, is a top option for travelers looking for an affordable adults-only all-inclusive resort near Playa Del Carmen.
Resort Highlights: Paradisus Playa Del Carmen
- 12 minutes by car from Playa Del Carmen
- Kid-friendly all-inclusive resort
- 501 guest rooms
- 3 large pools, plus a fun water park with a pirate ship
- 14 restaurants
- 9 bars, 1 coffee shop
- Family Concierge section includes lounge, private pool, and in-room perks
3. Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Price Range: $$$$
Grand Velas Riviera Maya is a top-of-the-line all-inclusive resort option for families if you’ve got a bit more budget to play around with. This luxury resort has a kids club, a kids pool, and everything else you need for a great family vacation.
The resort offers many on-site activities for children such as:
- A kids club where they can play games and go on field trips with other children their age.
- An inflatable water park with slides and pools that will keep them entertained all day long.
- A large beach area where they can build sandcastles or splash around in shallow waters while building their confidence as swimmers before heading into deeper water (or if they prefer not to swim at all).
Adults and parents will love this resort too.
You’ll be able to savor gourmet cuisine from renowned chefs at one of the property’s 8 restaurants, go sunbathing at the beach, lounge at one of the 5 outdoor swimming pools, or get some much-needed relaxation in their top-notch spa.
If you’re a foodie, you’ll be glad to know that one of the restaurants even has its own AAA Five-Diamond award! And if that’s not enticing enough, their spa is also one of the largest in the country!
In terms of the property’s layout, the guest suites are spread across three buildings, one of which is adults-only. All 539 guest suites feature free WiFi, private spa tubs and jetted tubs, as well as premium bedding and pillow menus for that added touch of hospitality.
On top of getting a ton of space (rooms are well over 1,200 sq ft), you can opt for suites with a range of additional features such as private terraces, plunge pools, and unbeatable views.
This hotel is hands-down one of the most upscale options on this list. No, it doesn’t come cheap, but it is well worth the cost.
Resort Highlights: Grand Velas Riviera Maya
- 15-minute drive to Playa del Carmen
- 539 guest suites
- Property is located on a gorgeous white-sand beach
- 3 pool complexes with swim-up bars
- 8 restaurants serving outstanding buffet and a la carte food
- Bars serve premium domestic and international liquor
- Free non-motorized water sports
- 2 kids’ clubs with daily activities and a teens’ club
You may also like: Mexico All-Inclusive Packing List: 60 Essential Things To Bring With You
4. Fairmont Mayakoba
Price Range: $$$$
If you’re looking for another luxurious resort option that is just south of Playa del Carmen, you should consider the ultra-luxe Fairmont Mayakoba. While this resort doesn’t automatically come all-inclusive for all its guests, all-inclusive plans are available.
Fairmont Mayakoba offers luxurious accommodations with private pools and swim-up suites. The resort offers a variety of restaurants and bars focused on local cuisine.
They’ve got everything here for you and the kids: five palm-lined pools, 10 different dining venues, crystal-clear freshwater canals you can tour by boat, and 240 wild acres of lush mangrove forest to explore, filled with exotic monkeys, coatis, and macaws!
At the resort, you can dive or snorkel the world’s second-largest coral reef, go ziplining or jet skiing, or indulge in a resort spa retreat while the children spend an active day at the Kids’ Club. They even offer family cooking classes where everyone can learn traditional Mexican dishes!
Youngsters will love spending time at the Discovery Club & Adventure Camp, a professionally designed curriculum that engages children ages 5 to 11 with a variety of outdoorsy, active, cultural, and educational activities, plus arts and crafts.
These programs are meant to spark creativity while teaching kids about local culture and history, nature, and traditions. The hotel also offers a seasonal Teens’ Club with events and outings.
The best part about this hotel is that children 5 and under eat free from the children’s menu, and kids ages 6 to 12 dine for half price!
Resort Highlights: Fairmont Mayakoba
- 20-minute drive to Playa del Carmen
- AAA Five Diamond luxury resort
- 401 rooms and suites
- Property is located on a gorgeous white-sand beach with shaded loungers
- 5 pools, plus a waterslide and whirlpool
- 3 top-quality restaurants in partnership with a celebrity chef
- 4 bars, including a beach, pool, lobby, and tequila bar
- Free non-motorized water sports
- Kids’ Club, seasonal Teens’ Club, and babysitting services
5. Playacar Palace
Price Range: $$
Playacar Palace is another wonderful all-inclusive family resort in Playa del Carmen, perfect for families with kids of all ages.
Set beside the harbor, the Playacar Palace is perfectly situated for ferry trips to Cozumel. Plus, it has its own quiet white-sand beach while being just a few minutes walk from town as well as a mall with restaurants, bars, and shops. The ever-popular Fifth Avenue is easily within walking distance.
Kid-centric amenities include a small kid’s pool area, daily kids’ activity programs, and scheduled daycare activities such as arts & crafts projects or themed games.
Older kids and adults will love the available water sports like windsurfing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) lessons, and more.
Rooms at the Playacar Palace have a modern, upscale vibe featuring marble floors, two-person hot tubs, and carved-stone wall hangings that add to the overall airy atmosphere.
Perhaps the best part about staying at the Playacar Palace is the fact that guests have access to all facilities at sister Palace Resorts in Cancun, Cozumel, and the Riviera Maya. That’s 3 resorts for just one price!
Resort Highlights: Playacar Palace
- Located in the heart of Playa del Carmen
- 201 rooms and suites
- Large outdoor pool with kiddy section and poolside bar/cafe
- 3 restaurants serving Italian, Asian, and buffet-style cuisine, including a late-night lounge serving small plates and cocktails
- Spa offering massage treatments, hydrotherapy pools, and steam room
- Access to Palace Resorts in Cancun, Cozumel, and Riviera Maya
- Kiddy pool and kids’ club
6. Royalton Riviera Cancun
Price Range: $$
Have you ever heard of a resort within a resort? Well, at Royalton Riviera Cancun, that’s what you get. In fact, you get to choose between three sections of the resort, each offering a unique experience tailored to your desired vacation style.
Encompassing the entire property are some pretty spectacular stretches of pool, modern amenities throughout, and of course because no all-inclusive vacation is complete without delicious food, the Royalton Riviera offers its guests a choice of 9 restaurants and 12 bars!
Guests of the resort can enjoy a private beach area and tennis courts. Other facilities offered at the property include entertainment staff, a nightclub, and even grocery deliveries.
For the kiddies, the resort has its own splash playground as well as other children-friendly activities. Kids will love a fantastic getaway in the large animal splash park where they can meet Mike the Knight whose nightly mission is to entertain kids with games and live shows.
While the beach surrounding the Royalton Riviera has received some underwhelming reviews due to the seagrass, it meets the definition of a white sandy beach. Overall, this resort for all ages is a great option for a family vacation, offering everything and more that you would need during your stay.
Resort Highlights: Royalton Riviera Cancun
- 45 minutes by car from Playa Del Carmen
- 840-room mega-resort
- 9 restaurants include a steakhouse, Japanese, Italian, Mediterranean, and Mexican restaurants
- 12 bars including a disco, beach bars, and a lobby bar
- 11 pools, some with ocean views and swim-up bars
- Kiddy splash park
- Included non-motorized water sports and daily entertainment
7. Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
Price Range: $$$
If you’re looking for a large resort with lots of activities on-site, look no further than Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. The Hard Rock Hotel is a famous chain of hotels and resorts, most well-known for its thematic amenities surrounding music. If you didn’t know, they’re a very highly regarded hotel.
Lucky for you, they have an all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel located right in Riviera Maya (in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico)! It’s located near the midpoint between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, making both towns relatively convenient to visit on the same trip.
While its amenities and services are largely based around its music origins, with a unique music lab for kids to experience the rockstar lifestyle, there is more to the Hard Rock Resort than just musical activities.
In fact, there’s fun for the whole family to enjoy. From infinity pools and spa treatments to luxury golf courses and high-end restaurants to satisfy those vacation cravings, the Hard Rock is a perfect blend of action/adventure and relaxation/leisure for adults.
The resort has an enormous pool complex with water slides, swim-up bars and even a lazy river ride!
They also have tons of restaurants and bars within walking distance from their rooms so there’s almost no need for anyone in your family to leave the property during their stay here. That ultimately means more time spent together as a family!
They also offer free daily entertainment like yoga classes at dawn, swimming lessons, dance classes, and live music every night.
Looking for more family-friendly features? Well, there’s an awesome teens’ lounge and kids’ club for the younger family members. In fact, the hotel operates a license with Hit Entertainment, which allows popular children’s characters such as Barney and Thomas the Tank to be featured in the resort’s shows.
Resort Highlights: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
- 28 minutes by car from Playa Del Carmen
- 687 rooms
- 6 restaurants, including Mexican, Asian, Italian, and buffet options
- A swim-up bar and a lobby bar
- 3 pools, including a beachfront pool with waterslide, plus kiddy splash area
- Man-made beach
- Free daily activities, plus a teens’ lounge and kids’ club
What Is Included At An All-Inclusive Resort?
Each all-inclusive resort is different, but the majority of them function similarly in that the price you pay will often include the following:
- a double-occupancy overnight guest room
- food and beverage
- Wi-Fi
- daily entertainment
- pool use
- non-motorized watersports (kayaks, stand-up paddleboards)
- fitness center and classes
- kids lounge
- kids activities
- as well as any taxes and service fees
There is also typically some sort of private beach that hotel guests can access.
Depending on which all-inclusive resort you go with, some may also offer airport transfers, premium watersports (jet skis, scuba-diving), and unlimited top-shelf alcoholic drinks at the all-inclusive price.
What Is NOT Included At An All-Inclusive Resort?
It is important to know that the term “all-inclusive” doesn’t literally mean you get anything and everything that’s offered at the resort. Here are a few examples of things that typically cost extra:
- There is usually a premium-level tier of guests that often have their own pool, lounge, and section of the beach. You’ll usually have to upgrade to some type of membership to use these parts of the property.
- Spas and massages, golfing, and (sometimes) premium liquor usually cost extra.
- Services such as laundry, transportation, tours and activities, motorized watersports are typically excluded.
- Sometimes, personalized assistance (babysitting) has an extra cost. Other times it’s included.
This is why it’s so important to do your homework before booking a resort. You’ll want to know what their list of inclusions consists of and what their list of extra-cost activities/features consists of. If it’s unclear, simply reach out to the hotel to confirm.
Are All-Inclusive Resorts a Good Option For Families?
Families with more than two people may particularly be interested in opting for an all-inclusive resort. Not only does it make sticking to a budget super easy, but it also is a ton of fun for the kids too!
First, let’s start with the money aspect. With an all-inclusive resort, the stress of planning and budgeting virtually disappears because almost everything you and your kids want at the resort will be covered. You won’t have to worry about having your wallet and separately paying for each and every child’s requests. They can have it all!
Secondly, because so much of what kids/teens care about is included at an all-inclusive resort (food, drinks, water sports, poolside activities, kids club), you won’t need to worry about them being bored whatsoever.
MOST POPULAR EXCURSIONS IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN
Xcaret Eco Park – The ultimate must-do day trip in Riviera Maya! This eco-park boasts more than 40 attractions including underground rivers, an immersive aviary, a coral reef aquarium, aquatic activities, live cultural shows, a Mayan village, and more.
Xplor Adventure Park – Another massive eco-park that features ziplining, driving amphibious vehicles in the jungle, and paddling through underground rivers through stalactite caves.
Riviera Maya Jungle Half-Day Tour: ATV, Ziplines, Cenote Swim, Rappel – combines off-roading, ziplining, rappelling, and snorkeling in a cenote. Gear and snacks are included in this 4-hour tour.
Tulum Ruins Cenote and Swimming with Turtles from Playa del Carmen – a great family-friendly activity spent in the water.
I hope that this list of the best all-inclusive resorts in Playa del Carmen for families was helpful. If you choose to visit one of these amazing resorts, I’d love to hear about your experience!
Good luck, and most of all, have fun making memories with your entire family!
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