These days “all-inclusive” doesn’t necessarily mean impersonal service and mediocre food. In Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the brief but densely-hoteled strip of coastline between Tulum and Cancun, all-inclusive can actually mean anything you want it to mean. You just have to find the right resort for you.

We were lucky enough to spend time at three very different all-inclusive resorts (and one uber boutique hotel) on the Riviera Maya and here’s our take on which resort is right for which traveler.

For World-Class Indulgers ONLY

Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya is the newest all-inclusive in the Riviera Maya region but it acts like its been doing this forever.

One of three pools at the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya. This one has an awesome swim up bar where the bartender actually tries to talk you into the better booze even though all-inclusive bartenders often try to cheap out to cut corners.

The resort is all suites (from 1,000 to nearly 2,500 square feet) and all super all-inclusive. Now, it’s one thing to be super all-inclusive but offer okay food, b-list booze and lazy service and amenities. At Grand Velas, the food from five different restaurants is gourmet (we predict at least four diamonds sooner rather than later), the bars are seriously stocked and the staff actually encourages you to enjoy the best of the best whenever and wherever you desire. You want it? They’ll make sure you get it.

It’s a dangerous combination that should only be tackled by experienced hedonists.

The Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Riviera Maya’s interior spaces are chic and decadent as well. Just as they’ve cut no corners with the food, beverages or staff they clearly didn’t cheap-out when it came time to choosing the miles of marble, leagues of rich lumber and acres of art work that polish the place.

Even our (free) in-room snacks and amenities are top-drawer–from Don Julio tequila to Molton Brown toiletries to the wonderful slippers (which Karen stole and is wearing right now as she types this).

Our 1,300 square foot Grand Class suite at the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Riviera Maya.

When we entered our Grand Class suite at the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Riviera Maya the blinds were closed but with the  push of a button, our dramatic view was revealed. Check out this video to see it for yourself…

The Caribbean just off our balcony (with private plunge pool) at the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Riviera Maya.

If you’re ready to test your pampering prowess check out this news alert we did about an amazing limited time rate that’s currently available at Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Riviera Maya (scroll down to get to the Grand Velas details).

For the Star-Struck

Maroma Resort & Spa is not an all-inclusive. But it is a legend on the Riviera Maya so we had to check it out. Hey, if it’s good enough for Robert Redford, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Sean Penn, Cameron Diaz and Sharon Stone (just to name a few of the hotel’s dozens of famous fans), then it’s (probably) good enough for us.

Okay it was totally good enough for us and delivered all of the style and seclusion you’d expect of a place that makes big time movie stars feel right at home. Even better? The hotel has recently hired a new sommelier and even though, at 24, he’s barely old enough to legally drink Alexandre Rioux puts on a truly lovely wine-pairing dinner. You can read all about it in our wine dinner review for iTraveliShop.

Luxury bungalows on the beach at the star-studded Maroma Resort & Spa.

A private perch over the Caribbean at Maroma Resort & Spa.

Maroma pool

For the Healthy Hedonist

Healthy might be stretching it a bit, but Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya spends more time attending to the needs of your body and soul (not just your stomach) than  most all-inclusives. Yes there’s a spa and an exercise room (that’s seen better days, frankly). But what sets Zoëtry apart are things like hosting a rotating roster of wellness experts who offer guests courses covering everything from getting a good night’s sleep every single night, incorporating better nutrition into your life, losing weight and reducing stress. There are also daily outdoor fitness classes including ab workouts and calorie-burning and muscle-stretching sessions in the resort’s Thalasso sea water pool. And a Temazcal–a kind of pre-hispanic sweat lodge.

But don’t worry. Zoëtry also offers two wonderful bars, three restaurants, a sushi bar, a lovely pool and plenty of other reasons to lie around and work on your tan, not your beta blockers.

Poolside cocktails take a shortcut at Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya.

The view from the open-air lobby at Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya.

Some of the ground-floor rooms at Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya have private plunge pools with Caribbean views.

For the Eco-Friendly Family

We were surprised by three major things at the all-inclusive Hacienda Tres Rios.

1. While many all-inclusives  ban children, accept only older children or say families are welcome then fail to provide the amenities and services that families require, Tres Rios positively wraps its arms around families with special rates and packages (even a special package for single parents traveling with children), roomy rooms, kid-friendly staff even an ice cream cart by the pool that doles out scoops all day long.

Rates also include plenty of kid-and-family-friendly on-resort activities from biking to kayaking to swimming in the resort’s private freshwater cenotes.

2. Tres Rios also not only lives up to its claims of environmental responsibility, it exceeds them. The building design allows the mangrove environment to flow and thrive, the structures were built modularly in nearby Puerto Morelos with finished sections assembled on site, Kone Ecodisc elevators re-use energy generated while descending to help power the elevator’s journey back up,  maids actually leave used towels on the hooks per laundry-reduction efforts,  staff sorts and recycles every piece of garbage every single day, heat generated by the air conditioning system is re-used to heat the resort’s water (which is made up entirely of collected rain water or sea water that’s been desalinated through reverse osmosis), the air-conditioning system is pre-cooled using super-cold water circulated from deep underground and the staff at Hacienda Tres Ríos is required to use both sides of every piece of paper (we saw it happen).

No wonder Hacienda Tres Ríos has received a 95% rating from the Green Globe organization.

Talented (and energetic) executive chef Oscar Orbe Quiroz runs seven surprisingly good restaurants and is hands-on for his popular chef's table dinner at Hacienda Tres Rios.

3. Something else we weren’t expecting from a family-friendly, nicely-priced all-inclusive like Tres Rios was noteworthy food but we were pleasantly surprised at every meal–particularly at a chef’s table dinner we enjoyed with gregarious executive chef Oscar Orbe Quiroz. Really, can someone just give this guy a TV show already?

Related Posts:

• Hotels and restaurants in Tulum – Beach Boom in Tulum
• Hotels of Playa del Carmen – Mexico’s Mini Miami

We love Querétaro in Mexico. First of all, it’s fun to say. Then there’s the history, the chic shops, the even-chicer refugees from Mexico City and the wine ice. So it was with particular pleasure that we quite literally stumbled upon a lovely B&B in downtown Queretaro called Casa del Atrio. It wasn’t even quite open when the proud owners showed us around but even then it was clear that this was/is a special place to stay in a special city to visit.

We’ve been crazy about both travel and wine long enough to have amassed a list of some truly breathtaking places to enjoy awesome wine. We’re not selfish, so we’ve decided to start sending a quick Tweet about the best dive bars, five star bars, campsites, infinity edge bath tubs, mountain tops, riverside patios, BBQ joints and luxury hotels to enjoy a glass of wine at. Follow us on Twitter, then follow up right here on our blog where we’ll elaborate on each Tweet including photos, links, past Travel Journal entries from our web site and published reviews of the place. Most importantly,  we’ll also suggest a wine that pairs perfectly.

Glasses ready?

#7: September 10, 2009 NEW! NEW! NEW!

Where: Lake O’Hara campground, Yoho National Park, Alberta, Canada

Why: Iconic Lake O’Hara offers views of Mt. Lafroy and Victoria Peak on the Continental Divide plus grizzly bears, elk and other members of the Canadian Rockies Wildlife Top 5 list. The area is also a hiker’s paradise with one stunning route after another. Don’t miss the Alpine Loop which connects four separate trails into one epic 15 mile circuit that takes you through a range of mountain terrain from dense forest to above-the-tree line-scree. Some sections are  literally chiseled into the stony mountain face. The beauty of the place is such a draw that Parks Canada  restricts access to the area’s 30 coveted back country camp sites in order to reduce wear and tear on the land and safeguard crucial migration corridors for the area’s big mammals.

Which Wine: Manage to get a camping reservation at Lake O’Hara and you’ll want to celebrate. Thankfully the campground is mere steps from where a school bus drops you and your stuff off–more than accessible enough to bring along a couple of Nalgene or Camelbak or SIGG bottles full of wine. We suggest King Shag 2007 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The adorable penguin on the label of this extremely affordable and delicious New Zealand wine makes a nice addition to the existing wildlife.

#6: July 23, 2009

Where: Triple Creek Ranch Darby, Montana

Why: This is NOT a dude ranch. Yes, there are horses and cowboys and cabins and mountains and cattle and elk and saddles and a few dudes. However, this is a world class luxury hideaway which consistently tops travel magazines’ “Best/Top/Most” lists (if you believe in those sorts of things) and is a member of the elite Relais & Chateaux group. The wines here, housed in a glass-enclosed 3,000 bottle cellar, have earned Triple Creek  Ranch the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2005 and, even better, a selection of those wines is included in the all-inclusive room rates (which are admittedly steep at $650-$2,495 double occupancy). Bottles are even re-stocked in your luxe cabin during your stay just in case you feel like a glass or two in your private hot tub. Read Karen’s full review of Triple Creek Ranch for www.itravelishop.com.

Which Wine: The so-called “house wines,” which are included in the room rate, are absolutely delicious–or splurge and choose something from their wine list. We got turned onto Schlumberger Cuvee Klimt Brut Champagne during our stay here and the resort currently has a great bottle from Paso Robles on the list (L’Aventure, “Optimus” 2003).

#5: July 17, 2009

Where: Cafe Italia, El Paso

Why: Don’t let the strip mall location fool you. This BYOB pizzeria is the real thing, particularly if you’re a wine lover. They’ve got a real wood-fired brick pizza oven, feature organic and local homegrown veggies, all the mozzarella is homemade AND their corkage fee is just $1. That’s, like 1908 prices! Really, when we saw the corkage fee at the bottom the menu we thought it was a typo. The owner, Dan, will undoubtedly be on hand to make sure you fall in love with every bite and he’s always handy with the bottle opener. Generously sized and topped pizzas are just $14 (the Gracie’s is outstanding) and we recommend you go nuts and have Dan toss some silky, buttery prosciuto de parma  on top as well. The menu changes seasonally as well, giving you more reasons to return again and again.

Which Wine: That’s entirely (blissfully) up to you. That $1 corkage fee means you can bring  as many of your favorite bottles as you like or an armful of new ones to try.

#4 – July 8, 2009

Where: Non Solo Panino cafe in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, Mexico

Why: This pint-size cafe off a tranquil park in one of Mexico City’s most bohemian neighborhoods offers delicious salads, linger-inducing sidewalk tables, a riotous casts of chain-smoking and lap-dog-toting regulars and a short but refreshingly Italian wine list–all things that are in short supply in Mexico.

Which Wine: Does it matter at 25 pesos (roughly US$2) per very generously poured glass? Go nuts and get a whole liter of perfectly enjoyable vino della casa for $7.

#3 – July 1, 2009

Where: The bathtub in bungalow 16 at Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Florida

Why: With just 30 free-standing, thatched-roof, totally-luxe bungalows on the whole private island this award-winning hideaway in the Florida Keys is one of the most romantic spots on earth. Bungalow 16 has one of the most romantic bathtubs on earth–an elegantly curved copper monster right in the middle of the room with a chandelier hanging over it. Here’s Karen’s full review of Little Palm Island for www.itravelishop.com.

Which Wine: Start with the bottle of bubbly the resort gives you at check in then really work the room by ordering up the resort’s Romance Package. You’ll return to your room after dinner to discover an even better bottle of champagne, a specially drawn bath, chocolate covered strawberries and rose petals all over the place.

#2 – June 26, 2009

Where: Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park Campground

Why: This lightly-visited park offers a forest of ancient coastal redwoods so thick that the park remains largely trail-less and some roads have vehicle size restrictions. Campground sites are also shaded by towering redwoods, creating the perfect ambiance for a glass or two around the fire ring.

Which Wine: A camping standby for us is Goats do Roam, a no nonsense Rhone varietal blend made by a South African winemaker with a delicious sense of humor. We also love the sturdy constitution of this tasty red which helps it keep its balance even in the shifting temperatures that come with camping.

#1 – June 25, 2009

Where: The Lounge in the DiRoNA Award, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and James Beard House award-winning Granary Restaurant at Spring Creek Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming.

Why: The Granary Lounge at Spring Creek Ranch offers more than a dozen wines by the glass at reasonable prices and more than a hundred old and new world bottles from the $20s to the $200s PLUS the best view of the Grand Teton mountain range in the area. Do yourself a favor and go at sunset. Here’s Karen’s review of Spring Creek Ranch for www.itravelishop.com.

Which Wine: The wine list at the Granary Lounge evolves constantly, however, we enjoyed a bottle of Dry Creek Vineyards 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon.