The New Luxury All-Inclusive Comes With Tasting Menus and Infrared Yoga
Paradisus Cancun’s $55 million renovation offers a look at how luxury hotel brands are bringing more ambitious dining, dedicated wellness spaces, and personalized service to the all-inclusive stay.
Paradisus Cancun. Photo: Courtesy of Meliá Hotels
Nearly four decades after opening its doors as the first property under Meliá’s Paradisus name, the high-end all-inclusive brand of the portfolio, Paradisus Cancun recently entered a new era.
Fresh from a $55 million renovation, the iconic beachfront resort reopened with redesigned accommodations, upgraded facilities, and a renewed emphasis on wellness. New additions include an infrared yoga studio, a state-of-the-art fitness center, pickleball courts, and luxurious accommodations, reflecting a broader shift in what today’s travelers expect from an all-inclusive vacation.
“This transformation is the first step in a renewal of the Paradisus brand,” Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, told Luxury Travel Report during a visit to the property. “Paradisus Cancun was the first property of the brand. After nearly 40 years, it was time to elevate our offering. That is what guests expect today.”
According to Escarrer, wellness and gastronomy have become defining priorities for today’s travelers, prompting Meliá to rethink the Paradisus experience. The company is also reviewing its other properties, with the long-term goal of aligning the entire portfolio with its new vision. But Paradisus is hardly alone in rethinking the traditional all-inclusive formula.
Once associated with crowded buffets, standardized experiences and affordable beach vacations, all-inclusive resorts have spent the past decade reinventing themselves. Today, sophisticated gastronomy, spacious, luxurious suites decorated with local art pieces, personalized service, and curated experiences increasingly define the category.
With major luxury hotel brands embracing the model, the line between traditional luxury hospitality and the all-inclusive experience has never been blurrier.
For years, the convenience of the all-inclusive model often came at the expense of quality. These resorts were typically marketed as affordable, practical vacation options, with little appeal for foodies, wellness aficionados, or discerning travelers who care deeply about where they stay—myself included.
That perception began to change as travelers grew more demanding and hotel companies recognized an opportunity to attract a different clientele.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of the segment’s evolution is the growing involvement of major international luxury hotel brands. Hyatt and Marriott were among the first major hotel groups to recognize the category’s potential, expanding their all-inclusive portfolios and introducing increasingly sophisticated offerings. Marriott International entered the segment in 2019 and has since incorporated the concept into several of its established brands, including The Luxury Collection and Autograph Collection
W Hotels, another Marriott brand, opened its first-ever all-inclusive property in Punta Cana last year and is slowly transforming some of its resort properties, such as W Punta de Mita, into all-inclusive resorts.
Meanwhile, Hyatt significantly expanded its presence in the category with its 2021 acquisition of Apple Leisure Group, which included AMResorts. The company subsequently launched the Hyatt Inclusive Collection, bringing together brands such as Secrets, Dreams, and Impression by Secrets. Introduced in 2022, the latter was designed to deliver the personalized service and intimate atmosphere of a luxury boutique hotel within an all-inclusive setting.
More recently, Hilton made a particularly significant move. On Oct. 1, 2026, both the Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya and Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya transitioned to all-inclusive, bringing two established luxury brands into a category once considered incompatible with traditional high-end hospitality. (Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya emphasizes oceanfront privacy and personalized service, while Conrad Tulum combines elevated dining, wellness, and destination-inspired experiences in a multigenerational setting.)
The move signals a shift in how luxury hotel companies perceive the all-inclusive business. Rather than simply creating more upscale versions of conventional resorts, established luxury brands are incorporating the all-inclusive model into their existing hospitality philosophies and brands.
“Today’s travelers want the freedom and ease of an all-inclusive resort, paired with the distinctive depth, personalization and sense of place they expect from Hilton’s award-winning luxury brands,” said Sylvia Scholey, Hilton’s vice president and global head of all-inclusive and resorts.
If one area of transformation in all-inclusive resorts has been particularly noticeable, it is gastronomy. The days when enormous buffets were considered the centerpiece of the all-inclusive experience are giving way to a greater emphasis on à la carte dining, quality ingredients, premium beverages, and sophisticated culinary concepts.
Celebrity chefs are also making their mark on the segment: W Punta de Mita, which offers an optional all-inclusive experience, is home to Spice Market, a Pan-Asian restaurant by renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Meanwhile, at Hotel Xcaret Arte, Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna presents a 27-course tasting menu at Michelin-starred Le Chique, while sister property Hotel Xcaret México is home to Ha’, led by Carlos Gaytán, the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin star. Both Le Chique and Ha’ have earned Michelin stars of their own.
These examples illustrate just how far the category has evolved, with gastronomy becoming a defining element of the luxury all-inclusive experience rather than simply another amenity. The shift is significant because gastronomy has traditionally been one of the clearest distinctions between conventional all-inclusive resorts and independent luxury hotels.
Today, the best properties increasingly compete on culinary quality rather than the sheer number of restaurants or dining options.
Of course, not every resort marketed as a luxury all-inclusive necessarily delivers a true luxury experience. The term itself has become increasingly broad, encompassing everything from large upscale beachfront resorts to intimate properties offering highly personalized service. And while renovated accommodations, premium dining, and upgraded wellness facilities certainly contribute to a more sophisticated experience, they do not automatically make a resort luxurious.
The challenge for hotel companies is to deliver that convenience without sacrificing individuality or creating an overly standardized experience.
The transformation of Paradisus Cancun illustrates how even established all-inclusive brands are responding to changing expectations. Meanwhile, the arrival of Waldorf Astoria and Conrad in the segment demonstrates that the concept is now attracting hotel brands traditionally associated with a different level of hospitality.
Ultimately, the evolution of the luxury all-inclusive is about more than upgraded rooms, better restaurants, or sophisticated wellness facilities. It reflects a broader shift in what affluent travelers value: convenience without compromise, personalization without complexity, and the freedom to enjoy their vacation on their own terms.
The all-inclusive formula hasn’t changed. But what travelers expect from it certainly has.
