Everything You Need to Know About Booking All-Inclusive Resorts with Rewards

All-inclusive resorts offer one of the most relaxing vacation options out there. With all your food, entertainment, and fun included for a single price, you can spend your vacation enjoying life instead of worrying over the details. Here's everything you need to know about booking these resorts for free with credit card rewards.

While properties that include food and drink are all over the globe, most all-inclusive resorts you can book with hotel points are in Mexico or the Caribbean. This makes these properties perfect for people who want to relax on a beautiful beach, snorkel, or simply get away from it all.

The Hyatt Credit Card lets you earn points good for several all-inclusive resorts. Options include family-friendly Hyatt Ziva properties in Mexico and the Caribbean along with adults-only Hyatt Zilara resorts. The Hyatt Ziva in Rose Hall, Jamaica is an absolute dream with a beautiful beach and warm weather all year long.

IHG Rewards is another program that lets you earn points for all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and Jamaica. Sign up for the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card to earn a huge signup bonus you can use for free nights.

Wyndham Rewards is another hotel loyalty program that lets you redeem points for all-inclusive properties. This hotel loyalty program also offers co-branded rewards cards with Barclays. Once you start racking up rewards, you'll be thrilled to find all Wyndham properties cost just 15,000 points per night.

If you're not sure which all-inclusive brand you want to stay with, consider getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Both cards let you earn points in the Chase Ultimate Rewards program that is transferable to programs like IHG Rewards and World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

In addition to letting you transfer points to hotel brands 1:1, Chase Ultimate Rewards also lets you book travel directly through their travel portal. This option lets you redeem points for all-inclusive hotels all over the globe - including ones that don't belong to the big hotel brands.

You can also book all-inclusive resorts with Hilton Honors points, and you can earn those points with a co-branded Hilton card like the Hilton Aspire. The all-inclusive Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa in Jamaica offers a picturesque oceanfront location with beautiful views, a spa, and a stellar kids club.

Many travel and hotel credit cards offer huge signup bonuses you can earn after you meet a minimum spending requirement. Spouses can double up on these bonuses - each earning their own - to earn double the free travel. This is true even if they live at the same address.

Travelers should also note that some cards offer flexible travel credit you can use to book any hotel - including all-inclusive resorts. The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard is an excellent option since it offers a large signup bonus, 2x points on every purchase, and rewards you can redeem for any travel expense of $100 or more.

While many rewards credit cards let you earn points good for all-inclusive resorts, some charge annual fees. Make sure to compare fees and check whether the rewards you earn will be worth it. Also look for cards that waive the annual fee the first year.

You typically need very good credit to qualify for the top hotel, airline and travel credit cards. This typically means you have a FICO score of 740 or higher. If your credit is subpar, you'll need to improve it before you qualify for most of these offers.

Believe it or not, you can book luxury all-inclusive properties with rewards. The Hyatt Zilara in Cancun is a solid example. This adults-only, luxury property features upscale dining, a spectacular beach, stunning rooms, and plenty of pampering.

If you have never stayed in an all-inclusive resort before, you may not realize that most let you dine and drink all day long. This typically means you get three meals a day plus an ongoing bounty of snacks and dining options outside meal times.

While you may be dizzy thinking of all the food you'll eat, keep in mind that some all-inclusive resorts have specialty restaurants you have to pay for. To avoid the expense, stick to the free restaurants available in the nightly rate. There are usually several free options to choose from.

If you're someone who loves to imbibe, all-inclusive resorts can be an especially good deal. You can drink for free all day and all night provided you'll drink house wines, beers, and mixed drinks. Some properties do charge extra for top-shelf liquor.

Even if your resort stay is free, you should still bring cash to tip servers, bartenders, and maids. You can even tip in American dollars since many Caribbean countries use the USD and Mexican workers are happy to accept it. Trust us, the hard-working people who devote their lives to these resorts will appreciate it.

Some all-inclusive resorts let you book rooms at double occupancy with an understanding you'll pay more for kids. For example, the Hyatt Ziva Cancun charges 25,000 points per night for a room for two and 12,500 points extra per child each night.

Also note that some all-inclusive properties you can book with points don't charge extra for kids. At the Holiday Inn Jamaica Resort, an all-inclusive property in Montego Bay, Jamaica, kids under 12 stay and eat free when they come with parents who book with cash or points.

While all-inclusive resorts are mostly geared to families, some are adults-only and won't even let you bring the kids! If you need a break and some adult fun, consider booking one of these properties and leaving the kids home with their grandparents.

To have the best chance at the best availability, make sure to book your all-inclusive resort with points at least six months ahead of time. Since some hotel rewards programs limit award availability, this is the best way to ensure the nights you want won't be blacked out.

Also note that some hotel loyalty programs like IHG Rewards and Hilton Honors let you book rooms with a combination of points and cash. While free hotel stays are better, points and cash options can let you stretch your points further if you're short on points for the redemption you want.

Make sure to bring everything you'll need for a fun week along when you pack your bags for your all-inclusive resort. Toiletries like sunscreen, face lotion, and medicines can cost a small fortune at these properties, and you don't want to overpay.

While getting your hotel stay for free may seem amazing, don't forget that you can also earn airline miles to get to your destination. Make sure to check out the best airline credit cards to see which ones can get you to Mexico and the Caribbean with miles.

If you don't want to fail at travel rewards, never assume that a free hotel stay will result in an entirely free trip. You'll have transportation to pay for, and you may want to tip people generously, dine in specialty restaurants, or buy souvenirs. At the very least, you'll need to pay for transportation from the airport to your resort and back.