16 Best All-Inclusive Caribbean Resorts

There is something about spending time at an all-inclusive resort that just doesn't compare to other vacation experiences. First and foremost, you go there to relax, and the best all-inclusive resorts know this very well. The all-inclusive resorts on this list, however, also know that you will settle for nothing less than excellent dining. Here are the Caribbean's 16 best all-inclusive resorts. 

This resort is located on a private island in Turks & Caicos that's its own slice of paradise. Each of its beachfront rooms comes with a screened-in porch, outdoor shower, and thatched hut. Visitors can leave the outside world behind, as there are no televisions, telephones, or even car traffic here. Activities like paddleboarding, kayaking, and sailing are included, too. Ocean-view dining, candlelight dinners, poolside barbecues, island picnics, and dining by private beach are all available. Standout dishes here include pan-seared scallops with smoked tomato broth, kale salad, Cheddar potato soup, and specialty mac and cheese.

Travelers whose chief concern is wellness will love St. Lucia's The BodyHoliday. In addition to meals and alcoholic beverages, every guest at this resort receives a daily 50-minute spa treatment. A variety of activities are also available — ranging from yoga to scuba-diving — so guests can stay fit during their vacations. When it comes to food, the BodyHoliday delivers, too. Award-winning TAO is located here, as is the on-site Cariblue Restaurant. Oenophiles will appreciate the on-site Wine Salon. Here, they can taste wine often paired with a complementary side of cheese, fruit, and pizzas from the stone oven in the resort's on-site Pavilion.

Aruba's two-story boutique Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa is located on the island's widest beach and provides guests with stunning views. Its all-inclusive package features meals at three on-site restaurants. Breakfast — usually consisting of fresh fruit, coffee, and bread in addition to made-to-order items — is served poolside at the open-air Ike's Bistro. Guests can enjoy lunch at Pega-Pega Beach Bar, where lighter fare dominates the menu. Expect grouper tempura, curried shrimp, and spicy steak salad in addition to an impressive cocktail selection. And diners can listen to live music indoors or head outside and eat under the stars at the French Steakhouse. Here, they'll find seafood or steak entrées and can finish off the evening with decadent chocolate mousse. Visitors get one complimentary yoga and one Pilates class — specialties here, as the resort also offers wellness programs — during their stay.

This perfect-for-families resort includes a 45,000-square-foot waterpark, four villages, a 12-mile beach, and a staggering 19 restaurants and 12 bars. Impressive restaurants here include Le Petit Château — at this adults-only spot, diners can order everything from wild mushroom risotto to the signature frog legs. More casual options include the Bella Napoli Pizzeria and Soy, which offers sushi. Barefoot by the Sea is another gem. Wiggle your toes in the sand and eat outside on the beach as you enjoy seafood with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea.

Bright blue waters and white sandy beaches make up the stunning surroundings of the Cooper Island Beach Club on Tortola. Days spent scuba diving and snorkeling end with sunset cocktails at the hotel's beachfront bar, where stools are crafted from recycled fishing boats and Caribbean-inspired dinners (think seafood, rotis, and conch fritters) are made from the day's freshest catch. At $210 per night, or a six-night room and meal package for $1,205, it's no wonder Cooper Island Beach Club is our pick for one of the most delicious and affordable beach getaways. 

Grenada is home to Spice Island Beach Resort, an ultra-lux, award-winning, and environmentally conscious resort. The resort uses solar heating, energy-saving bulbs, and a close monitoring system on air conditioning usage. All suites are air-conditioned and outfitted with luxurious amenities, including a whirlpool, an LCD flat-screen television with cable, a DVD player, and an iPod docking station. The remarkable Oliver's Restaurant, located seaside, features excellent Creole and international cuisine and a vegetarian selection. Expect hearty dishes like seafood chowder, roasted beef tenderloin, and dark chocolate soufflé.

The all-inclusive package at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana is so good it's almost unbelievable. It not only includes 24-hour in-room service, but all of the meals and drinks to boot. This hotel boasts 15 pools and nine acclaimed international restaurants in addition to five bars and lounges. Enjoy Italian fare at Ciao, Brazilian steakhouse grub at Ipanema, Caribbean cuisine at Isla, Mexican bites at Las Gallos, and Chinese and Japanese food at Zen. In keeping with the hotel's theme, chef Kerry Simon (dubbed the "Rock 'n' Roll Chef" by Rolling Stone) also has his very own Simon Mansion and Supper Club. Meals are not included here, but if you really want to go all out, you've got that option.

This secluded resort two miles off the coast of Antigua offers fine dining, activities, and a chance to really get away from it all. Once they arrived, guests will be enveloped in a serene environment that includes three meals daily and access to an unlimited open bar. They can participate in watersports, snorkeling, and sailboarding, as well as other aquatic activities. Executive chef Sylvain Hervochon, from France, heads everything from a fine-dining restaurant to the casual open-air eatery the Beach Bar. The fine-dining menu of the Estate House features selections of short courses and entrées with bold flavors. The menu's many highlights include roasted butternut ravioli with truffle butter, grilled sea bass and Mediterranean salsa, and seafood risotto with asparagus.

At Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort, you're in paradise. There's only one way to take in the incredible view of St. Lucia's famous Pitons (a UNESCO World Heritage Site): while sipping on a world-class rum cocktail created by Cane Bar's "rummelier." And don't forget to stop by their "Black & White Party" every Thursday featuring rum punch and chocolate truffles. 

Each one of the 694 rooms at Meliá Nassau Beach boasts stunning views of the Bahamas' turquoise waters, a picturesque swimming pool, and two hydromassage tubs set in their gardens. Expect to take advantage of their 24-hour gym, because you will likely feast at all eight of their top-notch restaurants. Cilantro explores Mexican cuisine with items like grouper with green ceviche and chicken-fried tacos and a tableside margarita cart, and Nikkei combines Japanese, Cantonese, and Peruvian cuisine with fantastic results (think teppanyaki and crispy sea bass with curry mango sauce).

Located on the Cayman Islands' Little Cayman, Pirates Point Resort has a dining program that is beyond impressive. Owner/manager Gladys Howard is an award-winning cookbook author with one unbelievable résumé. She's studied with Julia Child, James Beard, Jacques Pépin, Lucy Lo, and at the famed Cordon Bleu in Paris. Howard even hosts a weekly Champagne cocktail party at her home. Guests will enjoy buffet-style and plate-service meals (as this is an island, fresh fish and sushi are staples of the menu) prepared by gourmet chefs. Additional amenities here include a 40,000-gallon swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, and an impressive diving program that everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals will like. 

There's no lack of all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, but what makes the Sandals Royal Plantation special is its dining offerings. Whether you want to sample one of the five restaurants, sip tea on a designated terrace, or opt for a private, dockside candlelit dinner for two, Sandals has you covered. Our favorite aspect of this location is the C Bar, Jamaica's only caviar and Champagne bar. It's what vacations were made for. 

Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort's dining program delivers. The all-inclusive meal plan includes three meals a day and unlimited domestic beer and soft drinks, house wine, non-premium cocktails, and alcoholic beverages. This St. Croix resort is home to four notable restaurants: the Starlite Grille offers Caribbean-infused cuisine for breakfast and dinner; the Dockside Café is a casual poolside restaurant for lunch and dinner with the weekly entertainment of steel pan players, mocko jumbies (stilt walkers), and flame dancers; East End Pizza dishes out brick-oven pizza; and located inside the Divi Casino, Carina Café offers classic American dishes daily. Other amenities here include two freshwater swimming pools, a 1,000-foot white sand beach, a fitness center, and nightly entertainment.

Casa de Campo is a breathtaking 7,000-acre hotel, resort, and residential community in the Dominican Republic. Oscar de la Renta designed the "ambiance" of this chic hotel that is brimming with dining options. The all-inclusive supplement at this resort includes meals at seven restaurants and unlimited drinks in the restaurants, bars, and lounges. The crown jewel of the impressive dining program is the Beach Club by Le Cirque. Yes, that Le Cirque. The restaurant is set on the private Minitas Beach, and diners can enjoy tropical breezes and breathtaking views as they dine on delicious seafood, grilled meats, pasta, fresh salads, and side dishes along with palate-pleasing desserts.

With stunning ocean views from every room and suite, Curtain Bluff in Antigua is one dreamy five-star resort. The all-inclusive rate includes gourmet meals, top-shelf bar drinks, and water sports like scuba-diving, deep-sea fishing, and water skiing. And now for the food. Guests have a choice of dining at two restaurants for dinner. The Tamarind Tree is the place for fine-dining. Dishes with island flair — like pan-fried fillet of Caribbean grouper served on a tropical fruit and tomato relish with crispy papaya chips — fill this menu. Limited to just 40 guests per night, the Sea Grape serves Italian/Antiguan-influenced cuisine like pan-seared wahoo fillet. At this restaurant, diners feast as tiki torches flicker on the sand and the sea laps at the shore. Curtain Bluff also boasts an extensive wine list with more than 25,000 bottles priced between $50 and $2,000.

Montego Bay's Half Moon Resort's fantastic dining program is what makes it shine. Plus, it has an impressive following, too. Guests including Clark Gable, John F. Kennedy and Jackie O., and George H.W. Bush have all stayed here. And the resort is gorgeous enough to warrant an extensive guest list. Each room comes with a balcony or patio with spectacular views of the surroundings. The resort also is home to several very impressive fine-dining restaurants. The noted Sugar Mill Restaurant embraces all of the flavors from the Caribbean — expect dynamic and flavorful dishes like jerk-curry-dusted chicken breast, coconut and saffron poached snapper fillet, and Jamaican rum cream cheesecake. For a true beachside meal, guests should head to the Seagrape Terrace, which is shaded by almond trees and overlooks Sunset Bay. Highlights here include crab-crusted grouper and pineapple pizza. Il Giardino serves rich Italian plates like gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce and dried buffalo mozzarella and Chilean sea bass with a Parmigiano-Reggiano crust. The Pepperpot brings Jamaican favorites like jerk pork, chicken, and sausage to the forefront. And if somehow none of the aforementioned restaurants sound appetizing, the resort is also home to three casual dining spots and five bars (including one swim-up one), too.