Luxury For Less? Deciding Between Los Cabos Resorts & All-Inclusive Deals 

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Last Updated 3 months ago

Los Cabos is known for having incredible all-inclusives, but it has more than 90 hotels and resorts spread out between Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, and the Tourist Corridor.   

Not all of those are all-inclusives, but super luxury resorts as well, so when it comes to finding luxury for less, how do you choose between the two?   

Take a look at some important factors to consider if you need help deciding between Los Cabos resorts and all-inclusive deals.   

Number Of Options To Choose From 

The more options you have, the more likely you are to get exactly what you’re looking for.   

For this reason, you’re probably wondering how many hotels and resorts in Los Cabos are all-inclusives and how many are just luxury hotels and resorts.   

There are more traditional hotels, but there are many highly-rated all-inclusives too. 

When it comes to all-inclusives, there are more than 30 to choose from, and around half of them are rated “Very Good” or above on Booking.com.   

Out of the rest of the hotels and resorts that make up the remaining inventory in Los Cabos, more than 70 of them are rated “Very Good” or higher.   

This means you have more options in the non all-inclusive category, but there are still plenty of all-inclusives too.   

Cost Comparison 

Cost is important when it comes to budgeting for a vacation, and it’s important to remember that the better value isn’t always the least expensive option, or vice versa.   

Here, we’ll compare the nightly rates for both some all-inclusives and non-all-inclusives with similar ratings for the same dates in November of this year.   

This will help you to decide where the best value is for you.   

All-Inclusives Compared To Non-All-Inclusives 

We compared an all-inclusive, the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos, and a luxury resort, the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa.   

Both are in San Jose del Cabo, both are rated 8.5 on Booking.com, and the all-inclusive actually costs less, but they are very similar in price.   

The nightly rate for the Hyatt Ziva for dates in November came out to about $467 a night, and the JW Marriott is $517.   

That’s only a $50 difference, but you can pay less and have all of your food, beverages, and dining included.   

In another comparison, both properties in Cabo San Lucas and rated an 8.7, the all-inclusive, Zoetry Casa Del Mar Los Cabos, is more.   

It came out to $668 a night, while the non-all-inclusive, Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa is only $460 a night, so you can find value in either, it just takes a little research.   

The Difference In Amenities 

When it comes to the properties themselves, both all-inclusives and non all-inclusives have similar amenities.  

They all typically have multiple pools, several restaurants, a gym, a spa, and a few lounges.   

With an all-inclusive, though, a lot more of those amenities are figured into the price, so what it comes down to is whether or not you plan to use those amenities.   

If you plan on leaving the property for dining, drinks, and activities anyway, then you don’t need an all-inclusive, but if you can find a great all-inclusive for the same price then you do have those options if you want to use them.   

The Culture Aspect 

You’ll also want to consider the culture aspect.   

Staying in a non-all-inclusive might make you more inclined to go outside of the resort, where you can experience the real Los Cabos.   

On the other hand, if you book an all-inclusive, you might decide you don’t have any need to leave the resort, and you’ll miss out on experiencing the local culture.   

Logistics 

You may prefer to have a relaxing vacation and not do a lot of running around.   

In this case, an all-inclusive is the best choice because everything you need is in one place.   

You don’t have to worry about transportation to get around, you’ll have several dining and lounge options onsite, and most all-inclusives offer activities and entertainment at the resort as well.   

A non-all-inclusive requires more planning and figuring out where to go,  what to do, and how to get there.   

If you don’t want to worry about all of that, then an all-inclusive is probably the best option for your Los Cabos vacation.