La Casa de la Playa: Taking All-Inclusive to the Next Level

La Casa de la Playa far exceeds the expectations of those who visit.

Pictures are great, but to get the true sense of how luxurious this new property in Riviera Maya, Mexico really is, you must experience it in person.

Its beauty is unmatched.

The fact that it’s a true luxury all-inclusive resort is quite the cherry on top.

The term luxury is of course subjective to the person paying. La Casa de la Playa has a higher price tag than most all-inclusive resorts, but those staying here will have amenities that can’t be found anywhere else in the region.

There are 63 total suites, all of which are over a thousand square feet and come complete with your own butler service to cater to your needs. The experience begins with a Tesla picking you up from the airport and luxury touches continue throughout your entire stay.

“We have tons of luxury all-inclusives, but how many true five-star luxury all-inclusive do we have,” said Nick Pena, a luxury travel advisor with Cruise Planners. “The fact that this is going to offer that true five-star service paired with the all-inclusive experience, paired with the green of this hotel and how eco-conscious they are, and then access to all the parks in the world of Xcaret while still being in a private luxury enclave I think is really going to resonate with the luxury consumer.”

With a starting price tag of around $2,000 a night though, this adults-only all-inclusive resort is sort of in its own category.

However, the team at Hoteles Xcaret, which also owns Hotel Xcaret Arte and Hotel Xcaret Mexico right next door, truly delivers on the luxury experience to be able to charge such a price according to travel advisors.

“The resort manages to be a private sanctuary where all of your wants are met, your privacy is respected and you can disappear from the world, while still having everything included,” said Heather Coursen of MEI Travel. “You’re not going to find the large buffets and liquor dispensers in these rooms – instead you’ll find high-end champagne in your minibar and world-class restaurants. It is the perfect elevation of the all-inclusive product.”

The restaurants on property are true fine dining experiences. World-renowned celebrity chefs curate epic meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

You’ll find authentic Mexican food at Centil and Lumbre from the award-winning Rivera-Río brothers. Tuch de Luna from Marth Ortiz, who was named as one of the top 100 most influential personalities in Mexico, features Mexican dishes with a feminine theme in a nod to empowering women. And you’ll find culinary creations blended from flavors from Mexico and Peru at Estero from Virgilio Martínez, who is the owner of Central restaurant in Peru, which was named “Greatest Restaurant in Latin America 2013-2021” in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings.

Most all-inclusive restaurants only feature steak for dinner. At Estero, you can get Wagyu steak for lunch. Other all-inclusive properties feature multiple course meals with wine pairings for an extra cost. La Casa de la Playa has multiple restaurants that do this for dinner all included. Of course, guests can opt for the elevated in-room dining options if they’d just rather stay in their room.

The idea behind the resort is that you truly feel like you’re at your house.

That’s why there is a 24-hour gym, a 24-hour chocolate shop filled with Mexican chocolate treats, a 24-hour tequila and mezcal bar featuring top-shelf brands, and a 24-hour wine cellar that’s loaded with reds, whites and champagne. You can set up tasting experiences here, or simply grab a bottle of wine or tequila and take it back to your room.

Massages and other spa services do cost extra, but the hydrotherapy pool is complimentary, marking yet another perk for guests that you won’t find at other all-inclusive resorts.

The resort also features a 40-meter infinity pool with a nearby wet bar, a rooftop sky bar and pool with stunning views of the Caribbean, and a rooftop tennis court.

So, what type of guest should stay here?

“I think we’re looking for clients that are open to new experiences you know, to do things out of the box,” said Lester Romero, Sales Manager for Hoteles Xcaret. “We have amazing rooms you actually don’t want to leave them sometimes; you have everything included there, but of course, here we actually encourage you to go and try one of the experiences that will be totally private for you. I think we’re finding nowadays a different type of clientele looking to take experiences back home, not only about just going there and relaxing but to take something back home, something to tell your family and friends about, something you have done that was totally prepared and tailor-made for you.”

Some of those tailor-made experiences include special access and perks at all of Xcaret’s parks, like a private dinner in a cenote, experiencing an underground river excursion at Xcaret before the park opens and becomes crowded with other guests, a backstage tour and a specially curated dinner for the Xcaret México Espectacular night show, and so much more.

“This place has just been amazing,” said Ronda Helton of The Travel Connection Group. “It’s definitely a hidden gem luxury boutique property. It’s a very odd concept for most people to understand luxury all-inclusive in one package but this property really does encompass that, and I’m excited to have more of my clients come down here and experience this wonderful place.”