4 Secret Luxury Resorts in the US You’ll Wish You’d Known Sooner

When you picture yourself escaping to an all-inclusive resort, you likely imagine flying to Cancún, Jamaica, or maybe even the Maldives. And, of course, retreating to a far-flung destination where the swim-up bar drinks are included and your daily itinerary is created for you is pretty delightful. But here’s the thing: you can find all of those perks right here in the U.S. — perhaps even within driving distance of your home.

When you take an all-inclusive vacation, meals, accommodations, and many activities are included, and the advertised rates often extend to alcoholic beverages. While private sessions like spa treatments are rarely included, it’s easier to factor in extras because you know exactly how much you’re spending upfront. With that in mind, here are 16 of the best all-inclusive resorts in the U.S.

1. The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island, Georgia

all inclusive resorts in Little St. Simons Island, Georgia — Courtesy of Little St. Simons Island, Georgia

This lodge, which can be reached only by boat and hosts a maximum of 32 guests, feels like a true hideaway. Built in 1917 as a private hunting lodge, it opened to the public in the late 1970s. You’re in for VIP service, fresh seafood meals, and animal encounters. The property is located within an 11,000-acre sanctuary full of roaming wildlife, including more than 250 species of birds. Rates include meals, non-alcoholic beverages, naturalist-guided excursions, boat transfers to and from the island, and unlimited access to island activities and recreation gear.

“When we visited this most secreted away of Georgia’s Golden Islands, Little St. Simons, with our then-toddler son, my husband and I remarked that it felt almost like staying at a national park,” said T+L contributor Terry Ward. “Indeed, the privately owned Little St. Simons Island is managed as a conservation property.

Historic cottages surround a 1917 hunting lodge and are your basecamp for eco-adventures into the surrounding oak forests and along seven miles of pristine beaches. Rates are all-inclusive, wrapping in boat transfers to the island, garden-to-table meals with lots of fresh seafood from the surrounding waters and bikes, kayaks and fishing supplies to get you out into nature and enjoying. We towed our little son in the resort’s loaner bike trailer along the island’s golden beaches, stopping for photos together at sunset that I’ll always cherish.”

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Winter scene at Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Co — Courtesy of Vista Verde Ranch

Located in the backwoods of Colorado, Vista Verde Guest Ranch offers everything you could ever want on a luxury ranch vacation. Here, rates include meals and all beverages; horseback riding; guided hiking, biking, and fly-fishing; kids’ and teens’ programs; evening barn dances and rodeos; and shuttle service to and from Steamboat Springs. After an activity-filled day, enjoy dinner on the ranch (some meals are upscale multi-course affairs, while others are served in a backyard-BBQ style). Then, retreat to your cozy log cabin, wrap yourself in the provided spa robes, and slip between the Italian linen sheets.

03. Castle Hot Springs, Arizona

Castle Hot Springs in Arizona — Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs

At the Sonoran Desert retreat that is Castle Hot Springs, you can expect the ultimate in relaxation thanks to the resort’s three luxurious soaking pools. You’ll also find an on-site farm and greenhouse, and a wealth of activities for guests ages 16 and older including yoga, meditation, farm tours, and guided nature hikes. Dine at the resort’s in-house restaurant, Harvest, or sip on a farm-fresh craft cocktail at Bar 1896. “The all-inclusive menu is great — think extravagant, five-course meals every night, with ingredients plucked from the on-site farm,” Maya Kachroo-Levine, T+L senior editor, said after a 2021 visit. “The grounds are unreal — the three-tiered hot spring pools are some of the hottest in the world. And perhaps the most exciting part of this World’s Best Award–winning hotel is the via ferrata course, which can help even the heights-averse traveler summit an Arizona mountain.”

The 34-room boutique property is set on 1,100 stunning acres in Arizona, with an all-inclusive rate covering your daily meals, a $25 beverage credit per person per night, accommodations, most activities, access to the hot springs, and gratuities. Note that alcoholic beverages, massage services, and certain activities such as horseback riding as well as the gratuities you’d pay for such services, will cost you extra.

04. Bungalows Key Largo, Florida

One of the best all-inclusive resorts in Florida, this adults-only property is located within a lush botanical garden by the beach, offering private bungalows that come with your own veranda and an outdoor shower or soaking tub. Rates at Bungalows Key Largo include access to several pools and Jacuzzis, poolside cabanas, daily yoga classes, cruiser bikes, a courtesy car to take into town (based on availability), a fitness center featuring Peloton bikes, and most on-property dining (reservations at Bogie & Bacall’s, its fine dining restaurant, require an extra fee).