I've been visiting Mexico for 15 years and these are the best all-inclusive resorts I recommend for a holiday getaway

I've been visiting Mexico for 15 years and exploring different regions as a travel writer, so I know that the ideal resort destination is relative to the kind of sunny getaway you seek, and who you're spending your escape with.

But whether it be a romantic cocoon with high-end pampering, an exciting and playful family-friendly oasis, or an ideal full-service complex for any size of group, there's bound to be an all-inclusive in Mexico that can check off all your boxes. Here are a few top-notch suggestions of my favorites for different styles of all-inclusive holidays.

My first visit to Secrets the Vine was when I attended the Cancun Wine & Food Festival in 2014, which was hosted by the resort in high-style, with celebrated international chefs and impressive gastronomy events.

This resort is a sleek and sophisticated adults-only, high-rise tower of close to 500 rooms. The resort has a focus on wine and an extensive collection of bottles from around the world. The all-inclusive program covers food and drinks at 12 onsite eateries and bars, and there's also 24/7 room service and pool and beach wait service.

Their Preferred Club rooms and suites offer an even more elevated level of service and amenities, figuratively and literally — the club floors are on the top and offer killer sea and lagoon views. They also have their own private lounge. When I stayed here, my oversized suite had a wrap-around balcony that allowed me to take in beautiful sunrise and sunset views.

I also enjoyed spending time in the terrace infinity pool on the third-floor as it's more private than the ground-level water circuit. The lower-level water circuit has what I think is more of a contemporary cool vibe, with two large pools and lounges with palapas on the beach. Stairs lead from the pools down to the busy public beach, but the stretch of sand is broad enough that to me it still felt fairly private sitting in a lounge chair.

Off-property must-do: The Secrets Spa by Pevonia, though within the complex, operates as a stand-alone service that's not included in the all-inclusive price, but I think is worth the splurge for ultimate pampering and a visit to its expansive and soothing hydrotherapy circuit.

In my experience, the Breathless Resorts brand aims to be hip and trendy with adults-only, all-inclusive stays that promise nonstop action to mostly young party-loving guests. So, I was a little concerned Breathless Riviera Cancun might be too high-energy for me — though I am a lively boomer, I do appreciate quiet time by the sea, too.

But when I visited in fall of 2019, I was very impressed to discover how well this complex offers many different vibes that never encroach upon one another.

At Breathless, you can choose a regular room or suite that comes with access to 24-hour room service and unlimited food and drink at 10 different restaurants and nine trendy bars. However, I strongly recommend choosing an xhale club level accommodation, like I did, to truly enjoy everything the resort has to offer.

Under this option, your stay will include upgraded rooms with luxe extras like a whirlpool tub on the balcony or a swim-out channel, and entrance to the large private xhale pool and beach area with wait service. As an xhale club guest I also had access to a separate seaside restaurant for breakfast, and a sophisticated indoor private lounge — all excellent places to catch my breath after trying to keep up to the younger guests. I was able to easily hop from a high-octane party pool scene, to a laid-back loungey oasis with mood music, to a mid-range barefoot beach BBQ style celebration, all within the same hour.

No matter your age, I think it's impossible not to get swept up with the resort's special events, like Neon Night, an electric glow-in-the-dark dance party that was tons of fun. I was also pleased to discover that xhale club members get a complimentary visit to the relax spa by Pevonia, a heavenly hot and cold hydrotherapy circuit that rejuvenated my muscles aching from so much impromptu dancing.

Off-property must-do: Take a complimentary kayak and explore the lush jungle-lined waters around the resort.

Zoëtry brand resorts are designed to be thoughtfully curated, adults-only, all-inclusive retreats. The Zoëtry Villa Rolandi is my favorite due to its idyllic location on tiny Isla Mujeres, an island off the coast of Cancun that was once revered by the ancient Maya as the sanctuary for the Maya goddess Ixchel.

This resort is smaller than many all-inclusives I've been to in Mexico, with just 35 suites. I think this escape can be very peaceful and romantic — each room has a full-sized hot tub and terrace overlooking the sea.

Still, it's not only for couples — I first visited this Zoëtry with my adult daughter to celebrate her birthday. On the first day, we had a tough time choosing between the three pools, so we decided to explore the lovely little beach below the resort, and were instantly greeted by a baby stingray and a sea turtle — the surrounding waters were just chock full of sea life which was incredible to see.

The resort's "Endless Privileges" program includes unlimited gourmet food and drink — dining choices are a tad limited given the resort's size, but an extensive wine selection accompanies meals at the French-Mexican fusion Le Métissage and Swiss-Northern Italian influenced alfresco Casa Rolandi. My daughter is vegan and they did an excellent job accommodating her with plant-based gourmet fare. There are two cozy bars and a small spa on-site, and in my experience, service is five-star at every turn. The resort also offers complimentary transfers with champagne from Cancun's El Embarcadero marina aboard a luxury yacht. Airport transfers cost extra.

Off-property must-do: Explore the island by golf cart as everyone does, it's that small. In the summer, book the whale shark snorkeling experience with Cancun Adventures, it's a bucket-list worthy encounter — I've done it three times.

I'm a snorkeling fanatic, and if you add the guarantee of sea turtle encounters to a holiday, I'm first in line. So, when I heard that Secrets had an adults-only, all-inclusive resort in Akumal, a resort town on the Yucatan Peninsula that's named the Mayan word for "the place of the turtles," I couldn't get there fast enough.

Like most Secrets, Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya resort has the signature "Unlimited Luxury" offerings of unlimited dining and drinks, in this case at nine restaurants and seven bars, plus 24/7 room service. Whenever I can, I opt for the Preferred Club level, which adds access to its own lounge and multiple extras. Deluxe suites can include ocean-front swim-outs, but I prefer a second-floor suite with a deck for the spectacular sea view.

Just off the beach in front of the resort is a protected ocean preserve area founded by Centro Ecológico Akumal that I learned is home to two species of endangered sea turtles. You can take a sea turtle snorkel tour or snorkel on your own — know that fins are not allowed as they disturb the turtles. I found a little section right off the end of Secrets' beach where lots of turtles feed in the shallows, and I have my own mask, so we communed daily one-on-one there, and it was a glorious experience.

Off-property must-do: I took a cab to Akumal Monkey Sanctuary nearby and highly recommend. They have a lot more than rescued monkeys there, and they do great work with animal rehabilitation and environmental education programs with local schools. It's a wonderful outing for animal lovers.

This luxurious, family-friendly resort flanking the charming little fishing village of Puerto Morales certainly lives up to its 'grand' designation, in my opinion. Although now they offer all-inclusive packages, the property was originally designed to be a deluxe home-away-from-home style escape, so all of the rooms are self-contained suites complete with kitchens or kitchenettes, and some with laundry facilities, too.

When I visited in 2019, I stayed in a one-bedroom master suite that could sleep five thanks to Murphy beds that pop out of the walls. It was massive, and the dining room and balcony table could easily host 10 people for dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed the big hot tub on the balcony looking out on the sea.

I also had a chance to tour some of the other more opulent suites like the penthouse that sleeps up to 13 with its own private rooftop pool, and the three-bedroom ground level villas with their own dipping pools and separate jacuzzis. There are smaller suites for couples, but I think this resort is ideal for a big multigenerational family reunion holiday or a small destination wedding.

The all-inclusive experience includes gourmet food, top-shelf drinks, and fine wines at three different restaurants, as well as an infinity pool bar and 24-hour room service. The resort also has a classic English afternoon tea service, and hosts weekly BBQs on their stunning white sand beach. There are activities for adults like cooking classes, mixology classes, yoga, and more, and children can enjoy a dedicated kid's club with supervised activities. Their beach bar also hosts special events like tequila education classes, which is where I discovered my love for pineapple tequila.

Off-property must-do: I recommend signing up for the resort's complimentary bicycle tour of Puerto Morales, where there are lots of fun and funky things to discover like boho-chic street art and a colony of quirky coatimundis, or coatis.

Huatulco, in the province of Oaxaca on the Pacific Coast, feels to me like a world away from the touristy vibe of Cancun. Oaxaca is a lush region and the most biodiverse in the country, according to The Mazatlan Post. Even the color of the water is different, sparkling deep cobalt blue and emerald, and the province is rich in ancient cultural traditions.

Huatulco consists of a collection of seven bahias, or bays, and this Dreams Resort is a sprawling, family-friendly, all-inclusive of 400-some spacious rooms on Tangolunda Bay, flanked by the Sierra Madre mountains. I think it's ideal for a multigenerational family vacation since there's plenty to do for all ages, and plenty of space to avoid crowds including designated adults-only areas.

There are six pools, including one stunning infinity pool water circuit, and the resort is located on one of the most child-friendly beaches in the region because it has no strong currents or big waves. I enjoyed the secluded adults-only beach bar at the end of the cove that also had superb snorkeling.

The cuisine is different here as well. Oaxaca is famous for its different types of moles, and I think local specialties like shrimp in cheese sauce in a brick oven-baked pineapple are must-tries. I had this dish first at El Camaron Gigante, a local beach that is famous for it, but it's available at other places, too.

Fried grasshoppers with lime, called chapulines, is also a speciality in Oaxaca, but I didn't indulge. Food and drink included at the resort spans seven restaurants and six bars, including one dedicated to mezcal. The property is a cheap cab ride from the charming little local town of La Crucecita where I highly recommend shopping for the region's signature colorful folk-art sculptures of mythical creatures called alebrijes.

Off-property must-do: I highly recommend exploring this intriguing region with Homietours, a local tour operator that provides highly personal and informative excursions for small groups, from a city tour of Huatalco to visiting nearby archaeological sites.

I've stayed at many luxurious all-inclusives all around Cabos San Lucas, but I think Breathless Cabo San Lucas Resort & Spa is the best choice primarily for its location right on Medano Beach. Medano is one of the main swimmable beaches in the region, as many aren't safe for swimming since the current is too strong. In my mind this resort also gets extra points for being steps away from the town of Cabos San Lucas for local nightlife and shopping.

I stayed at this resort while traveling with my adult daughter and her boyfriend. I was looking for something that would keep them happy with electric nightlife and activities and also provide me with some lower energy spaces, and this Breathless has both.

The resort is split into two sections. The building that hosts the xhale club is much more low-key, while the regular class tower next door is more lively.

Their all-inclusive program spans the two buildings and includes all food and drinks at 12 restaurants and multiple bars, 24/7 room service, and access to multiple water circuits including a rooftop infinity pool. We chose the xhale club master suite as it's the only space large enough for three. I really enjoyed its big stone whirlpool on the deck overlooking the marina, where I saw sea lions barking after fishermen's boats, hoping for an easy meal as the boats returned to the harbor.

Off-property must-do: You can't visit Los Cabo without getting up close to the famous arch. I recommend taking a glass-bottom boat tour with Cabo Day Trips to spot fish as you go.

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