Step 1: Stay down by the deep blue sea at one of the all-inclusive Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts.
… No step 2 required!
With the Summer of SpongeBob in full steam (through September 3, 2024), there’s no place more festive than these twin properties in the Dominican Republic and Mexico to turn summer break into a true vacation. Kids can feel like they’ve been transported into their favorite Nicktoons, adults can embrace the luxury touches (each with a huge twist of fun), and the entire family can revel in a full roster of included entertainment—and we mean the entire family.
Bringing the same inclusiveness found in their shows to their properties, Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts are Autism Double-Checked (ADC) certified, meaning their staff is specially trained in accommodating neurodiverse children and adults. Families can contact the brand’s Autism Concierge—the industry’s first such offering from a hotel brand, established by parent company Karisma Hotels & Resorts—even before their vacation begins, allowing them to travel with utmost confidence.
So with two inclusive all-inclusives to choose from, each perfectly situated on a world-class beach, which one has the right formula for fun for your family?
NICKELODEON HOTELS & RESORTS PUNTA CANA
Life is golden on the sands of Punta Cana, from the shimmering sands to the glow of the sun overhead. Yet it’s the cartoon-inspired—and cleverly elevated—cheer that makes this hotel the one you’ll want to stay at with the family time and time again.
For kids:
Open to those ages 4 – 12, Club Nick is the ultimate hangout. Half clubhouse, half artist’s studio, it’s equipped with all a kid could want: a slide that leads straight into a ball pit, an arts-and-crafts corner, cozy bean bag chairs, a gaming station, and the perfect mix of (supervised) free play and planned activities. The finishing touch: surprise visits from characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.
When dinner time hits, forget the groans and protests of home. Here, kids will be counting down to mealtime with experiences like the Turtle Power Dinner*. Serving up a big dose of pizza power (“a flying-saucer food delight” that “makes us feel all right,” as the TMNT brothers famously sang), young ninjas in training can reenergize alongside Leo, Mikey, Raph, and Donnie. Photos are a given, so have the kids practice their best Turtle moves in advance.
Keep the fun going the next morning (or evening) at Zest. Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays are pajama party days*, and we all know even better than staying up late is hanging out with your friends. Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol and Cosmo and Wanda, aka The Fairly Oddparents, are just a few of the regulars who love to stop by. Goody-bags add to the party atmosphere—and make for great souvenirs.
*Additional charge applies.
For teens:
Caught between still wanting to have fun like a kid and acting too cool for it, teenagers can be a tricky group to please. But not at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana.
Give teens fodder for their social at the Orange Carpet, where they can get as glam as they please to pose in front of the paparazzi (or at least their family) like one of their favorite TeenNick stars. Face paint and slime mohawks add enough novelty to coax out reluctant smiles, and character appearances, welcome nostalgia for when they were a “kid.”
Afterward, head to a White Beach Party (don’t forget to pack white clothes) hosted by Team Nick. Live music, tasty food stations, and teen-friendly activities with seafront views blend to create an event even the toughest critics can’t find fault with.
For adults:
Two words: oceanfront pools. Take a leisurely swim or cool off with a cocktail delivered by a beach butler. Walk barefoot in the sand or help the kids build a castle. Or perhaps just relax in your own Swank Plunge Pool Suite, complete with a private plunge pool.
It’s the wide variety of rooms that adults may appreciate most. From the Connecting Pad Suites ideal for families with tweens or teens to the spacious Swank and Nest Suites to the iconic Pineapple Villa modeled after SpongeBob’s home, a dozen categories ensure every need is met and style addressed.
For everyone:
Take a spaceship but make it a restaurant. That was the idea behind Spacewalker, one of the resort’s most popular dining spots. Knowing every kid at some point has wanted to be an astronaut, Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana gives fresh life to that dream with galactic dishes familiar enough to stay on the kids’ menu—plus “cosmic cocktails” for the adults.
Realizing another childhood aspiration, getting slimed is considered a “rite of passage” on a Nickelodeon vacation. Gather the crew, brace yourselves, and get ready to get covered in Nick’s trademark green goo. Just don’t forget to get it on camera!
What’s New?
Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts has recently unveiled exciting updates. The NDR retail store now offers enhanced personalization options, allowing guests to tailor their purchases to their preferences. Additionally, the Punta Cana resort has renovated its spaces to ensure a fresh and inviting atmosphere throughout.
On top of these updates, guests can now enjoy even more thrills at the newly expanded waterpark, Aqua Nick Punta Cana, which opened on July 1. This expansion promises an enhanced aquatic experience with new attractions and amenities, lazy rivers, and water slides—making it the perfect complement to an already unforgettable stay.
NICKELODEON HOTELS & RESORTS RIVIERA MAYA
Just south of Cancun, gorgeous views and nonstop fun converge in full Nickelodeon style. Trademark orange and green accents get a AAA Four Diamond upgrade, and cartoons become larger than life—and invite you to step on in to play.
For kids:
The Riviera Maya edition of Club Nick is our top pick for kids. The two-story slide, daily Nicktoon-inspired activities, and supersized ball pit make it an obvious choice. Whether your kids prefer to find their own fun or join in group play, they can do it all under supervision with a smile.
Of course, as great as it is to play with your favorite characters, it’s even better to meet them, and the Character Spot lets families do just that. Blue (on a break from leaving clues) and Magenta, Patrick Star, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have all been known to appear, alongside other animated favorites.
Characters seen on the screen in shows like Dora the Explorer and Paw Patrol are always around to lend a hand—or pose for a photo—at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, but the Nick Jr. Friends Event is the best time for kids to meet their heroes. Held from September 4 – November 2, 2024 and ideal for younger children, the event features special themed crafts, dance parties, and activities like scavenger hunts.
For teens:
While open to all ages, the six-acre Aqua Nick is where teens will want to be. Seven water slides ensure Soak Summit Tower lives up to its name, and a lazy river and sliming zone round out the experience.
Teens may want to hold off on the latter, however, in favor of Slime Time Live on the Main Stage. An interactive game show inspired by popular Nick shows and hosted by Team Nick, it’s their chance to show off their trivia skills—and rock that signature green slime.
After seeing it on TikTok, teens can eat at a real-life Good Burger™. Inspired by an All That sketch and follow-up movie, this burger joint is home to the signature Good Burger, but it’s the pinstriped uniforms and quotable catchphrases that’ll have teens posting away.
For adults:
Kids and teens with curious taste buds will enjoy the global menu, but the Yacht Club’s open kitchen, fresh take on classics, and interactivity are nods to the adults. A sophisticated setting with golden light fixtures and sea-blue place settings strike the marine note with subtlety—one of the things the Nickelodeon hotels do best.
Another? Making you feel like a star among your small-screen favorites. Dress up just cause and meet them on the Orange Carpet for a holiday card photo or framed family picture you won’t soon forget. Or book a character experience* you wished you’d had as a kid, like pizza with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Feel free to debate which TMNT iteration was the best over a slice!)
If a long-overdue date night is more what you have in mind, babysitting services on site leave you free to check out the upscale Tavola* restaurant or grab a drink at the ’90s-inspired Snick Lounge™.
*Additional charge applies.
For everyone:
This last pick starts simply and straightaway: your room. Each of the resort’s comfortable, contemporary suites accommodates up to five guests; the three penthouse Signature Suites, with their 360° rooftop vistas and immersive décor, do so in perfectly themed luxury. But be aware—a stay in the Pineapple Suite (for those Bikini Bottom vibes), Lair Suite (with its subterranean, ninja-approved flair), or Big Kahuna Suite (honoring the history of Nick animation) might just be unbeatable by any other vacation.
Mexico or the Dominican Republic, long weekend away or weeklong vacation—whatever shape your Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts trip takes, the one thing you can be sure of is, as SpongeBob would sing, is it’ll have a whole lot of F.U.N!
Ready to get started on planning? Check out tips to simplify the process with an advisor, and family packing tips!
