Trying to please the hardest-to-please demo? Become the CEO of family vacation planning when you book these Gen Z-approved hotels.
Your t(w)een would never admit it, but they lowkey want family time—preferably somewhere Instagrammable. You highkey want to make it happen … if you only knew where to start.
Sound familiar? Planning a family trip with the little ones is easy. Planning one with 9- to 17-year-olds, not so much. So we’re taking up the #challenge and laying down our list of the all-inclusive resorts, in our two most-loved beach destinations, that’ll turn zoomers into lifelong stans.
MEXICO
Dreams Jade Resort & Spa
Connecting rooms available!
Laying claim to 2,600 feet of unadulterated Riviera Cancun beachfront, this all-ages property knows the value of having your own space. Tweens get dibs on the Explorer’s Club for Kids, open to ages 3 – 12 from 9 AM to 10 PM and offering crafts, games, and activities for each age group, plus weekly campouts. Teens can hang out at their own club: the Core Zone. A rotating schedule of social events keeps things fresh, while video games and DJ equipment are welcome regulars. The on-site mini golf course and three heated pools—one specifically for kids—are perfect meet-ups; spacious family suites for up to six are ideal for downtime. Come nighttime, movies under the stars, live concerts and shows, and included dessert at five restaurants and the all-night Coco Café offer more opportunities for together-time.
Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya – Family Side
Kids 12 and under stay for just $20 per child when sharing a room with a paying adult!*
It’s only fitting that a brand that rocks hard plays hard, too. For tweens, it starts at the Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club™, where the lineup includes activities like a dance contest, music quiz, water balloon fight, paddleboard lessons, and Jenga challenge, incorporated into rotating themes. Kids 10 and over who want to get their game on can do just that at the new HyperX Gaming Lounge, a video gamer’s paradise of Xboxes and Nintendo Switches, gaming PCs, and a VR station, open until midnight. The 12-and-up crew can swap virtual for rock-star reality at the Music Lab, jamming in a band, mixing an original mashup, laying down a track, or, every YouTuber’s dream, recording a music video under the guidance of expert instructors. Changing the pace, Rockaway Bay Water Park delivers wild thrills all ages will love. And the best part? Everything’s included in the cost of your stay.
*Restrictions apply.
Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa / Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa
Family Selection and connecting rooms available!
Whether it’s Mexico’s Caribbean or Pacific Coast you’re eyeing, Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts has an option everyone can agree on. A short drive from the Cancun airport, Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa offers its own “village” of restaurants and Family Selection rooms and entertainment. Even the lobby gets in on the fun; video games in the lounge make for a great start to the vacation for kids … and a peaceful check-in for parents. On Mexico’s western shoreline, Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa puts the focus on trying something new with all-ages art and crafts, windsurfing, and two show cooking restaurants Food Channel fans will adore. Both properties give tweens and teens dedicated hangouts—a Mini Club for those 12 and under and a Junior Club for 13- to 19-year-olds—pools with great views, and a water park everyone can enjoy. Promotions throughout the year let one kid stay, play, and eat for free at Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa or up to two kids at Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa, adding extra affordability to this all-inclusive brand.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Paradisus Grand Cana (formerly The Grand Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real)
One- and two-bedroom swim-up suites available!
You know that feeling when everything falls into place? That’s what it’s like staying at Punta Cana’s recently rebranded Paradisus Grand Cana. Suites to impress even the harshest young critics come equipped with luxuries like a whirlpool tub and kid-sized bathrobes. In The Reserve, direct pool access plus personalized concierge service and an exclusive lounge and restaurant mean you can treat the whole family to the finer things. Around the resort, the Green Keepers program ensures 9- to 12-year-olds never run out of options, from creative workshops to sports competitions, and souvenir t-shirts and backpacks serve as sweet “keep”-sakes. Teens 13 to 16 can burn off some energy while making new friends as they try out Zumba, a TikTok challenge, or round of beach volleyball. Restaurant Cannopi, grilling up family favorites, marks the perfect spot to recharge before trying out Blast! Aquafun Park.
Bahia Principe Fantasia Punta Cana
Connecting rooms with kids amenities available!
A family vacation everyone enjoys is no fantasy at this storybook-influenced resort. Whimsical touches like the sand-colored castle, surrounded by a poolscape “moat,” draw a smile from anyone’s inner royal. At night, a light-and-video show illuminates its walls for a spectacle tweens in particular won’t mind repeating. By day, the kids club entertains with its costume workshops, cooking lessons, and games and crafts. Bahia Scouts can take their adventure on the go, following a guide on interactive nature expeditions around the grounds. Teens, however, won’t want to leave their exclusive Loft; a movie theater, game room, and gym fill up the hours until a dance party kicks off. Outdoor pursuits like a water park, scuba lessons, and exploring sister resorts within the complex may prove too tempting to resist, though, bringing everyone back together again.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana
Kids 12 and under stay for just $20 per child when sharing a room with a paying adult!*
The original all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel, this decked-out resort has all the greatest hits to stay tweens’ and teens' #1. Talent shows, pool parties, and mini Olympics at the Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club™ create a catchy chorus 12-and-unders will want to play on repeat, while can’t-miss attractions like Music Lab—home to RockTube and Jam Band sessions—the Laser Tag Space Adventure, Escapology Escape Room, VR X Game Lounge, Arcade Center, bowling alley, and FlowRider® surf simulator are the high notes for teens. One-bedroom Rock Family Suites make catching up on how everyone spent their day easy; the dining room is perfect for ordering in room service. Yet the party’s never far away—as the lazy river, kids pool, areas on the beach for volleyball and soccer, mini golf course, water sports center, and See the Show Theater can all attest.
*Restrictions apply.
Family trip planning doesn’t get any easier than booking through ALG Vacations®. Get our best tips on simplifying your pre-travel process here.
