5 Tips For Travelling Solo To An All-Inclusive Resort
All-inclusive resort in Jamaica
According to Visa’s Global Travel Intentions Study, about one-third of vacationing affluent adults do so on their own. With such high numbers, it’s no wonder that travel companies are putting together packages specifically designed for solo travellers.
If you are thinking about going on a trip all by yourself, you are in good company. There are several people like you on the road. The big question is – have all travel properties adapted to this reality? The truth is that they haven’t. Most all-inclusive resorts usually market to couples or families.
Even so, traveling to an all-inclusive by yourself is pretty great. You just have to know what to do to get the most out of the experience. Follow these tips and guides to make sure you have the best experience when traveling alone to an all-inclusive.
1. Choose the Right Resort
If you choose a couples resort resort, you might have some strange experiences. You could be sitting alone at the restaurant waiting to be served only for the waiters to keep passing you as they serve the couples around you. This is probably not intentional on the side of the restaurant staff—they are thinking that you are still waiting for your partner to show up.
You may order room service only for them to deliver a meal for two. Again, they intended no offence. It is just that they may have gotten used to delivering meals for two in such an establishment.
Sandals Beach Resort And Spa, Negril, Jamaica
The thing to remember is that none of these actions on the side of resort staff is meant to offend. When you are sitting alone and they ask if they can bring something for your wife or husband, just note that they are trying to be nice. It might come off as offensive but in their mind, in the spirit of good customer service. They are trying to cover all bases to ensure that their customer gets the best service possible. Plus, it’s what they usually deal with.
Choosing an all-inclusive resort that is solo traveller-friendly is probably the best move. It’s pretty obvious which all-inclusives are for couples and which are for singles just by their marketing materials. Definitely go adults-only and do your research.
2. Enjoy All the Experiences That Come With Solo Travel
Being able to enjoy your own company is one of the most Zen things you can do. There are people who can’t sit still by themselves without succumbing to boredom. Since you are one of those people who can enjoy being on their own, you also have the freedom to interpret your trip however you want.
Beach in Jamaica
There are several advantages to traveling alone. You can take long walks and experience the local area as no other group of travellers can. While most people will be staying at the resort and rarely leave the compound, save for a short walk along the beach, you have the license to let your trip unfold however you want.
You can also indulge your selfie habit without having to worry about slowing other people down. You should, however, ensure that you are always safe. Don’t go to locations that tourists are discouraged from visiting.
Have a plan for what you want to experience, whether that’s relaxation or excitement, and plan activities that cater specifically to your own interests.
3. Meet Other Singles and Solo Travellers
While being able to enjoy your own company is fun, you should probably chat up a few of the other solo travellers at your resort. Spotting them around the resort is easier than you think.
Guests at an all-inclusive resort
In the restaurants, while couples will be sitting around the communal tables, the solo travellers will be buried in their books or tablets at the tables for two. You have to gauge the situation on its own merits and take care not to disturb people who want to be left alone. That said, most people are friendly and always welcome an opportunity to make new acquaintances.
If all goes well, you might land an acquaintance to accompany you to those travel activities that can only be enjoyed in groups.
4. Find Peace in Your Own Company
This is a skill that most people never realize. The whole trip, and subsequent trips, can be even more enjoyable for you if you are the kind of person who enjoys their own company.
A 2014 study revealed that a greater percentage of travellers found greater satisfaction in traveling alone than with company. Most of the people who had travelled solo enjoyed it so much they wanted to do it again.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Traveling alone has some drawbacks, but coming to know yourself in a distant place is a valuable experience for anyone. You get to know yourself better. You become more comfortable approaching new people. You become more self-reliant.
If you’re not comfortable backpacking through large cities by yourself, go somewhere where everything is already taken care of for you. All-inclusives are like training wheels for the solo traveller. If you can make it there, you can take it to the next level on your next trip.
5. Be Yourself and Find Yourself
Ultimately, your life is yours to live and you should shoot to have as many awesome experiences as you can. If you find joy traveling alone and also love all-inclusive resorts, you can always find a way to make all-inclusive vacations work for you.
Solo female traveller at an all-inclusive resort
Use the time to find peace and unwind, the same as anyone else would.
All-inclusive resorts want your business as much as they want the business of every other couple under the sun. With more and more people traveling alone, they probably are already used to the sight of solo travellers, and some encourage it.
Negril, Jamaica
This article was published in partnership with Sandals Resorts.
About the author:
Kiley Morrow is a travel/lifestyle blogger from Ocean City, MD. She has a passion for seeing new places and writing about it. She’s worked previously with Beaches, Sandals, and Great Pineapple Resorts.
