4-Night Visit to an All-Inclusive in Cancun, Mexico

In April of 2024, I had friends getting married at the Iberostar Selection Cancun, so it was a great chance to visit an all-inclusive hotel, as it has been years since I've done a true all-inclusive stay! We were only there for four nights, but it was a nice opportunity to experience the resort and try some of the restaurants at the hotel. We flew in early on a Wednesday (it's a bonus that there are SO many direct flights from the U.S. to Cancun!) - Sun Country had some great deals. The weather was in the eighties (F) the entire time we were there, but it was windy on and off and rained some of the time. I think we just got unlucky, as generally around this time of the year it is mostly sunny and in the eighties (F)!

We arrived at the resort about an hour and a half before our scheduled check-in time. Although I shouldn't have been, I was a little disappointed because I love it when a hotel room is ready for me, even I arrive a bit early. I would recommend to anyone visiting this resort to be very specific about your check-in time and reserved room-type. Since we were a wedding group, there were some discrepancies about shortages of room types, but the hotel staff was friendly, and were able to help resolve any issues that arose for our group.

Note: the Iberostart Selection Cancun is for all ages, but next door, there is the Iberostar Selection Coral Level, which is an adults only section of the resort.

We were able to store our luggage while we waited, so we went to the gym to get in a quick workout. The gym was smaller than we expected, but it still had four treadmills, two ellipticals, a stair climber, some weight machines and no shortage of free weights. There was also a small corner of the room, that was reserved for stretching, core work and jumping rope. Overall, if you want to get in a good, daily workout while you are staying at this resort, their gym is more than sufficient. For those looking for a more intense workout, there are several local CrossFit gyms within twenty-twenty-five minute cab ride away.

The gym/fitness center provides a water machine, complimentary flavored water and towel service (small things, but I appreciated them!). We visited the gym daily, and we were always able to either find a machine or a place to workout without having to wait. There are different complimentary classes offered daily, including morning yoga. We attended one of the morning yoga classes under the outdoor pavilion and we really enjoyed it!

We had lunch at the main buffet, which is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The buffet is huge and there is ample seating. We never had to wait for a table, though the food service area could get really busy during peak meal times. For a buffet, I would give the quality and options of food an 8/10. There were several times when something I wanted had run out.

The pool and beach area were both very nice, the ocean is very wavy and has a strong undertow, so I wouldn't say it's the best option for young children. There is a pool bar, another bar and a food truck that are closer to the beach - they are great to grab something quick or to get a snack!

The resort has several restaurants besides the buffet that are open for dinner. We ate at the Mexican Restaurant, the Teppanyaki Restaurant and the Italian Restaurant. The Mexican restaurant is served family-style, with tacos, quesadillas, ceviche, taquitos, and more! No one left that meal hungry. This restaurant is also in a separate building closer to the beach, so the ambiance was beautiful.
The Italian restaurant was our favorite meal of the trip, I had a delicious branzino (sea bass) and the appetizers we tried were fresh and flavorful. They also had my favorite dessert of the trip, an ice cream covered in a chocolate shell - simple but so good!

Usually, Italian food is not my "go-to" so I was pleasantly surprised! There is also a steakhouse at the resort, we tried to get a spot there one night, but the soonest opening was for 8:30 p.m., so we opted for the Italian restaurant (La Horma) instead. The resort does not take traditional reservations, but when the restaurants open around 6 p.m., you can get added to a wait list if the restaurant is already at capacity, so it can be kind of tricky to navigate dinner time, especially if you have a larger group or don't make it to the host stand soon enough.

Note: they will only add you to the list if they are already full, so if you show up at 6 p.m. and they have openings right then, they won't put you on a "list" to come back at 7 p.m. (or whatever your preferred dinner time is).

Image 1: The front exterior of the Iberostar hotel, with lush palm trees in front of it. Image 2: The luxurious and spacious lobby of the Iberostar hotel, decorated with muted tones, and eclectic furnishings.

Image 1: A freshly carved mango with extra flavorful toppings on a stick. Image 2: The bride and groom enjoying themselves at their wedding dinner and table, under lavender, l.e.d. lighting.

For our friends' Groom Dinner, we ate at the Teppanyaki Restaurant. I would give it a 7/10, it was fun, but the food was mediocre. The sushi appetizer and soup were the best part, but the actual meal with the fried rice, chicken could have been more flavorful. We did have seventeen people at our table, so I know it can't be easy to cook for all those people at once!

On our last night, we went to the theatre that is on the property of the resort. They had a live music and dance show, which was fun to watch! The resort did a good job with entertainment, there were always activities by the pool and different games. My husband participated in the soccer competition, but if you didn't get all the goals, you had to do a belly flop! That one was fun to watch while we hung out by the pool. On our last day at the resort, they also had a cart with fresh mangoes that they were carving and then added sweet or spicy toppings. It was a delicious treat and I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance! A highlight was the foam pool party on the Saturday of our trip. It was a lot of fun, the music was loud, and a bunch of people were together dancing and hanging out in the pool. I recommend to at least stop by if you are on there on the day of the foam party!

Another thing I really appreciated about the resort was that they have an excursions and tours desk right in the lobby. A group of 9 of us wanted to go to Tulum. We were all able to reserve and pay separately, while still all getting on the same shuttle the next morning. It was just short a two-hour drive to Tulum, but our tour guide did a great job and spent about forty-five minutes with us once we got to the Mayan Ruins, giving us some history and walking us around the grounds. Then we had about an hour of free time to walk and sightsee as we pleased. I've heard from other travelers to beware of going around Cancun/Tulum, as there can be crime. We felt safe the entire time, and I know things can happen anywhere, but I felt much more at ease with planning it through our resort and being together as a group the whole time.

One last thing I wanted to mention, if you are thinking of Cancun for a wedding venue, this resort has three or four different event venues, where you can have both your ceremony and reception. Our friends had their ceremony on the beach, it was lovely with a beautiful backdrop of the ocean, and a champagne toast after the ceremony. The reception was near the pool area, right off of the beach. It was a gorgeous area for a reception and dinner, but I would check out their website if you want to see the different options.

I recommend Iberostar Selection Cancun if you are looking for a conveniently located all-inclusive that is also near the downtown area! The pool area is expansive, the grounds are well kept, and the beach is beautiful. This location could be great for a wedding, a family trip, or anything in between, with lots of options for food and drink, so no one will go hungry!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Cancun. In need of further inspiration? Check out Kelly Jeanmaire’s guide, Site Inspection at Dreams Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico.