All-inclusive resorts go beyond basics

Mention the words "all-inclusive resort" and thoughts of bad buffets, watered-down drinks and wristband-wearing guests doing the conga may come to mind.But all-inclusive resorts, which have traditionally included basic accommodations and meals, are reinventing themselves with chic rooms, sophisticated restaurants and activities all wrapped into one price.

Many hotel brands are also offering all-inclusive options for travelers who want to know exactly what their vacation will cost. For example, the Fairmont Mayakoba, an upscale resort just south of Cancun, recently introduced its first inclusive meal plan with the "appetite for luxury package," which starts at $499 a night, per couple, and covers the room, and two children ages 5 and under. In the past year, at least two Starwood resorts, the Westin Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal in Costa Rica and the Sheraton Bijao Beach Resort in Panama, have gone completely all-inclusive.

While most all-inclusive resort offerings are covered in the price, expect to pay extra for special services and amenities such as spa treatments, premium drinks and late-night baby-sitting.

To help you figure out if an all-inclusive is right for you, here is a sampling of new or recently redone resorts that go beyond the usual buffet spreads and bland accommodations.

Standout features: Thirty new rooms designed for families with two bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths, a children's art studio created with the Pop artist Romero Britto and a Le Petit Sports program, which introduces young children to sports through storytelling and games on pint-size tennis and golf courses.

Beyond the basics: In addition to the usual meals and water sports, you get children's programs for ages 4 months to 17 years, including a "baby restaurant" and teenagers' hangout.

What's not included: Evening child care; spa treatments; excursions like airboat rides on Lake Okeechobee.

Standout features: A recently renovated skin-care clinic and a newly expanded water-sports center, which offers water skiing, sailing, tubing, snorkeling and windsurfing. There is also a dive shop with a training center.

Beyond the basics: A daily 50-minute spa treatment, farm-to-table meals, fitness classes, wellness and weight-loss programs.

What's not included: Premium drinks, restaurant specials, scuba diving sessions, specialty spa treatments and off-site adventures like mountain biking.

Cost: From $450 a person a night.

Standout features: Five restaurants, seven bars, including the refurbished Rose Bar, which features Bali beds (day beds with white linen roof coverings) and misting fans, and the Beach Club, with an Infinity pool. The resort hosted the MTV series "Real World" in 2009 and features the Real World Suite. A corner of the resort is designated the Chill Out Zone, a music-free area with large daybeds for guests who want to relax.

What's not included. Premium coffee and most premium liquors; private beach dinners; beachside Bali beds; off-property excursions; and with few exceptions (guests staying in suites get a treatment) the spa.

Cost: From $298 a night for two people.

Standout features: Last year the resort overhauled most guest rooms, installing water recycling systems, solar water heating, low-energy air-conditioning, and furniture made from wood certified as responsibly harvested. A water park with 17 slides uses rain-capture and filtration systems to help conserve water.

Beyond the basics: From May to October guests can participate in a sea-turtle release program. There is also an on-site freshwater swimming hole, mangrove swamps and Mayan ruins to explore just steps from the resort.

What's not included: Spa treatments, scuba diving, premium liquor, and off-site excursions like deep-sea fishing.

Standout features: After a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2010, this property -- formerly a Four Seasons -- offers a milelong private cove beach, seven restaurants, an 18-hole Greg Norman championship golf course and a 17-acre marina in case you want to bring your yacht.

What's not included: Treatments at the spa, private cabanas, off-site excursions, greens fees and marina slips.