{"id":46046,"date":"2026-09-25T17:29:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T15:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.riu.com\/blog\/?p=46046"},"modified":"2026-09-25T17:29:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T15:29:55","slug":"all-inclusive-drinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.riu.com\/blog\/en\/all-inclusive-drinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Drinks in an All-Inclusive Hotel: What’s Typically Included and What to Check"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you book an all-inclusive, domestic spirits, soft drinks, juices and bottled water are usually covered at every bar and restaurant, all day long. What varies from one chain to another \u2014 and what raises the most questions \u2014 is everything else: whether the in-room minibar gets restocked for free, whether imported brands come at no extra cost, and what a premium tier actually adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At many chains, the all-inclusive rate covers drinks and meals with frequent exceptions: \u00e0 la carte restaurants billed separately, or a drinks selection narrower than the term “all-inclusive” suggests \u2014 which is why it’s worth reading the fine print before booking at any resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What drinks are usually included in an all-inclusive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The baseline is fairly standard across most resorts: domestically produced beer and spirits, house wine, soft drinks, natural juices, bottled water, coffee and tea, available at the hotel’s bars and restaurants during opening hours. Classic cocktails \u2014 pi\u00f1a colada, margarita, mojito \u2014 are also typically part of the base menu, with no extra charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where things start to differ is with imported or “premium” brands: name-brand whisky, champagne, reserve wines or craft spirits. Many hotels offer these as a paid add-on outside the standard package. At chains like RIU<\/a>, that distinction is narrower than usual: the all-inclusive rate already covers \u00e0 la carte restaurants at no extra cost, and the exception is specifically limited to those premium brands, which are handled separately \u2014 through services like Elite Club by RIU<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bob’s Bar: serves guests a variety of refreshing drinks in a relaxed setting by the sea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Non-alcoholic options: beyond water and soda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re traveling with children, or simply don’t drink alcohol, most all-inclusive resorts offer mocktails (non-alcoholic versions of the classic cocktails), a range of natural fruit juices and flavored waters, in addition to the usual soft drinks. The variety of mocktails tends to depend on the bar \u2014 swim-up bars by the pool usually have a shorter menu than the main lobby bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The in-room minibar: what to expect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is where most of the confusion comes from. In most standard rooms, the minibar includes water and a soft drink, restocked daily at no charge. It’s not common, though, for it to include alcoholic beverages for free unless the room category or service tier specifically states so. Before booking, it’s worth checking the exact room description \u2014 not every room category within the same hotel has the same minibar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the all-inclusive moves up a tier: Elite Club by RIU<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some hotels offer a higher tier of service within the all-inclusive itself, built specifically to elevate details like this one. In RIU’s case, that service is called Elite Club by RIU<\/a>, and on the drinks side it adds a minibar that includes a bottle of wine and access to premium drinks in exclusive areas of the hotel, such as the Elite Club Lounge. At Caribbean hotels that offer Elite Club, the service also includes a premium liquor dispenser right in the room \u2014 this particular amenity is exclusive to Caribbean hotels and isn’t available at hotels in Europe, Asia or Africa, although the rest of the Elite Club service may still be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elite Club<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Elite Club Lounge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The service launched in 2022 at Hotel Riu Palace Kukulkan<\/a>, in Cancun, and is now available at several RIU Palace hotels across different destinations, including Hotel Riu Palace Jamaica<\/a>, in Montego Bay. If this level of service interests you, it’s worth checking each hotel’s page to confirm whether it’s available and exactly what it includes at that destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to check before booking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n