Welcome to the world of all-inclusive resorts! These tropical paradises offer everything you could ever dream of on a vacation – beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine, and countless activities. However, with the luxury and convenience that typically come with an all-inclusive experience, it’s important to remember the value of proper etiquette. 

By following a few simple guidelines, you can ensure a harmonious and enjoyable stay for yourself and your fellow guests. 

Etiquette in the Resort: 

Practicing proper etiquette in resort life increases your and other guests’ satisfaction.  Please create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere during your stay. 

Respect Public Spaces: Treat common areas like lobbies, pools, and other shared facilities with respect. Contribute to a pleasant atmosphere for all visitors by avoiding excessive noise, littering, or monopolizing spaces.   

Dress Appropriately: Be aware of the resort’s dress code, especially in public spaces and dining areas. Some resorts may have specific guidelines, so it’s important to comply with specific rules to maintain a respectful atmosphere.  

Beach shorts and pareos are inappropriate clothes for a restaurant. 
 
You can go in the bathrobe to the spa area, but it’s still better to clarify which elevator leads to this floor to avoid embarrassing other hotel guests with your appearance.   

Quiet Hours: Many resorts have set quiet times to provide a relaxing environment for all guests. Respect these times and give other guests a chance to unwind and enjoy their stay.   

Follow Pool Etiquette: Follow the resort’s guidelines when using the pool. Respect others’ personal space, keep noise levels down, and practice poolside etiquette, such as showering before entering the pool. 

Be Mindful of Housekeeping: Keep your room clean and show respect to the housekeeping staff. If you require their assistance, notify them at appropriate times or use the “Do Not Disturb” sign when needed. 

Respect Other Guests: Treat fellow guests with kindness and consideration. Be mindful of other people’s privacy, avoid excessive noise in hallways, and prevent confrontation or disrespectful behavior. 

Tips: Tipping is suitable when receiving extra services like ordering a taxi, guided tour or entertainment guidance, or recommendations for the best restaurants or beaches. Be kind, respectful, and tip-friendly; the hotel staff is not obliged to provide you with all this additional information.   

Follow Resort Rules and Policies: Learn about the rules and regulations of the resort, like smoking areas, pet policies, and restrictions on outside food and beverages.   

Remember that good manners are necessary for an enjoyable and relaxing stay at an all-inclusive resort. By following these rules, you’ll not only guarantee a pleasant experience for yourself, but also contribute to the creation of a peaceful and welcoming environment for everyone. 

Having an enjoyable stay in paradise will depend on our appropriate behavior. 

Beach  

Ah, the beach—an oasis of harmony, relaxation, and endless summertime joy. Beach etiquette is essential to ensure a pleasant experience for everyone enjoying the sun, sand, water and maintaining a relaxing environment. Here are some general guidelines for beach etiquette: 

Find out information about the beach:

Check for specific regulations

Some beaches may have additional regulations, like restrictions on alcohol consumption, bonfires, certain activities, designated swimming areas, or guidelines for watercraft usage or pets. 
 
Adhering to these guidelines ensures safety and promotes a harmonious environment. 
 
In addition, before visiting the beach, find out if it is a family, nudist, topless, or separate beach. Depending on the type of beach, you need to follow the dress code. You should be aware that you can’t be topless at a family beach; on the other hand, don’t completely cover yourself if you are sunbathing on a nudist beach. 
 
Most importantly, learn about the traditions of the place you have chosen to relax. Observe the resort’s guidelines if you want to look appropriate there.   

Observe Dress Code: Swimsuits and Accessories  

Respect dress codes or guidelines for appropriate beach clothes. Some beaches may have specific rules of modesty, especially in more conservative areas.  

Selecting the appropriate silhouette of a swimsuit is essential for looking attractive. The most key factors are style and proper size. The swimwear shouldn’t be uncomfortable, excessively large, or tight.  

Wearing a swimsuit or bikini strings that hardly cover your privates shouldn’t be done. Along with being a major annoyance, it may also place you in a very unpleasant situation.  

The right accessories can play an essential role in a beach appearance. A fashionable hat is one of the key elements of a getaway outfit. In some cases, having only one model for the entire season can be enough, but using decorative accessories like ribbons, scarves, and headbands may help to create fresh looks. In addition, summer hats offer sun protection which is very important as well. 

Flip-flops should not be worn when walking along the beach. While you walk, the slapping sound of those shoes could bother others as well as cause beach sand to trip over them. 

Avoid having hats, t-shirts, or bags that contain a logo of the place where they were purchased. Elegance is still associated with good taste and simplicity. A good quality product speaks for itself. 

Over-the-top decorative elements, like sequins, rhinestones, tones of jewelry, and thick makeup, can ruin your appearance. Keep in mind that such beach clothing is incorrect for an atmosphere of rest and relaxation. 

Do not wear swimwear outside the beach 

In resorts, some tourists go around wearing swimwear and even enter stores and restaurants, which is extremely annoying to local residents. 

Remember that wearing a swimsuit outside of the beach is inappropriate, regardless of how pretty it may be. According to etiquette, you should dress up if you plan to eat at a café or go to a nearby store. Put on a sundress. Men are subject to the same requirements; they must dress in shorts and T-shirts. 

Never enter a beach cafe in wet swimsuits, even if you are wearing dry clothes over them. You’ll spoil and wet the seats and irritate the other customers. 

In some cities, people who allow themselves to walk in this manner may be subject to fines. In certain regions, there are no fines, but you can’t expect other people’s appreciation. 

Use changing rooms 

There are designated areas where visitors can change. There might be a line, but this is not an excuse to change clothes in front of the public, covering yourself with a towel. 

This also applies to children. Let kids learn rules at a young age. 

Respect others and their personal space  

Be mindful of others around you. Keep noise levels reasonable, avoid playing loud music without permission, and do not intrude on other people’s personal space. Be mindful of families and avoid using offensive language or engaging in inappropriate behaviors. 
 
Even on the most crowded beach, you need to maintain an appropriate distance from other visitors. The ideal distance between people is around 4.5 meters. 

Never place a chair or towel close to someone

Be respectful of the people who arrived earlier at the beach.  Avoid blocking the view.  Allow others to enjoy the view of the water and let parents monitor their children. 

The same rules apply to you in the water: don’t jump if you see someone spending time with family or learning to swim. 

Also, try not to disturb other people while you play with your children or enter the water. Avoid making a splash while entering the water. 

Do not step over people

While the direct route is obviously the shortest, it is not always advisable to take it. If there is a person in your way, then look for an alternate route. Never step over a person – this is disrespectful and rude.   

Be Mindful of Beach Games and Activities 

When playing beach games or sports, be aware of those around you. Avoid throwing objects, like balls or Frisbees, and play volleyball where you might hit or disturb others who are nearby relaxing, sleeping, or making a sandcastle. 

Avoid running on the sand because it will fall on people and might get in their eyes. Instead, run on the firm, moist sand along the water if you wish to go for a leisurely jog. 

Use designated areas for specific activities, like volleyball or soccer, if available. 

Communication and good manners 

•  Do not criticize other tourists. 
• If you engage in small talk with other people, you can chat about the weather, water temperature, nature, etc. If you see that person is not in the mood to talk to you, there is no need to force conversation. Also, talking about your problems on the beach is not a good idea. 
• Get their permission before taking any photos of them.  
• If you want to take a selfie or use video chat, move aside. 

Sun lounge guidelines 

There are also certain etiquette guidelines for sun loungers that you should abide by: 

• While you wait for a friend or a family member to join, don’t leave towels across several beach loungers. Be ready to share spare chairs with other hotel guests if you or your friends are late. 
• Avoid placing your belongings on beach umbrellas or sun loungers when you check into a hotel, go to your room for a rest and change, or go on a tour. Give others the opportunity to use recreational equipment. 
• When sunbathing while standing or talking with someone, try to avoid blocking the sun or the view of the sea, or kids playing by the water.   

Avoid shaking the sand close to others 

Before leaving the beach, shake off any sand from your blanket, clothes, or shoes, but avoid doing so too close to other people and keep an eye on the wind direction.  You don’t want to get sand in the eyes, hair, or towels of others. 

Don’t wear perfume if you’re going to the beach

Avoid wearing perfume when going to the beach. At first, sun exposure might cause pigmentation or burns. Second, the aroma of the perfume might change due to temperature, which may be unpleasant to others. 

Avoid drinking alcohol 

Many people like to sip a cold beer or have a glass of wine while enjoying the sun.  But first, you should be aware that drinking alcohol is prohibited on many public beaches, and you can get a fine for this. 

Additionally, consuming alcohol in the heat is extremely dangerous for the health and can cause heart attacks. 

Instead, have a drink at the beach bar and enjoy it in the shade under an umbrella. 

Don’t smoke on the beach 

The beach you are visiting may have a non-smoking policy. However, even without it, it is still preferable to smoke in designated areas.  You will most likely accidentally smoke on people and kids who are relaxing near you. Furthermore, cigarette butts that are left over can harm wildlife and contaminate the water, in addition to becoming beach trash. 

Do not dig deep holes on the beach 

It’s okay if you or your kids want to dig in the sand. However, avoid creating a hole in which someone may trip over or fall. Fill the holes with sand, especially if they are deep.  If your dog is digging a hole, backfill it before you leave.    

Part 2 of “Travel etiquette: All-inclusive resorts. Beach and pool etiquette.” will be published next week. Stay tuned.

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