Ultimate Guide to The Excellence Collection All-Inclusive Resorts

The Excellence Collection is a small group of all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. With 3 different brands, including adults-only and family-friendly resorts, The Excellence Collection has options for many different types of travelers.

All-inclusive vacations have gained popularity in recent years, and big hotel brands like Hyatt have expanded their all-inclusive offerings. While those brands are adding all-inclusive properties to their existing portfolio, The Excellence Collection is comprised entirely of all-inclusive resorts.

Let’s take a closer look at this collection of hotels, including details about its 3 brands and 8 locations.

The Excellence Collection

The Excellence Collection consists of 8 all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica across 3 distinct brands.

• Beloved Hotels: For couples only
• Excellence Resorts: For adults only
• Finest Resorts: For all ages

Hot Tip:

What is an all-inclusive resort, anyway? While each particular resort may offer unique offerings, you can expect all meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages to be included. Most resorts also include alcoholic beverages as well as some activities. Usually, extras like premium liquor and spa treatments cost extra.

Excellence Club and Finest Club

At Excellence Resorts and Finest Resorts, there are regular rooms and Excellence Club and Finest Club rooms. Club rooms come with extra benefits and upgrades.

Excellence Club rooms can only be booked by guests 18 and up, while families with children under 18 can book Finest Club rooms.

Hot Tip:

Excellence Club (adults only) and Finest Club (all ages) refer to extra perks with select room categories. They are not elite levels that need to be earned.

The Excellence Collection Rewards

The Excellence Collection Rewards loyalty program is currently paused for new members and for upgrades for current members. However, existing members will continue to receive benefits while the program refreshes.

Benefits available to current members of The Excellence Collection Rewards include:

Benefit	Silver	Gold	Platinum	Diamond
Welcome Gift	✓	✓	✓	✓
15% Spa Discount	✓	✓	✓	✓
20% Photo Session Discount	✓	✓	✓	✓
Sweet Treats Plate (1 per Stay)		✓	✓	✓
Flower Arrangement (1 per Stay)		✓	✓	✓
Cheese Platter (1 per Stay)		✓	✓	✓
Bottle of Wine (1 per Stay)		✓	✓	✓
Suite Upgrade, When Available			✓	✓
Bottle of Moët & Chandon (1 per Stay)			✓	✓
Diamond Ritual Spa Treatment (1 per Guest, up to 2 Guests)				✓

How To Book The Excellence Collection Hotels and Resorts

You can book a hotel or resort by The Excellence Collection directly on its website to enjoy additional perks. These perks apply to suite-only reservations and not to suite-and-flight reservations:

• Free Airport Transfer: Get free round-trip ground transportation between the hotel and the airport for all guests arriving and leaving at the same time.
• Best Rate Guarantee: The Excellence Collection properties will match an identical reservation from a third-party website or agency within 24 hours of booking.
• Preferred Suite Location: Enjoy a preferred location within your room category at check-in.

Hot Tip:

Since The Excellence Collection hotels and resorts are all-inclusive, booking your room with the correct number of people is essential, as this can affect the price. It’s also important to pay attention to the cancellation policy. You’ll find flexible and non-refundable rates when booking directly or on a third-party website.

How To Use Points To Book The Excellence Collection Hotels and Resorts

The Excellence Collection doesn’t participate in a traditional hotel loyalty program, so booking these properties with points is not easy, but it can be done.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The first option is through Chase Travel. You can use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book The Excellence Collection hotels and resorts for 1 to 1.5 cents per point. The value you’ll get is dependent on which credit card you have.

The best option is the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, which offers a redemption rate of 1.5 cents per point. If you’d rather earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on your booking, you’ll get up to 10 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent when booking through Chase Travel.

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Another way to use points to book The Excellence Collection is through Citi Travel with Booking.com. You can use your Citi ThankYou Points at 1 cent each toward hotel bookings. If you’d rather earn points, you’ll get up to 10 Citi ThankYou Points per dollar spent through June 30, 2024, with select cards. After that, you can earn up to 5x points via Citi Travel.

If you have a Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, you can take advantage of one of the card’s perks — a $100 discount on hotel bookings of $500 or more once each year. This discount can be combined with a points redemption, allowing you to take a nice chunk out of your final price.

Hot Tip:

When booking hotels through Chase Travel or Citi Travel, you don’t need to have enough points to cover the entire cost. You can choose any amount of points to apply to your reservation, so this is a great way to use up small amounts of points to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.

American Express Membership Rewards

The Excellence Collection hotels and resorts are bookable through AmexTravel.com using American Express Membership Rewards points. However, this isn’t recommended, as you’ll only get ~0.7 cents per point in value. We value Amex points at 2.2 cents each, so this isn’t a good way to use them.

If you’d prefer to earn Amex Membership Rewards points, booking through AmexTravel.com could make sense. Depending on which card you have, you can earn 2 to 5 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar.

Capital One Miles

Capital One Travel doesn’t offer the ability to book The Excellence Collection. However, there’s still a way to use Capital One miles to book these resorts. Using a Capital One miles-earning card, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One., you can cover all or part of a travel purchase with miles within 90 days. This allows you to cover any travel charge using miles at a value of 1 cent apiece.

While we value Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each (you’ll get the most value when transferring to airline partners for business class flights), this offers an easy way to get solid value from your miles while still getting the benefits of booking directly through The Excellence Collection.

Beloved Hotels

Beloved Hotels is an all-inclusive brand designed for couples only. Currently, there’s just 1 location open in Mexico.

Beloved Playa Mujeres (Cancún, Mexico)

Beloved Playa Mujeres is located 18 miles north of Cancún International Airport (CUN) in Playa Mujeres, a gated community across Isla Mujeres. It has 6 resorts (including 2 other The Excellence Collection resorts), private beaches, a golf course, and a marina.

This couples-only retreat is ideal for a honeymoon, anniversary trip, or a special getaway with your significant other.

This boutique resort has just 109 suites, each with features designed for couples, including 2-person Jacuzzis and double showers. There are also swim-up suites and suites with private pools.

The resort has 11 bars and restaurants, serving quick snacks, romantic dinners, premium cocktails, and everything in between.

The Beloved Spa has over 35,000 square feet of space and offers a wide variety of treatments. Highlights include Agua Viva, a guided hydrothermal circuit with a crystal steam hammam, a Roman caldarium, a Swedish sauna, an ice glacier room, heated lounge beds, and more.

Hot Tip:

If you plan to splurge on a luxury resort, you can save money by booking your flight to Mexico with miles.

Excellence Resorts

Excellence Resorts are adults-only all-inclusive properties. There are several locations currently open across Mexico and the Caribbean.

Excellence El Carmen (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)

Excellence El Carmen is an adults-only resort with an incredible 23 swimming pools! It’s located next door to Finest Punta Cana; however, if you want to walk between the 2 hotels, you’ll have to use the beach as they aren’t connected.

The resort has 12 restaurants, 16 bars, and 24-hour room service. There’s a spa and fitness center and a schedule of activities each day, including fitness classes, cooking lessons, beach volleyball, and board games.

This contemporary resort offers 19 different room types, including options with private plunge pools, swim-up access, or even private rooftop terraces.

Excellence Oyster Bay (Montego Bay, Jamaica)

Excellence Oyster Bay is just 30 minutes from Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, Jamaica. This adults-only, all-inclusive resort sits on a private peninsula surrounded by miles of white-sand beaches.

A beachfront pool, rooftop pool, and 4 Jacuzzis are available to all guests. Plus, there are 2 additional pools for Excellence Club guests. Activities available daily include snorkeling, aerobics, yoga, and stand-up paddleboarding. There’s a 2,400-square-foot gym for those who want a good workout and a full-service spa for guests wanting to relax.

There are 320 suites across 17 room categories available at the resort. The most luxurious are the Beach Villas with Private Pools set on a private beach.

Hot Tip:

Check out these ways to use your points and miles to fly to the Caribbean.

Excellence Playa Mujeres (Cancún, Mexico)

Excellence Playa Mujeres is about 11 miles north of Cancún’s famous hotel zone. It’s tucked between 2 other resorts from The Excellence Collection — Finest Playa Mujeres and Beloved Playa Mujeres.

This adults-only paradise has 7 sprawling pools that wind through the resort grounds. Guests can choose from one of the resort’s 450 oversized suites in 12 categories. Some suites include private pools or rooftop terraces.

There are 12 bars and 13 restaurants serving premium drinks and international cuisine. The gym offers weights, cardio machines, and fitness classes. Plus, there’s a scenic walking trail for those who prefer to take their fitness outside.

Miilé Spa provides a variety of treatments, including a hydrotherapy circuit and a special spa menu for couples.

Hot Tip:

Excellence Playa Mujeres made our list of the best all-inclusive resorts in Cancún.

Excellence Punta Cana (Dominican Republic)

Excellence Punta Cana is located just about 2 miles down the road from Excellence El Carmen. Another adults-only resort, this location feels less contemporary and more traditionally Caribbean than Excellence El Carmen does.

There are 4 swimming pools scattered across the resort’s lush landscape. In addition to a spa and fitness center, there’s a beauty salon and shopping area at this resort. With 10 restaurants and 12 bars, you’ll never go hungry during your vacation.

There are 18 different room categories, 12 of which are part of the Excellence Club, with added benefits like private check-in and checkout areas, access to a private lounge and restaurant, and upgraded toiletries and in-room minibar.

Hot Tip:

There are 2 adults-only The Excellence Collection resorts in Punta Cana located about 5 minutes from each other — Excellence Punta Cana and Excellence El Carmen.

Excellence Riviera Cancun (Riviera Maya, Mexico)

Excellence Riviera Cancun is located just under 15 miles south of the Cancún International Airport (CUN) on a picturesque white sand beach. The resort’s 6 swimming pools and tropical gardens combine to create an ideal vacation spot.

Resort guests can choose from a wide variety of water and land activities, including kayaking, snorkeling, Spanish lessons, yoga, pickleball, and more. The resort has 12 restaurants that serve a wide variety of international cuisines and 13 bars serving premium drinks.

The resort’s 440 oversized suites include 12 categories offering amenities such as swim-up access, oceanfront views, and rooftop terraces.

Finest Resorts

Finest Resorts is a brand of family-friendly all-inclusive resorts within The Excellence Collection portfolio. There are just 2 locations, 1 in Cancún and 1 in Punta Cana.

Finest Playa Mujeres (Cancún, Mexico)

Located in the Playa Mujeres area just north of Cancún, Mexico, Finest Playa Mujeres is an idyllic beachfront resort for all ages. The resort’s 10 swimming pools include a kids’ pool with a playground and a baby pool. Plus, there are 14 hot tubs scattered around the pools.

The resort has 450 suites across 19 categories, so there’s something for everyone. All ground-floor suites have a private 140-square-foot pool or include access to a pool that connects to the main pool.

The 14 dining options include family-friendly locations like a buffet, beach snack shack, and a food truck. Additionally, there are 16 bars around the property.

Guests will enjoy daily activities like board games, pool biking, or snorkeling. There’s also a fitness center and the ONE Spa, which offers a variety of treatments, including a hydrotherapy circuit.

Hot Tip:

Finest Playa Mujeres is next to Excellence Playa Mujeres and Beloved Playa Mujeres.

Finest Punta Cana (Dominican Republic)

Finest Punta Cana is an impressive, family-friendly resort with an adults-only section and amenities designed just for kids.

There are 7 pools at the resort. The family-friendly pools include play areas for kids and splash areas suitable for toddlers. In addition, the Imagine Kids Club has a mini-water park.

There’s no shortage of places to eat — the resort has 12 restaurants and 16 bars. Plus, there’s a fitness center, a kids’ playground, and daily activities (like yoga and dancing lessons) throughout the day. ONE Spa not only offers treatments for adults but also has a special area for kids.

There are 25 different room categories to choose from. Finest Club and Excellence Club rooms include access to extra pools and restaurants, a separate beach area, and an upgraded minibar. Families traveling together will appreciate rooms like the Family Suite, which includes a separate bedroom for kids, or rooms with private pools.

Hot Tip:

For more information about this resort, check out our full review of Finest Punta Cana.

Final Thoughts

The Excellence Collection is a small group of all-inclusive resorts across the Caribbean and Mexico. These luxury resorts offer distinct options for families, adults, and couples under 3 brand names: Beloved Resorts, Excellence Resorts, and Finest Resorts.

While The Excellence Collection doesn’t participate in a hotel points program, there are ways to use points to book these resorts. The best options are using Chase points through Chase Travel, Citi points through Citi Travel, or Capital One miles to cover travel purchases (within 90 days).