All inclusive worth it?

MrsE_2

Ostinato wrote: »

Hi

Me and my OH are currently in the process of checking out holiday deals and stuff. I have only ever went self catering but this year to keep costs down in long term we are considering going all inclusive so it will save on all the costs of drinks and snacks and meals throughout the day and stuff..

Just wondering if it is actually worth it? Usually we will spend about 300-400pp on self catering then need about 900 spending money for 2 weeks.... As we are tyring to keep costs low we have seen a good few deals for lovely exotic places at 4 star hotels all inclusive for about 600-800 and then we would be able to take less spending money.

Any good, bad or terrible stories? xD

If you go AI you gotta do it well. No point going cheap, because you will have paid for crap food.

If you go SC, so long as its clean, anythings a bonus.

I love AI hotels (& we hardly drink), they are usually in quite beach front locations & thats what we like.

Where are you thinking of?

Some countries you wouldn't want to go 4*, you would be better looking at 5*

Pollycat

If All-Inclusive is your thing (it's not our choice) then do check out reviews before you book anywhere.

I can see the attraction of AI (especially for families) but we like to be independant.

I did a price comparision for what we paid for our flight, B&B and all food & drink over 2 weeks against what we'd have paid at an AI hotel in the same resort (Turgutreis in Turkey).

We actually spent about £50 per person more over 2 weeks than if we'd gone AI and didn't spend any money on food/drink outside the hotel.
We ate out every lunch and evening and had a bottle of wine every night.

To us it was worth it to have the choice of where to stop for a beer on the way from the beach, where to eat, where to have a post-dinner cocktail etc.

We did walk past one AI hotel in Yalikavak, Turkey and they were queuing up for the buffet lunch! :eek:

Hope you find the perfect hotel.

melb

I'm with you Pollycat. Mind you we always go self catering as there's 4 of us so we've more room but a big part of our holiday is eating out and the thought of eating in the same hotel 3 times a day doesn't appeal to me one bit. However with 2 kids the ice-creams, drinks etc do add up over the fortnight but we just get plenty in the fridge/freezer and maybe just have a couple of drinks stops during the day. We had 3 nights in a london hotel and by the third morning of the buffet breakfast I'd had enough - there was probably only about 30 people in the dining room but the surge when the food was replenished was rather offputting - imagine 500 people at tea-time!

claireac

We went AI for the first time last year and we absolutely loved it! For us - me, dh and dd aged 3 - it worked out cheaper.

We stayed at a Riu hotel in the Dominican and had optics in our room :beer::beer:. I developed a taste for cocktails and dark Dominican rum.

The food was excellent and we never had to queue. There was a wide variety of food, themed nights and two other restauraunts you could use.

elektra-2007

Ive been AI three times now, the first 2 were fantastic the last one wasnt, but its my own fault as I should ahve checked reviews. I would never make that mistake again.
When we went with 2 kids it was fantastic as they never needed to ask for a drink or ice cream as they simply helped themselves, I also forund because we had a braclet which was for our hotel to say we were Ai we were never bothered by people outside the complex to come and eat in there resturant as they knew it was pointless.
Not having to worry about meals and drinks and just looking forward to what suprise is out was wonderfull. Of course the kids went mad the first few days and couldnt get enough but soon calmed down! I would defenitly look at what is on offer though, and bad is really bad, just imagine the same food with no choice looking reheated for 2 weeks, thats what my last one was like!!
I went to olu deniz resort in Turkey and it was like being in a 4star hotel the chefs came out each evening to proudly stand by their food.
Good Luck I hope you find somthing you like.

kegg_2

we always go AI usually to Egypt and find it great value for money. It is not just your meals and booze but water during the day (and in egypt in the summer you drink a lot of water) your evening entertainment, activities during the day, sunbeds, beach towels, peddleos and we have even had wind surfing, water park and canoes as part of some packages.
Then you have the aspect of being able to enjoy a day on the beach and not having to worry about carrying enough money areound with you or eeking out your cash on the last few days of the holiday.

If you choose your AI hotel wisely and go for the best you can aford you can often find hotels that have several differnt types of restrauants all as part of the AI which if you are likely to get board with a very similar choice of food everynight can solve that problem

maggiecon

Went AI for the first time last year in Cancun.

will never go self catering again. bought the week for £900 on ebay from a time share owner. It was the number 1 rated hotel in Cancun on tripadvisor and then paid for flights seperately. all in all cost £1800 for the two of us

spent $100 the whole week. spa and excursions were all included. bedroom was overlooking the ocean with four person hot tube beside the balcony.

Best holiday every.

I am thinking of going AI somewhere in May but I dont think the hotels in Europe would compare. anyone any thoughts on this?

wallbash

and they were queuing up for the buffet lunch!

Wrong Ai

With the breakfast starting early , open to late, long lunch times, afternoon tea.
snack bar open all day , extended Dining in the evening . Midnight meals

I worked out last year , it was only 30 mins between 7am and after midight that food was not available,.... if I starved in those 30 mins could have had room service. Do your homework.

wallbash

I am thinking of going AI somewhere in May but I dont think the hotels in Europe would compare. anyone any thoughts on this

Seems like a lot of us like , posh 5* in Turkey

Good forum at http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=36

stw48

wallbash wrote: »

Seems like a lot of us like , posh 5* in Turkey

Good forum at http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=36

Yes, a good 5 star in Turkey makes for a great holiday, don't discount all the 4 star hotels though, some are very good.