self catering or all inclusive

mcc100

Going AI is like marmite ..... you either love it or hate.

Personally I hate it, but if you are looking to book a holiday as cheaply as possible then there is little to choose between the two.

von

I think it depends on the calibre of the hotel you choose. We always go AI now as I think it's nice not to have to think about what to do or where to go for the next meal and how much is it going to cost.
I would suggest that if you choose to go AI that you check the comments about the hotel/food/entertainment on Tripadvisor.
The last thing you want is to pay the extra for AI then find that the Hotel food is not up too much but you feel tied to the hotel because of the cost you've already paid, or that there's not enough to occupy the children at the hotel so you need to leave the hotel to find entertainment for them and end up paying for drinks/snacks etc elsewhere.

Pee

I've never been on an AI holiday, but I am seriously thinking about it this year. So far I am just looking and pricing it up and money is a big issue. We do enjoy a drink and I'm pretty sure if the hotel was half decent we could get our moneys worth, however we aren't huge fans of chicken nuggets and chips so there is a possible danger...

One of my friends went a couple of years ago and raved about it and at the time I thought I much rathered my independent train and hotel style and eating out holidays, and I would still rather that but that is more expensive.

I know this doesn't take into account the self catering option. I have done that, in Barcelona, and found that it worked really well and made life a lot cheaper as the euro exchange was bad then. It is different though as I don't have children.

phillo365

Life is too short for regrets try one and the next time try the other. You will enjoy both but for different reasons to over analyise is to spoil the fun . The only thing the kids will remember is the great time , think back to your own childhood and quantity and quality of food is immaterial .

SteveJW

As others have pointed out difficult to decide

We have had two all inclusive holidays (not in spain) One was excellent and all inclusive was everthing you could wish for, the other was rather poor, with a limited choice.

Is the drinks local drinks only, not bad in spain for beer and wine but if you like spirits the local ones can be poor compared to branded names

Also check the opening times for drinks etc. In the Dominican Republic The bar closed around 01:00, however if we got a pizza late at night (Included in the all inclusive) and shared it with the bar staff, we could drink to the early hours (late)


As to the cost of eating out, impossible to advise without knowing your eating habits etc. Me I'm happy to find the little places were the locals eat, but I'm the same in England.

We have friends who we meet up with on holiday, if there was two places to eat with an identical menu, they would chose the most expensive

Have a good holiday

madelaine

I would only go all inclusive if it wasn't much dearer than self catering, we have done all, sc hb, fb, allinc, even if we are allinclusive, we still go out, at night, we are going sc on Monday, we do take a few things with us, for breakfast, lunch, and eat out at night, we usually allow about 100 euros per day if we are sc, 2 adults 1 child, dont like being tied to hotel, even if a good one.

wallbash

Ai at a good hotel is wonderful

I returned today from
http://www.susesihotel.com/index_en.htm

Multi restaurants to choose from ,theme nights in the major restaurant.
To those who are against Ai , check out my choice , and tell me what is not to like


Apart from the cost .

For those on a limited budget , stick to SC

mcc100

wallbash wrote: »

Ai at a good hotel is wonderful

I returned today from
http://www.susesihotel.com/index_en.htm

Multi restaurants to choose from ,theme nights in the major restaurant.
To those who are against Ai , check out my choice , and tell me what is not to like


Apart from the cost .

For those on a limited budget , stick to SC

Not particularly relevant to the OP's post .......

susieanne wrote: »

just looking to book an holiday for as cheap as possible .

wallbash

Disagree , my point to the OP is NOT to consider Ai as she wants a cheap holiday .


QUOTE For those on a limited budget , stick to SC

Clear enough?.

ferf1223

that was kind of the point I was trying to make...that cheap AI may very well mean awful food, and the same awful food day in day out...which would pretty much cancel out any benefit of going AI in the first place, I would have thought.

I was trying to say that it's hard to take advice on 'should we go AI or not?' without knowing that those who rate AI have been AI at the same price level the OP is looking at.

I would gladly go AI if it were at a fabulous resort where I knew the options were good, the food was good, etc. But going AI on a limited budget seems a bit dangerous to me.