All inclusive hints and tips

robatwork

Hello all,

My kids are getting older now (late teens) so I am thinking about one last family holiday. Never gone all inclusive before. In true MSE fashion I have always booked cheap flights, transfers and hotels directly in the past.

Anyone who has gone all inclusive - what should I look out for? Of course I will use tripadvisor reviews, perhaps booking.com reviews too. Is it best to still book direct with resort and organise flights myself or with AI should I just go to First Choice or similar?

On my research so far it seems to not matter where I choose in Europe as to cost - was looking at Ibiza, Portugal and Canaries - all seem to be about £700 each for 3* to £1000 each for 4*
This is for a week in late August.

thanks!

PeacefulWaters

Familiarise yourself with time availability of AI stuff.

Does the bar start charging at 11pm?

Is the ice cream only available between 3.30pm and 3.45pm in the laundry room?

Are there alternative restaurants on site to reduce the repetitive nature of a buffet?

Is wifi included or chargeable?

What activities are chargeable?

Is bottled water included?

If you go out for a day can you get a packed lunch?

Is tipping bar staff expected?

Can you self serve some drinks or do you have to wait for attentive bar staff?

ibizafan_2

I agree with PeacefulWaters about checking carefully the terms of the AI, as they vary widely. For example, the AI hotel we go to in Ibiza is 10.00am to midnight. An 11pm finish is a deal breaker for some people. Bottled water is a funny one. In Ibiza it is generally not included unless you are going 5 star. However, water is cheap in supermarkets and most hotels have unlimited access to filtered water by the glass. Again, speaking for Ibiza, packages are often cheaper than diy, as hotels are often block booked by tour operators. We use Thomson or First Choice most often, although Jet2 are also very popular. If you decide on Ibiza, I can advise you on resorts etc. I have been 20 times so feel as if I know the place quite well!

needaholiday

I also keep returning to Ibiza (Puerto San Miguel). Our al inclusive ends at 11 p.m unfortunately so we end up spending a fortune in the local bars after that. We always save a fortune on the holiday by booking the accommodation direct with the hotel and booking our flights separately. Works out much cheaper for us than Thomson/First Choice prices.

Ganga

I would say price up the approx cost of a holiday for say b&b,work out the cost of purchasing food and drink per person per day and add it to the cost as against A/I.do not forget that with A/I you can let the kids have as many soft drinks/snacks as they want rather than what you can afford,plus the same for yourself/wife for beer,wine,spirits etc. best of luck with finding the holiday that suits you and your budget.

lea2012

As mentioned, make sure to check carefully what you get.

Some AI's in Spain will give you plenty, but Greece and Turkey you may find in some places that all inclusive consists of 3 meals a day plus drinks and that's it with no snacks or ice creams etc.

If somewhere seems to be too good to be true then it usually is! Consider what you're paying and what you expect to get for your money.

We visited lanzarote last year for our first all inclusive break. It worked out at about £24 per person per night. As that included our room, meals, snacks, drinks, entertainment etc we weren't expecting much and went with an open mind. We fully expected to eat out quite a bit but wanted to chill out during the day and entertainment for our daughter. It turned out to be amazing value, with great food and beautiful rooms!

Just be open minded and do your research before you go.

knightstyle

One thing we found with our one and only AI holiday was that many/most alcoholic drinks were not included, only a couple of not very good local beers and some fake spirits, the gin was like paint thinners!

Ganga

knightstyle wrote: »

One thing we found with our one and only AI holiday was that many/most alcoholic drinks were not included, only a couple of not very good local beers and some fake spirits, the gin was like paint thinners!

You have been very unlucky,most All Inclusive resorts include all alcholic drinks and some premium brands,i must admit that the bottles in the bars that we have stayed in include brands that would not be found in the UK but in saying that most people put up with them.:beer:

basill

A good AI tip I have picked up from here is to avoid having a bit of everything at the buffet every night, choosing meat one night seafood another for instance helps keep it interesting.

B

Alias_Omega

Take your own spirits, and use the bar for coke/pepsi to ensure your fully happy. Is there a real need to drink after 11pm? All Inc is good, it means once your in the complex you shouldn't have to pay for anything....

richardw

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Take your own spirits....

Yes self catering can be great value.