MSE Forum Poll: What food option do you pick when booking a holiday?

MSE_JC

Where you'll stay and what you'll do are key parts of booking a getaway, but figuring out what to do about dining can be a huge factor.

Are you big on hotel buffets? Do you explore the local eateries? Prefer to prep your own meals?

Vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the thread.

jackieblack

Depends where I'm going, how long I'm staying, and who (if anyone) I'm travelling with

Never, ever, Half or Full board or All Inclusive though

elsien

Ditto. I don’t visit places to stay in the hotel.

vacheron

Our family summer hols are generally half board as we always hire a car to explore so don't want to keep returning for lunch, plus it allows us to spend in the local businesses / restaurants.

Sometimes the hotels are all inclusive only, in which case we tend to just skip the lunches. (Who needs another huge buttet 2 hours after a huge breakfast every day anyway)? 😊

If we are doing a city break, usually B&B or bed only. Some places (like Barcelona) you are looking at 20 euros a head for breakfast, you can find far better breakfasts far cheaper just a street or two from the hotel.

BridgetTheCat

I only go for winter sun. The last couple of years I’ve gone all inclusive, but so many things are ‘excluded’ now it’s not worth it and I’m changing to half board (skipping lunch). The hotel I go to has a small shop next door with plenty of snacks and drinks so I’ll budget a daily amount less than the all inclusive price.

Jemma01

I'm not a foodie, and always conscious of getting food poisoning, esp as I travel solo, and can't afford to have a sudden illness.

I try to make my own food, mostly I live on protein bars and snacks, every now and then I might eat outside if the place has very high rating (still difficult to know hygiene level matches ratings). I'm not fascinated by the idea of trying different food in different countries.

Tony5896

I tend to book all inclusive for sheer convenience of having the basics without stressing on where to eat.

Then have the flexibility to eat wherever and whenever.

Rob5342

When our children came with us we'd normally go all inclusive. It made it easier to budget, kept them happy as they'd want to eat quickly and do an activity and was the easiest way to ensure we were all happy with our food. They'd want the same basic food they were used to all the time and we wanted a lot more variety. Now we go on our own we usually go for bed and breakfast or half board so we can get out and explore some of the local restaurants.

marcia_

we went half board last year and wish we hadn't. Queues were ridiculous and by the time you got to the front it was cold and minimal which they didn't refresh. On the couple of times we managed to get to the front of the queue the food looked disgusting and tasted just as bad.

Will not bother with catering again

twopenny

Depends where I'm going.

Australia self catering as a DIY trip. Up the Amazon, Borneo hB at hotel but FB on tour, AI on a boat round the Indian Ocean because where would you get food 🤔 and so on.

Totally depends on what is the cheapest trip for what I want to do and what is available. Try to do HB at hotels which gives me the option to eat out if I want to. I buy wine, water and snacks at local shops instead of in hotels.

CapricornLass

Multiple allergies - including two which cause anaphylaxis- means that we always go self-catering