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Did you not see that series on TV high lighting just how bad for the economy AI is? Aside from that it seems a bit odd to go to a different country and then eat hotel food. Most wine and beer is cheaper abroad so shouldn't we all try at least to help the country you holiday in rather than just one corporation?

I totally agree, some of my favourite resorts in Menorca are being slowly killed by AI hotels, leaving the local bar and restaurant owners with half empty premises in the height of the season.

I think, sadly, that as long AI continues to offer the idea that you're getting value for money, people on a budget will keep choosing it. Personally, I can't think of anything worse, and after doing it in Tunisia many years ago, I will never do it again.

I agree too. Plus I can't see the point in travelling anywhere if you just spend the entire time in a hotel. We did it once in Cuba, but at least spent some time in Havana first. The AI on the beach bit was very dull. Never again.

I went into a AI resort in cuba to use their scuba school, was grim, cartooney salsa costumes and dancing when there was fantastic bars and salsa all over the place outside. was one of the crapest beaches I saw there too. And why would you want to sit watching beetroot coloured brits and americans when you could be watching bronze cubans go by?????

I didn't see the programme, but have wondered the same thing in the past.
I imagine AI will continue to be popular while economies are struggling.
TBH, we can't afford to go abroad this year, if we could it would probably be on an AI break.

Some people just want a 'fly & flop' holiday, nowt wrong with that. All Inc. suits lots of families, many go abroad simply to have guaranteed sun and not have to think about anything else, Inc food.

It is also a shit holiday experience.
I can understand anyone booking it - we have - to fix the budget to ensure we won't end up short and ruining the holiday.

But our last experience was so hideous with people queuing to get pissed at the bar the very moment it opened, queuing and emptying the buffet, taking food for their friends and for the room etc etc. And the weddings, dear god.

Never ever again.

Ive never done one but, I imagine, with a few children they are the way too go. I was looking at Italy this year and all inclusive is the same price as b and b in some smaller hotels. Surely in Italy you would eat at the hotel and go out as a treat to eat proper food? I don't blame anyone for choosing that option.

We use AI hotels but always go out for dinner as the food is usually pretty awful in buffet style restaurants.

I usually go on one all inclusive holiday a year and two other types of holidays. Or sometimes twin center holidays with a bit of both.I have visited some destinations where I may not have gone if an all inclusive type of holiday wasn't available. I can't see that they are all bad if creating a lot of jobs for local people. I did watch the series that has been referred to. I always book my trips with local companies instead of giving more money to a tour operator.
I must be going to different hotels to others because I have only experienced good food. I do tend to avoid hotels that offer only buffets or that are very large plus i do a lot of research.

There is so much wrong with the package holiday industry, it's difficult to know where to start. I think they do vary hugely though. If you book, like fluffy says, with a local company, then that is very different to a huge hotel complex which employs no local people.

There are also many issues with water poverty etc.
A good site about Responsible Travel here.

This is the Campaigning organisation I was thinking of.

The problem with not being AI in countries with the euro is the cost of eating out. We went HB in Majorca last year and every time we ate out (3 main courses, few drinks) it was costing £100. Whereas pre euro eating out on holidays was always so cheap.

Never in my life did I go to an AI, although it was considered on a few occasions.

AI is a particular madness in Cuba, where people are very hospitable and the country generally very very safe to travel around. Just hire a car and drive around. There are practical things to consider, but that is true even about a holiday to Devon. Stay in private houses if good hotels are not available, it an amazing option and cheap (we stayed in XIX c house filled with antiques for 3 nights). You will meat people, learn about real day=to-day life and have a great time. One of the best holidays we had. And I do regret not taking our (older) 4 dsc with us then, it was fab.

I would be a lot more careful in Africa, but even then, just get advice/guides from a GOOD travel agent like Audley

and when i say cheap it is CHEAP (was at least in 2007) at 30USD per room per night and breakfast 5USD per head in Trinidad.

Trinidad, Cuba

I went to one once in Kenya. We had no money and only a week.

Big complex right on beach. The complex ended at the beach where waited always a line of desperate locals and security from the hotel with big sticks at the ready.

Women with cornrowed hair and burnt heads. Awful people thinking they were experiencing Africa because their rooms were cleaned by a black person.

Just all so VILE in every way we left on a trip we couldn't afford until it was time to go home.

They are just beyond appalling.

Like bunnyspoiler. says it's now £100 a meal in Majorca and that's nothing posh.
I hate the idea of AI, but I can see the attraction of knowing pretty much what you are going to spend up front.
We were staying at a mostly AI hotel and people really do not move from the pool which is a real pain if you want a quick swim and a quick read, but not to take route on a sun-lounger for the entire day.

Root

I've done a few AI holidays, it is handy for budgeting...saying that, I do go out and about as well and we always eat out a couple of times, but it's really useful to not have to spend extra money and know that you can get meals and cold drinks for children without worrying about how much money you've put aside (I don't really drink, so it's not alcohol that makes it attractive, it's the neverending thirst of children, lol)

I've just come back from one in Egypt and I have to say it was a fantastic experience. It meant that we didn't have to worry about money and there were HUGE numbers of egyptians employed at the hotel. We didn't leave the resort as it was huge and had an aquapark as part of it. Perfect for us as a family. We are never going to be "travellers" doing the local thing. We go on holiday

I didn't see the programme but I agree with you 100%. AI hotels do damage the local economy. I lived in a tourist resort in Turkey for a few years at a time when a lot of hotels were changing over to AI and local businesses were suffering because of it.

I hate the idea of AI anyway. I go on holiday to experience a different country, try local food and drink and get out and about to explore, not to be stuck in a hotel for 2 weeks queuing for my food and drinking out of plastic glasses!

I have lived in the Caribbean and AI is quite controversial there - so much so that some countries (Barbados being one, I think) have banned them completely. In others, Jamaica, St Lucia etc, they have a stranglehold. The problem in that part of the world is that they are SO popular with the Americans and that is their biggest market so they keep opening them. On the plus side, they do provide a lot of jobs and some of the more responsible AI's do use local ingredients - however, they have to be of a certain standard and often you won't find ingredients of that standard locally so they also import a lot.
I have been to many AI's because, living and working in these countries, they were a good weekend break as we got local rates. Some are definitely better than others and I do think it's a shame when people miss out on the "local" experience by not venturing out of their hotel. Some AI's scare their guests so much about crime etc that they don't want to go out at all!

ben10 - ssssh, which hotel was it? Quite interested in doing a family holiday to Egypt as we love diving....

Agree with the comments regarding the Euro, we stay in Cyprus at an AI and it's because we are saving money by doing so. The Cypriot restaurants seem to be reacting to the crisis by simply putting their prices up further. It is a complete myth to say that food and drink is cheaper there than in the UK.

As with any business it's the really shit ones that will go out of business, and given many resorts have umpteen exactly the same restaurants that's just the way it is.

At the AI we stayed at last year our bill was exactly the same as when we stayed there the previous year non AI. Personally I see then that we can choose to eat at the hotel, or go out occasionally to the really nice restaurants in the resort.

It's all about the flexibility innit?

I have stayed at an AI in Barbados. It was an adults only hotel. Interesting thing was that the food was yummy at breakfast and lunch, but truly appalling at dinner.

My theory was that everyone was utterly shit faced by 6pm. Of course my observations are based on the fact that I was the only non drinker in the hotel due to pregnancy. GRR. Not bitter at all, oh no.

All Inclusive <shudders>

I would never consider it, it destroys independent restaurants and bars

We went AI to Cuba last year and loved it.

The hotel was in the arse end of nowhere and seemed to be a major employer for the local community. Food was locally provided and didn't seem to be imported.

For us, holidaying with 3 young children, it was perfect and easy. No worrying about running out of money if the children wanted another drink or an ice cream, and it was good value.

Maybe it depends on the hotel you choose but we didn't see any of the behaviour Pagwatch describes.

I imagine the impact is very different if the AI hotel is in the middle of Magalufor somewhere where the local restaurants rely on passing trade.

enjoyresposibility hmm, maybe it's just Sandals that's been banned from Barbados then? Or can't get a foothold. Often these things are political - possibly Butch Stewart just doesn't have enough friends in the Bajan government!

strandednomore

It was the Jungle Aqua Park in Hurghada. There were loads of divers there. I would recommend it to anyone. Absolutely fantastic. All of the rooms are bungalows around pools. There are 35 pools I think in all!

...and I didn't see anyone off their face from alcohol at all.

We didn't go out in the evening as we have a 6 year old but nothing like what we saw from AI customers when we got stuck in a hotel in Tenerife due to the volcanic ash.

It all depends and when you go, where you go and how much you pay for it surely? You know if you go on an all inclusive in Benidorm what its going to be like so, dont go. It suits some people because thats what they want so, good for them. Ive never done it and, I take 3/4 holidays a year. When I have stayed in big hotels say, in India, then I see plenty of the locals been employed infact, last time the hotel actually had a catering and hospitality college right accross the road. I dont really get what some people are saying. In Turkey where there is plenty of traffic I can see why some local places are put out of business but, really, are they any good to begin with? In more exotic places like the Maldives, surely you could be in the only hotel for miles?

People go for the AI option because they really dont want to be spending money on countless icecreams all day. If I had three children I know the option I would take. Especially if it was between AI and not going on holiday.

Bah. We're going on our first ai holiday in a few weeks. We have always traveled independently and usually long haul.

This holiday was chosen as we didn't want long haul and with a free child place for our son who is 3 it was actually only £109 more expensive than self catering.

And Im sure you will have a great time. I imagine you will do abit of both when you get there. Thats what most people do I expect.

I can understand why people choose AI holidays from a financial point of view, but they don't appeal to me at all (shudder). I have heard far too many tales of bad food, pissed guests, no sunbeds, lack of local character and a negative effect on the local economy. When we go abroad we like to soak up the local culture and eat the local cuisine and generally go self catering so we can eat out at different restaurants in the evening. We also prefer to go to less popular places that don't have kids clubs, all day English breakfasts, karaoke bars etc.

A friend of mine works for a travel agent and she says it is so depressing that at least 60% of all holidays she sells are AI.

We had a fantastic holiday travelling round Cuba a few years ago and decided to go for the day to one of the AI resorts on the North Coast. It was very odd, as we had to show our passports to get into the area (the resort is on an offshore island, linked to the mainland by a manmade causeway). No Cubans, appart from workers, are allowed through. It felt odd to be in a place that was so cut off from the country it was in.

I don't think Barbados has banned AI as such, has it? But it won't have resorts that shut off parts of the beach for public use. There are some Caribbean islands where the locals can barely get to the seafront, but in Barbados beaches are public and anyone can use them (yes, even in front of the Sandy Lane hotel, though IME lots of people believe they can't).

Good for them. It is bad enough that barely any locals even own property on the West coast. it would be beyond tragic if the Barbados coastline was totally lost in gated AI resorts, with Barbadians only able to gain access in order to serve Brit and American tourists.

Depends where you go. There are some all inclusive hotels in france where free wine is supplied but not drunk in excess (the majority of the guests are french who seem to be less greedy). The food quality appears decent and there is a good family atmosphere in the hotel, plus discounts on local excursions. Even if most of the meals are taken at the hotel you can still support the local economy by buying things in the shops, having the odd drink in a cafe/ice creams, staying in a B and B en route etc. These hotels need a lot of staff so are generating employment.

I would rather have no holiday than go on AI.
My Aunty lives in a small village in Greece and we are slowley watching the local economy disappearing. Very sad.

I don't agree that wine and beer is cheaper abroad any more, not since the introduction if the Euro.

The last time I went to Majorca we had a half board hotel and I still spent £270 in 7 days on literally nothing, or so it seemed.

It is definitely cheaper for the individual to go AI in my personal experience. Yes it is a shame if it hurts the holiday resort but everybody is feeling the pinch and they would prefer to go AI than have a holiday of uncertain costs I suppose.

Also some AI holidays are at lovely hotels and no evidence of vultures. I think it depends on the hotel.

We never did AI until last year when me and dh went away, and it was lovely, in a very quiet resort where you couldnt possibly eat out every night because there wasnt anywhere, the food was varied, some nights i couldnt choose. No evidence of excess drinking at all in the hotel, it was a very refined affair.

So for the first time this year we are doing AI for our family holiday. Last year we spent an extra £1500 on food and drink, it was far too expensive eating out costing the same or sometimes more than it would for us to eat out at home.

I think peoples idea of AI is of the 3* properties in places like benidorm which probably is full of beer swigging parents whos feral children run wild all day and night, but theyre certainly not all like that

"I would rather have no holiday than go on AI."

Same here. We are pretty unsociable and don't like being on holiday with crowds of people. In fact, we usually go self catering so that we can eat at all the local restaurants. Last year we stayed at a hotel half board in Italy, but it was a family run hotel employing local staff. As it turned out we would have had to take out a second mortgage if we were eating out at local restaurants every night, but we did frequent the local bars and eateries for lunch.

DH and I went on an AI holiday to Cuba as well about 7 years ago before we had DC.

It's the only one I've ever been on and we did it because it was cheap - about £500 for the fortnight.

It was weird, tbh. The food looked so lovely - fresh salads and lovely dishes. When we arrived on the first night I said to DH I couldn't believe that all anybody wanted to eat was chips. Then I actually tried the salad and all the other dishes. They were PACKED with salt. Now I love salt, put loads of it on my bood but I couldn't eat anything there. I was eating chips by day 2 as well.

The alcohol was also horrible, we ended up paying a fortune for things like Jack Daniels and Gordon's Gin because the free booze was so nasty.

The resort was miles from anywhere, there was nowehere to go to and it was so humid (obv can't blame that on AI) that we couldn't find the energy to go on day trips any distance away.

All that said, it was a nice enough holiday. One week would have been ok. Two weeks was far too long and for the last three days we stayed in the hotel room playing monopoly and watching films to get away from the humidity, and the general ambience

Not my first choice of holiday and for 20 years before DCs and 14 years with DCs I avoided them.
But, feeding two hungry teenage boys who are constantly after snacks and drinks was becoming tedious and so we tried it for the convenience rather than the cost. The DS's were in seventh heaven. DH liked it because we "didn't have to traipse around looking for restaurants every night".
I like choosing a different restaurant every day.
This year we are doing one week at Easter AI and a week in summer S/C.
There is a big difference between 3 star and 4 star AI.

We went AI to The Maldives in Oct. The food was fantastic at every course. The non AI option was £260 for dinner - we ate there once. I think it depends where you are. We've never done AI in Europe because there are usually so many options in the local area.

I have done AI and I think it depends on what you pay, as with all things. I stayed at one resort that only had prebooking at 6 types of restaurant, where it was a menu option not a buffet for dinner and the meals were really delicious. Lunch was a beach bbq buffet or menu. I think it depends on the intelligence of the customer at the resort tbh. More expensive resorts that are AI just offer flexibility with a nice atmostphere. It was nice to know that we could just get small plates of food for young children, and watered down juice without paying out constantly for adult priced portions...and if children slept through lunch you could grab a snack or high tea for them later that afternoon. Otherwise you are paying £10 every day for a plate of pasta or whatever and the kids only eat a timy amount due to the heat of the day, etc.

I have been on an incredibly cheap one to the Domincan Republic when they first became the thing, about 14 years ago, and it was awful....tons of Brits and Yanks determined to drink the value of their holiday back, then complaining to the hotel that they have food poisoning after consuming 4 types of meat with every meal and 8 or so different types of dessert..then sitting in the baking sun drinking spirits and not really connecting the two!

We look at it like a safety net...breakfast is always good to have, lunch we usually do without after a late breakfast at 9.30am, then if we are too relaxed or tired to go out, it's nice to have the option of that at the hotel. It certainly doesn't tie me to the hotel, but I know it does for a lot of people.

I agree though for a lot of people this year it may be AI or stay home, so it's not really taking away customers from the competition, it's probably guaranteeing some visits to the country.

We had our first AI last year in Crete, before that it was always SC, AI is so much easier, the kids could have as much ice-cream and soft drinks as they liked during the day, and they tried so many different things that they normally wouldn't, given a choice I would choose AI.

I have had very mixed experiences with AI. In general I find that the better the hotel and the more expensive the holiday, the better AI is. In mediocre places it can be dismal, and much better to go out and eat locally.

Even in good places we end up going out every fourth night or so, otherwise we start to get International Buffet Fatigue.

Hilly that will be a classified syndrome in 10 years of AI..." International Buffet Fatigue" also known as IBF!

Wouldn't do AI, but for me, holidays are all about eating out.
Oh I tell a lie, we did AI on our honeymoon in the Maldives. But there was only 1 restaurant on the island anyway.

I didn't see the programme.

It's a bit like saying that internet shopping is destroying the local high street. I can see it's prob not great for the local economy. However it's giving the people that are doing the spending what they want.

Last 10 holidays have been AI and only had one bad one - a couple of years ago in Morocco, lovely area, lovely hotel, terrible food.

I think it depends where you go, and how much you are willing to pay. I won't go SC - that's no holiday for me and it's too expensive or too hit and miss to eat out. FB and HB, well you might as well pay the extra and go AI.

Euro countries are just too expensive these days (but then so are the AI's - it would have cost us more for 2 weeks in Greece or Spain than Egypt, DomRep, tunisia etc.

When we lived in Cyprus it was cheaper to book into an AI for the weekend (2 adults, 1 child, Fri lunchtime until Sun eve for £72) than it was to go for a decent meal (2 adults, 1 child, easily €80). Yes we could have done the cheap and cheerful meze like the locals (€15 per head) but that was at places where on of the courses was chips! Not exactly traditional.

Went to Tunisia last year, hotel was lovely, people were lovely, food was fabulous. When we went to Cuba the only think that was a rip off were the organised tours - we learned our lesson and now speak to the locals wherever we go.

As for culture, meh, I don't care. All I want is 2 weeks quality time with my DD. I want to be able to relax in the sun, swim in the pool and have a few drinks in the evening. DD wants the same (oh and a mini-disco!).

Each to their own.

I'm a single parent, and take DD away by myself most years. TBH, if I'm wanting to go any further abroad than the usual Spain/ Greece, etc, I wouldn't feel safe not being AI. I like the security of being in a resort, when I can choose if and when I wish to leave it. Sometimes it's bad enough in the resort. As much as I enjoy chatting to others, I have felt uncomfortable from unwanted attention at times.

My last three holidays have been AI - two very good and one not so good. I'm going camping this year, but I'd rather be doing AI thanks!

I find they are so good with small children when you don't have to put your hand into your pocket every time they want a drink or an icecream and we found that because we didn't have to eat out or buy in, that when we did choose to eat out we could splurge more than otherwise.

I also have never done one, as I don't like the idea of having to eat in the same place everynight and then if the food is rubbish (which I hear it is) then you are stuffed. We like to try different places everynight in the first week on a fortnight's holiday and then in the second week, go back to the places we really liked. Also, although DS is a fussy eater, DD is fairly adventurous and likes things like garlic prawns. I think AI would just be wasted on them as they would end up eating nothing and then I would have to take them somewhere else and pay to fed them anyway. The place we went to last year in Fuerteventura was 90% AI and the people we met didn't have great things to say about it. If you are big drinkers, which we are not (glass of wine with my dinner is about my limit) or you children drink fizzy drinks, then prob worth it. Mine only drink water or milk so not for us...

We did AI this year for the first time. Different restaurants, waiter service, varied menus. Buffet breakfast.
No people rolling round drunk, beautiful hotel. We won't do it every year but I enjoyed myself.

I hate them too, would be my worst nightmare. I like to see the country I am in and taste the food, not sit by a pool all day. However, if it were a case of AI or go without a holiday I would take the AI because I know my children would no doubt have fun!

Went AI this year as exchange rate and 4 hungry, thirsty DDs meant it was that or nothing. We do much prefer SC and in a different economic climate would choose that every time. We went out of the complex for change of scenary leaving 2 (older) DDs reading in the shade and we were charged 35 euro for drinks and crisps in an empty pub (was local beers for 2 and soft drinks for 2M - nothing fancy).

We simply can't afford SC sadly. If European resorts are to survive the downturn they have to realise that the average holidaymaker doesn't pay £100 for a simple but well cooked meal out at home.

AI is still providing jobs in what would be empty hotels and apartment complexes.

We did AI pre-kids in kenya and it was horrible. Horrible food, horrible place.
We went to St Lucia a few years ago and managed to find one of the only hotels on the island that didn't have AI and Im so glad we did. The Sandals resort was only up the beach as well as several other AI hotels but the local "strip" had some amazing restaurants that we would have missed had we been in one of the AI hotels.

Personally Im into disneyworld a the moment in a big way. Having recently priced up several european holidays (both AI and HB) Im shocked at how much they cost and would rather spend only slight more to go to florida. Disney has some great offers on free dining and there is so much more to do and entertain both me and the kids than some crappy beach holiday. Only downside are the long haul flights but tbh they are well worth what you get at the other end.

I have gone AI outside of Europe, because as a single parent travelling with a child I appreciate having the option of staying on resort. I have only had the odd day just on resort, just to have a day with no marriage proposals

We don't do the tour operators excertions though, must better to get to know someone on resort (staff) and get a recommendation from them

We go ai when we go to the Dominican,only because there is nowhere else to eat. Half board I'n Mallorca but it is increasingly expensive,we went to a local pizza place and for a basic meal it was e120. Even out in the sticks at a local restaurant it's e180 for an evening meal.
There is often no other option in places like the Maldives. Sharm iis shocking in the town,the constant hassle,horrible pizza restaurants.
Cyprus is a joke,we have the use of a villa. The local beach bar has nearly doubled prices because of a downturn in business,so,we don't go.food there in general is very expensive and meat and fish isn't good quality.
Years ago we went to Gambia,the ai food was shocking. We tried in the local town and it was worse!
There is a place for ai,some families wouldn't have a holiday if they didn't go ai.its up to the local restaurants to up their game and compete.

We don't go all inclusive, preferring the villa option. However, last year's experiences in the Pollensa area of Mallorca when dining out have left us feeling rather unsympathetic towards local restaurants. Whereas in previous years we were given bread for free, places were charging up to 8 euros for a bowl of bread which most of the time we didn't ask for, we were regularly charged for dishes we hadn't ordered or quite simply refused entry when they saw 2 of our party were children and therefore not going to be ordering vino. 9 times out of 10 we had to challenge the bill. In one place in Palma we were charged 24 euro for 4 Fantas - adding a 3 foot straw seemed to make the owner think this was a reasonable price and he was miffed to not receive a tip.

This year I can kind of see the attraction of AI.

I've only done it once and it was vile. After the first night I gave up even trying to get anywhere near the bar and went out all day until bedtime. Never again.

I can't understand really why people want to travel for hours on a plane to countries rich in history and culture then spend all their time in a hotel resort - though each to their own I suppose.

We went to Pollensa last summer too, and had no troublw with the restaurants - although we only ate out a handful of times at the same two restaurants. Must have been lucky!

It was expensive for pretty average food, though, and we've had the same experience in Greece the last couple of times we've been.

I'm someone who loves to eat out on holiday (why cook and wash up every night, just like you do at home?), but there must be loads of families like ours who can no longer be relied on as customers and who potentially will be going over to AI.

Hoping we can avoid it though - have only done sailing hols in the past which are semi-AI so a bit different, but I'd be very wary of the whole thing being close to the 'Benidorm' experience, no matter how much you spend.

For the past three years I've taken dts on AI holidays (once to Majorca, twice to Portugal). As a single parent on a budget I find it more relaxing not to have to worry about the cost of everything plus not cooking or washing up for a week is the only break I get.

Yes, I admit, some of the people are very much Little Britons, complaining that they dare serve local sausages rather than English (overheard one year) but it doesn't have to be like that.

We've gone to some lovely local places. It's not always about lying by the pool (although what people do on their holidays is entirely up to them). It's ok to be sniffy if you have the money to take ethical holidays. I suppose Kids Clubs are looked down on too. I didn't want to send my dts at first until they found out about the activities (archery, high ropes) and they loved it - yes, I enjoyed some quiet time too.

When the boys are a little older I'll return to holidays that are more off-the-cuff and made up. Their first holiday was to the German Christmas Markets, their second to Sunparks in Belgium. Wherever we go we do enjoy doing things as much as the days where we play in the water! It is wrong to assume people are all the same.

We were always independent travellers but when dc came along, the convenience was too hard to resist. They are great for fussy eaters who can sample things they wouldn't normally try without us worrying about the extra cost.
I've found that in the canaries, resorts of spain, greece etc, the touristy areas serve very similar menus to each other and the hotels we were staying in so it was a no-brainer really with regard to cost. We have always stayed at 4 star plus and never had a bad experience.
We usually have a few meals out to the more select restaurants in the local area - agree the bog-standard ones need to up their game or they unfortunately will lose out.
To those who would rather not go on holiday than use AI, how is that going to benefit the local economies...?

I've never even been on a package holiday before - always book direct and get flights separately - but the last 2 times that we've been away in Europe, it has been soooo expensive to eat out or even to shop and eat in. 2009 we went to Brittany and stayed in a Gite and spent more than £2000 eating (there were 6 of us but 2 were under 5 years old) and we only went out every couple of nights. Last year, 2 weeks on Costa de la luz in Spain and again over £2000 to feed us - this time for 5 of us (1 5 year old and a 6 year old). Absolutely crazy money - 5 Euros for Tomato Alinados (just sliced seasoned tomatoes). As a result we are considering an AI this year, but alot of what is in this thread is what I have always thought and why I haven't been on one before...but a holiday for 5 in the summer with flights, accommodation, car and going out ends up costing around £5000 whereas an AI could probably be pegged at about £3500 and money is much tighter at now than it was a couple of years ago.

I think there are a lot of misconceptions about AI. A lot of people think they are all 'brits abroad' moaning about fry-ups and Heinz baked beans! Some are, of course. If you choose a place that is 'one hotel one pool' then choice is going to be limited from one kitchen. It's also going to be cheaper, and you will see some horrors (remembering the family that filled their table with red wine at 5 to midnight, drunk two and left the rest )

We choose complexes with a choice of restaurants, check where a hotel is in relation to a town or promenade. Choose countries a little out of the norm. Sometimes we look for places that used to be SC, so have kitchenettes still in place in case we want a quiet night in. Or we look for something unusual - swim up rooms or jacuzzi baths! We make sure we have fridges in the room and supplied water (and sometimes optics - now that was a surprise!). For us it's all about DD - if she's happy we can relax and if I'm not worrying about our next meal, where we are going or what I am cooking then she's got more time to play.

There is nothing stopping you looking for culture, or fine restaurants, or local colour. You just don't have to do it every day!

If you stay in an AI costing £25/night, then yes, it will be ghastly and horrible. OTOH, you can stay in a nice one.

If you want a holiday in a little guesthouse then that option is there.

OTOH some people want fifteen swimming pools, a choice of nine restaurants and unlimited booze. And why not? They offer local employment, they use local suppliers, and while people won't get out much, many WILL go out.

We went AI in Grenada a few years ago, because it was almost the same price as s/c. We ate out at least half-a-dozen times in the week in local businesses.

If people want a 'holiday village', that's what they want, no point telling them they should be eating in independent tavernas instead, as they'll go somewhere else instead.

I really don;t like AI, definitely agree that they damage the local ecomomy, and the recent First Choice ad where they say all their resorts are now AI makes me really sad. But........

I've recently been on my first AI, booked under much duress as DH thought it would be the easiest option with the DC's. And it pains me that he was right.

Pre-DC we were independent travellers. We've done lots of backpacking all over the world, done homestays and voluntary work, and our smaller trips away, inlcuding ski trips etc were always done with flight / accom / food bought / booked seperately. Last year we went to the same country that we went to AI and went self-catering and it worked out pretty expensive.

I'm not the kind of person who can sit on a sunbed by a pool or on a beach all day, I find that soooooooo dull. But, my DC's aren;t going to be at the stage where they are willing to visit landmarks etc for a few years yet so it's by the pool that I'm stuck! The food at the place we went to was ok for a week. Sure I'd much rather be a local tapas bar but our DC's are pretty socially unacceptable in restaurants right now and it made things so much easier that DH could go and get food with DS 1 when I was still sorting out DS2. Thankfully because of the time of year the place wasn't full of Brit larger louts and ferel kids, and we have agreed that we wouldn't go to that kind of place in the school hols for just that reason (I hate being embarrased by my nationality on holiday but usually am!).

So much as it pains me to say it I reckon I'll be stuck in AI resorts for the next few years, but as soon as it's practical I'll make sure we're back to doing it independently, I promise.

I've always said that I wouldn't go all inclusive but now everywhere is so expensive I can see the attraction. It is an ethical dilemma.

For the last 10 years we have holidayed in the UK due to finances. We can't afford to eat out so are lining the pockets of Tesco rather than the local restaurants.

I hate AI but we have done it a few times when ds1 and ds2 were small. However, we compromised by eating a lot of meals in the complex but also treated ourselves to the odd meal out. Would never do it for just dh and me.

The bottom line is that if people are choosing it they are choosing it because however mediocre it might be, the local food/drink is either way too expensive, or appalling. If the local economy is suffering then they need to look at what they are offering as an attractive alternative, or what is putting visitors off about venturing into the local towns and bars etc.

We went AI in Sharm and only went into Nama Bay to eat out once. Once was enough.

Even when we go AI (not often, we've done it twice in Turkey, once in Sharm, once at Mark Warner in Greece and they were all reasonably expensive holidays/hotels, but not shockingly so) the quality has been absolutely fine, and sometimes excellent - it's just the sameyness that gets to you after a while.

I don't do AI because frankly it doesn't appeal to me to go to a resort and eat there 2-3 meals a day. But then I also don't like going to the sort of place where AI holidays tend to go to. The only resort type of place I've been to is Las Vegas, and you'd be silly to just eat at your own hotel!

Have to also disagree with the AI that beer and wine are cheaper overseas. It really depends on where you are going. Some places have cheap accomodation. Others cheap alcohol. While others have cheap food.

theterribletwos tell me it's not true! DD is only 10mo, and we definitely were the backpacking type. I have fond memories of not knowing what I was ordering by pointing randomly at the menu. I really hope we don't have to do FC holdiay villas. Everyone says I should go to centre parc too. Maybe it's a sign of growing old

I can fully understand those that fight the corner of the 'independant' bar/restaurant owners as it's truly sad to see a once lively resort become like a ghost town due to AI. however, i'd like to point out the plight of the hotel owners. Owners of hotels (who are also employers of many!!!) are firmly under the control of the tour company's demands, for example, the success of your hotel depends entirely on selling the rooms to tour companies-if these tour companies are unwilling to buy your rooms unless they are AI (which is the case in many resorts) you are left with an empty hotel thus having the same effect on the local economy ;no one in resort to support bars and restaurants, plus hotel staff with no jobs. It boils down to simple supply and demand controlled by tour companies.
IMO the simple solution if you wish to enjoy the benefits of AI, but also support the local economy is to eat out a few times during your stay. to those who instantly scoff at the mention of all inclusive, i would say consider the bigger picture!
to those who enjoy AI i'd say maybe put a little spending money to one side, and enjoy a meal outside the hotel one night.

I've not been abroad for a few years- I'm really stunned how much things seem to have changed!

Is the rest of the world really cheaper than Europe now?

Before reading this thread I would have automatically shunned AI but in some places it sounds like the only viable option.

Charlotteperkins yes and no. UK is very expensive for somethings, especially food. I did Japan last year while pregnant with DD (standard tokyo to kyoto route), and the food was so amazingly cheap. For what you pay for a cheap pub grub, we were sitting at local restaurants having real cooked food. We didn't have alcohol obviously .

We stayed room only at an AI resort in St Lucia whenDS was a baby. First time at that kind of resort, but it was weird: we hired a car to travel round and see the island but the staff couldn't get their heads around why we'd want to. (?????? Because it's so beautiful maybe?). The rooms were crazily luxurious, beautiful bathrooms etc, but the real shocker (for me) was that when we visited a village inland we found people had to collect all their water from a standpipe and were advised to use it sparingly, yet the resorts had 30-litre flushes on every toilet etc. The restaurants appeared to import most of their food from the USA rather than use local.... It was really horrid I thought. Best meals we had were at local restaurants outside the resort.
They do employ local people but as the management is generally American I do wonder what proportion of the profits are ploughed back into the local community? Didn't see the programme, so I don't know if this was mentioned. But I was really uncomfortable with how the island was being exploited without real benefit other than some employment.

Like everyone else I can see that AI is not great for the local economy but if you are a family it can be a lot cheaper. Last year we went to a great AI in Morrocco, the food fantastic and a water park with plenty to keep the kids amused.
However this year I don't want to go AI - I have four small children so by the time my husband and I went to the buffet with them, picked their food, got them a drink (usually someone spilt something, so them mopped it up and got another one then hopping up to get another fork, sauce, butter etc), then went and got my own food it wasn't the most relaxing meal!

I like a waiter !

Disclaimer : I know that some AI hotels do table service but having to pay for 6 airfares, 2 rooms and go during the school holidays really limits us to cheap (ha ha) and cheerful.

We went AI to Turkey in November. Our AI was absolutely fantastic, no drunk people, wonderful food and plenty of space to relax. Lots for DD (18 months at the time) to do. The resort was immaculately clean. We also spent 3 days of our 7 days going out and about in the area (Lara Beach) and went into Antalya town for two whole days, eating in restaurants for lunch and dinner on two days.

I don't feel guilty about it because (a) it was what we could afford (b) the resort is in an undeveloped area and has provided enormous amounts of jobs (c) this is life. Businesses have to adapt - it happened with the weaving industries and it happens all the time, in every industry. Consumers should not be expected to stand still and keep doing the same just because "it's better for small businesses".

Do these AI resorts only cater for the Brits, or is there an international clientele?

One of the reasons we like to stay "off complex" on holiday is that we can get away from fellow Brits and feel properly abroad. Our last two foreign holidays were in Italy and Croatia, and both hotels had a mixture of holiday makers from other European countries - all of them interested in the country they had come to visit, the food, the culture, the wine etc.

I would hate to stay somewhere completely peopled by Brits who never leave the compound, where the food is a bland "international " buffet every day without any reference to the local cuisine, nightly "entertainment", kids clubs etc.

I realise I am painting an extreme picture here so please advise me that not all AI resorts are like this because that is the (perhaps wrong) impression I have of them.

Actually, the AI holidays (2) we have taken have been a godsend. With 2 preschoolers, AI means you can go to the bufffet whenever it's convenient, quickly grab some food and you're done. Children easily fed as lots of choice laid out. When I go abroad with a young family, I am not looking to experience fine cusine - eating is just something that we have to do. I am looking to visit places, go swimming etc etc.

I can see how AI is damaging some holiday resorts, but it's the tour operators who need to be more responsible. I'm not taking an AI holiday this year, but I had no idea when I went on holiday last year and the year before of the impact of AI.

When we go to Mauritius it makes me laugh at people eating buffet food and hotel sandwiches which even at an AI price must be far more expensive than the fabulous food that can be found - tasty curry rotis for less than 50p, a bag of the best fresh cooked samosas you will ever taste for 20p, a hand peeled fresh mini pineapple to eat straight from the stalk for 40p, fresh fish 'rougaille' in local restaurants for a pittance....

My impression is that many of the hotels do use a lot of local produce, and certainly local labour, but it's such a dead experience, eating in the hotels all the time.

I have done AI for my honeymoon in the Maldives at it was amazing - best holiday by far. Food was first class, no drunks, mix of nationalities and staffed by local people.

I have also done AI in Turkey with huge Brit and German contingency. Hotel was nice but food was a bit mediocre, chips with everything. Fights for sunbeds. And it was actually the Germans that were the drunks at the bar from midday onwards. This AI was considerably cheaper than Maldives so I guess you get what you pay for.

Generally DH and I tend to do Neilson/Mark Warner holidays so not technically AI but most things are included with options to eat out at local restaurants couple of times a week. They also provide the childcare option which we don't always use but I know lots of parents who opt for Neilson/Mark Warner value the childcare provided.

Not against AI in principle but you really do have to do your homework in finding an AI hotel/resort that suits you.

Bunbaker certainly the resort we stayed at in Cuba was a mixture of Brits, Germans and Canadians, and I met a couple of Italians and Spanish people too.

I think AI has it's place and certainly you can avoid the 'AI-Butlins-Benidorm' experience. We stayed for 2 weeks and not once saw any evidence of gorging, drunkenness, loutishness or "Brits on tour" style behaviour. I think as long as you choose your holiday/resort carefully AI does not necessarily equal the above.

And the cocktails available on the AI menus are revoltingly sweet and comprised of cheap stuff. We stayed 4 days in a hotel (to escape family for a few days) where there was an AI option and the temptation to lie on a sun lounger from 10 am to 4pm ordering waiters to come out with a never ending supply of alcohol is one which many Brits would be well advised to resist. It isn't a good look, in any sense. Sunburnt, drunk, immobile, giving orders to staff all day...

Ah yes, the "free" alcohol. OH is a wine bore enthusiast and would find the free booze pretty undrinkable.

That's a bit of a generalization. If you go to a country, such as Egypt, where alcohol is expensive, then the AI cocktails might well be crap.

OTOH when we were in Grenada, a litre of rum cost about £3, and the cocktails were very nice.

I think Maldives is pretty much all AI (or at least full board & soft drinks), but it doesn't really matter because it's a case of "one island, one resort" so there's nowhere else to go anyway.

As someone else has said, there's AI and there's AI. Some very high end resorts in Asia are AI, as are all the luxury safari lodges/ski chalets and, now I think about it, a lot of the boutique hotels in South Africa. They probably all massively clean up as it's usually couples or families who tend not to go overboard on the booze.

when you have two extremely fussy eaters the last thing you want to do each evening is trail round local restaurants trying to find something you think they might eat. Then when it comes it "tastes different" and they leave it. At huge expense.
they can also have drinks/ice creams without us having to worry about the cost.
the AI hotel we went to in Majorca was of a good standard where wine and beer came out of bottles so not watered down. We are doing the same in Turkey this year (and not a cheap one either) because it worked well for us.

I never thought I would go AI as I feel I am a seasoned traveller, backpacked and lived in many countries around the world, and always try to eat local etc wherever possible... However, I REALLY wanted to go to Cuba a couple of years ago, and the cheapest way to fly there was on a package which included half the time in an AI hotel on the beach (half the time non AI in havana)... the beach AI was a nightmare, food was terrible, entertainment v annoying etc but the hotel itself was lovely and we ate out after the first night, so was fine all in all. We did say never again, but in four weeks we will be going AI again! This time I REALLY wanted to go to Cape Verde, and the only direct flights there (we now have a 2year old) are with package deals again... So we will be AIing again... Agh! Sometimes it is actually the cheapest way, but we do intend to leave the resort, eat out etc again as far as possible.

I've never tried AI and probably never will (though if it meant the difference between a holiday or no holiday I am shallow enough to give it a go).

We tend to go 'Greek' every year (often to the same resort) and have made some lovely friends there. Talking to local bar/restaurant owners they will confirm how damaging AI can be to their season. As someone mentioned further up thread it's not really the fault of the hotel owners who choose to provide AI - it's often the Tour Operators who dicatate what they think their clientele want and the hotels don't want to lose out by going against the grain.

The owners of the apartments in Crete which we have visited several times have opted out of the Tour Operator system and can only be booked independantly. They are full for the whole season. The apartments next door were under a large tour operator last season. Chatting to the owners they were saying that the TO demanded exclusivity for the season which meant that even if the TO hadn't sold all the apartments the owners were not allowed to rent the empty ones privately or they would be in breach of contract. Consequently they are 'going independant' this year too.

I have worked for First Choice - lots of my friends are from my time with the company. The comments on facebook about all holidays being AI were interesting (nobody in favour) as during my time there they drummed 'sustainable tourism' into us at every opportunity.
I spent 5 years on a Greek island and watched restaurants and bars close down as more hotels in the area became AI - its heartbreaking. Good friends of mine have survived because their bar is full of tv's and show all footie/sport , the soaps , Big Brother etc - strangely enough most of their customers have AI wristbands on.

my sister went ai to mallorca last year and the chef said he had to provide meals for each person at E7.00 each,thats all day!

Those wristbands are REALLY annoying, make you feel like a criminal, or a target for scammers when you go out.

Yes rshipstuff a 'come and get me' sign for timeshare sellers .

I think its horses for courses

Have done AI if i have wanted a cheap week in the sun, usually in the euro zone. Have been to a lovely resort twice in Greece that was ideal for a weeks RnR.

Then again I have done other types of holidays including island hopping in Sweden. Thailand (with DS) Visiting family in Australia and even the dreaded Disney. Last year we went skiing in Poland which cost £700 all in.

It depends what holiday you want at that time

I work in travel, I'm quoting on all inclusive longhaul holidays all the time.

They have a place in tourism. The hotels employ & provide training for local people, some go on to work in other areas of tourism, spa work, catering, cruise work for example. But the airlines and hotels are making the most money.

I have never paid to be on an all inclusive holiday by choice. Even if you stay in an all inclusive resort, you can go out and explore and still spend a little elsewhere in the local community. Be brave . This might not be suitable in all countries with AI resorts, might mention that Jamaica invented the idea of the AI holiday.

The Tour Operators are only giving the public what they want. Which is normally "the cheapest deal". People are less willing to research how much it cost to eat out. This is easy to find out via sites like tripadivsor and other travel forums.

Also, imagine you are in your home town, you can eat as cheaply or as expensively as you want, same thing applies nearly everywhere you go - even camping in Cornwall could cost a fortune if you dine out in the posh places and not the local pub or cafe.

What about the ethics of Cruises Holidays? Now that's where I fail to see any long term benefit to any local community. Tourist all rush back on the boats to get their food and drinks and spend very little on shore.

We cover wristbands when we go out, and DD always manages to 'break' hers a few times because she doesnt like wearing them. They are annoying, but better than carrying a swipecard (as we did many moons ago in Antigua)

<<snort>> at the AI customers watching Big Brother etc - probably the type that don't want to eat the 'foreign muck' at the hotel . Last year in Tunisia the food was fabulous, DH and I spent most of our time going to the Tunisian Specialities and trying new foods, DD went crazy for the pasta (which was bloody lovely, and got her eating 'proper' seafood for the first time). And that's kinda my point - by going AI we were more adventurous, if we had been paying for meals we wouldn't have dared try something that (quite frankly) looked like a big black poo in a khaki green sauce...but bloody hell, it was marvellous!

Reading threads like this always reminds me how delightfully middle-class Mumsnet is. Am I the only person on here living on an income just over what the Joseph Rowntree Foundation deems the poverty level?

I looked into a 1-week self-catering holiday with Eurocamp in France. Couldn't afford it.

I looked into a 1-week self-catering holiday in Ireland. Couldn't afford it.

We are going on a 1-week self-catering holiday to Norfolk instead. We are going to have to scrimp and save to afford this and won't be able to eat out at all whilst we are there.

I would love to have the luxury of debating whether to go AI or "local" on a holiday to Cuba, Barbados, the Maldives or some other far-flung part of the world.

I have quite enjoyed reading this thread though. Maybe someday it'll apply to me.

Bizarrely you could probably do a one week self-catering holiday in Spain cheaper than any other those. Whether you'd want to, is another matter.....

I have never had to wear a wristband anywhere I have been that was AI. I think that would be a deal-breaker for me but I'm sure (at least I hope ) it only applies to the more mass-market hotels. I suppose it's the downside of going somewhere that has several tariffs. If everyone is AI then no need for the wristband.

How much are you paying for your week in Norfolk?

DCgirl - When you see how much some people spend it makes your eyes water. We are doing a self catering UK holiday this year.

I'm using my Tescos, Nectar points / for vouchers - plus checking offers like 2 for 1 in ASK. Sign up online for all sorts of discounts. Why not make a small stash of food to take with you, start now and put a few things away like you do for Christmas?

I am being very middle class and presuming you have a car to take this pack of goodies with you. We are a one car family ourselves ... does that make me middle class? .

DCgirl - but the only people replying will be those who go on these hols, won't they? It doesn't make the whole of Mn middle class.

(P.S we went for a week on Broadstairs last year and ate a la carte from the Co-Op and local independent suppliers - good for the local economy )

Budget for everything (accommodation, travel, food, entertainment etc.): £800. And no, we don't have a car. It's not very middle-class, raddishbrush, but it is a bit .

raddishbrush yes, very middle class. You are assuming others have a car, and that it can fit a stash of food on top of things you need for a self catering holiday. We are a one car family with a Honda Jazz. I don't see how we can fit luggages for 3 in the boot! Normally the boot is full with just DDs pram. We put shopping in the spare back seat.

People spend what they can afford, in relation to how much they earn. If I couldnt afford it I wouldn't do it - but I go without other things so I can make a production out of our yearly holiday. It makes the reast of the year bearable!

(I'm the opposite of many on this thread - If I couldnt afford AI, I'd not go on holiday. It's AI or nothing for me)

£800? We did an allocated-on-arrival week in Zakynthos for that, all in a few years ago. £350 for flights and accommodation for three (in June), self-catering, ate out a few times also.

It does get difficult during August school holidays though.

DCGirl why dont you get ASDA to delivery your groceries to the place in Norfolk rather than taking food with you. this is what we do and lots of places now accept these deliveries. if you go on the asda website and put in the postcode of where you are staying they will tell you if they deliver - simples! (other supermarkets are available i just picked the one we use)

That's a good idea mummymeister

DCgirl, I'm in the same boat wages wise but I don't smoke, I don't drink, going out is mainly walking the dog in local forests and I put as much as I can away so we can escape for one blissful week a year.

I know it might not help and we certainly can only dream of going long haul but there you go

DP is a teacher so can't go in term-time. rshipstuff, my gosh, I wouldn't want to do allocated-on-arrival - what if you got put somewhere terrible/damp/cockroach-ridden? I've stayed in some dives as an independent traveller but it's different when you've got kids in tow.

mummymeister, I looked into doing that but ASDA don't deliver there unfortunately. Guess I should look into the other supermarkets.

We always holiday in the UK and love it. Sometimes we go abroad as well, but a week SC in the UK takes first priority. This year we have booked a B & B (which is a departure for us) in Dorset in the June spring bank holiday week. I think it is good value at £440 for a week for the three of us.

I love going long haul, but we don't go every year. I'm not sure if everyone else is going every year! And for a lot of the trips, we get one of our plane tickets paid by work. DH works for a job that does some far flung trips. I used to be the same. So we tag on our overseas holidays using these work trips. That's how I have been to Las Vegas 2 times, and also been to Korea, Japan, Singapore etc. (And many places in Europe). They do tend to be the more expensive places, than developing country where the pounds go far tho.

bunbaker, I agree £440 a week is not bad. How much do you think you'll spend on luch, dinner and entertainment though?

D'oh! Lunch.

raddish, oh cruise ships are a whole different kettle of fish. Went on a couple of cruises years ago and vowed never to cruise again. Never seen so much gluttony in all my life. People grazing on food 24 hours a day and never seen so many drunks. And like you say, not a penny is spent on shore so no benefit whatsover to local economies of countries they visit.

AI in forrin places is not very middle class. It's a bit arriviste and/or downmarket to be honest. EuroCamp in France is frightfully middle class. I have regularly done both.

Seriously, EuroCamp in France is just about the best holiday you can have with children. It's ACE and not expensive compared to other (non-hideous) things. Eating out in France is VV expensive though. But self-catering in a caravan or a tent is fun.

I don't know DCgirl. We just tend to have a sandwich at lunchtime. We are NT members and intend to make full use of that (petrol cost). We will be on the Jurassic coast so if the weather is good we will be looking for fossils (free). We will probably catch a bus into Lyme Regis for a look round (bus fares, lunch, incidental shopping). The big cost will be evening meals as we will be on holiday and as we won't be SC we will have to eat out every night - probably at one of the local pubs. But this will be factored inot the cost of the holiday.

I hope you have a lovely time in Norfolk, it is on my to visit list.

HillyWallaby Do you fly drive to the EuroCamp? (ie fly then hired car) People keep telling me it's cheaper than Centre Parc, but I just can't see how if you have to fly then hire a car!

DCGirl, the allocated-on-arrival was just fine. There was a swimming pool, and ok it was a mile to walk to the beach/main resort, but it wasn't a problem. You can work out what you might get with allocated-on-arrival by looking at the brochure. There are really very few places with cockroaches being dealt with by the British travel companies.

So how does Eurocramp work?

Do you stay in:

(a) your own tent
(b) their tent or
(c) a chavavan (aka 'chalet')

My family went on numerous Eurocamp holidays when I was a child. It's because I have fond memories of it that I hope to do it with DS one day.

bunbaker, your holiday sounds like it's going to be quite fun - can I come? Anyway, thank you, we've been to Norfolk before and it is really nice.

OneLittleBabyGirl, I believe you can fly-drive, or fly and get a transfer depending on the campsite. And you can of course get a ferry and take your own car.

rshipstuff, you stay in their tent. Well, they do chalets and stuff as well but we always stayed in a tent. It's not proper camping though - you have beds with mattresses, and a cooker, and a fridge.

DCgirl I wouldn't do proper camping my DH style. His idea is walk with a big backpack on your back for a week, and camp in the wilderness, taking dumps in the bush, and don't wash for a week. I've done it once when I was at school with a school camp for 2 nights. That scared me for life.

But I can warm to the idea of a chalet, with a toilet block.

Ok, looking at their website, accommodation looks hideous and v. expensive. 25m2 (tiny!) caravan thing with 2 bedrooms, runs to £1100 in August for a week at L'Atlantique.

For the same week you can stay in 2-bed Comfort in Erperheide Center Parcs (Belgium) for €1139 or €1079 in Het Meerdal (Holland). This is 62m2, so over twice the size.

No doubt Eurocamp is cheaper than UK centerparcs (until you factor in petrol and ferry crossing, possibly), but EU centerparcs is cheaper than either.

My DH and I went on an AI holiday three years ago. We definitely spent less than we usually do on holiday. We ate out twice during that time just for the opportunity to sample different menus but the food in our hotel was excellent with lots of choice. We tended to go to local bars in the evenings but did sometimes stay at the hotel. We did not see any instances of drunken behaviour at the hotel and if there had been any I feel sure the manager would have been quick to deal with it as he was around all the time and made sure everything was running properly, guests were happy and, at meal times ensured food was replenished as soon as needed. I know not all hotels would be run so well. We had trouble with our air conditioning one day and went to Reception to report it. The handy man was seeing to it by the time we got back to our room 10 minutes later! We had a great holiday and would definitely go back again. We did spend money in local shops and on trips so supported the local economy in that way and most of the staff were local. I wish we had gone on this holiday when our son was at the "adolescent = always hungry" stage as we would have saved ourselves a lot of money!

i don`t like them.

A lot of my favorite bars/restaurants have closed down or moved to a busier resort in menorca. we stay in cala blanca and the zung hu chinese has moved to calen blanes ( buiser)

if we want a chinese ( the food is super) we have to drive for 30-40 mins, they said this was because of ai hotels.

Discovered AI two years ago and will never go back.
Love it love it love it

I have done fly/drive with car hire, and driving all the way. It just depends how far you are going and how long for as to whether it's worth driving all the way. And I've done tent, caravan and chalet! I like deluxe caravans the best.

Would never has considered AI pre DC but a 4*+ AI can be bloody marvellous. Food is fantastic and local where we have been. Kids get to try stuff that they would never order from a menu (mussels, squid, shark). You can eat immediately, they can have as much or as little as they like. It's so easy and quite frankly I don't want to traipse around restaurants with 2 small children or do washing up on holidays. I won't do it forever but at least with AI I come home feeling like I've had a holiday.

Before DC I wouldn't have chosen AI as wandering around looking for a different restaurant every night and enjoying a 2 hour meal was part of the experience. But when you have young DC who eat small portions and won't enjoy traipsing around for hours or enjoy a 2 hour meal (and who like to have lots of drinks during the day) AI is perfect. In countries with the Euro a basic meal is £100 + and to pay that every night and DCs leaving half their meal is a deal breaker for me. 4-5 star AI has been lovely so far, haven't seen a drunk person yet anywhere we've stayed and there has always been a lovely and varied selection of local dishes included, and all fresh.

I've done AI in Ibiza for the past three years, have 3 dds and has worked out really well for us, if only for the "free" ice-creams and pastries that my children seemingly inhale.

The hotel will make up a packed picnic lunch if you want, we usually get one and hop on a bus for a couple of trips.

I've had some super AI holidays. No drunks, different nationalities holidaying together. Great food etc. AI hotels provide employment for locals and they have to source local food so therefore do put money into the economy.

We usually eat out a few times when we get sick of the international buffet and always do cultural trips so I'm not sure the snobbery shown on here is justified .

Wondering how many of those saying AIs are awful because they put other local businesses out of trade happily go to Tesco, Starbucks etc when in the UK.

Haha! yes, exactly!

We just priced Eurocamp in Spain for next year. It would cost £2800 for DH, DD and I without flights, car hire, food. We used to go to the site as kids and I was so excited but I'm horrified at the cost.

£2800. Geez. Do you know that's more than the budget for me, DH and DD going to Hong Kong for a week and a half later this year? That's with flights and hotel. And we aren't even flying at the cheapest time of the year. Food is marvellously cheap and we'll be eating out every meal.

The eating out comment is for MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe. I don't think I can stomach washing up every night either.

KenDodd that's insane

DH and I just booked a 7 night 5* Nile cruise (full board) followed by 5 nights in a 5* Red Sea resort (AI) for £599 each, flights included!

We would probably not have opted for AI given money/the choice - it just happened to be an add-on after the Cruise, which we've always wanted to do in an amateur Egyptologist sort of way. I'll be interested to see what it's like after some of these comments. I understand from all the reviews/what I've read about it that the AI resort is staffed entirely by locals in an area which has almost nothing else going for it, so if anything else I'd've thought it was keeping the local economy going. But I didn't watch the prog and haven't been yet, so am talking out of pure ignorance at the mo!

Much against my better judgement we went to Club Med in the South of France lasy year and it was really very very good indeed.

AI can be good for a local economy if it employs local people and people from that country also go there on holiday as our Club Med place did. It is bad when all the guests and the staff are shipped in from other countries.

That said, the weakness of the Pound Sterling and Dollar is a major reason why people are choosing AI. It is also a major reason why cruise ships have become so popular in the Med and Carribean. The crew are often from Far east economies where pay rates are incredibly low compared to pay rates in the location where the ship is sailing. They dont pay local tax rates either.

kendodd that is crazy pricing.
We've paid £2800 for a 4* AI in Lake Garda for August, inc flights and transfers.

I wouldnt be paying that for a frickin tent, no food and no flights!

Oh and thats for 4 of us

"Wondering how many of those saying AIs are awful because they put other local businesses out of trade happily go to Tesco, Starbucks etc when in the UK"

I do - for loo rolls, washing up liquid, cheese, wine and groceries, because it is my nearest supermarket/their deliveries are better than the competition. I always buy my meat from a local farm that breeds their own animals and sells the meat in the shop. I buy my veg and local free range eggs from another local farm shop where some of the veg is home grown, I buy my bread from a local bakery or make my own (using flour bought from Tesco ). I also support my local market and the local country market, plus the local curry house.

I suppose that I could stop supporting other economies by not drinking wine or using olive oil or using spices in my cooking, but then my diet would become very dull.

I buy from local shops for local people

Mosschops Whereabouts are you going? We stayed in Garda itself last August and loved it.

You do have to think that if a AI is so cheap (which it often is) why is it so cheap. If you buy cheap clothes made in India/China/Vietnam that they are going to made by very poorly paid people working in grim conditions. If you buy cheap eggs then their are from chickens in cages. The list goes on.

AI is fine but I think you have to realise that if you go to a third or second world country you are shafting them to some degree. The benefits of employment are often cancelled out by the huge amount of undercutting and control the tour operators have. If we have hose pipe bans in England how can these hotels with endless towels and sheets to wash, food to prepare etc be helping a country that doesn't have good water supplies.

Having said that I can't see the problem so much with a cruise. I'm sure the workers aren't paid well but at least people visit and spend with the locals.

I am not sure AI is always cheap, TBH - what it is, though, is predictable. DH and I can't face paying a huge bill at the end of the holiday - and, TBH, AI or not, with small DC the vast majority of our spend is within the hotel as they have to be dragged away from pool/sea/beach. It works far better for us to know that it is all paid for upfront, even though we have no illusions that is is much cheaper. Being AI does not deter us from going out - but if we were going to somewhere where we would want to be out and about a lot we wouldn't opt for AI.

Dream holiday of the moment would be the Maldives - where the whole debate is entirely academic as the hotel is the island - so not a lot of dining choices outside of the hotel - can someone explain the moral high ground to be achieved by not going AI in that instance ?

We have been AI many times, and it is like verything you get what you pay for.
In some of the locations with out the hotels there would be no industry, as they are so remote. And as such all inclusive is the only choice.
Sind the birth od Dc's it has been our choice the past two years to go AI. If just for the ice cream / drinks as in Europe when you are paying two quid for each at a time fair adds up over a two week period.
At the majority of the AI's we have been we have left the "compound" and visitied either local vilages or bar's and restaurants. But with DC's this is so difficult as typically they only really want to spend more time with friends and the AI ( Butlins) allow us all to have an enjoyable holiday.
I also can say that I have never seen people over indulging with food or drinks, although I have heard tales told.

I have been on a few (worst decision was honeymoon!) and my problem is the food - its always awful and I am yet to go on an AI without getting food poisoning. That said if I had a few more kids it would be the only way to go because eating out in europe now costs the same as the UK.
I do find though generally that AI's are normally outside of the main resorts as they cant get the land or space to build them closer in. If you are staying there it can be a way out from town.

bunbaker we are going to Peschiera. Do you knw what its like?

Our AI five star with swim up room this year is £3700 for DH, DD and I . So it's around the same price as an air conditioned caravan in Spain. No wonder I am choosing the former.

Mosschops We didn't get to Peschiera, but I have just looked it up on google. It look like a really interesting place to visit so do go and have a good explore around the town. We found the ideal way to see the lake was to get the local ferry. Although it is a ferry it is the tourists that use it the most in the summer months and it is easy to get tickets on the quay. The ticket sellers understand English. The land at the southern end is flat, but as you go further north it gets very hilly and more dramatic looking. If you are flying to Verona you will have a nice short transfer time as well. Sirmione which is nearby is supposed to be stunning. We didn't get there either, but if we go again it will be on our to do list.

We found eating out in the evening pretty expensive and were glad that we had gone half board (although the hotel food was a bit stodgy). Do try an Aperol spritz - it is the drink to have over there.

Pescheria is fab we stayed at Bella Italia just on the edge of Pescheria two years running and it was fab !
We found eating out not to bad but we live in Ireland - probably not so different to London prices. Sirmione is gorgeous as it is castellated - walk through the gate. we met one family who went to Sirmione and thought it was closed ! :-)
You are near to gardaland also which was fabulous. We went in the evening as it was cooler and cheaper.
Would also recommend a visit to Malcesine and a trip on the cable car. there are cows at the top with cow bells. very sound of music.

Malcesine is lovely. We didn't do the cable car as DD doesn't like heights, but we looked around the castle and witnessed a wedding while we were there. It is a fair old hike up from Pescheira though. I would be tempted to get the express ferry for that distance. We got the slow boat back to Garda from Malcesine and it took nearly 3 hours.

Thanks for all that info. We are really looking forward to something different this year after the last 4 years in the balearics.
We have been to Malcesine for a wedding it was beautiful.
We are flying into Verona, will try and get to Simione and definately do the ferry. We have free tickets to Gardaland with our booking, is it worth going to?

Don't mean to hijack this thread with Garda information but for Mosschops we spent a week in Peschiera last year and are going again this year in April (Easter hols). You may be at the same place we were as although we didn't go AI some people there were. Regarding Gardaland - yes - definitely go (especially if you have tickets already). My 6 year old thought it was the most wonderful place on earth - cried his eyes out when they threw us out at closing time! This year he is beside himself with happiness as we are going for two days! There are lots of rides there for all ages by the way. We also went to Venice - easy trip by train for a day from Peschiera, and Sirmione (go into the castle if you do go and climb up the tower for great views. There is also a wildlife park there which was pretty good but not sure about going there if you don't have a car. Sure you will have a great time there.

Blu I'll need the 20p bags of samosas to feed the family after I've paid the £4300 flight charges to fly in the school holidays! Do you think a family of 5 could do a full meal from one bag and could we just sleep on the beach...?

All those who say they like independent travel - I agree, I've been to China, Kenya, Bolivia, Prague, Poland, Spain, France, Greece, Germany, Belgium, the States, Canada, all independently, not through tour operators, but now I have 3 kids at school (and that is the issue, the price premium in school holidays) it is just too blummin expensive to do it that way. So I have given into pressure from DH and reluctantly agreed to an AI this year...I hope that I don't live to regret it...

bacarrat ive pm'd you

bunbaker and jen127 if you can pm me ny tips for garda that would be great.
Apologies for the hijack

Off to do evening meal. Will pm later. I'm jealous that you are going. In fact we are thinking of going again as it was just so fantastic.

I know, malakadoush, why do you think I am such an expert on the cheap food to be found! (we have to go - family live there).
And, you could camp on the beach, yes - camping on the public beaches seems to be allowed!

To get back to the point of the OP - it isn't just the AI that is bad for the local economy. Most of the hotel chains are owned by overseas companies, formerly, in the Indian Ocean by South African companies, but nbow the big new hotesl being ripped into the remaining cooastline are owned by Russians. The big profits leave the country. The hotels also use enormous amounts of water for pools, power showers, lawn sprinklers etc, and it is very common for the locals to experience terrible water shortages. When we were there last the water was only available in residential areas from 5am til 7am, and then an hour in the evening. All the water was being pumped - or taken by tanker - to the hotels.

There is employment in the hotels, of course.

To be honest this thread has made me think as I hadn't thought about the ethics of AI and probably should have.

Mosschops30 I have pm'd you - hopefully successfully!

Have always travelled independently and usually on a budget, but for an extended family holiday we stayed as a group in Pineapple Beach resort in Antigua in Nov/. Don't think this was a cheap option for AI but I have to say with a 14 month old who was wanting to try lots of different food and then, um... throw it on the floor, by heck it was nice to have someone else cook it and clean it up for once. I didn't feel guilty about this - the ingredients seemed pretty local to me. We are foodie types and it was really good considering it was buffet - you could book at the poncy restaurant but it was over air conditioned and not that great. Our DD ate loads. If you can ignore the bloated sunburnt whales other guests hogging the sunloungers it was a great place to stay. And quite relaxing for a frazzled mum, once you get past the long flight and jet lag...

Ok choirgirl I can see why it's a lovely easy holiday for you.
However your hotel uses massive resources which the country isn't up to providing. Huge amounts of clean water are needed to run such a resort. Huge amounts of waste water/sewage are produced as well. Where do you reckon that all goes. I think another poster lived on a similar island and was saying locals only get electricity now for limited hours because the hotel takes all the power.
I'm sure the food is local but seeing that we have problems with Tesco ruining our local suppliers do you imagine the massive resorts are doing the growers any favours? This is not a attack on your holiday choices BTW but more to consider using environmentally friendly resort holidays.

I don't usually go on AI holidays, mostly because I like to get out and experience different places, and find eating at the same couple of restaurants for 2 weeks extremely boring.
But we did go AI when we went to Kenya; we wanted to go on safari and Kenya isn't the type of country you go and find an independent hotel in, and then stroll down the road for a meal. Largely for safety reasons. The resort was very nice, but it did get tedious in terms of food and evening "entertainment". However, those resorts provide pretty much the only employment in the area, and there is vast poverty which really is helped by any type of tourism, even if it is an AI resort.

I can see how in places like Spain/Greece they would be detrimental to the local economy though, where there already are bars and restaurants trying to make a living.

From my experience AI holidays have been terrible. The food is never that great and I always like to mix with the local community when I travel - which is never the case when staying in these terrible places with thousands of rooms! Plus the economic leakage of course - the worst cases are in the third world countries where the staff are paid peanuts and the profits all end up back in the western world.

I usually get tripbod.com to advise me on where to travel now as it's usually a local who provides a trip planning service so always have great ideas of where to travel and where to stay with kids if you want to benefit the community (no AI in sight).

We're heading to Thailand next - again, local suppliers all the way!