trivial! AIBU to think a villa holiday abroad can be as good or better than all inclusive?

[autumnlights12]

We've done both. A friend recently commented that her kids would be very bored on a villa holidays cos they love to mix with other kids and make friends. But I do love the peace and the privacy and the sense of really getting away from it all, which you don't get in a big hotel. Am I being unreasonable to think that children can enjoy a villa holiday as much as a big hotel holiday? Do kids really need 24/7 entertainment on tap to enjoy themselves?

[PhyllisDoris]

No they don't. It's much better for them to have to entertain themselves occasionally. Give me a self catered villa every time. Could never ever do an all-in hol again.

[diddl]

Each to their own, isn´t it?

Depending on the age of the children, the parents might have to put some effort in to "entertaining" them!

[autumnlights12]

Waswondering, you're right! It's not really an Aibu, but as this is the place for honest forthright opinion I thought I'd stick it here

[Moominsarescary]

We always book one with a games room although occasionally ds2 moans about not having any other children to play with and ds1 spent most of his time going to the local town and Internet cafe last time

[SwedishEdith]

God, I would never, ever go on an all-inclusive holiday. Cannot imagine enjoying it all - and I'm paying so I do actually think my preference should come into it as well. Going where there are other people doesn't guarantee they'll mix with other kids anyaway.

[autumnlights12]

Yes, we had a games room last time, was fantastic!

[Trills]

YANBU to think is can be as good.

But it's a different kind of good.

[Trills]

A holiday where I had to feed and clean up after children does not sound like a lot of fun to me.

A super spensive villa where a chef comes in to make dinner and someone comes in to do a spot of cleaning every so often - maybe.

[scurryfunge]

I do both and I like both for different reasons.
(unhelpful).

[cocoachannel]

With a very small child going to a villa (which DH and I did a lot per-DD) just transports the same routine to a different setting. AI hotel this time was a godsend and had a crèche

[whatsforyou]

I'm with Trills
What I like about AI is everything is laid on for you, cooking and cleaning is not my idea of a holiday but I rarely lie by the pool as I can't stand all the 'super duper entertainment' that is on offer. It's the beach for us and the kids can potter about in the sand while we doze/read on sunbeds start to cry as I look out on a cold wet Scottish night

[mutny]

I have done both. All inclusive was on cayo guiellermo (prob spelt wrong) there was nothing else on the island so it was great and the quality was amazing. Such a beautiful island.
But when we go to Florida we always do villa. They are 2 different holidays.
I love the villa holidays, though.

Just different.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Go on a villa holiday with another family best of both worlds.

[MyLastDuchess]

When I was a kid we used to spend a week each summer staying with my aunt on her farm in the middle of bloody nowhere. No pool, stinking hot, nothing in particular to do. Not even any tv reception. We were never bored, although I can't even remember what we used to do. Read books & comics, played, went for walks when it got a bit cooler, fed the chooks, that kind of thing.

[BackforGood]

Ive never done an AI - looked at a few and get put off by the price. I've always figured I'm paying for loads of stuff I wouldn't use, as I like to just lie and read, swim, and sleep, and I tend to drink water when it's hot so wouldn't really even benefit from the "free" drink

As everyone else says though - horses for courses. I like a bit of piece and quiet on holiday myself, but it's not for everyone.

[LtEveDallas]

For me a villa holiday would be like being at home, with better weather but less toys. I prefer a holiday to be a holiday from everything - including cooking and cleaning.

DD is an only though, so I think that makes a big difference. At a hotel she can play with other kids and take part in activities, at a villa she'd be stuck playing with me whilst her father drinks...crap for her.

[Puppypanic]

Villa holiday and eat out every meal. No cooking or cleaning but you don't have to put up with the horror that is other people ..

[shesariver]

I dont mind cooking on villa holidays - not when we can sit and eat dinner by our own pool and watch the sunset with a bottle of wine. We go to France and this year had a canal running by ours to. Its the one time of year we get to spend all together as a family - DSs are 4 and 10 and have plenty of friends so we spend the week together, playing in the pool and going out and about.

[whois]

Depends doesn't it! What do you and your kids like doing? Do you like walking and reading and pottering about or do you need full on entertainment?

Do you want to bother cooking? Do you hate the rigidity of an all-in and like to go out to different towns/restaurants?

I like both. I liked both as a kid. I was never board in apartments in a complex, remote chateaux's, basic camp site or all-in hotels.

[taxiforme]

We worked out we would have to spend about £900 on drinks between us to make AI work. Think its a bit of a con TBH as the hotel invariably is less nice than a B and B or HB one unless you go to Mexico/cuba where they are just about all AI. Kids were not keen on the food, had to go way up market not to eat at buffets every night.

Horses for courses. We love villas. Kids are now 12 15 and 17 as long as WiFi they are happy. Much more relaxed, DSS (12) is SN (dispraxia and aspergers but not severe) and he likes to have his own "space".

[autumnlights12]

I love the lazy do-nothing vibe of AI. But I'm not a big fan of 'other people' on holiday and prefer my own space.

[ilovetermtime]

^^ that's how I feel too Autumn

[Brugmansia]

As a child we generally went to self-catered places. A few times there were multiple properties with several families sharing facilities such as the pool. I was a shy child and hated the pressure to try and be friends with other children I didn't know.

[Sirzy]

AI is my idea of hell. I like to get out and about and try local restaurants and things which is harder with AI. We did half board once and even then ended up eating out a few nights.