Day 1 of holiday. Hell.

UGH!!! We stayed in a hotel earlier this year that had AI people. I hated it and them. Self catering all the way.

If you book a crappy AI , what do you expect ? AI has to be top end to be nice . You need Ikos . It's really lovely and a total break .
I can only do it for 5 days but as a rest it is perfect !

I cannot understand why people on here seem to think all AI are the same . Or that IF you go to one that you are not allowed to leave and 'explore the area' .

Holidays are something we don't do that often but spend a lot on - so there is a lot of opportunity to be disappointed but not a lot of opportunity to learn from our mistakes and do it better.

After every holiday it's worth sitting down and agreeing with your partner what went well and we'd like to do again? What can we suck up because the kids like it/ the budget doesn't stretch as far as we would like? And what was a big mistake and we should never do again?

It sounds like you knew AI was a mistake but got sucked in and did it again. However there must have been something that you liked about Greece to go back - the weather? the beach? things to do outside of the resort? watching the kids have fun? (my parents did Butlins on the basis I loved it)

I'd try and focus on the good bits, chalk up the bad bits to experience. And ask Mumsnet for advice before booking again.

I’m sooooo much more at home at high end places, where as the people here would probably feel uncomfortable there and like this better

You are totally unreasonable for this comment alone, you sanctimonious, insecure snob.

Do the other guests a favour please, book the next flight home.

This is good advice.

You are there now, so embrace the difference and go with it.

Because whats the alternative? Spending the time with a face like a smacked arse, feeling hard done to because it isnt what you wanted and resenting the money spent.

Its done now. So you need to just come to peace with it and, as @LasVegass says, dance the maracena and join in.

Halve your number of holidays and double your budget OP.

Are these people putting flip flops on beds?

Yeah you need a better quality hotel. It’s not the AI bit that’s making it bad. I’ve been to some fantastic AI hotels very luxurious but tbh most of the best ones are outside of Europe. Jamaica was one of the best!

Please share the name of the hotel so we can cross it off our own lists.

Was it a Jet2holiday?? My thoughts are with you

I dont know about being a snob but I dont like a) other people generally and b) being ripped off.

A self catering holiday done right can come in at about the same all told as a decent AI, and you get what you want not what you are offered.

I think what sells AI is people who absolutely refused to do any self catering at all (so not doing their own breakfast etc) plus the appeal of a free bar. They look at half board and then see that AI is barely anymore so go for that. I can see the logic.

But with SC I can buy wine I like, food I like, go to a different restaurant every night and usually with at least a smaller number of people to share the pool with if it isnt exclusive use. Plus, with young kids, its better as you have living space to spend your evenings in when they are in bed.

Agree with this.
You seem to be implying that your income isn't particularly high, so you have to put up with holidaying at the same places as people you think are below you (albeit probably with a similar income), whereas you actually have a higher than average household income.

We went to an AI on Crete some years ago. Felt deflated on the first day. The beach was too pebbly to escape there. It was too hot and too far to travel out. However, we got into the spirit of things and participated in the activities and loved it. The kids were younger so that helped, as it was easier to go to the talent competitions and join in the Macarena (or whatever its equivalent was that season). Let your guard down a bit.

Book 4 or 5 star next time and shorten yr stay.

OP you might want to look into using a Travel Concierge type service - an agent who doesn't just book your flights and hotel but can arrange other things for you as well such as restaurant bookings, transfers, activities etc. You can tell them what kind of vibe you're after and they'll match with you the right kind of place.

AI is always going to be bad. You wouldn’t go to an all you can eat buffet in the UK and expect it to be high quality, and it isn’t overseas either.

Go half board or B&B, and that usually eliminates the people drunk by 11am, and encourages people to leave the premises to find decent food.

It isn't all inclusive that's the problem, but the particular hotel. Hotels and food vary greatly, and that's the case whether you're half board or all inclusive. Also, you don't necessarily get better food or even a nicer dining experience by choosing 5 star over 4. You never really know what a hotel is going to be like until you try it. The only thing you can be sure of is that drinks, lunches etc will be more expensive at 5 star places. That doesn't mean you'll win by taking the all inclusive option at 5 star. We've always had half board at such places because the difference between hb and ai is usually enormous and very hard to break even on it, far less get value. We've had some lovely 4 star ai experiences, some of them terrific value, as well as some lovely times half board in both 4 and 5 star. Our most recent hol was 5 star, and the food was really quite disappointing. Sorry your holiday's got off to a bad start. Hope it gets better.

I get it op, I'm the same. The good news is you have the budget for it, you just need to choose what other expenses to cut off. I was shocked how much I can save from not getting take away, for example

I’m so much more at home in high end places 😂

Generally if you don’t want to be around everyone else book independently & travel independently. It’s perfectly possible on your budget.

Why on earth do you need all inc? Rent somewhere to stay, then go out for meals and support the local economy.

We love Ikos ai in Greece. Its first class

If you have expensive taste, you’ll just have to go on holiday every 3 years instead of every year 🤷‍♀️

I'm not sure that 100k combined income necessarily tells us how good the holiday you've just booked is. You could've still got a cheapo AI in an area known for it's nightlife... What did you spend on the holiday? Plenty of classy destinations, you've just got to book the right place!

Maybe you lower the tone at the higher end establishments you reckon you feel at home in.

Sounds like you’ve booked the wrong hotel. Ikos in Greece is all inclusive and really nice, unfortunately not child-free.

In my opinion, unless it’s 5 star, AI can be a bit low rent, especially in the med.