Day 1 of holiday. Hell.

There have always been villas for people to holiday in. I've been going to villas for over 30 years.

AI ruins communities too. Restaurants and local shops close, people have go to work in hotels instead on low wages with no autonomy. Lots are owned by foreign investors who treat the workforce badly. Food is imported because its cheaper so local producers lose out.

I am delighted to hear it.

Holiday lets are very unpopular in many parts of Europe (and increasingly the UK) because they contribute to the housing crisis and price local people out of their communities.

I’ve made a commitment to only stay in hotels and purpose built holiday accommodation from now on as I don’t want to support this. AirBNB etc are destroying communities.

There’s been lots of protests especially in Spain.

Yes, OP.
I'm like this. Haven't done such holiday in 10 years, husband and I rather stay in Britain.

Folks views are funny and outdated…

I have 4 tattoos (not visible day to day) and a household income of >£300k

Have had 2 AI hols this year and am partial to a 10:30am cocktail.

Am not a chav in the slightest!

They don’t lock you in. We were all inclusive on honeymoon because the adults only hotel we liked the look of was entirely AI. We went out every day and ate out whenever we felt like it.

Going to an all inclusive hotel would be my idea of Hell. Try self catering at a holiday let next time.

You said it , so I didn’t have to! Also blokes who come down to breakfast shirtless and are on pints at 10.30 am -

Odd they would choose to stay with friends rather than rent a villa. So restricting. But maybe that’s how they remain loaded - holiday at someone else’s expense!

As a general rule of thumb, the more tattoos the rougher the hotel.

Yes, you’re right. OP doesn’t actually want any advice. Just being goady and slagging off AI holidays.

I have no idea why anyone goes to AI hotels. Trapped in the hotel all day and night to get your moneys worth eating shit mass produced food.

YABU because you knew what they were like and still booked to go again!

Go and find some dramas... drink to much get into arguments with other brits etc, flirt with some waiters, make it more interesting...then report back to us 🙏

Oh she sounds fab, I’m a snob op , what that actually means is I don’t want to be round scummy poorly behaved people who have loud vacuous conversations. I want quiet to get on with my Times crossword!

but you are slightly unreasonable as you are on the wrong holiday for you. That’s on you.

I'm a snob, we do self catering - pretty little Air B&Bs and I either cook or we eat out. AI is not for me, I don't drink and I don't like people!

OP it sounds like you'd enjoy AI somewhere long haul - Caribbean, Maldives etc

100k is at least Prosecco not lemonade and beer!

holidyas have gotten so expensive I remember you could get 4 star Caribbean for under 1000 pp

I relate. We've had much nicer holidays when we've booked self catering then eaten out now and again in restaurants. We've had to downgrade what we're used to massively due to the cost of going in the school holidays, and we've had some really nice AI and some absolutely crap ones. They can look amazing on the site but be shit when you arrive 😂. I've decided to just go as cheap as possible and go explore and have meals out. I've adjusted my expectations a lot.
I really miss the days of luxury adult only holidays we used to have, and also going on really nice ones outside of school holidays because we can afford it then!
Is there anyone you could book and share a beautiful villa with? We did this recently and it was the best holiday we've ever had. We'd have never been able to afford it alone.

You are the clientele! People book what they can afford, nobody is better than the other.

Of course if you can’t afford 5 and don’t like the ordinary population that can’t affford 5 either, you should book a different holiday.

“Have been excited for it. Last year we did all inclusive and same thing I hated it.”

• this is bonkers

is anyone else like this?

• no- because i know im not rich and therefore enjoy what i can afford. If I didn’t enjoy AI I would book a city break or self catering. I take it for what it is - swimming, no cooking, nicer weather than here

What do I do, just avoid all inclusive from now on and stick to nicer hotels but just breakfast, eat out and explore more?

• well duh - YES

I've never encountered people obviously drunk. Sounds as if there are a lot of shabby places doing AI now, but it depends where you go. Yrs ago we went to an all inclusive hotel in Rhodes. They only did all inclusive and did it very well. The other occasions I've had AI have been in hotels that do both. Mostly we have half board. You mention the all you can eat buffet. It isn't true that it's never good. I've had excellent and poor, but mostly in the middle. The buffet isn't particular to AI, though. Often with HB it's a buffet. The definition of AI is that you get lunch and drinks, and sometimes ice creams from pool bar, and perhaps other snacks. It seems to be more common than full board now. I only ever have AI if the price is good enough to allow me to miss a couple of lunches and still come out ahead.

Yes. We did this in May to Lanzarote. Adults only too. It was bliss.

I would hardly call £100k household income a lemonade budget. Prosecco maybe …

Ah yes... champagne taste, beer money salary...

What you need to do is to stop expecting the same thing to deliver something different and instead get curious and book things off your own back. Right now you're paying for your lack of effort (which in itself is very low rent).

There are loads of amazing B&Bs / smaller boutique hotels that are very reasonably priced but feel more upmarket. In small towns and villages across Europe with beautiful and reasonably priced food.

Visit some nices places whilst you are there, take in the weather and the scenery.

Like others have said, you are not glued to the hotel, it's more of a base.

The holiday will be what you make it and you will be home before you know it. So enjoy where you are! 😁

Why didn’t you book somewhere nicer though? Like was cost an issue or not?

I don’t necessarily think £100k combined income is the key to be able to afford high end luxury holidays, because some might set you back tens of thousands. Depending on your living costs or savings, that might not be a realistic expense.