I never fully *got* the appeal of all-inclusive holiday resorts... until I stayed at this one

Price on writing: From £900 per person for one week in August 2026

Our verdict

Having been on a few all-inclusive holidays as a teen, this was my first time experiencing it as a parent - not to mention the first time taking one of my kids abroad on my own. I needn’t have worried. TUI’s Holiday Village in Skanes is one of those seamless resorts where every tiny detail is thought out and taken care of, making for a family holiday that just works. The accommodation, the food, the service, all the different activities and facilities on offer - all of it is centred around families, which means that even for solo parents, the holiday is fun, relaxing and enjoyable. Plus, having been newly refurbished for summer 2026, the hotel felt sleek, modern and polished. What more could you ask for?

It’s hard to pick out the stand-out selling points, but if I were to highlight the thing I was most pleasantly surprised by it would be the quality of the food. From the traditional all-inclusive buffet - which stocked everything from local Tunisian fish, meat and veggies to the crowd-pleasing chips and pasta - to the a la carte restaurants and snack bars, we didn’t have one disappointing mouthful. 

Coming in close second was the range of activities available and the inclusivity of them - it felt like TUI had genuinely thought about every possible profile of holiday maker that might walk through their doors and made sure each one had something to look forward to every day. Having said that, Holiday Villages are geared towards active families primarily, so if you’re looking for a quieter, more luxurious getaway you might be better off considering a Sensatori or TUI BLUE option. But for families who want plenty of options, the ease of all-inclusive and a short flight from the UK, this one is a winner. 

Plus the weather was a gentle 25° - 30°C over the May half-term, which, as a redhead, I appreciated.

How we tested

I spent five days staying in the newly refurbished and relaunched Holiday Village resort in AQI Skanes, Tunisia along with my eight-year-old daughter during the May half-term. Just before our stay I downloaded the Holiday Villages app which gave me a full itinerary of activities per day, so we could plan ahead of time what we wanted to do and what we might need to pack (ie, rash vests for paddleboarding, long sleeves for archery).

Our stay included all meals, which were mostly taken at the main buffet restaurant ('Medina') or the beach bar, as well as one meal per stay at the a la carte Tunisian ('Sofra') and Italian ('Capri') restaurants. We took part in several on-site activities, including paddleboarding and a foam party, explored the kids' club and evening entertainment programmes, and enjoyed an off-site boat trip to see dolphins.

What are the rooms like?

My daughter and I stayed in a double room with an ensuite bathroom, separate toilet and balcony with a sea view. Although we shared the bed, it was a very generous size so there was plenty of room (though it's worth noting that neither of us are very large). Our bedroom also contained a small sofa and there was a safe and fridge as well as plenty of wardrobe storage space. Our balcony included a small table and two chairs as well as a towel rail - for the most part we used it for drying our swimming things and watching the sunset as it was quite a sun-trap during the day (and we spent very little time in the room during the day anyway!)

I think if there were less on-site activities or if the weather was not so great (though it's worth noting even in mid winter the temperature averages 17° - 18°C in Skanes), I would have appreciated slightly more space. The double rooms are described as suitable for up to three guests, but in reality I think an extra person would have tipped our room into feeling crowded. I'd have also liked to have seen some tea and coffee making facilities too, though appreciate this is more a 'nice to have' than an absolute need.

What is the food like?

Now this is something that I was extremely impressed with. I’ve heard some real horror stories about mass-catered holiday buffets, but I have to say the Medina buffet restaurant at Holiday Village Skanes was excellent. There was a huge amount of choice, from fresh fruit and vegetables to pasta, pizza and chips, freshly grilled meat and fish, local dishes, salads, cold cuts… basically every type of eater from the super foodie to the super fussy was catered for. Everything I tried I loved, and so did my daughter (even though she mostly lived for the pasta Napolitan!) 

The package holiday also includes dining a la Carte at the on-site Tunisian and Italian restaurants, as well as a beach-front snack bar. Although the beach snack bar was very busy and during our first visit it took a while for our food to come, we couldn't fault the food itself, and having the stunning views across the white sand and crystal clear ocean more than made up for the delay.

The whole dining experience at the Tunisian restaurant - Sofra - and the Italian, Capri, offered a totally different setting to the hustle and bustle of the buffet, from the live local musicians to gentle lighting and a more intimate ambience. It definitely felt more like one of the treat nights you have on holiday where you go all out at a special restaurant - but of course the best part is it's all included in your booking.

Children are, of course, just as well catered for at the a la Carte restaurants as they are at the usual buffet - while there aren't bespoke children's menus (something I really liked as a parent because it encouraged my daughter to choose something beyond the usual beige) there are child-friendly options and if they really don't like anything, you can also ask for something from the buffet. My daughter enjoyed trying out the spiced humous, beef tagine and various Tunisian desserts which was a really fun experience for her.

What are the pools like?

There are two main pools at the Holiday Village Skanes - though the activity pool is so huge it could easily be called three pools! At one end of the main activity pool there are a collection of water slides, there is then a longer section which feeds into a wider, more lagoon-type pool at the end, where a section is often roped off for activities such as paddleboarding and body boarding, to name a few! There’s also a splash park area for toddlers, and over in the kid's club area there is a small baby pool.

Activity pool

This pool is brilliant for more active pool sessions, with plenty of activities going on such as the aforementioned water sports sessions, inflatable tracks and poolside bingo. There are also plenty of sun loungers in and out of shady spots around the perimeter, though these did get reserved quite often and there were a few days where we struggled to find a free one. The vibe is a lot livelier at this pool with HV radio and frequent announcements from a poolside booth, visits from the kids' club mascots ('Widgets') and a large, well-stocked bar. One of the main attractions, of course, are the water slides. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed these and was able to go on all of them independently. This was ideal for me, who, having received an unpleasant reminder of just how much water goes up one's nose at the end of a water slide, was less of a fan of these and more so of being able to sit on a nearby sun lounger and watch with a nice coffee.

Relax pool

Over on the other side of the resort is the relax pool. Despite the buzz and the slides of the activity pool, my daughter actually preferred this one, being part mermaid, and spent hours upon hours in this pool swimming, diving and playing either on her own or with new friends she made during the week. We also attended a foam party here which was fun - if a bit chaotic - on the Thursday, but for the most part the relax pool definitely lived up to its name, offering guests a gentler vibe of sea views, plenty of sun loungers (again, these frequently filled up during busier times of the week), a small bar and ice cream stand.

The hotel did have some inflatable pool toys which guests can borrow during their stay, but like the sun loungers, these were a hard-won perk which we were often a bit too late to make the most of. I would advise to anyone partial to a lilo or rubber ring to bring their own from home.

Indoor pool

There’s also a beautiful indoor pool which is part of the spa. As the indoor pool is only open during the winter, we didn’t get a chance to test it out, but I was very impressed with the size of it and the beautiful mosaic walls made for beautifully tranquil contrast to the hustle and bustle of the activity pool.

What is the beach like?

The beach - AQI Skanes - is directly attached to the hotel and guests are free to wander down onto it from the relax pool area and beach bar restaurant. It has fresh, white sand and turquoise-blue water which laps gently rather than pounds the shore, making it perfect for swimmers and little ones. There’s a wide stretch of sand reserved for hotel guests with security patrolling regularly, and a selection of sun loungers. Like with the pools, you do have to get in early if you want to bag a good spot as the loungers fill up fast.

What other facilities are there?

The Holiday Village Skanes has a wide range of facilities, all with families at the forefront. There’s a whole host of sporty activities (see below) as well as a fully equipped gym, shisha bar, spa and hair salon. I was able to make use of the spa during our stay and had a really amazing massage while my daughter got her hair braided which she was absolutely thrilled with (her school perhaps less so!) - it's worth noting that as with the shisha bar, these are facilities which incur extra charges.

What sort of activities are available?

On-site, free of charge activities include:

• Aqua aerobics

• Water activities including paddleboarding, bodyboarding, twin track inflatable course and water polo

• Family bootcamp

• Archery

• Football

• Aerial adventure - like a small ‘Go-Ape’ course, this high-ropes adventure course is brand new for summer 2026

• Boccia

• Darts

• Mini golf

• Table tennis

• Playground

• Beach volleyball

• Water Polo

• Tennis

• Full daytime activity programme - this includes organised games of cards, football and darts

Activities which incur an extra charge include:

• Football academy - an excellent change for footy fans aged 4 - 15 to sharpen their skills with FA or UEFA-qualified coaches

• Swim academy - lessons for those aged 3 and over by ASA-qualified teachers for non-swimmers or those looking to progress

• Billiards

• Stage academy - for budding performers age 4 - 15 looking to improve their dancing, singing and acting skills and perform them as part of the evening entertainment programme

When I could drag DD out of the pool, we really enjoyed taking part in an archery session - having done an archery course before, we were both impressed by the knowledge, experience and expertise of the HV instructors. The sessions were well-taught, very well grounded in safety measures and well designed for learning and fun. There was no messing around and when guests turned up inadequately dressed or prepared for the session, they were politely turned away. 

We also did a paddleboarding class, which was slightly tricky as it was in a very small section of the activity pool, but still very enjoyable.

What is the kids’ club like?

Holiday Villages pride themselves on their kids’ clubs, which cater for children of all ages from babies (in the HV Creche) all the way through to teens (The Zone). There’s a whole plethora of activities on the go for kids, from water races chock full of inflatables to sports day-like games, to obstacle courses - all interspersed with quieter activities such as crafting, story time and art classes. 

The kids’ club is laid out in its own part of the resort in Skanes, with separate rooms for babies, the HV Club (age 3 - 8), HV Crew (9 - 12) and The Zone (13+). The rooms are all fully air-conditioned and have plenty of space for running around as well as cosier corners for reading, crafting, etc. Outside there's a mini pool perfect for little ones to cool off in, as well as a fully equipped playground under shade.

What about the evening entertainment?

Where to start? Like with the kids’ club, this is where a Holiday Villages resort shines. From mini discos to quiz shows, themed parties, games nights and games shows, no two nights are the same. The evening starts around 7.30pm with kid-friendly entertainment (usually featuring the Widgets mascots and/or friendly faces from the kids’ club) including shows, discos, party games - it basically feels like one big kids’ party, except you have to do none of the planning and it’s fully acceptable to have a glass or two of wine while the kids are up and bopping.

As the evening goes on, the vibe changes slightly to more adult-inclusive entertainment such as game shows, quizzes, bingo, followed by live shows including circus performances and singers. I have to admit that after a day mostly spent jumping in and out of the pools, my daughter didn’t usually last beyond 9pm so my experience of the more grown up entertainment options was limited during our stay, but from what I heard the standard was very high.

What is the Holiday Villages app like?

I downloaded the app a few days before we travelled to get a feel for what sort of activities, entertainment and events, etc, would be on during our stay. It’s a good app - the hotel information section shows everything from airport information to check-in times and what to do on departure. There’s also a full programme of activities during the daytime, as well as kids’ club itineraries organised by age group and a run down of the evening programme. There’s also plenty of information on the pools, the restaurants and bars, gym and spa. I was able to register my daughter for kids' club sessions via the app, though there was some confusion with certain activities where we were advised to book ahead, couldn't work out how to do so via the app and subsequently realised it needed to be done in person - but all HV staff members were extremely helpful when it came to these enquiries.

What is there to do nearby?

Like many all-inclusive resorts, Holiday Village Skanes is designed as a one-stop-shop resort where families can easily spend their entire holiday on-site. Having said that, for those wanting to explore further afield, the coastal city of Sousse with its bustling markets and historic Medina (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is just 15km away. There’s also Monastir, another coastal city with laid-back Mediterranean vibes, golden sands of Skanes beach (where the hotel sits) and The Ribat, a famous landmark known for featuring in Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

Guests are able to book day trips from the hotel, including site seeing, camel rides and catamaran trips to spot dolphins. My daughter and I went on one of the latter trips, and it was one of the highlights of the entire holiday. We set off from Sousse harbour, having travelled there by coach along with other guests from the same and neighbouring resorts, and were able to spot several schools of dolphins off the coast. We were also able to swim in the Mediterranean sea, which was wonderfully warm and tranquil. 

Does this holiday represent good value for money?

Holidays to TUI Holiday Village Skanes cost upwards of around £900 per person for a week’s stay in August (heavily dependent on when you book). This includes flights, transfers and all your food, drink and free activities at the resort. If you book in advance you can take advantage of offers such as TUI’s free child places - which apply to one child per two full-paying adults. 

While it may seem like a lot of money to pay upfront, I do think these holidays in general - and, having had a taste of it, this one in particular - offer good value for money. The whole point of all-inclusive is that everything is taken care of, you could easily pay one bill for the whole holiday and not have to worry about anything else unless you choose to add it on. And with this resort, you know you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. I think that factoring in a 'normal' holiday abroad's cost of flights, accommodation, car hire, food, drink, treat-night dinners out and extra activities and day-trips, you probably spend less overall on an all-inclusive.

QUOTES MUMSNETTERS

If your ideal family holiday involves a short flight to sun, sea, swimming, slides and more fun-filled activities you could shake a pool noodle at - look no further.

About the author

Jenny Wonnacott is a Content Editor at Mumsnet, where she writes, edits and optimises family-focused content designed to make everyday parenting that bit easier.

As a mum of three, Jenny brings first-hand parenting experience to everything she writes, with plenty of trial-and-error along the way. Her family travels have ranged from UK camping trips to more adventurous long-haul breaks, giving her a clear understanding of what really matters when travelling with children - from location and layout to those small but crucial details that can turn an average family trip into the best holiday ever.

She regularly researches and reviews family travel options, combining expert insight with real parent feedback from the Mumsnet community to help other families plan holidays with confidence.

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