Holidays- villa or all inclusive?

[Seaseasea]

Hi, looking to book a holiday this summer (first time in a long time thanks to some luck!) wondered what people’s opinions were on villas vs all inclusive hotels?

We have two children who will be 1.5 and 5.5. I like the idea of a private villa so that we can chill once they’re in bed and would hire a car, but AI seems so easy?

Any advise would be really appreciated! Thank you

At that age I would do villa
Doubtful they would be that bothered about kids clubs and they wouldn't consume enough to make AI worthwhile
Also nice for you to have your space, especially whilst they're in bed
Get groceries delivered for some meals and eat out for others

I'm the opposite at that age I'd do AI! Crèche, kids club, activities, even if they don't do many of them it's nice to have the option and they can make little friends at the pool to help keep them entertained.

At that age I would do AI. Entertainment all there ready and you have a good idea of what the holiday will cost. Picky kids and all you can eat buffet is better than spending a fortune in a restaurant on stuff they don’t then eat or cooking yourself.
As teens I think villas are great. Going out in the evening can be a great social family event.

I would do a villa at their ages. We did and had the best times.

Villa. You really dont need all the food and drink and the repitition of it that an AI offers, and a Villa gives you more space and privacy. Hopefully even your own pool. Buy from the supermarket and eat BBQ each night.

We loved Villas when the kids were small. My son even learned to swim on one holiday because the pool was all ours. It was also great on rainy days to have more room!

Villa! Otherwise (assuming kids will go to bed early) you will have to have an early dinner and then be stuck in your room all night... We made this mistake the first time we went away with DS - also found it a pain as we obviously had to eat at particular times. It had all sounded great on paper! We have SC every time since (oldest DS now 2.6)

The disadvantage of a villa (unless you're super rich and can afford a cook!) is that you have to all your own cooking.

But the disadvantage of AI is that - unless your DC are capable of staying up late - you'll end up in a bedroom with them in bed, with not much to do all evening.

We went to Menorca last year and chose a villa walking distance to everything. Meant we had space, could relax and ate out most evenings or cooked easy stuff so it wasn’t a stressful time at all.

Wish I could afford a chef! Opinions are split then. My kids are usually knock out 7pm bedtime types (with 6am wake ups!) they are sticklers for routine which is what’s swinging me to villa.
We’d get a villa with private pool if we go for that too. I imagine all inclusive resorts are very busy places during the summer hols?

BIWI or you could eat out a lot with a villa and get easy food,very little cooking required.

In an AI hotel you'd sit on the balcony when the DCs are in bed, or go out and let them fall asleep in a pushchair. Siestas are also an option.

We did AI when our children were young, once they were teens villa every time. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a lovely holiday.

Villa. Worked well for us with littlies. We stayed in places right on the beach so the dc played on the sand, paddled and poked in rock pools all day, with quick easy access to the villa when they needed the loo/naps.

We always ate out - simple beach bar lunches and early dinners in nice friendly little restaurants at 6ish, kids in bed for 7.30 and glass of wine on the verandah for us.

AI has never appealed. All those noisy other families! And buffet style eating in the same place every night - just not for me.

I've done both, loved both @BarbaraofSevillle!

But on balance, I loved AI more (although it was a good hotel, not too busy/noisy, and the food was really good), simply because when I'm on holiday actually all the time I'm a lazy arse! Even simple, easy food takes thinking about - shopping, prepping, clearing away etc.

It depends what you want from a holiday really. Obviously everyone's different.
For me it's villa every time, we tend to eat out for most meals so cooking is minimal.
Positives for me are
being able to get up before the kids and go for a swim in an empty pool or a late night one while they're in bed,
not having to share a room with the kids,
we're not tied to the hotel,
no entertainment unless we want it,
space away from other people and each other if we need it.

Given what you say about your children’s bedtime, I say villa. Our kids were the same and it is the best option if you don’t want to be stuck on a hotel balcony all evening!

The other benefit of a villa when they’re young is that you can put an afternoon napper in their bedroom, whilst the rest of the family continue to enjoy the pool/sun. The alternative might be someone walking around hotel grounds with them in a pushchair or waiting in the room whilst they nap. Unless you have one of those amazing children who’ll easily fall asleep on a sun lounger

Could I crash in please? I hope you don't mind SeaSeaSea! Would you do a villa with a 13 and 15 year old? (I've never organised a summer holiday overseas over here before, and I'm completely lost as to what to do!)

Yes we did a villa with older children too. Sometimes when they are older it depends what they like to do. Ours were happy still with the pool, visiting local towns and markets. They even helped us cook.

Villa - the freedom and space alone does it for me. Also I don’t rate All inclusive even top ones, after the first two days the food is meh. If you have fussy DC at least you know they can eat if you are SC.

Also I am not a sunbed and laze person. We used to love car trips to the beach, days to local cities, trips to a theme park or water park for variety, see the culture.

I’d say villa if your children are asleep and awake by those times. AI can be very noisy at night and often breakfast isn’t served until 8/9am. The only benefit of AI is you can snack all day if that’s your thing (it is mine and DD’s), I find the entertainment not that great for tiny ones either so you wouldn’t be getting value with that. If you go in the school holidays then the pools will get very busy and I doubt DC will have a nice time with lots of older ones splashing about.

All inclusive, I couldn't be arsed with the shopping and cooking, even the packing everything up and going out looking for somewhere to eat. And on hols you just need to amend their bed times, and keep them up later.

7pm would be time restaurants open for evening in lot of AIs but you can get quick meals before than. However, if there's a time difference 7pm UK time could work not adjusting. AI is super easy, brilliant for fussy eaters or kids who all want different like mine. They tend to be busy and entertainment can be loud at night. They are good for those who love routine as on a timetable.

My kids massively prefer AI but depends on kids and what you are after. A 1.5 year old may sleep better in a villa but 5.5 might have more fun at AI though sure would love villa with pool. AI is much less work than SC but if you want quiet go to villa. Always found food fine in AI but do read reviews before choosing for food issues, its not as good as a fancy restaurant but I wouldn't be going near a fancy restaurant with my 2, they would disagree on which restaurant and DS will only eat plain food. Our last we had 3 courses served by waiter each day and the nicest and biggest steaks ever, cost about £200 a day for hotel plus AI and activities like kayaking, volleyball, pool, SUP and evening entertainment.

Depends what you prefer as a family. We go for villa as I like space and don't like not being around other people. I also don't mind cooking. If the not cooking and kids clubs etc are more important, then AI might suit better.

We have done both, while ds was little 5 and 6
We went AI when he was five... it was fantastic no cooking all week kids clubs entertainment however at five he didn't each that much so toward the end it seemed a little bit of a waste.....and it was so so busy.
The following year We did the villa the freedom was fantastic we hired a car went on trips siteseeing a bit further a filed than we would normally go when AI which knacker ds out and was usually in bed around 7 snoring his little head off this then gave DH and I lots of alone time we skinny dipped (private pool) for the first time in years it was hilarious and naughty, doing it that way we felt like we had our own little holiday as well
We've also been half board which is great too for a little more freedom but not the stress of cooking and washing up on holiday many hotels will often allow you to have lunch instead of an evening meal if you have plans to go out or upgrade to AI for the day if you want a lazy day by the pool.

Villa every time. Whoever said a villa holiday is all shopping cooking and washing up is doing it wrong! Most villas will have a dishwasher and often a mid week maid visit, and if you choose carefully, places to eat or get a take away nearby

Just the thought of AI makes me shudder

I think it depends on what you want as a holiday. We tend to go places where there are lots of things to see and do, we always stay in villas with a car hired (or our own if we've driven), and get out and about pretty much every day. Eat out for lunch, then a smaller easy meal in the evening. I love going to foreign supermarkets and trying out different foods. I want my own room, not sharing with children (unless for a short amount of time), and I don't like sharing pools with other people. AI wouldn't be financially viable for us, we're not interested in eating and drinking in one place all day.