Please remind me to never go on an all inclusive holiday ever again!

[MouthBreather]

Just back from an all inclusive holiday. Thought it would be easy with teens and a nice rest for the grown ups.

I didn’t factor in inconsiderate, greedy ‘Brit’s abroad’ into my holiday calculations.

Sun beds were all gone by 7.30am, made worse by no one occupying them until after lunch. People playing loud, shit music over the top of the hotel music, kids bombing round the pool shouting football chants, people making ‘communal’ plates of food for their table at breakfast and taking all the freshly cooked stuff, then not even bloody eating it!

I’m looking into a private island for next year. Anyone want to come??

That was bad luck with the choice of resort over anything

Yeah I can’t do those large resort AI type holidays anymore. I used to do them when ds was little because they suited his age. But since he got to about 8 we’ve been doing quiet small hotels which might be half board or often just b&b. We actually pay more than going to a lot of the AI places, but I would rather spend my money on a holiday that I can enjoy and feel relaxed on.

We paid A LOT for a holiday 2 months ago and it was just like this... but Americans. We also vouched never ever again self catering from now on. Ours didn’t even have kids... just highly intoxicated adults in a 5* resort.

Had the worst 5* All Inclusive holiday EVER last year at somewhere called Liberty Lykia World or something like that. The majority of the guests were Russian and the RUDEST, SHOUTIEST, GRABBY, GREEDY, PLAIN NASTY people I have ever had the misfortune to be near.

(I have Russian friends and they DO NOT behave this way).

I don‘t think it is the all inclusive aspect, or the destination or the nationality of the other guests that creates the problems you describe.

It is just inconsiderate people, poor parenting resulting in poorly behaved children, a lack of consideration for others and the hotel management not enforcing their own policies.

Maybe try renting a cottage somewhere with water sports available nearby next year.

the best holiday I ever had was an air B&B villa for a week, own pool, own sunbed all week, bliss!

I’m so glad I can’t stand sun holidays. Sounds awful OP 😬

The only annoying people were the polish who drank like fish, literally

Through their gills? I'm hoping you meant figuratively rather than literally!

You really have to do the research with AI holidays and try to avoid the cheaper ones used by the Brits.

Booking using a non-UK tour firm is usually a good start, but if you can't do that, definitely stay away from the ones in the Tui/Thomas Cook/Jet2 and other UK travel agent brochures. Try to go for the more exclusive ones that the "brits abroad" style of people wouldn't readily find.

We've just come back from an AI cruise where we only heard one British family during the entire week. Most families were German, Italian, Spanish , etc. It was bliss. No screaming kids, no foul languish, no shouting, no infantile behaviour from supposedly adults. Brought back to reality with a bang when back at the airport for the flight home surrounded by British dross again!

How can the loungers be occupied but nobody there? If it's stuff left, just move it away and grab the lounger. Pack it up in a nice pile and put it behind, under anywhere, it doesn't matter.
When they come back, you don't speak the language.

Yes, to the posters who say it’s inconsiderate people, not the AI.

One of our tour guides was telling us they were having problems getting bread. Sometimes the bread in the restaurant was a little stale. We either toasted it, or just pulled out the middle. One particularly obnoxious woman picked up some bread, felt it was a bit stale, threw it on her plate and stormed out. It was embarrassing to watch.

We are in deep family discussion about next years holiday. I’m worried teens will get bored in a villa...

Yes you want to be separating ways at the airport from the traditional type you describe

surely the point of going half way round the world is to see the world? I find it so depressing that our climate is being shot to pieces so people can fight over sun loungers thousands of miles from home and eat fry ups every morning.

Were we in the same resort!? We are just back from a very expensive, 4 star AI hotel in Cuba. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Cuba is a paradise, but it is also a communist country. Our hotel was very nice, but huge, 1000+ guests, so never really peaceful. It was the huge families from different South American families that made it extra noisy at our hotel, large, loud people who sort of took over the place. They got preferential service as they spoke Spanish.

I didn't really see greediness at the buffet, but it was just so ... noisy!

As OP said, there is nowhere to go outside of the hotels as there is not a shopping culture and nothing to buy. Havana is amazing though and we escaped back there to v posh hotel for the last night for a bit of peace and quiet.

I'm not sure why anyone would go all-inclusive in Cuba. And I speak as someone who enjoys an AI holiday. Surely one of the draws is plenty of choice, with regard to food and drink, which you're never going to get in that particular country. If I went there, I think it would be to do as locals do.

Well Cuba was the only holiday ever where I lost weight despite being permanently shit faced.

I lost a stone in four weeks!!

@Northernsoullover

Would you mind messaging me with the details of the cheap but lovely AI place? Many thanks.

We went AI in Malta this year. None of the problems I imagined occurred.

No drunken behaviour despite alcohol being available all day.
Sunbeds available in 2s or 3s after 9am inc ones in the shade.
No kids running amock in the restaurants (apart from one local family as the hotel opened to non residents too).

It was lovely. If a bit samey after a few days.

Loaf, we were near Holguín. Big South American family playing the loud music around the pool at our hotel.

Water rat. I don’t want to start a climate debate. I like seeing the world. We were out of the hotel more than we were in it, though we did speak to people who hadn’t left the hotel at all. We used locals as tour guides, tipped well and took gifts for the locals. We also wanted a few days to relax by the pool because we were on holiday. There was no fighting and no eating of fry ups on our part.

Get what you pay for.

What a helpful comment. Especially as I’d consider all inclusive to be stupidly expensive

@loafeater

Nowhere to go because no shopping culture? Seriously? You're frigging deluded, what a waste of a holiday. Plenty places to visit, stunning island full of history and you can hire a driver for about 20 quid day ffs.

Agree with PP - the fact that it was "all inclusive" was not the determining factor.

Club Med is all-inclusive, as are many top resorts.

Did you do your due diligence before booking? what were the reviews like? Also, perhaps name the place to warn others?

I went to Cuba last year, few days in an all inclusive on Cayo Coco which was nice enough but the rest travelling around staying in homestays. We spent few days in Havana and then the Bay of Pigs on the South.

Don't think I could ever do a holiday just in all inclusive. Cayo Coco beaches are stunning but those hotels aren't the real Cuba, you get a much better feel for the place and people in smaller accommodation

If I see a lounger with a towel on it unoccupied for 1 hour I just move the towel myself and take the lounger.

Sounds hellish.

The only time I've stayed in this kind of large hotel was off-season, in Egypt. It was our honeymoon so we went 5*. We avoided the pools and just went to the beach - don't know why more people don't do that. We also did lots of trips out to see historic sites.

Since then we've done Airbnbs per choice, with the occasional small hotel for a night or two when travelling around somewhere.