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??

I'm currently on an all inclusive in Mexico with teens. It's been so quiet and relaxing with a few adventure trips thrown in.

The families nearby us are Brits and Americans (mainly from Texas or Florida). Families have been friendly but polite and the kids are having fun but are nicely behaved.

I think you've been unlucky OP.

Oh see they were all excellent. That’s a shame, it must be pot luck sometimes

This is why I only do all inclusive in Turkey or Tunisia.

Hmm...Having been to both places, I would not recommend....

Nightmare OP.

When I book I scan trip advisor for comments like "no atmosphere" and "full of germans", that's my kind of place!

We did AI in Mexico last year. Three twenty something offspring and their partners plus my husband and myself. It worked brilliantly in some ways, we could eat and drink whatever we liked and didn't need to worry about a huge bill at the end. The youngsters loved it and there was a nightclub they made good use of. The downsides were it was HEAVING, one couple in our group had to get up super early to reserve sun beds and then everyone else had to get up reasonably early so we weren't one of 'those' groups that had eight beds with no bodies on them. And apart from that if sun shades weren't manned they were nicked when you were getting breakfast or lunch so meals had to be taken in shifts if we were having a pool day. Food was okay but nothing to write home about and the sheer greed and waste on display made me feel a bit ill. It's an ecological nightmare with single use plastic water bottles, plastic cups and plastic straws being given out 24/7, many of which got left on the beach. It was a huge complex and our only day off site was to visit Chichen Itza, so for most of the time we could have been anywhere hot. This year we're doing a European Villa holiday with the same group I'm looking forward to a more relaxing vacation 😎
I might do AI again but not in August and I'd be a bit pickier in terms of the size of the resort.

Mouth breather look at The Peligoni Club, Zante for teens, very laid back vibe choice of accommodation near to club or more secluded. Water sports package available. Not cheap though.

I bloody hate all inclusive for those very reasons. My particular pet hate is people piling up a communal plate for their table that then gets chucked away because nobody wants it. They are massive twats.

I've done all inclusive many times.

The only one where I've witnessed this was Club MAC in alcudia.

I usually book hotels that aren't tour operator sole use. So far I've been lucky that way.

Quite a few years ago we booked all inclusive in Antigua , days when the Caribbean was was seen as an exotic holiday destination , and I thought I was the bees knees going there
Butlins in the sun probably best sums it up , daily fights over sunbeds and towels ...

My son just got back from Cuba. They stayed in a private home that rents rooms (sort of like AirBnB but called something else). They had a wonderful time and their hosts were just lovely.

I've never done an 'all inclusive' but can tell it's probably not for me from what my friends have told me.

Oh and I would say things like sunbed hogging doesn't bother me because I don't get het up by it.
I can buy a lilo from Poundland, chuck it in my case and make some little child happy when I come home. I'll use a sunbed if there's one available where I want it.

This is why I only do all inclusive in Turkey or Tunisia.

Hmm...Having been to both places, I would not recommend....

Me neither. Have only done Turkey but the AI resort was v. v. isolated and I got followed around the local market by hawkers shouting English "selling" phrases. Suprisingly my 6" 3 husband didn't get any of this cr*p from them, just the 5 ft "obviously foreign" woman. DH would go back to Turkey. I'd try Istanbul but never a resort holiday again.

We only ever go AI.

Pre DD we went to Antigua, Cuba, Dom Rep and Mexico. With DD we've stayed in Europe, plus Turkey and Egypt.

The only place we saw similar issues as OP was Majorca, but that was a particularly bad hotel. We've not had an issue anywhere else, except at one Egyptian hotel during Ramadan when it was nigh on impossible to get a seat in the restaurants - but that was due to the rich Egyptians that were staying, not the 'Brits abroad' (and after a couple of days was sorted out by a very sensible manager).

Our favourite holidays have been spent in Egypt. Never had a sunbed issue there and always lots of space (much larger complexes than those in Europe).

Think you have just been unlucky OP - I wouldn't be joining you on your private island - whilst hell is other people, we'd be bored stupid with only our own company!

@milicentbystander72 would you mind sharing where you are? I want to go AI to Mexico next summer but finding a nice resort seems to be like Russian roulette. Please feel free to pm.

In my experience (see above) avoid The Moon Palace, Cancun VirginiaWolfHall.

I'm in Cyprus SENSATORI and have had none of these issues.

It's really really nice.

Did one once in Menorca with TUI. Was exactly like the OP described. Never again.

Did another in Tenerife but booked everything separately and the other guests were mainly German. Was an altogether more positive experience!

I've done a couple of all inclusive holidays, and there were greedy people on both. As there are on any holiday with a shared buffet ime. What singles out 'all inclusive' holidays is the drunkenness. (I've done cheap and upmarket - both the same) This lead to some of the worst behavior I've ever seen in a hotel. Never again.

I forgot, I did club med a few times, and that was fun. But a very long time ago.

Wow there certainly is some snobbery on here! I go AI because its easy with teenagers. I go out, eat out, catch the bus to see the sights. Some days I sit on my fat arse all day by the pool. I usually go to Spain because I speak Spanish which makes me more comfortable as a lone parent abroad.

We went to the sensatori on negril beach in Jamaica. The best AI I've ever been too . Expensive but so worth it

ExLteve Club Mac by any chance?!!!

We did a fab all inclusive in Antigua where they are trying to limit single use plastics, so each guest is issued with a water bottle on arrival and there's fountains dotted around the resort.
No fights for sunbeds and most meals were a la carte. It was a small resort in terms of guest numbers but had lots of space.

Although this is not the same, we witnessed a similar thing at a UK restaurant a few years ago. It was a set price to eat as much as you wanted from “cuisines around the world” type of restaurant. I have never seen gluttony like it - it was revolting. People were piling a roast dinner on top of a huge curry and topping it off with some Chinese stir fry - yuk! I thought I was going to witness people having a heart attack as they sweated and scoffed away. The place looked like people had had a food fight as there was food all over the seats and floor. It was truly revolting. Never again!!!

Returning to top end AI in Caribbean next Feb

Like a different planet to your experience OP!

How much did you pay?