Anyone disappointed by their holiday?

[Panic71]

Here now and really trying to throw myself into despite being really gutted by the hotel which is absolutely not worth the money we paid. Trying to just enjoy it but all the extras have come as a shock for what we expected and read to be all inclusive.
Turns out all inclusive doesn’t get you a sun bed either!

@Labbingtons that coast is gorgeous. We loved it earlier this year. Rovinj a particular highlight, but also enjoyed Pula, Porec (for the Basilica) and we popped inland to Motovun for a splendid lunch overlooking the valley.

@BarbaraV agreed, however they do have adult only pools & bars, and adult only sections in restaurants. For the quality of food, drink and service they seem to be unrivalled IMHO.

😱😱 Holidays are so expensive at the moment.

But there are loads of options! We always go self catering. Then we can eat what we want to... without hundreds of people breathing over the food and touching it beforehand!

Just stopped in a Fairmont hotel, and have been underwhelmed.

There just aren't the little luxury touches in hotels that there used to be.

As everyone has said, just feels like poor value for money and like we're being had over

We never do AI as I can't imagine just being stuck in a hotel for however many days and no, we weren't disappointed, because I did a shitload of research before booking our holiday. We did 10 days, starting the first Saturday of the holidays and it was surprisingly (and very pleasantly!) quiet for the first week - bliss in fact. But that second Saturday the noisy hordes descended - loads of English families, ball games in the pool, lots of shouting, really inconsiderate and annoying. I was glad we went home when we did.

Well you guys got my juices flowing, have been looking up some rentals which we did when the children were small. Self catering being so much easier with tired children. We would have a mad busy morning exploring visiting food markets, etc after swimming in the pool, then lunch, then siesta time for the children then off to eat in the evening somewhere casual not fine dining.

You do need a hire car though unless there are good bus services.

So I've sent messages to the family to see who's interested. It doesn't look expensive, mind you flights could be. Right on the beach, three bedrooms, shared pool in a small complex. In a part of Portugal we know.

We booked the canaries once AI for ten days because we thought young son would like company. First week really good. It was a Spanish national holiday so grandparents, parents, children a lovely quiet week. The food was excellent. The following Saturday the Brits arrived Omg The behaviour, noise, drinking etc was cringe making. The quality of the food went way down. The Spanish guests were not impressed.

So maybe it's because we're brits that things go down hill??

F

Thank you! Our taxi driver today mentioned several of those places. Im looking forward to seeing the Adriatic coast.

This is why we never go all inclusive. We did it once and never again. The food was lousy and we spent most of the time away from the hotel. Now I love the continental breakfast that you get on holiday, so always pay for breakfast and then eat out the rest of the day. Ends up cheaper in the long run.

Have to say, never done AI, but these threads really put me off!! In a couple of weeks we'll load our caravan onto the ferry to Spain and spend a couple of weeks in the Pyrenees, self-catering on campsites and just going wherever we please. Have had years of camping abroad with the dc and some fantastic experiences - maybe it's low expectations, but we've never had a bad camping holiday. Have done skiing as well, but only self-catering: the snow and sun are the same, regardless of what you spend on a holiday. Kids generally want sunshine and a pool to keep them happy, it's just a question of how much you're prepared to pay for it.

Yes we were disappointed by our holiday. Not so much the AI element as that was ok. But most else!
I didn't like resort but I knew that - only picked as a relative lives there and needed to visit them while there. Said relative was a pain while we were there.
Hotel ok but sleeping arrangements awful - kids had a single bed each and me and DH shared tiny uncomfortable sofa bed. No balcony - none at hotel - didn't realise how much we'd miss that.
Not enough sun beds at pool.
And to top it off we all caught Covid!

There's a lot of AI hate on here, but I love an AI. I don't choose the very cheapest, but it's a lot easier with children as you don't have to worry that they'll order something in a restaurant, decide they don't like it and then go hungry.

But I'm not a foodie and an AI buffet with plenty of chips and some grilled chicken is fine with me. I cba with the faff of restaurants, hanging around, waiting for the bill. I just want to drop in, eat and leave.

I also find driving a bit of a chore and don't want to do it on my holidays. I'm a single parent, so the only driver and I don't enjoy it. So a lot of self catering places are not suitable. I need a resort with plenty within walking distance, not too far from an airport.

We have had a couple of good holidays in Duinrell, as the not driving thing isn't a problem there.

Prices are wild now, and it's not just an AI thing. We're on a (very nice, no complaints!) northern European city break, the sort of thing that costed about £800-1000 for the four of us pre COVID. This year I paid £1400.

Next year DC2 is desperate for a pool/beach holiday somewhere on the Med. We've always done low cost flights to Spain or Italy and a villa or apartment, paying around £1800-2500. I cannot find anything of similar spec for 2024 for less than £4k.

I'm the same. People certainly used the AI but never saw anyone pissed, shouting at their kids and after 11 you could hear a pin drop! Loons People queued for sunbeds in the morning but when you arrived later you always got them.

It's interesting though, to see how much some of you hate British people. Our hotel was probably 1/4 - 1/3 British but I certainly wouldn't say the behaviour of the Brits was worse than anyone else. You'd struggle to guess people's nationality (a popular poolside game! )

Fascinating info on future hols!

I have family in southern Europe and my kids and I are staying with them now, its relatively relaxed as we know the area well. Next summer could be interesting as new partner and double the kids between us, they'll be 11-15 then. Will definitely not be suggesting AI and perhaps eurocamp is the way forward.

We’ve had a generally lovely week self catering n Croatia (£3k for 5 of us) but have felt a bit fleeced by the high prices of everything once we got here - combination of Brexit, crappy exchange rates and inflation. The site shop seems specifically designed to not stock anything to actually make a meal (snacks and alcohol galore though) so you are forced to go to the on site restaurants - which just seem very expensive for nice but basic food. We’ve done lots of similar holidays and have a basic formula of croissants for breakfast, bread, cheese, ham, salad for lunch and then eat out some evenings or do chilli/spaghetti etc but even bog standard ingredients are expensive. Little things like normally you leave a deposit to borrow tennis rackets etc but now they hire them for €€€/hr have pissed me off - we flew here and previously on this sort of holiday we have gone to France/Holland and driven so we could bring bikes, games, paddle board etc.
Trying to focus on the positives of beautiful weather, gorgeous waters to swim in, swallows swooping among the cypress trees….
With high costs come high expectations …..

@TheTurn0fTheScrew it's the flights thing - they have doubled because of being crafty about luggage. My h has to fly a fair bit and unless you have no luggage or prepared to go at 6am or 11 pm they have you by the short and curlies!!

Rovinj is just beautiful!

I absolutely hate ai as it keeps people in the hotel rather than out and about supporting all the small independent cafes/ restaurants who really do really on tourists for their livelihoods. We stay in the UK in the summer and go away for two weeks in October, dc are off for one week and you don’t get the ridiculous system of dining in Scotland, which is just as well as we are limited when we can take our annual
leave as not always in school holidays.
In terms of costs this year’s holiday is only £200 more than last years. Weather sits about 26/28 which is warm enough for us.

That would be fining not dining by the schools

Very disappointed with my holiday. We are in a cottage in the UK. Thought it smelt a bit damp, second night in it was a slug motel. Owner has refunded us a portion of holiday, but it’s so wet and damp in the lounge you can’t walk without shoes on.

You could consider going at May or October half term - weather normally still nice but without risking the ultra hot temperatures and fires people have seen this year . Also if there's a teacher day the day before breaking up you can often get a cheaper flight but without missing school (or at least perhaps just the odd day)

I never book all inclusive for this reason. Too much of a risk. Plus, part of the enjoyment for me is going out and exploring different places/restaurants.

I cba to go out early or make breakfast though, so usually book bed and breakfast