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!

Why would a sunbed be included? They’ve never been allocated to rooms in my experience. Always on a first come first served basis. Hence sunbed wars.
To be honest, I’d just be thankful to have a holiday. There’s lots of us who can’t afford to take our kids abroad in the current climate. You need to stop feeling so hard done by and start making the most of it. Go out and explore the resort. A holiday is what you make it. Enjoy the downtime with your family.

You definitely can (although not all hire companies offer it, especially if you want to drop the car off in a different country to where you picked it up. You also need to let them know when you pick it up so they can give you all the documents that you’ll need if you’re taking it to multiple countries).
We did a road trip through Bosnia and Croatia without any problems. We picked the car up in Sarajevo and dropped it off in Dubrovnik.

What did the hotel brochure/online info say? If they have published information that isn't accurate, I'd complain. I had to do that recently because the hotel that was advertised and the hotel that I got may as well have been two completely different things and I was offered a partial refund after I emailed them the digital brochure with the many inaccuracies underlined.

I've let go of my snobbery.

I do all the stuff at home for meals due to work patterns and have a child with SEND for whom the concept of waiting for meals plus textural sensitivity means eating out of wasted on us sadly.

The canteen style of AI isn't what my husband or I would choose - but it does make for a more enjoyable holiday with an acceptance of it's limitations.

Just paid £2.4k for a week in feb half term Canary Islands for a bit of winter sun. Will upgrade to the 'gold' AI when there for the premium spirits and nespresso coffee etc

This thread is pages of AI people sympathising and non AI people explaining why it’s not for them and never the twain shall meet.

@Xrays I would advise a villa too. We’ve had them every year since the kids were tiny. Over 20 years now. No being regimented for meals or getting up early for breakfast and in a crowd for the evening buffet. Can’t think of anything worse. Plus the dreaded sun bed situation. Getting a villa is the best and we’ve had great relaxing holidays every year. We get up when we want and have fruit and toast and croissants for breakfast. Always have lunch by the pool of pate, hummus, cheese, ham, fruit and a baguette. No fuss and quick and easy. Do pizzas as well if the kids fancy. More pool antics after lunch until siesta time and we all go to bed for 2 hours and wake up refreshed and ready to shower and get dressed for the evening. We eat out every night and enjoy trying different restaurants. We’ve loved every holiday we’ve been on and only ever been in a hotel once which was last year and we did it to see what it was like. Some aspects such as the entertainment we enjoyed but it doesn’t compare to the luxury of our own villa.

Yes, the last time we went abroad in august. It’s just such a busy time so it’s hard to enjoy. A lot of the time we had a big breakfast then down to the beach because the pool was a nightmare!

I’m sorry to everyone who’s been disappointed, yes it’s a first world probably and those saying ‘at least you had a holiday’ have a point but many scrimp and save and only go every few years so it’s a shame when it’s disappointing.
After a couple of wobbly years we have really leaned into holidays with kids and now understand it’s still parenting/early starts/snack machine life but just in the sun. We are incredibly lucky that a family member has an apartment we stay at so, while expensive to us after flights, car hire and food etc. ultimately we can afford to go. We could never afford the AI prices and I’d be gutted if we managed it somehow and it was rubbish and we didn’t get a sun lounger.
Environmentally of course it’s good but it’s sad for our generation that the days of a cheap getaway are long gone. The people who seem to have an amazing time now are our wealthy friends who pay £££ but get an amazing holiday.

@daffodilandtulip we had a rubbish week in Wales too.... It rained the whole time and we were stuck in a caravan and their was literally nothing to do but throw money at the amusement arcades which I hate doing

@Beanscene mine are older so we cracked on with our plans - mainly NT, coastal walks type stuff. But I missed lazing around on the beach, getting ice creams, sitting outside with a drink - the little things that make a holiday. But now I don't want to do it again, but this thread is making me doubt going abroad!

We have always rented Villa/ apartment with access to a pool near a beach, restaurants and a few shops. It has worked for us as a family from when DC were younger to now older teens. The thoughts of being cooped up with lots of other people and their screaming kids is not what I want for a holiday. We also enjoy our food and have had some amazing good value meals eating locally and better quality. Those saying they book AI because they don't want to cook - you really don't need to. A trip to a local market and bakery to fill the fridge with drinks and snacks and maybe some things for lunch is far cheaper and much better food than any AI. It is also more relaxed. Every time I have priced AI holidays they have been more expensive and reading the posts here confirms that they are not the holiday for us.

Just had a week in Woolacombe in a very expensive apartment which was lovely but the weather wasn’t great which limited what we did a bit and we didn’t spend as much time on the beach as we’d hoped. Eating out in Woolacombe is expensive too and beach apart there’s not loads to do so yes it was a slightly disappointing holiday.

We’ve just booked a fortnight next summer on a Greek island that we love. It’s a pretty basic AI but we know that the food is fresh and plentiful, drinks are limited so it doesn’t attract those who just want to get drunk, the pools are big and clean and maybe most importantly there are way more sun beds than are needed so there is always somewhere to sit. 🤞for no heatwave or wildfires next year but I’m hopeful that it will be less of a washout. There will be delays I expect on the flight but we’re generally prepared for that.

When DCs were still children we always went SC and drove to wherever. Mainly eurocamp mobile homes in France.

SC would be a mix of simple home cooked meals, takeaway pizza, campsite restaurant.

Pools were always excellent. Plenty of playgrounds for DCs to explore. Lots of other children to make friends with.

Last year we hired a villa in the South of France and were joined by adult DCs and partners. Huge, own pool, AC, walking distance to small town, supermarket and bakery. Lots in the area to go and see. It was one of my favourite holidays!

No holiday this year but next year we are planning a eurocamp top of the range mobile home in the Dordogne at the end of June.

One of the things which doesn't work for us is holidaying on a shoestring. If we are having to watch the pennies we would rather not go.

I've just come back from my 4th visit to the same apartment complex/resort. We go there because it's small, clean, quiet, no loud obnoxious families drinking from breakfast and being anti social, there are no sunbed wars - if you want a specific spot an early towel is a good idea but there are always empty beds at any point in the day- and the same staff have worked there for years so gives me a sense that it's a well run place behind the scenes.
We go b&b as I like not to have to think about breakfast and my kids love the unlimited pastries etc. there's an option to pay to have an evening meal there if we are tired and just want a fast tea.
I get an online food shop delivered with drinks and things like bread, meat, cheese, olives, fruit etc. no lugging bottles of water in the heat and the layout of the complex means it's close enough poolside to wander back to the room for a cold drink or a snack. Lunch if we stay in the resort is then a doddle and the online order saves me a fortune.
There's a lovely beach in walking distance with restaurants and there is a public bus stop 5 minutes away that we use to explore the island further.
People look at me as if I'm boring going back to the same place but we visit somewhere new each time we go and learn more and more about the food, culture, history each visit.
I know what I'm getting for my money, I don't have the worry of walking into an awful hotel with awful food and loads of noise. It's instant relax and holiday mode.
Travelling as a single parent with three children, one who is autistic and another with a complex medical condition, knowing what we are going to is fantastic. The package is with Jet2 who have been faultless with special assist which makes things so much less stressful.
I've been to AI's in other parts of the world and whilst good for budgeting I felt like I knew very little of the country or the wider area outside the resort and hated the mass dining side of things.
Each to their own but I'll be booking again for next year.
I'll be hopefully going on a long weekend city break somewhere new as well without the kids as it is fine when I don't have to think about them to take my chances.

@Panic71 did you book independently or through a tour operator?

@PrinceHaz True. As an Non-AI person I do find it hard to understand why someone would want to pay more money but end up with fewer food choices, less space and fewer things to do (as AI hotels are often in the middle of nowhere) than I do on my eating out/AirBnB style holiday.

But then I guess AI people might wonder why I enjoy city breaks with a toddler 😂

August is the month many Europeans take their holidays so it will be crowded. There's a shortage of hospitality staff since covid in many countries. They've had to raise wages, adjust opening hours. They have inflation too.

It’s threads like these that totally put me off ai!… I have 2 teenage children and have never done ai as it just sounds so shit.

We usually book an air bnb/cottage/gite etc seperately to flights and hire car. Always much cheaper and lovely

Which island are you on?

Not at all - we had 11 days in the sun in a beautiful city and then seaside town the South of France, spent about £2.2k for trains, meals out and drinks, hotels and excursions for two people.

I always book and plan all of our holidays myself so I know what I am getting (and can own all of my crap choices - and I have made a few! 😄) . I would never outsource it to a holiday company. Although I understand it is not for everyone as it is harder work and would not be easy with young children.

The only disppointment is we didn't manage a scenic train journey in the mountains as I fucked up the public transport scheduling.(bloody provincial French train timetables)

@Meredusoleil menorca. It's always written off as a bit boring but there's loads to do and see. Next year I'm going to book around a fiesta as that would be an interesting experience. My autistic child tolerates crowds in menorca quite well when we have been to Mahon and cuitedella so hoping they will be fine.

It happened to us last year. We decided to have a “luxury” holiday as we’d not been away due to covid and my eldest was nearing 18. (Thought they’d not want to go on family holidays after this.) Paid a fortune for a 5 star all inclusive in the Caribbean. The food was crap, the pool was filthy, rooms were in disrepair and you had to be up before sunrise for a bed.

kids made the most of it and didn’t really pick up on my gripes. However, I was gutted when we left and started discussing and comparing to other holidays. They all said it was ok but they preferred a previous holiday we had in a villa in Majorca.

this year we hired a villa through Vrbo in Cyprus. Sourced relatively cheap flights and rented a car. It was the best holiday ever!! No setting alarms for sunbeds.. everything was so slower paced and we explored the island. It cost us 50% less than the all inclusive and was much better.

my parents have asked us to go with them on an all inclusive in October half term. I looked at the hotel and it just looks like hell on earth. I politely declined!

We always do AI but eat out a lot. It just means if we want a pool day we can eat snacks/lunch in the hotel and out of our last 10 night trip, we stayed in for three so did have the AI drinks. I always really research the hotel and read all reviews I can find but it’s easier for us now with adult children so we can choose adult hotels or upgrade to a adult only VIP in some of them (separate pool area etc).

Yes. Went to Mexico April this year and the hotel was absolutely awful. Food was awful, staff was awful. Really put my of spending a lot on a holiday

Sad to see so many negative posts about AI, we recently had a week AI and the food was absolutely incredible at every mealtime. The staff were fantastic, and worked so very hard. I actually relaxed, which was much needed.

Yes, sun beds were taken early but we’re early risers and I loved the quiet pool at 7.30am to swim numerous lengths before breakfast.

We could leave the resort and visit the shops and markets close by. I would go back, although in reality we prefer to explore different places.

I did a lot of research before booking, read the reviews and joined the Facebook group too which gave honest reviews. Our holiday was £2.8k and we got a free child place as well.