All inclusive holidays vs self catering

[musingonhol]

Which would be your choice?

Love the convenience of AI but can see why some hate it… especially at buffet time! I often think self catering must be peaceful but paying all that money to come away and have to do a food shop and wash up?!

Is there a compromise?

Same @AtomicBlondeRose In the next two months I am staying in an Air BNB, a holiday cottage, an AI resort, a hotel and going camping (not a stealth brag...it's just worked out that way due to a number of factors) but each is totally different and I like to give the kids different experiences.

What are "AI type people"?

Rather spend time with them that people who think they're better than others to be honest. Can't stand snobbery.

You know the answer but ask it anyway.

The Right Guys Reviews crew.

SC all the time for us, as we like to take our time and not have to stick to certain mealtimes. I can see why AI would be more convenient for those with children.

That doesn't sound anything like any AI I've ever been to!

Sorry I missed out the bit in the evening where they all get completely hammered.

What I found interesting in one lovely Spanish hotel i visited was that AI wasnt an option to customers coming via UK, but when there we learned it was an option other nationalities (Germans etc). I think that tells you all you need to know about the reputation of Brits abroad. We were more than happy with the half board though cos it's nice to wander the local town/marinas etc of an evening.

That's shocking! And also very telling!
Where in Spain was this, out of interest?

It was Majorca in one of those lovely Protur branded hotels, an adults only one. It was a few years ago now.

The only trouble with half board is it's not much cheaper than AI, but you get no drinks at all with it so ends up being way more expensive.

We like wandering out at night as well after our dinner down to the local town for a drink or an ice cream. You can still do it with AI, you're not trapped 😏 it's not like The Prisoner where a large white ball comes to round you up if you try to leave 😉

I have enjoyed this thread, most amusing.

No-one thinks you're trapped in there but most people can't justify paying for food and drink outside the hotel if its all paid for as AI, which has generally taken all their holiday budge.

SC but eat out. I don't go away to cook .

I like both. I just like being on holiday. Can see the pros and cons of each. Quite a lot of snobbery on this thread though towards those who like AI.

Reminds me of my mum's Guardian reading friend who didn't think the working class should be allowed to vote on Brexit as they weren't intelligent enough to understand the issues.

Well it is true that enough people who voted to leave the EU to swing the vote that way had no clue what they were actually voting for.

That's a bit of a chicken and egg thing. You're more likely to book all inclusive if you know you want to stay in or close to the hotel much of the time anyway, and less likely if you prefer to explore.

There aren't going to be many cases where the budget is so very tight that even a few ice creams or couple of the already very well discussed bread cheese and ham lunches would take you out of it.

That's hardly a working class issue, that's a people are fucking stupid issue.

I’m finding the comparisons between AI and half board odd, as I don’t think I’ve ever been to a hotel that offered both, and the one time I went somewhere half board there was a single, not amazing, restaurant with a limited menu, and I far that far more restrictive than the AI places I’ve stayed in that all had a big central buffet restaurant plus two or three separate a la cartes. I’d never consider half board again, I’d only choose between SC/B&B or AI.

EU Membership was way too important an issue for anyone to have voted on - whatever their class or economic background! Some matters are too big to put to the people - that's why we elect representatives who can be fully informed and guided by top experts.

[Completely off thread topic but now wondering what the AI vs SC crowd Brexit vote would be😉)