All inclusive, don't even need to leave the resort!

[Borgenstein]

I'm not judging but I'm genuinely curious as to what people do all day on these all inclusive, all in, don't need to leave the resort, type holidays?

I love travelling. Normally if someone suggest some I go somewhere I go but I've been asked to go on on every of these types of holidays next year. All food is in. There is nothing of interest nearby that doesn't involve alcohol.
The couple that have asked us went to Egypt some years back on a similar holiday. When she got back I asked her if she'd been to see the pyramids? Been to the desert? She laughed and said "god no, we didn't leave the resort, it was bliss".

But what on earth do you do all day then?? I have asked her this very question and she said you go for breakfast (sounds like the same shite menu every day), laze by the pool until lunch time, go for lunch, laze by the pool until dinner, go for dinner (again same shitty menu every day) and then get drunk whilst watching the "entertainment".

Now I don't want to upset this friend as she's been through a hard time lately and she'll be gutted if I say no but the whole thing sounds like two weeks of boring hell.

AIBU to make an excuse as I just can't see what I'd do after 10am each day??

Your snobbiness is painful to read.

We get a cheap flight and use airb&bs.

Done a bit of sightseeing but really with 3 kids and ft jobs we need time on holiday to sleep and relax.

All inclusive seem very expensive

We found that the sailing and waterskiing was much more economical on an all inclusive - esp with kids in tow. As was the tennis, cycling, gym, yoga, SUPing and snorkelling..

I did it once, St Lucia, for a friend's wedding. I wouldn't do it again. I like self catering, then you get to eat when and where you like-much more choice.

If I go to Europe I like apart hotels, then you get the best of both worlds, maid service + self catering and the the option to eat in the hotel if I fancy it. Plus the accommodation is usually bigger-studio flat or apartment as opposed to a room.

It is not easy to get the right kind of famly holiday. We had 3 at Butlins over 3 years, we have had center parcs. We also had Sunsail and Neilson and Thomson resorts. Also renting a villa in various countries is good too although usually more cooking, cleaning to do and fewer activities for those who want things like tennis, exercise classes, sailing etc. We did some nice holidays hiring an isolated Gite in rural Britanny for a while too and I then I bought my island in Panama which led to some exciting camping holidays too so we've done all sorts. On my own I would always aim to be as far from other people as possible with no junk food and lots of out door water to swim in the whilds and long walks. Before the devastation I hired an isolated villa on Barbuda and just walked every day aiming to see no one.

Basically every one likes different things and at different stages of their lives. As there are quite a few of us (9 of us went away in June) I start by looking at who has the strongest views - usually a few do and others will go along with the rest; then I look at who has the most difficult needs to meet - whoever is in charge of a small baby should get greatest say in the kind of holiday eg childcare needed or wanted etc and go from there.

Also loads of people can never afford a holiday ever so the fact some of us can I hope makes us feel very grateful indeed. We have had a week away this year and we are very lucky for that. (I am working full time the rest of the summer)

Also AI hotels often aren’t near sites - if your friends hotel was in Sharm el Sheik then going to the pyramids is a couple of days journey, costly and perhaps even dangerous based on my travelling there in the 90s

Anyone else now on cheapcaribbean.com looking at AI deals over Christmas?

I have 4 children, a full time job, I study for an MA and I volunteer too. I am so bloody busy and so TIRED all the time.
Sitting on my arse for a week sunbathing while someone else cooks and cleans for me is my idea of heaven and I go abroad for a week to do it because I can guarantee the weather and the kids love the pool, sea and kids clubs.

Two weeks is too much though I admit. We generally go for a week or ten days at a push.

I think it's more likely that you'd upset her by going rather than not

Why make an excuse? Why can’t you just say that it’s not the type of holiday you’d enjoy as you reckon you’d be bored?

Or did you really just post to have a little dig at those of us who love a lazy all inclusive?

I love AI but it really didn’t appeal when I was younger. Years ago all holidays involved lots of planning and rarely more than 2 or 3 nights in one place. Lots of cities and sightseeing. Sometimes hotels, sometimes self catering, sometimes camping. We slowed down a bit after having DS (more nights in one place) but always tried to find places where he will be entertained. A lovely boutique hotel in Morocco when he was about 4 was hard work - no other kids to play with! I tried my first AI in 2014. Ibiza holiday village with first choice. Water park, pools, activities like archery, kids club/games if you want in the day and reasonable entertainment at night. Plus all inclusive good quality food and drink. Lots of choice. No more pestering from DS, no counting the pennies, you have paid, you can have. It creates a relaxing situation in itself. I also find I want to do less these days as home is so busy. Sorting out DS, the house, working full time.

What do you do all day? This was Rhodes last year for us. Breakfast, take DS to kids club, coffee on terrace, admire view, chat or read. Collect DS, go for lunch then to pool/water park/games (either card games ourselves or outdoor ones organised by hotel). Back to room, chill, shower and get ready for dinner. Have dinner. Have a few drinks, watch entertainment. Go to bed. Get up and do it all again. I think we left the hotel twice and caught a bus for a change of scenery. It was bliss.

I am recently separated. DS and I are going on an AI on our own in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait!

They often have excursions out of the resorts too. So you don’t have to stay in.

We did one of these to the Caribbean for our honeymoon and it was total bliss. We’d not hesitate to do it again. Never had the same meal once in ten days and had about 10 restaurants to choose from with excellent food.

U come back from those all inclusive holidays looking like u high on Valium . Is nice to relax, do nothing once in a year. Stress free.

I went to an AI resort in Turkey, and although there was plenty of opportunity to just lie by the pool, there were also lots of activities to do on the resort as well, like sailing, wind surfing, snorkelling, scuba, tennis, volleyball, water polo... So you could spend a week or two on the resort and still be busy doing lots of things.

They also organised excursions, and were on a main bus route so you could go and do your own thing in the local town if you preferred

I go on holiday to relax and have a break from the mundane tasks that I have to do at home, we go to an AI complex that is in the middle of nowhere but we still haven't managed to get around the whole place as it's massive.

I hardly touch alcohol on holiday, I'm no good if I drink of a day. AI saves us money with soft drinks more than anything and ice creams etc for the kids.

Whilst we have been on the odd excursion out we are very happy to spend the days chilling around one of the many pools.
I also read a lot and have beauty treatments/massages.

I like all inclusive when the kids are young because all they really want to do on holiday at that age is go in the pool and do the kids disco and there’s usually something from the buffet that they’ll eat even if it’s just chips everyday. Not my dream holiday but it works for now.

I know people that have really busy lives with caring responsibilities. So their idea of heaven is AI, relaxing, no cooking, sunshine and they recharge their batteries. I have stayed in AI, but will eat out sometimes and visit the local places.

I assume OP does not have kids.

Before I had kids I wouldn't have considered AI, but then I would rarely book a hotel in advance, just get flights, turn up and find somewhere.

Things change when you have kids to consider- they have to eat regularly, you may need to keep close to a hotel for afternoon naps or times when the kids are too hot.
Children need to eat earlier than adults, they have smaller tummies and can't often make do with a big breakfast then wait until dinner as adults can, also eating out can be expensive when you are a family.
Children tend to make more of a mess in an apartment with food, they often won't want to be dragged out to supermarkets or to some restaurant a few miles away- often they can't be dragged out of the hotel swimming pool much at all- and lunch will be eaten at the poolside wrapped in a towel underneath a brolly.

AI works so well when you have kids.

And if you don't have children you possibly don't appreciate how much hard work they can be on holiday.

As others have said different holidays work at different times in your lives.
Since having kids it has been mostly AI for us- we have tried self catering a few times- in the UK and abroad, but it needs to be a holiday for the adults too- and that's exactly what AI provides for familes.

Now that our kids are about to fly the nest OH and I will be happy going back to B&B or half board again.

But AI has served us brilliantly.

I love cruises as well. They are fabulous. Plenty of people have been to the ports before in the past so just stay on the ship whilst it's in port and most people get off. Happy Days!

I go on the type of holiday you describe every year with my husband and 2 DC - have done for past 5 years!

Basically it's easy.......5* facilities, including Spa, lovely swim up suites, beautiful, predictable warm weather, great beaches with sport facilities, no daily chores, lots of freedoms for the kids where they make friends - it's basically a guaranteed rest for us all in an environment where you are given the time to catch up with each other and re-coup.

Occasionally do a few day trips, boat excursions etc but not always!

It works for us, and without sounding pig headed we could afford different types of holidays, more expensive or extravagant but we enjoy the classic two week all inclusive resorts!

I can see the appeal for people who need to unwind and have a good slice of downtime. But it wouldn’t be enjoyable for me, at this point in my life, either, OP. I like city breaks, sightseeing, galleries and museums and being on the go. Why can’t you be honest with your friend? You‘re not holiday compatible. Better to be upfront than go and end up falling out because you’re fed up.

I don't mind an all inclusive if it's somewhere with plenty to do and places to go outside the complex, we'v done a few, Greece, Tobago, fuerteventura, and hired a car and explored, spent maybe one possibly 2 days round pool after a walk somewhere in the morning but in egypt there was nothing to do on the complex except a few shops and had it not been for the 24 hour trip to the pyramids and the snorkelling from the nearby beach we would have been bored stiff.

A lot of people seem to think all AI hotels and holidays are identical. I've stayed in AI hotels that have been in the middle of resorts, so we've just used them as a base to explore from, like you would any hotel. The difference is that if you do decide to have a beach day, your soft drinks, lunch, snacks are on tap. I've only ever not been out to local restaurants from an AI in the Maldives, which is kind of different.
I would never slag off someone else's holiday choice, though. Yes, a resort in Jamaica or Egypt where it's a bit sketchy outside the complex might not be my choice. But it shouldn't come as a massive surprise that that holiday would cost about a quarter what you'd pay to go to St Lucia or somewhere you could wander further afield. If that Jamaican holiday is the only way someone can afford to go on a tropical break and that's what makes them happy it's a bit fucking shitty to pour cold water on it.

Resorts like you describe are good for people who don't want to venture out much. As long as there is a beach nearby (some even have their own private beach), because there's nothing like the sea.

Most people do go out though, neighbouring town, different beach, place of interest, eating and entertainment, just for a change. However having everything on site means you can do it when you feel like it and if you want a lazy day, it's all provided.

DS2 wants to go to an AI place as some of his friends have been. He's 7. I've had a look and I'm shocked by the price. Doing nothing/reading/lying around isn't really an option as a lone parent with a 7 and a 2 YO so I'd rather get B+B or half board and then have a mixture of pool time and visiting local attractions. Not having to go to work and school or stick to anyone else's timetable is what makes it a holiday. But each to their own really.