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??

Why don't you actually look up stuff you can do during the week, like day trips, hikes etc instead of moaning about it and already dreading a holiday you haven't agreed to going on yet? Surely if you're that good of friends she will know a more chill out holiday isn't your cup of tea? I myself love an all exclusive and after working hard all year round I couldn't think of anything better than chilling by the pool relaxing all day for 2 weeks out of the year!

I definitely wouldn’t go

Not because it’s AI

But because you and your friend very obviously have different ideas of what makes a great holiday

So it’s not going to work

I go on a city break every year with a girlfriend and it’s fab because we like doing the same things

We both like soaking up the atmosphere by sitting in pavement cafes drinking alcohol, looking at a few sights in a fun way, maybe by Segway etc, and eating in great restaurants. Neither of us would want to spend hours looking round art galleries or museums, neither of us would want to spend hours and hours shopping. We both like a lie in etc etc. This is why it works

We often go AI, no cooking / no washing up, plenty of choice of food which works well with one vegetarian and one ASD child and lots of activities on site so if one is tired, one can sleep whilst the other takes kids out without needing a car and kids complaining they are bored. Our last AI included pool, beach, entertainment in evening, activity programme all day, (semi) wild raccoons and coati, gecko were on site, monkeys in rainforest just outside, there was windsurfing, SUP paddle, volleyball, kayaking included. Other times there's been waterparks included. Tend to do excursions every other day so see plenty of area too - I personally wouldn't want to just stay on resort for 2 weeks but it is easy and cheaper if you do that. I don't drink and have not found drinking a big issue but you do need to read reviews.

Maybe see what else there is onsite? See what excursions can do or what could do if hire a car. At our last one could zipline, see active volcanos, cuddle a sloth, walk through rainforest etc as excursions. This year I've had to go self catering and its been a PITA to organize everything whilst working and moving house, am sure it will be amazing but if AI had been an option would have taken it. Especially as ASD DS is asking me the times of food at every hotel and what's on the menu at every hotel and the times and contents of every meal on the flight out - if anyone has recorded the exact times and contents of meals on BA flights to Sydney please let me know

We've been on AI inclusive holidays in the past. we also have other types of holidays too. We usually choose somewhere within walking distance of a village or in a location which makes it easy to get out and explore.

There has always been lots of things going on which you can get involved in should you want to do so. We learned how to make tzatziki and how olive oil was made from a lovely chef on Crete. On the same holiday, there was morning yoga by the pool (super relaxing) and various other things going on through the day that you could get involved in or not. We also stayed in a much larger resort in Mexico which had things happening every hour of the day from water polo to dance competitions for the kids through to spanish language lessons, nature walks and talks about the local history and plants.

AI is great - not for every holiday but it's definitely a relaxing way to spend a week or two in the sun. Kids can have what they want, when they want, and the buffet style meals encourages mine to try things they wouldn't ordinarily have. DS developed a real taste for baklava in Greece and we couldn't get DD away from the tacos, tostadas and quesadillas in Mexico.

so one day we decided to dedicate the day to sunbathing, lounging in the pool and drinking cocktails. We lasted 10 minutes before deciding we were bored and had to go and do something

ten minutes? Do you both have ADHD or similar? Do you struggle with swimming or reading?

The holidays like that aren't for me either, but I wouldn't be so snobby and rude about it as you, OP. Especially if you can't manage 10 mins at a pool without being bored....

I love that sort of holiday.

Not talking to anyone

Not worrying about what to wear

Losing myself in a pile of books

Never being too hot and uncomfortable as I can just hop in the pool or go back to the room if i feel like it

Not worrying about keeping to a set budget.

You must see that for many, holidays aren't just about seeing places. It's a break from having to think and make decisions too. It's quite restorative actually.

I’ve been on a number of all inclusives, especially since having DD. I know that she will be able to eat something from the buffet at breakfast and at dinner and I’m not paying for a meal out, which she will invariably not want as soon as it is placed in front of her. You also can get snacks etc during the day, which is good with children and it’s not usually that much more expensive than FB or even HB. Suggest somewhere interesting. We’ve been to Marrakesh and Egypt and there is plenty to do if you don’t personally want to sit in the complex.

Well you are judging... I personally wouldn't want to go on one now, but I have done them in the past when I had a young child, and fine for me then. Horeses for courses and all of that.

I have backpacked around Asia & also not left a hotel in Cuba for a fortnight. Both sorts of trips appeal in different ways.

Different strokes & all that

But lying, reading in the sun near water is one of the joys of life isn’t it?

Obviously not to everyone reading these posts, but just the thought of it and I feel so physically and mentally relaxed

In my 20s I would have turned my nose up at it but, with children, nope

Then again I missed out on the adults only version and will have to wait many years for it to swing around again

I love that those holidays exist - suits a bunch of people who then aren't on the excursions I'm on lol seriously, not my cup of tea either but each to their own. Just decline and say you prefer more active holidays and suggest a spa break on a week-end maybe?

I'm not judging but.

1. Yes you are.
2. I generally find that it's people of limited intellect who need perpetual stimulation

(Only partly joking :p)

2 weeks of lying by a pool all inclusive sounds bliss to me right about now. I love all inclusive holidays, I doubt I like everything you enjoy but hey that's what makes the world less boring!

Same as PPs.

Before kids I'd have agreed with you, but all kids wanna do is play in the pool/kids club all day. They don't want to be dragged round sightseeing.

And I'd be perfectly happy lying Ona subbed watching them, not having to worry about how much money we have left etc...

Been on AI to Egypt twice with DC - they did a PADI OW course the first time round & then we dived as a family the second time round.

The BEST AI I’ve ever been on was to Morocco.

We hired a villa just outside Marrakesh that was AI.

I was absolutely in awe of the staff & felt very humble. The fridge was stocked every day with drinks, fresh fruit etc and the most beautiful lady cooked our breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kids adored her.
We invited her to join us for mint tea but she wouldn’t.
I’ve travelled the world but have to say my experience with AI has been positive- it just depends on how you perceive it.
Take a taxi into the Atlas Mountains.
Walk in the countryside
Buy spices
Sit and watch the world go by

Of course you are judging, come off it! You say you do understand people like different things and then say but two weeks just laying on a sun bed? I'd be bored to death by lunch time on day 1...well that contradicts you saying you understand! OK you would be bored but no one is forcing you on this holiday, so don't go. Clearly others don't get hired... because hey they like different holidays.

We have done them (Neilsson, Sunsail etc). I prefer totally isolated places with no one around but there are a lot of us and if we want somewhere with childcare, somewhere with meals provided as no one wants to cook, loads to do etc it can work well. My best bits though will always be long walks off site, up hills, in mountains.None of us ever lie on a sunbed for more than abhout 20 minutes at most.

You need to find what works for your family. So our holiday this year we had some people at exercise classes, others on yachts, some doing a lot of paddle boarding, I liked kayaking (and my walking), most of us doing tons of reading. Me doing an hour's work at day as work for myself - so getting very good wifi is also important.

Borgenstein I'm not judging
Oh yes you are a wee bit!

I too have my doubts this holiday will be for you. We have done resort AI holidays a couple of times. This will probably make me sound snooty but I would only do it for 5 hotels. This is purely because it’s an indicator that the hotel will be nice, have good quality food and nice facilities. I know that sounds blindingly obvious but it becomes all the more important when you are there so much of the time. On our last one (10nights) we spent 3 days doing planned excursions/day tours. Breakfast in morning- out all day , taking your 5 packed lunch with you, then back to hotel in evening for swim, aperitifs overlooking the sea then nice 4 course dinner. On days spent at the hotel, we swam, read, snoozed, played games, chatted to other holiday makers; played table tennis, tennis, and drank mock/cocktails all day. It really is relaxing. I find a few excursions essential though, or I have ‘cultural guilt’ kick in, especially as we have children and I like them to learn a good bit about wherever we visit. Enjoy your holiday whatever you end up doing!

As a PP suggested, a cruise would probably suit. You get to wake up somewhere interesting each day and explore, she gets to laze around the pool if she wishes to, you meet up for dinner!

That’s right. I forgot. There are always on site activities, such as pool aerobics, outdoors yoga, family fitness n games, for those so inclined. Many good hotels have a spa too.

In 11 days time that will be me - lying on a sunbed in a 5 star resort in Egypt. 40 degree heat, cocktails by the pool, DD going crazy on the water slides and me with my head in a book. Bliss.

I may rouse myself to do aqua aerobics, and I'll definitely snorkel every day. I might even dive as the hotel has its own reef (and DD wants me to teach her). But other than that, the days are for doing nothing, and nothing I shall do!

We will go out into the bay every night, we always do. Have a beer with the locals, do some shopping maybe, people watch and sight see. But only for a couple of hours at a time.

We won't do the pyramids - been there done that. We will probably do the dolphin tour and maybe some horse riding. But tbh, we are just as happy doing nowt.

Each to their own. It's not the holiday for you obviously OP. Just tell your friend that.

YANBU, all inclusive filled me with horror, you may as well go to Spain. We booked Cuba but because if the communism couldn't really book it as a diy so ended up with an all inclusive. Apart from a couple of days in Havana it was just pool, beach, food, drink. Never again. It was lovely but sooooooooo dull.

We like doing AI but the luxury resorts so the food is always wonderful and usually stations. Works well in the Maldives really and little island resorts.

Always good when it includes spa credit too

Have only ever done AI in destinations there have been things we could do. Cuba for example. We had a week in Havana and a week AI.

Thay said we did used to love a 2 week beach holiday. We'd go self catering so we could go out for dinner / explore local areas but we used to spend most of our days at the beach or round the pool. We had afternoon naps, lots of sex, lots of booze and lovely local food. We read books and played cards and had lots of chats and laughs.

Would give my right arm for that now (we're 3 kids down the line!!)

Thay said I couldn't imagine going to Egypt and not taking a few days out to see the Pyramids that is quite shocking!!

The only time we were ever confined to the resort (weather ruined all our planned activities..... piranha fishing, sea plane to a waterfall, visit to a neighbouring island for a few days!) was absolute Hell on Earth and I cursed every moment of it.