AIBU to be a bit peed off about the new all inclusive drinking rule in Spain?

[Pinkycloud]

Don’t want to come across a raging alcoholic but we’ve booked an all inclusive holiday (costing about £7.5k) for me DH and 4 DC and am peed off to see you can now only have 3 alcoholic drinks with lunch and three with dinner. I know six seems a lot but it’s more about being told when you can have them and how many you can have at a given time. We’ve been to this place before (Majorca) and used to enjoy lazy afternoons sipping a beer or three by the pool. Doesn’t seem like ‘all inclusive’ anymore and we’re paying thousands for the bloody thing!

Agreed but I’ve gone through my T&Cs over and over and it’s very light on the subject. It’s basically says AI means breakfast, lunch and dinners, snacks available for a min of 3 hours a day and ‘locally produced beers wine and spirits available for a min of 12 hours per day’. That’s it!

But… the resort is on the outskirts of Magaluf so I’m certain it’s going to be subject to the restrictions. Can’t get through to Jet2.

And to those that have said to me I should have done my research, oh aren’t you clever little things. I read my T&Cs, believed the blurb in the description, thought I knew what AI meant and had seen nothing in media about all this. How was I to know to look for something I didn’t even know was a thing?

I came back from 4 nights AI in Mallorca 2 weeks ago, the difference between HB and AI was £24 so of course I booked AI.

Wasn't in a resort that was affected by the limits, cocktails were not included in AI, however Cava was and we could order slush puppies with vodka.

At no point did I see anyone drunk or falling over the place, it really is interesting to see people's opinions of AI when they've never actually been on one.

And we left the resort and walked over 40,000 steps across the 4 days, so also saw what was available and ate out as well.

AI is easy because you don't need to think about what to eat or where to eat, but it also doesn't stop you from eating out if you want to.

AI is easy because you don't need to think about what to eat or where to eat,

That is part of the holiday for me. It just shows that we are all different. I can't imagine going to Spain and eating English food and not trying local food and wine in local restaurants. I might as well stay at home, BUT I don't have small children who wnat a constant supply of cold drinks or ice creams and who need to be kept entertained all day, so I would never look down on someone who wanted to do an AI holiday. It just isn't for me.

Besides we are quite unsociable and prefer to go somewhere quieter and child free

I've done quite holidays and it's different isn't it , finding places to eat , doing your own thing it is nice , but I also like AI , I can have a few cups of tea without worrying about the cost and it's just all laid on.
I still think they will be a thing of the past soon though so will have one this year before all the fun is sucked out of life and it's all banned..

But it isn't 'English food" again, making judgements on something you haven't actually tried yourself, but am with you on the child free when possible!!

Plus the AI hotel we went too did lots of different food, lots of Spanish dishes and a real variety. I think people think it's all chips and burgers, it really isn't.

Also it's not just British people who love an all in inclusive, we were in the minority in our hotel and it was nice to see people just kicking back from all nationalities.

I stand corrected then. My comment was in relation to a post upthread where a poster would go to Spain, but not eat Spanish food.

We have stayed half board in Spain before, and yes, there was a variety of delicious food, most of it European.

I actually eat a bigger variety of food at AI because you can ensure it's cooked to your liking (fish/meat on grill plate). Also you can see the food before ordering and if you are not sure, have a small amount then go back for more. I ate so much fish on my last holiday!
And have as much salad/veg/fruit as you like. I don't want puddings generally and I've not seen 'fresh fruit platter' at many restaurants but at AI there's always been a good variety ime

Except I don't get drunk or badly behaved after 6 drinks throughout a 10 hour period.

It's not a "flex" (cringe expression by the way). How many people would get drunk after 6 drinks, throughout an approximately 10 hour period, with meals?

I've just tried a booking with jet2 and if you go into the details of the board basis it is very clear if the drinks are limited.

I know TUI (who we did book with) are even clearer - its appears on the results of a search so easy to exclude hotels.

Erm, I think I'd feel a bit slaughtered drinking that much.😂 6 a day? But anyway, what about interfacing the drinks with non alcoholic versions? A lot of them taste pretty much the same. But for the three- sharing a bottle of wine at lunch and then one a dinner would be more than adequate. After lunch I would have a nice coffee and then go for a swim or walk and then it's dinner. Stretch dinner out a bit and that takes you to pretty late in the evening. Mornings, breakfast, activity, tea, more activity, lunch. The day is complete. Enjoy your holiday. 🙂😎

So the wine at lunch and then at dinner would add up to 6. It is a lot for every day though. I would aim for at the most 2 or three units a day on holiday. But really like to drink less than that. 6 units a week at home for me.

Time now to explore the non alcoholic drinks you like the best.

I am struggling to sympathise as I would personally not be able to drink anywhere near that amount, and because there is nothing more cringeworthy to me than really drunk people on holiday. Alcoholic parents ruined my life, and they are the sort who think they are not drunk when very much so. So I come from a place where I am all for policies which limit people it. BUT I can understand that it is frustrating if you did not know about it before you booked, if that was part of your plan, and it is something you should flag up with your tour operator, because you wont be the first person disappointed by the policy, and it would be better to have it clear upfront than for the poor spanish bar staff to be dealing with peoples annoyance over it.

AI is easy because you don't need to think about what to eat or where to eat,

Exactly. When you have young children this is really important.
We always choose somewhere where we can leave and visit local towns and villages so we get the best of both worlds but we know we've got the AI and kids entertainment to fall back on if needed.

How does the quality of alcoholic drinks on an AI holiday compare with drinks that you buy elsewhere. Do you get a wine list or is it just carafes of plonk?

I couldn’t drink six drinks either, but if I’d paid for all inclusive, I’d like the option of having a glass of wine in an evening (ie once the DC are in bed, not with my evening meal)

The OP hasn't said they want more than 6 drinks in one go, or that they will drink 6 or more every day. Its more about thinking that (as previously) you could have a drink when you wanted eg mid afternoon if you fancied it, and that it would be included in the price.

I'm quite surprised at how many people think 6 drinks in a day would automatically make someone loud/drunk/falling over/anti social/completely unable to care for children. Etc.
I have less than 6 drinks a week at home but at a wedding, or family party I might possibly have 6 drinks spread over the day (although not always - I'm happy with soft drinks too) and I've never been drunk or anti social

This is pretty much what Spaniards do. I no longer go to the costas when I go to the beach in Spain, too much booze. I prefer beach areas in Spain which are still mostly locals only. We have breakfast, go out to the beach and have lunch mostly on the chiringuitos on the beach with a local chilled beer or 2. Back to the hotel/apartment for a siesta and then off to a swim until the heat is gone and it's time for a walk or join in a fiesta in a local town nearby. A shared bottle of wine with dinner, good conversation with a coffee and by 12 we are ready to have a good rest.

More than 6 drinks a day, watered down or not, it's more than enough alcohol.

It's only the balaric islands. Not the rest of Spain It was a covid measure initially (drunk tourists aren't as careful).
It's 3 glasses with dinner and 3 with lunch which is reasonable.

It was also to boost the economy of bars that were badly affected by covid so people went out.

Organised bar crawls have been banned to avoid the trouble that pissed tourists being

If the price isn't reduced to compensate you I would be having a word

www.heart.co.uk/news/all-inclusive-holidays-spain-alcohol-limits/

Would that be the same Spaniards who have a double brandy with their breakfast coffee? And that's just the motorcycle cops.

I can see these types of hotels and holiday packages becoming almost extinct in a few years time :( it'll be as it was in the 70s.
Our AI hotel this year had red white and rose wine in their wine taps or you could have bottles of cava or wine , but not sure which type they were , just house I would imagine. the ones out the tap were ok , not too strong and the glasses are tiny. I just loved having a pot of tea around the bars , but then I am a lightweight when it comes to alcohol and can only have one or two at dinner and that's enough really. We didn't get a wine list, hotels that provide all this are probably mega expensive, but I'm sure they do exist with branded drinks.
Nobody seemed particularly drunk either to be honest , they water them down a lot.
The food was lovely and very healthy.