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!

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

ohh me too. I’m not a fussy eater, but if I am eating out I tend to stick to ‘known’ foods, rather than risk purchasing something that I then don’t like.
Before adulthood / AI holidays I rarely, if ever, ate fish. My parents didn’t, so I didn’t. On holidays I try every fish dish going (with mixed results) to try to expand my tastes. Frankly Octopus can get in the bin, but Red Snapper is gorgeous! (As is dolphin, but the less said about that, the better).

It meant the same for DD. Eg She was a sushi eating 8 year old, which wouldn’t have happened otherwise (I can’t stand it).

and funnily enough, it also expanded my drinks repertoire. As an 18 year old I drank lager and lime or vodka and coke. Now whilst I might stick to V&C in the main, I have a number of other drinks and cocktails that I like and enjoy having. I rarely go ‘out out’ so holidays mean I have a few drinks, relax and enjoy.

Both the Brits and the Spanish drink a lot. I think the Spanish is almost twice the EU average.

The problem is that the Brits do it all at once, on holiday, and then try jumping from the balcony into the pool. The spanish word for this is an anglicised word (Balconing) because this accident is something like 65% suffered by Brits. Maybe the Spanish doctor mentioned upthread benefits financially from it, but the British family and to a lesser extent taxpayer supporting the newly paralysed chap certainly dont. I dont think that stopping a mum and dad having their 7th cava that day will necessarily stop this, but I understand where they are coming from.

I've never seen Spaniards having a double brandy with breakfast. Never. I've seen many Spaniards going to work at 6.00am in the morning in winter and having a carajillo, a shot of brandy in their coffee with their breakfast. They are mostly people with high energy jobs.

The younger generation in Spain rarely go AI. They prefer the "botellon", they buy their preferred brand of alcohol in the supermarket and mix it with a soft drink.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. But it's a minority.

It very much depends on the hotel.

Recently been to a 5 star AI in Jamaica and you couldn't get a bottle of wine, unless you paid, but you could get by the glass and you did have a choice from the wine list and included 3 or 4 different reds, same for white, a couple of sparkling wine choices and a champagne option. Most of the spirits had options too - not listed but you could ask and at the bars you could see. There were 3 or 4 options for beer as well. Cocktails - you didn't chose your spirits but they were a mix of branded and local ones.

Been to cheaper AI in Europe and again it's varied. Generally the higher the star rating the more likely you'll get a choice or branded drinks, rather than local.

It’s only certain resorts. I’m currently in Ibiza all inclusive and no limits as not in San Antonio. I think it’s really aimed to target the young brits abroad going to places like Magaluf and the behaviours that come from that

Is kalimotxo still a thing, @Alondra ? Was a student in Spain in the 90s and gallons of red wine mixed with Coke was what we all drank.

As others have said it appears this applies to the "party" resorts like Shagaluf, and not the family hotels in quieter areas. And it's perfectly possible to drink six drinks of the type served in AI hotels and not even be a little bit tipsy.

I'm not sure why people are claiming to be shocked that a holiday for 6 people is costing £7.5k. I see this kind of post regularly on MN and it always seems a strange thing to post. 🤷‍♀️

Surely you all know that holidays vary massively in price. There will be far dearer options available, plus cheaper ones available. People have different levels of income and different amounts they are willing to pay for holidays.

In the old days when I was young woman (40 years ago 😉) all inclusive meant in Spain accommodation, 3 meals a day, and a beer or a bottle of wine shared between 4 people with lunch or dinner. That's it.

There are many regions in Spain when you won't find all inclusive of drinks, Madrid one of them. It'll be interesting to see how the Baelaric goverment laws are implemented in Majorca and Ibiza, and if they'll be sucessful in curtailing out of control binge drinking.

What is £10k in Cornwall?!?

I'm a lightweight, can go weeks without drinking without noticing, and could completely fail to get drunk on 6 well-spaced, AI small, weak portions of alcohol through the day. The rule would put me off not because I need to drink lots/ get drunk, but because being a responsible adult it's nice to have the freedom to please myself for a week of holiday per year rather than being dominated by my responsibilities.

We've done a couple of AIs since having a family, and I love swerving the busman's holiday part of self catering. The buffets were diverse, had a lot of local cuisine and I probably ended up eating more local food than we do if cooking ourselves or having to best-fit family likes in a restaurant. It's also easier to eat more healthily from the range of foods on offer.

No really, I was awful, LOL

Alcohol is very cheap in Spain, it's really easy to go to Mercadona or any other supermarket and get a good bottle of gin or vodka for less than 10 euros. Mixed with soft drinks can last forever.

I was looking up campsites in Cornwall recently and our usual site had only the deluxe caravans left... £5000 for a fortnight. That's before food/ drink/ transport/ activities.

I'm looking forwards to trying out a new campsite 😎

I'm not sure why people are claiming to be shocked that a holiday for 6 people is costing £7.5k. I see this kind of post regularly on MN and it always seems a strange thing to post

I agree, While £7.5k is a lot of money to spend in one go, if it is for flights, bed, board and transfers for 6 people during school holidays I think that is pretty good value, especially if it was a for a good quality hotel with excellent food. Comparing it with Ryanair flights and a cheap airbnb is like comparing apples and bananas.

We are going AI for 2 weeks in summer in the Med, 2 adults and three older teenagers and it's more than that.

What other people are spending on their holidays is nobody else's business though, is it?

Obvs UK doesn’t do AI.
Couldn’t find a full board hotel but did find a Half board, a self catering and a B&B in two popular beach resorts:

Holidays are expensive unless it's camping, but even then you have to factor in petrol costs, food and so on. It wouldn't be seven grand or whatever , but then your not guaranteed the weather ( if it's uk )
I do feel there is a bit of a holiday divide between those who like the quieter times and exploring and culture or their own villa or those who just want the sun and a bit of fun. Neither is a bad thing as long as your not upsetting anytime or trying to jump off balconies or starting fights etc.
I liked the Eurocamps with small kids many years ago but you still have to go food shopping and clean up. Every holiday has its good and bad bits to factor in.

It's a bit crappy for people who have already booked. It is no longer all inclusive.

I've just come home from AI in Cyprus with DP and toddler. We easily drank more than six drinks a day and were totally capable of looking after toddles - a weak local larger isn't going to render you a total mess.

We easily drank more than six drinks a day and were totally capable of looking after toddles - a weak local larger isn't going to render you a total mess.

Still wouldn't do it though. No comment on you but even with zero alcohol versions drinks I wouldn't like drinking that many calories. Yes, even on holiday! Maybe I'm a bit boring but I just like more activity, running, walking, swimming, skiing in the winter and excursions to historical sites and local beauty spots. I don't like to feel like I've been sitting around and eating and drinking all day apart from the occasional big social event like a wedding but I wouldn't want a whole week or two of it.

When my D.C. was very small I liked holidaying with family and friends so we had the social aspect but also the flexibility to visit interesting place. We would go self catering in a big place and take it in turns to cook or go out. I thought the prices were very reasonable once splits between everyone. Definitely less than people are talking about here. We even stayed in a stately home once! Fab experience. 🙂

Activity and alcohol are not mutually exclusive though?
I don't generally drink during the day but I know plenty of people who might have a beer or other drink at lunch time/afternoon on a ski holiday and I've been on activity holidays where people drink in the eve and are doing sports the next day. They're not drinking throughout the day but just saying enjoying a drink doesn't mean that's all your holiday consists of.

Believe it or not there's plenty of time to walk around historical sites, hike etc and fit in a massive 6 or more drinks while on holiday.

I don't think the original Poster got back did they ? I know it's probably too late to do much about the holiday now though.
I did see an article in the mail about this yesterday.

Believe it or not there's plenty of time to walk around historical sites, hike etc and fit in a massive 6 or more drinks while on holiday.

Exactly!!

Dh likes activity holidays.
He tends to go with other people who share his hobbies on his own for a weekend.
He still likes a more relaxed holiday as well.

May as well enjoy yourself and see the world

How much of the world do you see on an AI holiday? 😂