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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

624 replies

Pinkycloud · 29/04/2022 16:17

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!

OP posts:
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IhaveaDHproblem · 30/04/2022 15:58

I noticed at a holiday recently in Italy at the buffet we had to ask for food rather than help ourselves. TBF i can see why - food wastage is such a problem, the cost of food is going up and tourist operators have just had two years of loss. Those who wanted to eat huge quantities still could, but it wasn't a free-for-all.

It must make sense for those tourism operators to limit alcohol to six drinks per day (still a very generous amount unless you really want to spent your holiday drunk, which most people don't.) And if you want to drink more than that then you pay for it.

Why should those who stick to drinking a couple of drinks a day have to subsidise those who want to drink in great quantities (and six drinks a day is for most people a huge amount.) It possibly also is for other reasons such as pressure on the local health system? Drunks are such a problem for local hospitals, A&E etc.

Alondra · 30/04/2022 16:13

newname12345 · 30/04/2022 15:36

A number of the hotels that currently offer AI aren't though in locations where there is lots of options to eat/drink nearby other than at the hotel. The last couple of AI hotels we've stayed at I definitely wouldn't have chosen if they weren't AI, as if I am paying for meals/drinks separately I want lots of options.

The doctors though you mention I don't think were staying at an AI hotel/resort anyway?

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Maybe hotels that can't offer AI, shouldn't be operating? Many resorts are going to go under in the next few years because food, drinks and staff availability are not going to make it possible to be profitable.

the80sweregreat · 30/04/2022 16:22

Alondra , sorry I spelt your user name wrong earlier in one of my posts.
Anyway, have to see what difference these rules make to people and if they will just go elsewhere next year or how it affects the hotels that will enforce the six drink allowances.
I'm still convinced it's the start of a sea change regarding holidays abroad in general.

Alondra · 30/04/2022 16:28

the80sweregreat · 30/04/2022 16:22

Alondra , sorry I spelt your user name wrong earlier in one of my posts.
Anyway, have to see what difference these rules make to people and if they will just go elsewhere next year or how it affects the hotels that will enforce the six drink allowances.
I'm still convinced it's the start of a sea change regarding holidays abroad in general.

Like you, I think this is the start of the end of the cheap holidays abroad with everything included. It's not sustainable with the job market, food, drink and social issues.

sqirrelfriends · 30/04/2022 16:32

Alondra · 30/04/2022 14:35

I can imagine that actually living in areas with a high number of tourists that can't control their drinking habits must be awful , but most people who go to an AI place don't (generally) move around outside the hotel if their sole aim is to drink all day and not do much else

One of the social problems that's never talked about in the UK press unless there is a tragedy, is the amount of parents that will leave young kids in their rooms while they go having cocktails at night in the resort. Parents that will NEVER leave a 3/4 y.o. at home alone in the UK while they go to the pub, do so on holidays and resort staff are sick and tired or finding young kids crying on corridors looking for their parents. It's not just young single people getting pissed and vomiting all over the place. It's balconing, it's kids beeing left on their own in hotel rooms, it's big issues attached to the binge drinking that goes with untapped drink as much as you want. Something needs to get done.

People really leave their young kids in hotel rooms alone?! We had noticed people without their kids later at night but always assumed they had employed a babysitter.

Alondra · 30/04/2022 16:37

sqirrelfriends · 30/04/2022 16:32

People really leave their young kids in hotel rooms alone?! We had noticed people without their kids later at night but always assumed they had employed a babysitter.

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Yes, people leave their young kids in the rooms at home and rarely (never) employ a baby sitter in a AI cheap holiday.

Alondra · 30/04/2022 16:38

alone instead of home

Ponderingwindow · 30/04/2022 16:40

I’m not a big drinker and I would find that annoying.

my idea of a perfect holiday is finding a shady spot near the pool with a bar and spending the day reading, taking the occasional dip, and slowly sipping on a watered down cocktail from the preferably swim up bar. That really only works at an all inclusive where you don’t need to carry anything.

I also don’t want to drink 3 drinks in one sitting. That holds absolutely no appeal. 3 drinks with lunch or dinner and I will definitely be feeling it. The same spread out over the day and it’s just a nice relaxed vacation with my fruity cocktail.

Wakemeuuuup · 30/04/2022 16:43

Thus would cause me to drink more as I'd never drink 3 drinks with lunch normally but I definitely would if it's the only time I could have them

AiryFairyLights · 30/04/2022 17:31

I think you’ll find it means you’ll only get 6 (free) all inclusive drinks per day each - any others you’ll have to pay for!

AnnieSnap · 30/04/2022 18:07

I like the idea of this since I’ve been put off AI by the excessive drinking and drunkenness. I also like a couple of cocktails by the pool though. I think it’s a bit punitive to confine the permitted drinks to meals. If they used and electronic pass or tokens to allow more flexibility, it would be better.

Jellywellyfish · 30/04/2022 18:13

It’s only select hotels. We’re off to menorca in two weeks and our hotel isn’t effected. I think it’s hotels in livelier towns can enforce the rule if they want to. It’s not mandatory

TheJade · 30/04/2022 18:34

I don’t drink at all at home but on holiday I like to have a few drinks.

even as a non drinker I’m miffed by the 6 drink per day rule - it isn’t the all inclusive mantra 🥲 I’ll be booking turkey for me next holiday rather than Spain!

Bunchymcbunchface · 30/04/2022 18:53

Wouldn’t do for me!
I very rarely drink - ever
the occasional night out, but usually I drive instead. Always wine in the house, but I don’t bother.
but on holiday?! I’m on holiday FGS, I start on the cocktails by 10am! I rarely get drunk as they’re so watered down anyways.
But the fact is, it’s MY holiday, I’ve paid for it. Myself and my OH especially work seriously hard all year to have 2 weeks in the sun and if I want to drink then I’m going to.

Scoobydoobydo · 30/04/2022 18:55

I'd be furious

MarchingOnTogether · 30/04/2022 18:56

Definitely not BU. Personally I doubt I'd drink 6 in a day on holiday, I'm.not a big drinker. But I'm more likely to have one in afternoon by pool, maybe one with dinner and a couple of cocktails in the evening. These restrictions would totally spoil my holiday, 6 drinks at a time of my choosing would be much better but even then, I resent being treated like I can't regulate my own alcohol intake

Puzzledandpissedoff · 30/04/2022 18:56

Hard to blame them really, when you see the mess drunks make of some of these places - but if they just go somewhere else to drink then the problem spreads

Crossfitwidow · 30/04/2022 19:02

To save anyone the blind panic I went into at the thought of not spending my 10 day holiday in Majorca in a permanent state of drink- induced merriment (don’t judge!) it literally applies to like 3 resorts across 3 islands and not the whole island.

I’m quite capable of not drinking for months on end at home and lead a busy/fulfilling life but fuck that! 24/7 with my husband and kids….I’m drinking!

withiceplease · 30/04/2022 19:06

It's not all drinks - just alcoholic ones! 3 included at lunch and dinner. Pay for alcoholic ones in bar but not soft drinks.
It's certain areas not certain hotels that this covers - but that's not to say individual hotels elsewhere can't set their own limits iyswim
The drunkest folk I have seen by a country mile were Russians at AI in Egypt years ago. I was ordering coffee at 1030am poolside and the waiter was pouring huge tumblers of scotch. I said to DD that it seemed a bit much so early. The waiter heard and said 'Russians' and rolled his eyes. Men literally staggering at dinner being held up by family. Never seen a Brit like that at any AI's I've been to

Jo586 · 30/04/2022 19:09

About time, the booze culture on holiday is pretty awful for the locals. Hopefully reduce people getting bladdered on free booze.

abblie · 30/04/2022 19:39

As far as I'm reading it's only the balearic island is affected. We are heading to salou I'm waiting on jet2 and my hotel to confirm if they are affected

Lopoem · 30/04/2022 19:53

Those saying it's a lot of alcohol are kind of missing the point. It's being dictated when you can have them. I don't drink in the day. I also don't drink with my evening meal. We tend to eat early with our children. I do however enjoy a couple of glasses of wine after the kids have gone to bed. This, despite being only a third of what you are allowed in a day, would not be allowed as it's not with a meal. We always self cater, but I can see why those paying a premium for AI are annoyed by this.

thenightsky · 30/04/2022 20:04

Bunchymcbunchface · 30/04/2022 18:53

Wouldn’t do for me!
I very rarely drink - ever
the occasional night out, but usually I drive instead. Always wine in the house, but I don’t bother.
but on holiday?! I’m on holiday FGS, I start on the cocktails by 10am! I rarely get drunk as they’re so watered down anyways.
But the fact is, it’s MY holiday, I’ve paid for it. Myself and my OH especially work seriously hard all year to have 2 weeks in the sun and if I want to drink then I’m going to.

I think this sums it up for me too. I don't want 3 drinks with lunch. I want many drinks, but taken when I want to to take them! Some days I want to have beer by the pool, some days I don't. Some days I want cocktails before dinner. Some days I want spirits after dinner.

Bunnyfuller · 30/04/2022 20:09

So if this was brought in in 2020 then holiday was sold with this in place presumably?

seems a bit cheeky tbh. I doubt those paying for an AI holiday are the ones creating public drunkenness out and about.

cancel and go elsewhere!

Hutchy16 · 30/04/2022 20:13

To the people putting YABU just because they think six is enough…come on, have a think first.

nobody is saying that six isn’t enough, what they are saying is that they paid for all inclusive, now it’s not. Also, there are rules about when you can have drinks…someone might want just 2 drinks but not until 10pm

use your brains before you say silly stuff lol