Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Thread gallery
7
gogohm · 30/04/2022 20:25

It's only part of Spain plus I'm sure hotels will be circumventing the regs. The hotel I stayed in didn't ask for a name or room at the bar so they didn't keep track

law050465 · 30/04/2022 20:27

Absolutely. I’ve only been to a couple of AIs and it’s always the English starting drinking at 9 o clock in the morning.

userxx · 30/04/2022 20:29

law050465 · 30/04/2022 20:27

Absolutely. I’ve only been to a couple of AIs and it’s always the English starting drinking at 9 o clock in the morning.

The Americans in Mexico make us Brit's look like amateurs.

brookstar · 30/04/2022 20:38

The Americans in Mexico make us Brit's look like amateurs.

That was my experience in Jamaica too

dianthus101 · 30/04/2022 20:44

I would be annoyed too. I probably don't ever drink that much in a day but DH could do it easily without being drunk. You should have been told of the restrictions before you paid.

dianthus101 · 30/04/2022 20:50

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.

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.

You could say that about food and soft drinks too which is probably just as expensive in Spain. Ultimately if you don't eat or drink much perhaps of avoid AI.

CillianMurphyfanclub · 30/04/2022 21:06

My DH is currently in Ibiza on AI and they aren’t enforcing it in his hotel.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 30/04/2022 21:20

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

It’s only certain resorts in Majorca and Ibiza. That’s been confirmed many times on this thread plus googling it confirms the same. You’ve even said so yourself! The tour operators and hotels are going to be inundated with time wasting questions judging by this thread and social media. You are going to Salou which is not in Majorca or Ibiza so there is no need to wait on confirmation from anyone. The hotel will likely have no idea what you’re taking about as the UK media have whipped up a frenzy over a change that came in over two years ago!

Bignanny30 · 30/04/2022 21:26

How is it all inclusive, if things are limited? I’d be pissed off too!

Blantw · 30/04/2022 21:55

They're trying to do something about the problems alcohol and the idiots that go too far cause. I'm pleased the Spanish are proactive.

Catslave67 · 30/04/2022 22:20

You are right to be annoyed. The whole point of AI is that you can have what you want when you want. It’s a total nanny state to tell you what you can do on holiday and does not make for a relaxing holiday. I have never seen so many posts assuming that people who go on AI holidays just want to get bladdered. I have been on many, mainly when the children were small as it was easy and once the holiday was paid for that was it. I think if the rule is 6 drinks it shouldn’t be sold as AI because it’s not. After visiting mainland Spain earlier this month and receiving what I would only describe as a hostile ‘welcome’ at the airport this news has confirmed to me that booking to go Turkey was the right move.

EmeraldShamrock1 · 30/04/2022 22:26

It's a smart move to save money on binge drinkers or those who never leave the complex for the entire holiday.

It's more than enough per day when inclusive.

hihellohihello · 30/04/2022 22:33

The whole point of AI is that you can have what you want when you want.

I just assumed it includes meals and drinks. Not that you could eat and drink non stop. 6 units a day is more than twice health recommendations as it is. Why would you actually want to drink more than that? But then I don't go on AI holidays. The closest I have got to it is chalet holidays when skiing. But then you get, breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea. You get wine with dinner. That's it. It's not limitless.

Delatron · 30/04/2022 22:57

If you pay for AI then you shouldn’t be policed on drinks/food etc. That’s the point of paying the premium.

Posters saying ‘well 6 is enough’ are missing the point.

Brits are always labelled as the worst, agree with those who’ve seen the Americans drink on holiday in Mexico.. We were in Mexico/Costa Rica recently and they were drinking in the swim up bars from about 10am. All day.
Felt quite restrained not having a cocktail until after lunch and I like a drink!

PlasticineMeg · 30/04/2022 23:00

We recently cancelled a AI holiday and I’m so pleased as I like to have half pints throughout the day by the pool, and I don’t drink alcohol with my food so I’d have been fuming! Sympathies OP, it’s a lot to spend all to have Rola Cola throughout the day

dianthus101 · 01/05/2022 00:06

It's not just the fact that the drinks are restricted, it's the fact that you have to have them with lunch and dinner. I wouldn't want to drink everyday and I wouldn't want to drink at lunch times and would be annoyed at not being allowed to have four drinks a couple in the evenings without food.

Rollergirl999 · 01/05/2022 00:29

It’s only 3 resorts in Majorca- Magaluf, El Arsenal and Playa de Palma I understand from travel agent friend

chaosmaker · 01/05/2022 00:32

Brilliant, if alcohol was introduced as a new drug today it would not be the free for all it currently is and would be rated dangerous. I'd add a total ban on selling any and all tobacco and smoking (vapes etc) products globally :) Life would be so much better

sjpkgp1 · 01/05/2022 00:59

ReadyToMoveIt · 29/04/2022 16:53

It’s irrelevant how many drinks other posters consider ‘enough’. What matters are whether the terms and conditions have been changed significantly since you booked the holiday.
I’ve never been AI, but if I had paid on the basis that all food and alcohol was included in the price and then a limit and conditionals were later imposed, I’d be a bit put out.
If it was already in the terms and conditions at the time of booking, then I wouldn’t have a problem.

This.
Whatever our own personal holiday and drinking preferences are - and to an extent, the impact of the behaviour of others to on own enjoyment. The rules might not necessarily stop some of the issues anyway.

Mirw · 01/05/2022 01:16

You are going on holiday to drink? What about your kids? Bit selfish? Don't go 8nclusive them you can drink yourself under as many tables as you want to. But remember if you do it, your kids will follow suit when they can!

BarbaraofSeville · 01/05/2022 06:06

hihellohihello · 30/04/2022 22:33

The whole point of AI is that you can have what you want when you want.

I just assumed it includes meals and drinks. Not that you could eat and drink non stop. 6 units a day is more than twice health recommendations as it is. Why would you actually want to drink more than that? But then I don't go on AI holidays. The closest I have got to it is chalet holidays when skiing. But then you get, breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea. You get wine with dinner. That's it. It's not limitless.

The 'health recommendations' are numbers that are plucked out of the air and if anything, are a recommendation to follow most of the time, ie don't get into the habit of drinking large amounts every day, not as a one off on holiday.

People go on holiday to relax and to free themselves from the mundanity of every day life. Not to stick to 'health recommendations' that they may or may not put on themselves at home.

CeeJay81 · 01/05/2022 06:22

Its only the party resorts on Majorca and Ibiza. Only piss heads would want to go there in the first place. The rest of the resorts where you would go if you've you've children or just want a relaxing holiday are not affected.

It's hardly a big deal. Those 18-30 type resorts have never appealed to me, even when I was younger. I can't think of hything worse. The Spanish government just want to change their reputation.

newname12345 · 01/05/2022 06:22

Mirw · 01/05/2022 01:16

You are going on holiday to drink? What about your kids? Bit selfish? Don't go 8nclusive them you can drink yourself under as many tables as you want to. But remember if you do it, your kids will follow suit when they can!

Missing the point entirely. This isn't about the amount, its about the when. This is about being able to have a cocktail or beer by the pool in the afternoon, and again while watching the show in the evening. Totally responsible drinking whilst on holiday.

This is basically encouraging the wrong attitude to drinking - ie binge drinking at lunch/dinner.

exLtEveDallas · 01/05/2022 06:31

This is basically encouraging the wrong attitude to drinking - ie binge drinking at lunch/dinner

Agreed. Thinking about it I never have a drink at lunchtime or dinner. I might have a shandy at around 12, a cocktail or two in the afternoon, a drink before dinner and then a few in the evening. I could easily do more than 6 between 12 pm and 12 am, but none of them would be with meals and most would be very well spaced.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 01/05/2022 06:37

Mirw · 01/05/2022 01:16

You are going on holiday to drink? What about your kids? Bit selfish? Don't go 8nclusive them you can drink yourself under as many tables as you want to. But remember if you do it, your kids will follow suit when they can!

ODFOD. You are allowed to drink even if you have kids. I'm sure they're not planning on getting shit faced.

Swipe left for the next trending thread