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!

Well, you're essentially saying here that because you'd be happy with a 6 drink limit then everyone else should be too.

I just like everyone to be happy. This 6 drink limit is unlikely to change back to limitless drinks so why not make the most of the holiday by looking at it from a different perspective?

Also to the thimble full of sherry at Christmas brigade, please shut up.

Well, Sherry is best drunk in small glasses! But I'd like a glass of champagne after that, I think. Sherry is an aperitif.

If you "def have more than 6 a day on holiday" then I'd say you're still a big drinker.

The irony of all this is that it probably won't change the behaviour of the big drinkers and will probably put off the affluent families that they want to attract.

Younger people who want to go to Magaluf and party on 'the strip' will still do that and just stay in SC accommodation and affluent families won't pay a premium to stay in high end AI if they won't be able to have a cocktail by the pool in the afternoon or after dinner in the evening without paying extra. Plus it will take a lot for those people to go to Magaluf in the first place because they're perfectly happy with Puerto Pollensa.

Of course I am aware! It's just I marvel a bit at how you can enjoy it, process that much food and alcohol whilst being largely inactive, from what I can gather from this. Not get bored or too hot and bothered and burnt. I think I would have a raging headache and heat rash by the third day if not sooner and just be dying to stretch my legs, see and do stuff.

I don't believe you are 'marvelling' at all. It's just an excuse to talk about how you do things better.
Numerous people have explained why they like AI holidays, how it's not all about the drinking, how they still get the opportunity to go sight seeing and experience local culture.
So either you're being superior or your struggling to understand what people are telling you.

I live a very hectic, active life. I look forward to a few days where I get to slow down and relax by a pool and read. Does that mean I spend all week not moving - no it doesn't. But even if it did, why is that a problem?

I can't get past the £7.5 k cost for a holiday in Majorca. We did all inclusive in Mexico for £1200. (admittedly only 2 of us.) but this much seems extortionate and I don't blame you For being upset about the drinks thing.

'Only pissheads would want to go there' What nonsense. Playa de Palma can be lovely, calming and a family holiday close to Palma for day trips etc.

The problem area is Arenal along that part of coast. It's joined to playa de Palma

ALERT! It's not Brits so much of a problem there, it's the Germans. Signage changes to German as you leave playa de Palma area and enter arenal along the promenade. Large groups of German men, in football strips, carrying portable speakers with drinking songs playing (like um pa pa style). Loud, shouting, drunk and leering at women in a way I had never seen before.
Tbh its fine in the day - just early evening onwards.
Thank goodness I was AI as went back to a calm dining room and bar.

I've no clue about Magaluf

So it's not just Brits causing problems as appears assumed on here.
It also seems assumed that everyone stuffs themselves at each meal and just lies by the pool all day amoeba like drifting around engulfing food. Not true.

I don't think this is a new law, I read about it ages ago. Am slightly confused though as I went AI to Majorca last July and there was no such rule in place.

But the reality is, if this is being enforced, people will go elsewhere if they want a true all inclusive. Why would you pay a lot of money for something you're not getting when you get there. The whole point of all inclusive is having your food and drink costs covered up front.

One of the things I've liked about the AI holidays I've been on is that they often have a really nice gym and they offer few fitness classes. There's something really nice about exercising outside early in the morning overlooking the sea.

Majorca is beautiful and we have been on family holidays there. It was absolutely lovely. We just didn't go to the usual party places, but the island itself is gorgeous with perfect weather. I think this rule is ridiculous and I don't drink much. It will definitely put families off from coming.

I don't think £600 pp in Mexico is typical though? That must have been very budget food, drink and accommodation or some kind of last minute bargain or similar?

You can't get a flight to Mexico, a nice hotel and nice food and drink for that price surely? For reasonably good quality, that's European B&B money more like?

I'm not particularly surprised by that sort of price given that it's high end, school holidays, a family rather than a couple and probably two weeks, so you have twice as long, twice as many people, peak time and 'luxury' to pay for so it's not really surprising that it's several multiples of the price of a week for a couple at a cheaper time of year and probably a less luxurious standard.

If you feel strongly about it op, see if you can swap resorts.

I'm not sure why some posters think Spanish people don't go to all inclusive. We've just come back from an all inclusive (in one of the islands mentioned but no limit on drinks) and it was a majority of Spanish and German. Which is what we usually go for. Not an English breakfast in sight. Meals were mainly salads, fresh fish, seafood meat and paella alongside pizza etc. There was a good choice every meal. No theme nights thankfully

I like to have a random small white wine and soda when I fancy it alongside soft drinks. The thought of having to have 3 drinks at the same time does not appeal to me
There was only one mildly tiddled person in the day we saw in holiday and she was German.

So either you're being superior or your struggling to understand what people are telling you.

I am struggling to understand. To put myself in their shoes and imagine enjoying it. I can't say whether my way is superior. However, let's face it - I wouldn't be upset by a 6 unit limit. So if not more superior it's at least happier which I'll settle for. 🙂

There are 6 of them and are probably going in school holidays. It's really not that expensive when you look at the cost of holidays nowadays.

Only 2 of you (the OP has 6 DC) and I assume not in the summer school holidays. Unfortunately that price seems pretty normal to me.

Sorry meant 4 DC - 6 in total.

Anyone made one drink last three days for a family of four yet?

I am struggling to understand. To put myself in their shoes and imagine enjoying it. I can't say whether my way is superior. However, let's face it - I wouldn't be upset by a 6 unit limit. So if not more superior it's at least happier which I'll settle for. 🙂

But nobody is asking you to drink more than you are comfortable with. I'm capable of understanding that some people don't like drinking or don't like lazy beach type holidays. Everyone is different and it's not too difficult a concept to get your head around. Why can't you appreciate that people might like a different type of holiday to the one you would choose?
You've talked about skiing. I genuinely have no desire to go skiing. It's not for me but I can I understand why others like it.

While a 6 drink limit might make you happier, it doesn't mean it will make everyone happier. Your way works best for you but it doesn't mean it's best for everyone!

It would be interesting to find out if the people who are so damning of all inclusives and sitting around the pool all day (although I've never known anyone to do that for the whole holiday) either work full time or have young children? Or is it just me goes on holiday to recharge and relax after spreading myself thin (and DH too, not just me) with full time work, children and just generally having a life?

Still go for walks, go to the gym, do trips but not busy all day.

People will go elsewhere
Good! I hate this 'i go on hols to get pissed everyday' attitude you see all the time. I'll be much more likely to pick going there now as most of my friends who would never think of having more than 6 drinks a day.

This is exactly why we choose AI too.

Such sweeping generations on this thread. People who would never go to Spain because of all the drunken Brits. (even though that behaviour is a few streets in a few resorts, and there are just as many drunk Dutch/German/Belgian tourists). Everyone leaves their kids in the rooms all night and goes out to get plastered. People who go on AI just sit around the pool all day drinking while their children drown in the pool or run riot. The food is rubbish.

You all know that Benidorm is a drama/comedy and not a documentary, don't you?

Whereas those of us who actually have been on AI holidays and have witnessed first hand the behaviour of our fellow guests are what, lying? Because I haven't seen anyone falling over drunk, ever. And it's perfectly possible to leave the hotel and see the local area - they don't lock you in. So last AI in Fuerteventura (pre-pandemic) we hired a car for the week, we had a day out at a local wildlife park where the kids fed giraffes, we did lots of wandering round the local village, we went to a turtle rescue place - we were out of the hotel every day!

It is snobbery. People think going self-catering is more worthy and that people who go on package holidays are so unsophisticated and inferior.

While a 6 drink limit might make you happier, it doesn't mean it will make everyone happier. Your way works best for you but it doesn't mean it's best for everyone!

No, but it could - if they changed their minds. My point was the aim is to be happy or at least context with something like this if you can't change it. Otherwise, that really is money wasted. Look at it as an opportunity to change things up and enjoy some different things.

You've quoted me there, and assumed that I 'go on holiday to get pissed every day.' Such snobbery. I (and many others) simply want to get what I pay for. Holidays are expensive. Off you fuck to Majorca then, I will be going somewhere else. The world is a big place.

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