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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

All inclusive

68 replies

santastolemycat · 28/03/2023 16:38

Looking to go away for a week at easter with DH and DS aged 3.
I am 6 months pregnant.
I am trying to convince my DH that we do not need to go all inclusive mainly because 2/3 of us will barely see the benefit.
Half board is much cheaper and he can buy as many bloody drinks as he wants while I sip my diet coke.
AIBU?!

OP posts:
whoruntheworldgirls · 28/03/2023 17:29

Honestly i get where he's coming from, that kind of holiday we always do AI, no worry about the bill at the end of the holiday or keeping track of what you've spent, it's just nice and easy, child can try lots off little bits of new foods rather than pay for something and risk it being wasted or having to stick to what you'd have a home, it's a good way to get them to try new things. Plus plenty of slush drinks/ice cream/milkshakes/fruit to keep hydrated. You can have mocktails.

BarbaraofSeville · 28/03/2023 17:31

Do you expect to go out and about most days or stay in the hotel?

If the price gap is large you can still buy drinks with dinner etc and it cost less than AI. Plus you can also get drinks and ice creams while at the beach etc.

Meandfour · 28/03/2023 17:34

ZeroWorshipHere · 28/03/2023 17:24

It’s not the OP being shitty here

Show quote history

I asked why 2 people who presumably eat 3 meals a day and drink throughout the day usually wouldn’t benefit from AI. What was shitty about that exactly?

Drifta · 28/03/2023 17:35

Book half board. When you get there, ask at reception how much it would add to upgrade to AI, and decide from that.

I do love AI, not for the alcohol but just the not having to think!

BarbaraofSeville · 28/03/2023 17:36

@whoruntheworldgirls They can still try new foods at breakfast and dinner, it's only lunch they don't get in the hotel.

Plus many hotels have a fridge in the room so you can get drinks and snacks from local stores.

Original poster
santastolemycat · 28/03/2023 17:37

DashboardConfessional · 28/03/2023 17:00

Easter as in next week Easter? Booking now? Are you a millionaire? 😁

I'd just pay the extra for my 3 year old's snacks alone.

Sadly not a millionaire!
Theres actually a lot of last minute deals at the moment that aren’t too pricey.

OP posts:
VivaVivaa · 28/03/2023 17:40

I don’t drink alcohol at all and we went AI with our then 2 yo, so same situation as you. DH drinks very minimally. We still loved it and would 100% do AI again, as it was so, so easy to feed DS and not have to worry about getting in shopping or finding somewhere to eat. I wouldn’t let the alcohol situation put you off personally. Full board would be the best solution for you, but I’d go AI over half board with a toddler most definitely.

DogsDryWineAndCheese · 28/03/2023 17:43

Meandfour · 28/03/2023 17:34

I asked why 2 people who presumably eat 3 meals a day and drink throughout the day usually wouldn’t benefit from AI. What was shitty about that exactly?

Show quote history

Your initial post wasn’t shitty but your subsequent two posts had a really shitty tone.

LimeCheesecake · 28/03/2023 17:46

There’s a lot to be said for knowing what you’ll be spending upfront, not having to get a toddler properly dressed and walk round to find somewhere for lunch everyone can agree on (that doesn’t involve the toddler having “something and chips” daily), for you/your dc just being able to get as many soft drinks and icecreams as wanted, also many AI do an afternoon tea that keeps little ones going until dinner time.

we’ve done both half board and AI when our dcs were little and did find overall we spent less with AI, even though I don’t drink much.

(We’re going self catering this year, I’m not expecting it to be as much of a holiday as normal. But budgets etc)

amylou8 · 28/03/2023 17:51

I don't drink but still go all inclusive. I'd not even given any thought to the not drinking the alcohol bit to be honest. It's still convenient for the snacks and soft drinks, an extra meal over half board, and the price difference is generally minimal.

Hintofreality · 28/03/2023 17:53

All Inclusive is my idea of hell, being tagged and then having to queue at a buffett to be fed is more like being in prison than a holiday.

KnittingNeedles · 28/03/2023 17:53

I don't drink. I love all inclusive - you can drink as many soft drinks as you like, coffees, water, ice cream, mocktails.

And your 3 year old doesn't come into the equation, as he wouldn't be drinking anyway, would he?

anerki101 · 28/03/2023 17:54

None of us drink. DH doesn't. I don't. DS at 4 obviously doesn't. Still do AI. Unlimited soft drinks, snacks and ice cream is a winner. We all love that stuff. Takes away all the hassle. I don't see why you wouldn't get the benefit of AI just because you don't drink?

Nottodayicant · 28/03/2023 17:55

I don't drink and I love AI.

KnittingNeedles · 28/03/2023 17:58

Agree it takes away the hassle. You don't have to make sure you have euros with you to buy a drink, or sign paper at the bar, or mentally keep track of what you're spending because it's all sorted up front.

And before someone says it (as they always do), it's not compulsory to never leave the hotel. Many people like the simplicity and ease of AI, and also going out for lunches or evening meals every few days. In our case, it means DH and I can go out in the evening and leave the teens at the hotel, knowing they will just be able to get food and drink when they want.

GrandTheftWalrus · 28/03/2023 18:00

We went AI in September and it was great, even just for soft drinks/water during the day. Went self catering in February and it was tough trying to get dd(6) to understand we had to pay for everything so she couldn't just get a drink and then say she didn't want it etc.

So next holiday will be AI again. With 2 kids it will be expensive but worth it.

DrManhattan · 28/03/2023 18:00

I'd avoid the all inclusive as it probably would be a waste. Its better to go somewhere nice and eat what you actually want x

Obi73 · 28/03/2023 18:05

Depends on the hotel you’re staying in. Some AI offer access to private areas and extra privileges plus if you’ve a little one the clubs are usually included. It’s not always about alcohol and drinks.

Obi73 · 28/03/2023 18:07

Hintofreality · 28/03/2023 17:53

All Inclusive is my idea of hell, being tagged and then having to queue at a buffett to be fed is more like being in prison than a holiday.

They aren’t all like that, the ones we visit are traditional order and served at your table with menus etc - I love an AI!

turnthebiglightoff · 28/03/2023 18:08

ALWAYS all inclusive with a small kid. Always.

Albiboba · 28/03/2023 18:09

santastolemycat · 28/03/2023 16:40

I am pregnant and my 3 year old doesn’t really drink alcohol yet!

You aren’t paying an adult price for a toddler though so that’s irrelevant.

begoneday · 28/03/2023 18:13

Unless a very nice AI, the alcohol tends to be awful anyway. We do AI if we are after a fly and flop holiday or if it’s somewhere we’ve been before and have less exploring to do. Nothing to do with the alcohol. It’s just easier than planning trips out to restaurants for breakfast and or dinner.

begoneday · 28/03/2023 18:15

turnthebiglightoff · 28/03/2023 18:08

ALWAYS all inclusive with a small kid. Always.

Also this. No waiting for food to arrive , lots of choice. It’s just easier. You can also eat whenever you like so toddlers never reach the crisis point of hangriness.

AlexaFeedMyKids · 28/03/2023 18:20

What's the price difference? We don't go AI just for the drinks, it's everything. The food, the snacks, the soft drinks. Still worth it without alcohol.

honeylulu · 28/03/2023 18:21

I also love the ease of AI and not worrying about having enough money while we are there. In recent years we've done non AI only a handful of times. Week in apartment in Corfu when the only holiday we could afford was a budget one. Did our own breakfast/lunch/drinks in the apartment and just ate out in the evenings but some meals (family of 4) were around the 80-90 £ mark and these were not flash places! Week in Scotland- AI not an option. Two weeks in Thailand - the beach restaurants are soooo cheap and great quality there is no need to do AI to save money. Big fridge in room for some nice cold beer and Coke from the local shop. Have never been to an all inclusive where the food was horrible. From memory the best ones were Zante, The Algarve, Tunisia and Fuerteventura. The food seems nicest at AI when there isn't a huge variety because they do a few things at a time but do those really well.