All inclusive resort holiday

[AmenAmin]

Firstly I know this sounds ungrateful. For context my children haven’t been abroad, I haven’t ever been on a package holiday. We don’t have much spare money.

An aunt has come into money and offered to book a holiday as a treat, with set ideas. Sun, abroad, all inclusive. Obviously it’s a wonderful offer and we’ve excitedly expressed gratitude. She’s wanting to book it and gift it, lovely offer:

I’ve not said anything, but now looking at some links…. are they really fun with children? Especially with limited funds to do other things? It seems a lot of extra activities, eg pool tables, will be paid and realistically children aren’t going to just sit and read all day. Is it more of an adult break? Sleeping in one hotel room, even if a family room, sounds not massively restful either (I’ve never been to a hotel, am I wrong?). I’m just a tad worried it could all be stressful. Squeezed together for a week in close proximity, stuck to a site, hot and bored kids! Just me and children of mixed ages.

Can anyone tell me what it’s really like?

Mark Warner is super expensive.

There will be activities laid on during the day and it's completely up to you/your kids whether you get involved or not. We went AI last year and the activities were open to all, no age limits although younger children were accompanied by parents. Things like yoga, archery, water polo, aerobics in the water, salsa dancing, football, basketball. They would post up a list of what was going on that day at the entrance to the restaurant where you had breakfast and then if you wanted to take part you just turned up. My kids got involved in everything, made loads of friends and had a blast.

Depending on where you are going, they tended to organise things between about 10am and 1pm, then again 4pm to 6pm ish. Kids club was for much younger children, under 8s.

My daughter loves the AI resorts, we book ones with a kids club/play area and pool slides. She loves that she can try lots of different foods in small amounts without worry of wasting it, especially loves the supply of ice cream/slushy drinks 😂
She's never shown interest in pool tables etc, just happy in the pool and in an evening at the mini disco.

We did our first all in last year with children of these ages. It was awesome. There were so many activities, a pool with slides ... the pool we tended to use was small enough that we could keep an eye on them, plus they are all good swimmers so the adults (and my less active teen) could just sit and read while keeping an eye on them. There was entertainment every night, ours didn't use the kids clubs at all but would join in all the activities available. And it's so good to just let them get drinks whenever they want!

I think people can be a bit snobbish about them on MN but really we had the best time.

AI is the way forward with kids......just ask you Aunt books accommodation with separate sleeping areas to suit you all. Plenty of places have 1/2 bed apartments with a living space. And it's literally for sleeping in.

There are AI places where you can have an apartment and separate sleeping areas. They don’t have to cost a fortune. On the TUI website you can search for these (Easyjet too I think).

At that age many want to spend their entire time in the pool, though the youth teams do have 'clubs and entertainment for this age too - a lot is sport based but with the emphasis on fun more than competition.

Unless going to an adults only version, many all inc are very much geared up to families and children of all ages.

Pick a resort with on site water park and access to a beach. That'll cover every day

Do you think you are on some level looking for reasons not to go because you're nervous about it?

Rhos holidays are extortionate. To ask someone to pay for that would be CF to the extreme!

We just did our first one with 5yo DD. Not what I would have chosen pre-kids but perfect with children. Spent most of the day in the pool, couple little excursions. Food is so easy and you don’t need to stress about paying 3 euros for a lemonade when she only ever drinks half of it anyway 😆

It depends on if they like beaches, many hotels have free buses to the beach. Then there's some with water slides. I like Eygpt and Morocco for AL and your mom ney goes further, so you can do the alligator park etc. If you aren't going to leave then pick a holiday village in Turkey or Bulgaria (both places not £££).

I'm sure you'll live, especially as it's a freebie!

AI resorts are great. Pool or beach during the day, ice-creams and drinks that the kids can get for themselves without asking you for money, a show at night etc etc.

They’ll love it , and don’t worry about the room situation , it’s for shower / siesta / bed time , you’ll hardly spend any time in it

AI holidays are made for kids and young people. Pool time, sometimes water slides, activities, and family friends evening entertainment. They can make friends or sit around the pool on their phones. No pressure.

No worry about the endless requests for drinks and ice cream. Buffets and snack bars.

Without the kids I prefer being self catering or half board but AI is a pretty stress free holiday for all.

I have DC of 13 & 11. We love AI! Take a couple of inflatables for the pool and they will be more than happy to mess about on those all day!

Are your children generally very needy and difficult? Location doesn't change personality and behaviour that much, so if generally they are hard work then they still will be on holiday.

Can they swim? Can you swim? Presumably it comes with a pool (and slides?) for free but if you and the kids can't swim that will just be stressful. If you and they can swim, it will be fun.

Do they have particularly fussy food needs that can't be met by a diet of , worst case, ice cream, chicken nuggets and chips? AI should include pretty much all types of food but if they only eat one particular brand of cereal for breakfast lunch and dinner then that might be a problem. They usually serve food for the averagely fussy child eg chicken nuggets and chips.

Otherwise, just make sure it comes with air con if going anywhere reasonably hot, pack suncream, have fun.

It’s the only type of holiday we did when the children were young.

It’s brilliant not having to cook anything ever and also to let the kids go off and get their own snacks and drinks and ice creams during the day, it saves so much stress as well as money.

We stayed in one where there was a bar at children’s height, beside a lovely children’s pool, and the kids loved as it was so easy to go off and order their things and I didn’t even have to leave my lounger as they fetched my drinks and frozen yogurts and delivered them back to me… what’s not to like ?!

What kind of place would you like to stay ? The Tui blue hotels we have been in have been great and they have well run and had secure kids clubs with trained childcare staff. Have been to some holiday villages too that the kids loved but that I found a bit too chaotic. Both have children’s discos and entertainment in the evenings as well as daytime clubs.

I personally think all inclusive is very boring and gluttonous- but I can see with kids it’s easier. The pool and beach will be included so it depends what extras you’d want

Ahh I love an AI snob. Gluttonous 😂

Also, have you all got passports yet? I wouldn’t want to be committed to a date before that is sorted.

I agree with what many have said. An AI with a waterpark and kids clubs, plus various other activities going on for all ages is great. My dd is fussy with food and a buffet works well with that too. It's a proper relaxing holiday for the parents, with everything taken care off.

Look at TUI magic life who have lots of fully inclusive activities for this age group (and adults.) the one in fuerterentura is right on the beach. Yes all in one room but they can be out most the time. And (at least when I went) it really was ai, I spent nothing extra in the hotel (we did rent a car one day) but there's a public bus route to get out cheaply too.

Other thoughts are some have water parks attached, went to one in Ibiza like that (accidentally) that was right on the beach too. Budget matters, what is the max spend and when?

https://www.kiddieholidays.co.uk/toddler-friendly-hotels-with-waterparks-theme-parks-included/ have a look at a list like this and then maybe filter it down by convenience of airports, preferred weather, reviews etc.