all inclusive and allergies

[supercallafrager]

How do all inclusive hotels usually deal with allergies in your experience? Do they take special measures or is it just like going to a restaurant, you choose things which don't contain the foods you are allergic to?

I think you’d have to have things set aside, or go to one that cooks off a menu, as every buffet in AI I’ve been to has mixing spoons, mislabelled dishes etc. even if adults are good, the kids come along and mix it up.

Agree with this. Definitely don't risk anything from a buffet

I'd say it depends on the allergy and the risk you're willing to take.

It really depends on the hotel. Some are great, some not so great. Can be really difficult to manage and mean some bland meals to avoid the risk. Trip advisor etc is your friend in learning how others have experienced it so helping you pick.

in fairness if you pick right it can be easier than managing restaurants. One thing I’ve learnt is preparing and having a card you can carry around with you in the local language explain the allergy can make life much easier

My allergies aren't life threatening, and to be honest I wouldn't eat at an all inclusive if they were. Most all inclusive hotels I've stayed at have been a nightmare for allergies - cross contamination, miss labelling, staff saying the food doesn't include XYZ when it clearly does.
The nicer hotels we've stayed at have been good. At one 5* adults only hotel, the chef showed me exactly what I could and couldn't eat and said to flag him down if I had any questions at all throughout our stay, offered to make me separate food or keep food to one side if cross contamination was an issue.

We stay in 5* all inclusive.

At check in, I ask for the head chef (I also email in advance of arrival).

I arrange with the head chef how I’ll get my meals - it’s either I tell them what I want them to cook for me, or I choose from what is free of my allergens and on the buffet day (varies by hotel) - but either way they’re prepared in the kitchen and brought directly to me. I can’t eat from buffets due to cross contamination risk.

I have not had any issues with this.

If you have life threatening allergies I wouldn’t risk going to an AI where anyone could touch anything

There are however many AI that have chefs behind a counter preparing or slicing food which will be safer or separate restaurants on site you can book with table service

List some of the AI you’re interested in and posters can advise from their experience there

As said, it depends on the allergies and the country. I've seen the most common allergens on the food name plaque.

We are travelling to an AI soon booked through Jet2. My friend has gluten intolerance (not an allergy) and she is flagged for ‘special assistance’ on our booking. In practice this means that on arrival she will discuss her needs with chef. No idea what happens after that though.

I've always been very wary of AI because I think it's multiplying the risk to put responsibility for all the meals in someone else's hands (my children have anaphylaxis though) . I would also worry what they would eat if I got there and concluded the system wasn't as safe as I needed it to be, or if the safe food options were very limited

We get a villa with a pool and self cater but then if we find a restaurant we are comfortable with we will eat there a few times. Croatia and Italy have both been good experiences restaurant wise

Anaphylaxis - absolutely fucking not.

i’m lactose intolerant and I eat stuff that it is clear doesn’t have lactose in. It’s just a nasty night on the loo if I get it wrong though.

My dad gets given a menu in the morning to select his meal for the evening. For breakfast and lunch, they prepared him something separately.

people mixing serving utensils and cross contamination is the issue I found out this year - I’m definitely not allergic to salad!
hotels however are usually good where we go - chefs will prepare food separately for me and the food is well labelled but buffets anywhere are always going to be risky.

This is one of the reasons we wouldn’t do AI. We’d be paying for something, but DH (several anaphylactic allergies) and I (coeliac) probably wouldn’t be able to have many options, so would be a waste of money.

Thanks for all the answers!

I'd be interested to know!

This sounds great! I wonder if the 4 stars are as good.

I stay regularly in a Bahia Principe and that is good too. Their policies are by chain rather than star rating