Day 1 of holiday. Hell.

[gilesday]

This will come off really bad I appreciate that but sod it I have to speak my truth.

Day 1 of our family holiday we came to Greece. Have been excited for it. It’s all inclusive which is our second time, last year we did all inclusive and same thing I hated it. Don’t know why I thought it would be different but anyway.

I hate it. The hotel is just crap. The clientele are typical of what you would expect at an all inclusive and I just seriously regret it.

The thing is, I get I’m being a snob. Let’s be honest clearly we have the same budget as these people I’m slagging off (100k combined income) so should probably be a bit more humble, but I can’t. Every fibre of my being feels like I’m not built for this. I want better. I want luxury. I’m sooooo much more at home at high end places, where as the people here would probably feel uncomfortable there and like this better.

is anyone else like this?

What do I do, just avoid all inclusive from now on and stick to nicer hotels but just breakfast, eat out and explore more?

What do people do who are like me but equally don’t have the Dorchester budget?

Our seriously loaded and posh friends don't stay in hotels or rent villas they stay with friends or in family holiday homes. They don't go anywhere near the general public.

If you want luxury, you can get much more for your budget by booking regular hotels and eating out. And then you actually get to see the place you have visited and eat authentic local food as well.

All inclusive is for people who want to switch their brains off on holiday. Which is fine, but it's not for me.

I live AI but go 4/5 star. Meet lovely people. In fact, we now all go back together every year. I a bit of a snob but do think you pay your money and take your choice. Look at the top of the range Tui Blue. Mind you, I’ve never not enjoyed a holiday - you just have to go with it and make the best of it.

If the place isnt great, id just use it as a base to explore from.
I dont understand why you rebooked somewhere you hated. Does everyone else enjoy it?

This is a bit like saying "I don't like cars" because you bought two shit cars. Great cars are available to buy at every budget.

Do more research and don't buy shit cars.

You need an Ikos hotel in your life.

I hear you op. We went to an amazing luxury resort in the Maldives for our honeymoon so thought we'd like it but then took out DC a couple of years ago to what looked like a decent 4* highly rated in Greece. Hideous.

For those wanting examples of what was hideous about it: people playing music by the pool, smoking and drinking on sunbeds. There was meant to be afternoon tea but staff would put out a few sad looking cakes and people would swoop in and pile their plates. At dinner the same, everyone rushing to get big piles of food and then plates being left half full. Greedy inconsiderate people. Never again we went back to nice villas and are much happier. We reckon you need to be spending £8k+ for a family of 4 to get a better class of AI. I'm sure they exist but that's more than we spend on a holiday so like you, champagne tastes, lemonade budget!

I think it depends where you go as well. We went to a 4 star AL in montenegro this year, the food was amazing, it was alittle over crowded and some randoms acting silly over the food but nothing like how it is in let's say Spain where 4 stars AL are terrible.

I’m admittedly a bit of a holiday snob but I have found plenty of all inclusive resorts over the years that I am very happy staying at. My personal favourite is Sandals for an
AI and some great deals to be had.

OP have you ever thought about cruising? It’s AI but not as you know it….

It seems weird to go AI if you don’t like it. I find cost wise unless you have young DCs who want ice creams and drinks during the day, or you’re a big drinker then it’s a lot cheaper to go HB. When we stayed at Seaside Los Jameos in Lanzarote - 4 star but might be 5 now it’s renovated- we upgraded for 3 days to AI. I didn’t like it as I got bored with the food although there was a good variety and felt I was drinking to get my money’s worth.

If you want luxury you have to pay for luxury.

We enjoyed our all inc trip but was a lovely hotel TBH. Sadly Im a bit like you ! Champagne taste potato money Nan called it.Try and make the best of it now if you can and dont worry . A break is good . We cant all do the Bahamas sadly!

Yep, it's snobby, but YANBU! Of course you're uncomfortable surrounded by people not from your social class, that's standard human behaviour and you shouldn't feel bad about it. Human beings are very tribal - we like to be amongst our own type. Some are naturally more insular than others and struggle to cope with behaviours that aren't 'normal' for your own class/type.

It's generally a good thing to try to broaden your mind through different experiences, but it's often not at all relaxing, so not really what I want to do on holiday! It's hard not to judge other people who behave differently, even though we should try hard to appreciate difference.

We've just come back from AI in Gran Canaria. It was peaceful and quiet. I carefully researched to make sure it was exactly what we wanted.
Why book a holiday that isn't what you wanted.

@popdepop please do share which one. I’m building a list for holiday planning purposes

Where are you? Which resort?

there are so many rich numpties about, its hard to avoid. Perhaps you need 5 star B&B ?

Actually, I find that the hotels which attract different nationalities better. Not just Brits

I’m not a fan of all inclusive that is just the buffet style where the food sits out so we don’t book those types of hotel. We’ve done 5* all inclusive in the Caribbean in adult only hotels quite a lot before we had kids where there were between 8-11 à la carte restaurants onsite which suited us great as at that time we were in stressful jobs and wanted time to relax/ read/swim etc. The food was nice and good quality with fillet steaks, lobster etc available everyday.
To afford the same in Europe for us and our children would be over budget as it’s much more expensive so we just done bother. Instead, we book villas or nice hotels with Breakfast and then explore and eat in local restaurants or even cook a couple of days with local produce if we’re in a villa. This suits us brilliantly as we can go and find local food and wine that we really want to try and then organise our day as we please for exploring with the kids or relaxing at the property 😇

Would your budget stretch to Ikos (AI) or Sani (not AI) next year? They are amazing hotels.

You are BU for being a snob about it as you’ve obviously booked a “Brits abroad” style AI. If you wanted better to u should’ve booked better. I’ve never stayed in an AI and it been scummy, they’ve always been luxurious if anything. We stayed at Ikos in Greece which is AI and there was nothing at all to look down on there.
So AI hotels are not the problem, just the hotel that you have chosen OP.

Our Turkey AI holidays have always been great and for me after years of self catering with 3dc felt like the lap of luxury. NO WASHING UP OR SHOPPING. Heaven.

Research is key and also enough ££ left over for off resort trips and visits and even meals.

Small is the way forward I think with ai. Or like you said pay more and eat out more. That way you experience more culture. We stayed in a bigger hotel this year and it was so loud music all the time, entertainment wasn’t great more for kids but not as advertised. Lots of people loving the bar at night. But it’s personal choice. I find it better if I book through a travel agent so I can specify better. I think that’s where I went wrong. It just wasn’t as relaxing as previous.

You've got a pretty high joint income, so you've got quite a lot of options to choose from when it comes to holidays. Just do something different next year - book a private villa, book a nicer hotel, go to a city/country that doesn't have a mini-Britain type vibe.

No idea why anyone would go all inclusive in such beautiful countries as Spain and Greece, being countries you can move about safely and enjoy glorious food, different places every day/night etc. etc. What a waste of money.