To think all inclusive holidays are very good value?

[Septembersun101]

Have just returned from a week all inclusive in Greece.

I used to be a bit snobby about all inclusive and assumed it would be a bit crap but honestly having done it a few times now I think it’s such good value.

Admittedly it’s not as authentic as some other types of holiday. But we’ve just paid 3k for a 5 star AI.

The room was lovely with a patio overlooking the pool. There was a huge waterpark with our ds loved and no queues so we all went on as many times as we liked. There were 8 al a carte restaurants in much mixed it up and got us away from the buffet madness. Where we were able to have relaxing 3 course meals with drinks. There were 5 places you could eat for lunch buffet style.

A private beach for hotel guests only.

If you just want some fun in the sun with your children and not to have to cook for a week I think it can be outstanding value for money.

We love All Inclusives and have been to some really great 5 star resorts. We still go and have a drink and odd meal out, explore the area and venture out of the resort. But it's just total relaxation.

Our favourite has been to an Adults only TUI Blue in Tunisia in April/May. Amazing food, waiter service round the pool and beach. We paid £1200 pp for 2 weeks. Outstanding value.

Huh? That makes no sense, there is plenty of small boutique adult onky hotels thay offer ai,

They are. In comparison to a day out at a regular UK seaside town for 2 adults and say 2 kids - add in activities, breakfast, cold drinks, lunch, ice cream/snacks and then fish and chips for supper - you could end up spending £30-50 a head at least.

I could think of nothing worse. Eating all your meals in the same restaurant everyday, food for the masses. Last time I stayed in one all I could see what people piling on too much food and then leaving it. Poor quality food and drinks too

AI hols have been around for decades and even the people at my office on £300k pa salaries go on them so I’m surprised anyone isn’t au fait with them.

Depends on your budget. Most of the good ones have numerous quality restaurants on site.

Well now I know where I'm taking my husband for his 50th! Diamonds looks amazing. Which room did you stay in? What time of year did you visit?

We were once offered to upgrade from b&B to AI for £50 per person, per week. It was excellent because we still went off site and explored the island as we always do, but once back in resort for an afternoon by the pool, drinks, snacks and ice creams were all covered. We would have a drink in the hotel before going out to dinner. I think we only ate an evening meal in the hotel once, after having been out all day. We went to the à la carte Japanese restaurant and food was phenomenal. I’m pretty sure that there must have been a mistake and the £50 should be per person per day but we enjoyed the massively discounted rate!

I love all inclusive in a large complex, children always fed, watered and entertained without much thought and with no extra costs. They're so much easier than self catering with young children. I think the people who say holidays with young children aren't enjoyable are just going on the wrong types of holidays.
Where did you stay? It sounds fab.

You do know you are not a prisoner?

We still eat out, and still get our value from the all inclusive - just having breakfast there means we normally break even

As pp’s have said, it depends on what sort of holiday you want.

We did it once when the children were small and it worked well. All they wanted was a pool, sun and food/snacks on tap and DH and I didn’t want to be running around trying to show them local culture/finding restaurants they would eat in that wouldn’t be appreciated.

For a fuss free holiday with younger children it was great.

But it’s not something we continued to do as they got older and I wouldn’t go back to it now now they have flown the nest.

DH and I really like exploring the places we visit and searching out local cuisine. Now especially we also want childfree accommodation (I know adult only AI exists) and also not to spend time penned in with other holiday makers - same reason a cruise is not on our wish list.

But each to their own and I agree they can be both a great holiday and good value if you choose wisely but I’d definitely be looking at the higher end AI resorts for a variety of eating options (and like the OP hold my nerve to a late booking to get a good deal on a higher end resort - because frankly the joy/pain of AI is that the the location/country doesn’t really matter at all, just the quality of the resort).

If anyone is looking for a really good AI, you can’t go far wrong with the Atlantica Group of hotels in Cyprus. They also have a good choice of alternative restaurants so if you want to avoid the mass (albeit very good quality) buffet restuarants.

We’ve done a few and it’s always been worth it as I don’t think self catering is the cheap option it used to be. Like others have said it is great when your kids can just have the drinks and the ice creams without it mounting up. Also for not stressing about fussy kids. That said though the AI prices seem to be going up now and I would begrudge some of the prices in seeing now. Very intrigued where the 5 star in summer holidays for £3k is.

I always think AI sounds very expensive but I'm slowly coming round to the idea as self-catering can be quite stressful. I presume your total includes flights too?

We spent £700 ferry and £1500 accommodation for 2 weeks in France. Probably an extra £400 for food (plus additional costs for various restaurants /trips out)

So £2600 for the base price of the holiday, which is less than half the cost per week away, but we've all come back feeling quite stressed so maybe worth us splashing out on AI next time!

I just don't know what to look for with AIs -I have the horrors of ending up somewhere where the British folk run to the sun loungers and everyone's moaning about having to eat local food.

@Septembersun101 can I ask where you went? We have been looking for somewhere for next summer and that sounds great!

Unfortunately when it comes to ai budget is king. I posted two resorts up thread where we are going, or just been to,

here is another one, albeit adults only. Even going to ikos, I’d say for 4 people l two adults, two kids, you’ve looking at significantly more for 2 weeks ai than 5 k you spent in total. Cost would be well over 20k.

https://www.calabashcove.com

We’ve been doing AI for years now and love it, i spend a lot time researching hotels to get something really good and we generally book around a year in advance.
Currently still in Greece at a gorgeous resort.

Hi op
can I ask, where did you go in Greece as I’m looking to book at the moment for next year?
Thank you

It depends on what you want from a holiday. I can understand why not having to find somewhere to eat each evening and having a degree of certainty on how much your holiday will cost is attractive to many.

We’ve booked all inclusive holidays for years. Now that neither of us drink alcohol anymore, we’ve decided we don’t think it’s very good value for us (no kids). Unless we’re staying in an isolated location such as the Caribbean etc, we won’t be booking another one.

@Hmmmmwineandchocswhere are you at the moment? We are looking for somewhere in Greece for next year?

I usually go 5* AI Adult Only for my relaxing summer holiday. Generally £4K for 2 weeks so roughly £300 per day for DH and I factoring an ice cream or 2!

AI is great but only of you do your research and make sure it has everything you want.

I like ai holidays but disagree with private beaches for guests only, so wouldn't stay in a place that offered that on principle.
Just because I live on the coast in the UK and wouldn't like it if a hotel stopped locals from going to any beaches here.

I’m at the Blue Lagoon Village in Kos. It’s a big resort, very spread out, no sunbed wars, good à la cartes, one is BBQ, can grill your own food or all a chef to do it.

If anyone does go to Kos and visits Kos town, there is a great shop called Sunshine where you can build your own charm bracelet, pick a bracelet then pick your charms and they’ll make it.