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.

Love BLV it’s lovely, def not £3000 in August like OP’s mind 🤣

I really like AI. Love the idea of all my needs being met and paid for effortlessly back at base. I can go off and explore, making the most of my time. I fit so much more in on these holidays than when evenings are about where to eat, or the dreaded self catering with hours lost to shopping, tidying etc. And yes, excellent value.

We’re going to one tomorrow. It works great for us, fussy DS can eat try things and if he doesn’t like them, he can just get something else. He loved finding mates and playing in the pool all day, I can read my book and chill out from the stress of work. We might want something different when he’s older, but we love them right now.

@Septembersun101 Where did you go? What was the name of the hotel please? Or pm if you don't want to say it, i have been looking at Greece but can't find one a hotel with water slides

Nope it is not unfortunately, we did get a decent price thanks to a free child place and we only have 1 child. Splashed out on a swim up room, not sure i can go back to a normal room now, love having the afternoon by our pool.

I'm currently in a 5* in Lagos in Portugal. Me my dm and ds. I think if it was just me and ds it would have been basically the perfect week but trying to balance the wants of a 64 year old, slightly snobby vegetarian hippy and an almost 13 year old boy has proven tricky! I'm quite happy to do the cheesy touristy stuff that ds likes, and the more cultural stuff dm likes, but neither of is happy with both!

The hotel is gorgeous though, and the food is good, with a different theme every night and a few things cooked to order (steak, fish, eggs). There's some authentic Portuguese food and not a baked bean in sight. We're right beside the pool which has been nice and there's been no scramble for sun loungers. We've done a couple of boat trips, the water park, seen wild dolphins and had a mooch around the old town. Dm is complaining we haven't been to the beach but there have been other more interesting things to do! We'll probably go tomorrow as it's our last full day.

This is my first time doing ai and it's not been bad at all, I'd do it again (though don't know if I'd holiday with dm again but that's a totally different thread! She is the queen of passive aggressive argumentative little quips and pulling sour faces)

Would you be happy to share the hotel OP? Really keen for some great recommendations!

Ha I know what you mean, we did normal room first time and a swim up 2 bedroom second time and it was perfect. Mine are teens now so it’s eye wateringly expensive, they don’t let you book the 2 bed room, you have to book 2 separate rooms at our ages 🙄

Nooo! Thats such a shame, i wonder why you can’t book the 2 bedroom rooms.

Another who would love to know the hotel if OP happy to share.
We've been to some disappointing AI's despite my best efforts trolling through reviews for months, you never quite know until you get there.

It’s an age thing, I think we could if we had a 16 and 12 year old but not 16 and 13, god knows why, it’s a 2 bedroom room with enough beds for everyone! Money making I assume. I could potentially try contacting the hotel directly I suppose.

I loved them until I went to Egypt. Been home 2 days and still on the toilet with diarrhoea and agonising stomach cramps…. Despite no water, ice, salad and constant sanitising… and staying out of the sun. Every precaution and was still severely ill as we flew home, as were many other guests. They put it down to the bad hygiene at buffets and its really put me off

To be fair I think it’s more the location than AI generally, I wouldn’t go near Egypt, I swear everyone I know has got D&V when they went. I just wouldn’t be able to relax there.

With bottomless pit teenagers AI is great. But finding one which will do large enough family rooms, or interconnected rooms is challenging and expensive.

Yes this exactly. We’ve booked a villa for our next holiday for the first time as I think they’d prefer their own rooms and pool over all you can eat in a shared room, but I’m not looking forward to seeing what we spend on food 🙈

Two rooms. That is the answer, then you get two toilets!

I find two rooms are cheaper than a two bed apartment, and it opens up so many options - I know it depends on the children, but mine were happy staying next door.

Does it have room service? I don't want to be making beds, or emptying bins or washing up when I'm on holiday - I wouldn't share with mine, that's why we get multiple rooms.

No it’s just an air bnb, but we’ll eat out for all meals (hence fear of the spending money total..) and to be fair to my husband and teens they’re the sort to chip in, emptying bins and making beds between the 4 of us won’t be a hardship, tbh few hotels seem to do daily housekeeping these days from my experience!

It depends what you mean by "value".

How much do you eat?
How much of the offered food do you like?
What's the quality of the food?
Is the food culturally authentic?
Would it be financially more viable to eat at local restaurants?
Would you get better food in local restaurants?
What's the price difference between just the room(s) and the room(s) + AI? Is the price difference reasonable?

For me, the answer is pretty much always no, AI is not good value for me at all. I'm not a snacker at all, I don't drink alcohol, I don't eat 3 meals a day, I have dietary restrictions due to my religion that prevents me from eating a lot of food/dishes, I want culturally authentic food, good quality food, and I don't spend most of my time in hotels so it's more convenient for me to eat while I'm out.

I did AI when DC were young and stayed in some lovely resorts. It was easier, spacious and safer with my energetic DC and great for them to make new friends. Once they turned 18 they now go on their own travels with their DP or friends but not to AI. It’s all Airbnb or booking.com. I also liked how stress free it was to book AI tbh and be picked up at the airport, taken to hotel, not having to cook or clean.

It just depends what you're into. I'm not a drinker, and don't eat loads. I hate being on a schedule too. So all inclusive isn't good value for me, as I don't want the things it includes.

Value wise I think that's the absolute sweet spot. Kids who are old enough that they'll need to eat off the adult menu if you go to restaurants, and who are also still in constant need of drinks and ice lollies.

Please could you tell us where you were? Searching dor next year and this sounds up our street. Thank you x

Sounds like we're of a similar mindset except that I don't have any dietary requirements and I do drink alcohol but the times I've stayed in hotels that do AI, I'm thankful I'm only BB or HB, the latter usually only being a few pounds a night more than BB so good for me who likes to have a restaurant meal at lunchtime while out and about and then I'll just get a drink and a bit of salad in the hotel in the evening.

Because while the hotel dinner was OK it was very pedestrian and dominated by chicken and steak and almost no fish and seafood that I much prefer.

So I'd have calamari or prawns for lunch instead, which was cheaper than paying for AI, which would have been a waste anyway because I was out for a walk, beach, boat trip, museums etc in the daytime anyway.

Not my thing at all.

When abroad I want to get out and about, enjoy the local culture and eat in local restaurants. I'm not the sort to want to spend time lying on a sunbed around a pool with strangers.

I'd want to eat out and return when I'm ready so they wouldn't be good value for me.