Can anyone talk to me all inclusive?

[Finlaggan]

Ok so we have never been AI, we always also book flights and accommodation separately to ensure we get the accommodation that suits us best. We have two kids aged 8&4.
This year we have done a week in a city and a week at eurocamp park but not with eurocamp (1st time in camp site abroad). Kids have loved site immensely, pools are perfect for them, restaurants on site, small fun fair, entertainment etc basically everything is very accessible and effortless and they love it.

DH and I think it's ok, accommodation is alright basically a posh caravan but we each have our own room, but it's not cheap. We booked directly with the park to get the best accommodation we could. When we add up everything we have spent for a week here, it's pretty eye watering, having to pay for sheets and leave a 90euro deposit to do so has really irked me, the pool is perfect for the kids and quite effortless for us but would be nice not to have to queue up for the pool opening to get one of the 30 odd loungers. So basically we are thinking it may be more cost effective and slightly more luxurious to go AI next year but have reservations as follows:

We would all need to stay in the same room, therefore DH would have no space to relax in the evening.

Pools might not be quite as brilliant for the kids?

The food might not be what we like. DH and I are vegetarian, we have one v fussy child the other will eat most things.

We'd like a naice resort, i.e. Loungers when we want them, v clean, decent accommodation.

Does all of this exist without blowing the bank? Are there any examples to look at?

We'd consider most locations except turkey and Egypt.

Holiday Village hotels have 1 bed apartments, so you could have children in the main room and you in the bedroom (or vice versa). Although, whilst they are nice hotels I suspect you might want something a bit classier.

I find when looking on Trip advisor that some AI are poor with regards to vegetarian choices, especially if you don't eat fish. Plenty of choice of food even for the fussiest kids imo.

I'm another who in the past was very snobby about AI but we went for the first time last and it was a revelation, I love the convenience which makes life with a toddler so much easier.

Last year we went to ikos Olivia. It was our first time at all AI but we enjoyed it. We had a 1 bedroom bungalow with private pool so had a separate living room and outdoor seating area.
DH is vegan and found plenty to eat as they have a range of restaurants and you can always eat in some restaurants in the local village as part of the package.

We don't do all inclusive on Europe but we do in Mexico and Mauritius. Food is fantastic can go to any of about 7 restaurants, no dining restrictions, no wristbands, smoothie bar, coffee shop. Kids club open 9am -10pm with climbing wall, bungee trampolines, splash pad etc
Tonnes of sun loungers, people bringing you cocktails.
Cost about £5.5k for 4. Yes we all share a room

We are also doing a week eurocamp this year cheap and cheerful as a short break, they are good for kids but I do like a nice hotel with a. Bit of luxury

What's the beach like at ikos Olivia, it looks gritty in pics I've seen

I couldn't do a first choice type set up though I'm a snob and a foodie and the resorts further afield are better and the same price.

You don't get the water slides in Mauritius though, it's more luxury than kids going bonkers at a mini disco and parents have tattoos type affair.

I recently stayed at the Stella Palace Hotel in Crete. Highly recommend it.

It wasn't the best beach I've ever been on but was child friendly and plenty of sun beds

scrappy try looking for AI hotels with adult only pool areas and a la carte restaurants included as well as the usual buffet style restaurants. We didn't partake in any entertainment last year (apart from the odd thing in the family pool bar, mostly to escape the heat!).

We went twice before we had my little boy. We went to tenerife. It was really good value and lovley and clean. Food was nice from what i can remember breakfast had cooked option, toast, pastries, fruit, fresh juice, yoghurt and cereal. Lunch was soup, salad, meat, pizza type things. Snacks where toasties, hotdogs and ice cream. Tea was meat, lasange, potato/chips, pizza. Salads, pastas ect. They did kids entertainment at night. We ate out a bit and did lots of days out. We are going next year to majorca and have booked a 4 star. It has 2 pools a kids pool and splash park. Offers a cold buffet during day for snacks and then the 3 meals. We are looking forward to it. Have payed about 1700 for 3 of us for 7 days.

Parents have tattoo type?! I have plenty and have stayed in luxury and first choice type al places.

The holiday villages are great though, they have everything for kids and like someone said above, the non stop hassling for drinks and snacks is what adds up on a holiday so that's that sorted. We also did a cheap al in ibiza once (fiesta tanit) and that was fine, we had got married so budget was tighter than usual but kids loved it and food was great.

You don't necessarily need to be in the same room. We usually book an apartment style room with separate bedroom and living area - plus this year we have an upstairs private roof terrace which will be lovely for us when the DCs are in bed.

All inclusive is fab if you have children. We used to always book 2 bedroomed or interconnected rooms. The pools were always huge, often with a choice of 3 or 4.

I always went 5* as if you're eating every meal there, it needs to be good. Trip advisor is your friend here.

Snappydappydoo - we went to the Grand Palladium White Island in Ibiza this year and it was perfect for non joiner inners - loads of space, fabulous choice of high quality food and the entertainment was very separate, not in your face so you could take it or leave it.

Consider renting a villa - often cheaper than hotels - you get a room each - your 'own' pool and eating at local tavernas will work out cheaper than AI.

homeownersdirect.com

is a good place to search.

This is great thanks. Yes I'm a bit of a snob too just didn't want to put that in the OP in case I got flamed.

We have been doing villas until this year but have realised how much the kids are getting out of being around other kids and facilities.

Will definitely check out all the links and recommendations.

We used to stay at the Golden Avenida suites via Thomson's in Salou. You got a one or 2 bed apartment, rather than a room.

I wish I had booked 2 rooms this year as Dd who is 17 is an utter slob and we constantly fell over her piles of clothes. We were in a hotel which had bad reviews but we found it fine. There were 2 pools so always got a sun lounger at any time of day. The drinks were self serve unless it was alcoholic. The snacks were meat based but the chips were good. We went via Jet2 and stayed at the Los Angeles hotel in Salou for £2100 for the 4 of us and we spent 600€ as we went to the theme parks, water parks and a day trip to Barcelona.

We have also been to the Rubicon Palace in Lanzarote which was good All Inclusive.

Ooh no Fin I was a terrible snob about AI until we tried it last year. DS is 12 now and I regret not trying it before. You should definitely give it a go. Try and look for somewhere that is exclusively AI though. In my extensive research where I almost drove myself round the bend, I realised that if AI is optional, some hotels have separate drinks and things like ice cream/lolly cabinets for AI guests. So like a tiered system from the 'paying' guests. I don't like the thought of that.

We went all inclusive at sun tropical island Lanzarote. Most sets of apartments have their own pool with plenty of sunloungers. It's cheap and cheerful but lots and lots to do and lots of different foods to choose from. As for 'me time' thats usually a no no on holidays when you've got kids but there is a kids club where you can grab a cpl of hours during the day. You could always put the kids in the bedroom and you and DH take the sofa beds?

www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/accommodation/overview/Paphos/Holiday-Village-Aliathon-028252?im_id=PPC&gclid=CLqfrIKghtUCFcWVGwodp70DLA&gclsrc=aw.ds

We've been here twice and found it excellent, spotlessly clean and fantastic food. There is no danger of "I'm bored". The evening entertainment isn't my cup of tea but there is another bar so didn't concern me. I am very fussy about holidays and won't entertain anything less than 4*, however I do have a tattoo so perhaps that renders my opinion invalid!

pink I went to the Aegean Blue this year, it was really good. AI is the same as any other holiday, you get what you pay for. I like Atlantica/Louis/Ikos hotels in Greece because I know the food will be great with loads of choice, they'll be clean and not too full on.

I don't think it's true at all that they're all chips and tattoos and that long haul is automatically better, I've done both and enjoyed them all tbh., but I pick quality hotels and check the reviews.

We do them and part of me hates myself for doing them (im a snob too!) but actually we always has great holidays! Never been to one with wrsit bands and tattoo malarky, just drinks and grub on tap. Thomson always as we trust them and have no issues and never ever look below 4* and 4/5 trip advisor reviews. You can get some fab hotels. and we tend to get ones near a town so we can pop out for dinner if we get bored or its 'fish night'

Gah want to go look now

(75pp deposit at the moment!)

I've stayed in places like those pictured on P1, in Corfu, and had interconnecting rooms in other places. This year (in Feuterventura) - the "rooms" were all apratments without kitchens - we had a massive living room (which would have been your 3rd and 4th bed) so no prob for sitting at night, and also a mahooosive balcony.
As the dc aren't so little, they can stay up later in the evenings anyway.
I've always gone into travel agents (Thomas Cook) and have got 2 weeks in August for what is effectively 5 adults (teen dc) and never paid more than £800 per head AI. If you are going outside of school holiday time (I' presuming as you say you've been?) then it should be a lot cheaper (as would be cheaper with smaller dc I presume).
I've always mentioned to the trvel agent I have a thing about wanting to be able to just walk out and lie on a sunbed and they've always found me places where it has never been a problem.
Food is MUCH easier at AI for fussy ones, as they can try a spoon of this or a spoon of that and then go back for what the like - much better than paying for a meal out then finding the don't like it.
The best bit though is how much cheaper it is for them to get drinks and icecreams throughout the day without having to pay.

We stayed at Sara Elba in fuertuventura earlier in the year. It was fab. Lovely hotel. We only had one room but outside space so we could sit out when kids were in bed. Right next to a lovely (if not slightly windy) beach. I'd highly recommend it.

This is great thank you.

Reading with interest, I've just booked AI for the first time for next Easter in Malta. Looked like the best bet for us - me, DH, DCs and DF

So difficult to tell from Tripadvisor as some of the reviews are just ridiculous - Average 4.5 stars, but some people moaned about everything. Never been to Malta before either, so fingers crossed.