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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Is there such a thing as All Inclusive in a self-contained flat/house rather than hotel rooms??

72 replies

PacificDogwod · 04/08/2017 09:17

We are just back from holiday and it was lovely.
So to treat my post-holiday slump I am pondering next summer Grin

We've always done self-catering, usually in some kind of villa with pool.
We have 4 kids and my parents usually join us, so that makes 8 of us in total.

I love the whole waking up in your 'own' house thing, but got fed up with cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping this year. We are not much for going out for every meal, so I am not keen to suggest that.

I was wondering whether there is such a thing as a self-contained flat/property as part of a hotel complex that would provide food and a pool and maybe some kids' clubs/activities? Beach resort preferred, I am not all that fussed where.

Anybody been to such a place?

TIA.

OP posts:
HemanOrSheRa · 04/08/2017 10:53

We stayed at an AI Ikos hotel last year - The Oceania. It was AMAZING! They have another hotel -The Olivia which has bungalows. They are opening another hotel next year in Corfu.

ikosresorts.com

Original poster
PacificDogwod · 04/08/2017 10:56

I think I may engage the help of an actual travel agent.

I'm a bit overwhelmed by choice Blush

A lifetime of self-catering in France and Spain with road trips to the States thrown in have left me a bit confused.

OP posts:
BriocheBriocheBrioche · 04/08/2017 10:58

Try Martinhal in Portugal - pretty sure they've do what you need.

WaxOnFeckOff · 04/08/2017 11:00

Ha ha, well, your choices are - do a Villa but eat out every evening and you just have the breakfast and luch stuff (bread, meat and cheese) to deal with.

Or, look at the Club Alla Turka hotel but book into the Villas and take the Half Board Option or even just the B&B option and then you don't have that to worry about. You can still choose to just wander over and eat in the hotel (they give you a key for the back gate) regardless and you just pay for dinner (think it was about 10 euro per head). they also do snack lunches if you want. The Villas sit outside the hotel and were really nice.

Or you then get into options such as apartments which are much more peopley . We aren't very social people either.

ShangriLaLaLa · 04/08/2017 11:03

Again, not AI but staffed villas or rooms with bars and food on site

www.peligoni.com/

I'm still on hols but already fretting about what we'll do next year. Think I need to get a life - or at least another mojito!

magimedi · 04/08/2017 11:10

Eating out in Turkey is cheap & delicious. If you go to the more 'humble' types of places you don't have to have a full 3 course meal - you can just have mezze or pide (Turkish pizza) or lhamajun - a thin flat bread cooked in a wood oven topped with s thin layer of spicy meat & it will come with salad. Two of those are enough for me & with a beer you'd be pushed to spend more than £4-5 a head. I could (& often do) eat them for nearly every meal when in Turkey.

WaxOnFeckOff · 04/08/2017 11:13

I love Turkish Food and the quality is always good. I love the casseroles, baked stews with rice and the stuffed peppers etc.

magimedi · 04/08/2017 11:16

And the meze - I can make a meal of that!

HemanOrSheRa · 04/08/2017 11:20

I use Sovereign Pacific. They are excellent. You can talk through your requirements with a human! www.sovereign.com

WaxOnFeckOff · 04/08/2017 11:20

Dalyan has some lovely little baker shop - that was lunch sorted! I also love the bottles of frozen pomegranate juice they do. One each of those to take to the beach or out on a trip was delicious. and seemed to melt at just the right rate to drink and still have some left at the end of the day.

We've adopted the same practice when we are self catering elsewhere now and freeze bottles of fruit juice or water or squash and carry them about. Much more refreshing than fizzy juice but a change from plain water.

Original poster
PacificDogwod · 04/08/2017 11:22

I can't really book anything just now because we have the World's Most Complicated Holiday Rota at work, but I thought I'd explore my options.

Ok, I'm sold on Turkish food, enough already! Grin

OP posts:
magimedi · 04/08/2017 11:24

Another Turkish option would be the Datca & Bozburun peninsula - on from Marmaris & you really do get remote there, but with lovely little fishing villages. It really does feel like you have gone to the end of the world!

Sending you a PM.

magimedi · 04/08/2017 11:29

Another Turkish option would be the Datca & Bozburun peninsula - on from Marmaris & you really do get remote there, but with lovely little fishing villages. It really does feel like you have gone to the end of the world!

Sending you a PM.

namechange20050 · 04/08/2017 11:37

ShangriLaLaLa that place looks amazing! I take it that you would recommend it?

Libra · 04/08/2017 11:43

What about going on a gulet? We have done this twice in Turkey. You have the AI - and a chef on board preparing the meals, you have the quiet - nights spent anchored in quiet bays mostly apart from the last night - and you can book smallish gullets that take around 8. The two times we have done it we actually just booked cabins and shared the gulet with a couple of other families, and this worked out well -- they were from all over the world so it was really interesting.

youarenotkiddingme · 04/08/2017 12:10

I was a Sovereign rep for a bit in my youth! They certainly do go for great holidays with top notch human service!

Although I'll never forget the day I stood in a port in horrendous rain and wind getting battered by waves over the sea wall waiting for a ship that hit the port wall on the way in.
My lovely guests who'd experienced the crossing from hell were more concerned about me Blush

flumpybear · 04/08/2017 14:14

We stayed in a suite in Cape Verde, Melia Dunas resort which was all inclusive but we had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen dining room and lounge !! The back door led on to a small patio and garden area (not
Posh!) and had loungers and a table and chairs - really nice!! The resort was good and linked with the sister hotel The Sol which had loads of kid friendly things like pool with slides etc plus it was on the beech too and there was a small alcoved off area in the ocean as it was quite choppy but this alcove made it really pleasant - booked through Thompson

MaybeDoctor · 04/08/2017 14:18

Marking place, as we like this kind of thing.

Look at golf resorts in Portugal.

Stopyourhavering · 04/08/2017 19:10

www.sani-resort.com/en_GB/the-resort?_ga=2.41535403.84821750.1501870134-502627279.1501370653
This place looks amazing.....a colleague has booked for next may and knows several people who have been there who say it ticks all the boxes!

Finlaggan · 05/08/2017 05:43

I'm also seeking a similar holiday (but not in turkey) the trivago suggestion up thread is so far throwing up some possibilities.

splendide · 05/08/2017 06:23

Some of these look amazing! I've got a nearly 3 year old who's never been abroad yet and we're looking for something like this next year.

Sevendaysinaweek · 05/08/2017 06:51

We stayed in a villa in Spain last year and, through the letting agent, booked someone to come and make breakfast and dinner. She also did grocery shopping. We got to choose breakfast and were also given a dinner menu to choose from although obviously we did all have to choose the same dish each night.

Sounds decadent but for our group (we were 8 adults and 4 children) it worked out cheaper than going out to eat every night.

ShangriLaLaLa · 05/08/2017 09:40

Namechange - yes, you'll feel like a million dollars here. Only downside is that it can be cliquey: think golf club snobbery. I just laugh it off and drink Mojitos (thanks Pacific!) Superb for teens and active little ones, though.

Justgivemesomepeace · 05/08/2017 09:46

I went to caletta de Fuste last year- STAYED at the barcelo club premium- this was as you describe. You have your own apartment with kitchen so can self cater but there was AI option, b&b option or half board. There was also the barcelo beach resort on the same complex which were bungalows with the same option. This year it's Rocha Brava in Carviero Portugal in a villa on a complex with AI if you want. We've gone B&B. There are loads of them with this option.

Finlaggan · 05/08/2017 10:21

I've just looked at both of these just which is better do you think? We have two kids who will be 9&5 next year. We've been to Portugal a few times so we know the beaches are fantastic and know our way around. Only been to fuerteventura once pre kids seems ok?