Coming to the end of our first all inclusive and wondering if they’re all a bit like this…? Or if it’s our family that doesn’t fit them?

[Xrays]

We’re staying at a 4/5 star resort in Ibiza. It’s got very good reviews on trip advisor, good reviews online elsewhere etc and I know - before someone pounces on me - that we are incredibly lucky to have a holiday at all, yet alone this one, considering how much people are struggling financially right now. This holiday was booked and paid for with some inheritance money from my Mums passing just before covid and has been rebooked and cancelled many times. It’s our first time abroad as a family, Ds aged 11 who has autism and dd aged 20 (normally at university). We’re a close family, and dd really wanted to come, no issues with all being together etc (I know lots of people here are often horrified at older teens etc going on holiday with them)!

But it’s all been a bit underwhelming. Mainly the food aspect. Most of the food is buffet style with kids running riot, it feels like a school canteen with lots of kids screaming, everything feels sort of cheaply done - pizzas that are freshly cooked only have a small amount of topping in the very middle and edges bare etc, the pasta dishes are basically like pasta bakes you could make yourself from a jar from Tesco, lots and lots of chips and everything at breakfast feels like it’s sat out there for ages - except for omelettes which they cook in front of you. I’m kind of sick of omelettes now…! Feels a bit like if Haven did an all inclusive- and just to be clear, I love Haven and we go there every year but I wouldn’t consider Haven 4/5 star and pay to eat there all inclusive!

I guess what I’m wondering is if we were / are just a bit unlucky and other places are better / have more fresh food cooked to order or if they’re all a bit like this? Or maybe we’re just really fussy? (Perhaps we are). I’m thinking ahead to our next holiday and just not sure whether to look at another all inclusive or whether to go for self catering - and use that as a base and eat out (and that’s basically what we’ve ended up doing this time, we’ve given up trying to eat here, which is a shame as we’ve paid ££££ already for food…)! I don’t feel I’ve had a holiday if I have to cook as I do that all the time at home.

Looking to see what other’s experiences are and if you have any ideas of better AIs or elsewhere throw them at me….! Or just tell me they’re all like this and I’m being too fussy and I’ll look for self catering apartments etc.

Perhaps you should have done more research on the resort 🤷🏻‍♀️

Tbf what do you expect from Ibiza there are so many better places

People don’t choose AI for the food.

I've never been to that sort of resort OP but I'd hate that too!

I did. As I said in my post.

I've never been ai what do the choose it for? That would be a motivation for me. But I do love my food!

I’ve never been on an all inclusive as it works be my worst nightmare for all the things you’ve mentioned.

We went to a Mitsis hotel in Greece and the food was great! It was still a buffet, but there was fresh meat / fish cooked all the time. Pancakes at breakfast. And pizza and souvlaki on the beach as well. We are going 5* AI in Egypt soon and have already looked up a video of the AI which again looks incredible!!! Lots of AI have cook to order restaurants too but my kids are younger and love a buffet!!! 🤣

Yours doesn't sound great tbh!

We chose here because I have complex medical issues so didn’t want to travel too far and hospitals in Spain have a good understanding of my rare autoimmune disorder.

I researched it really carefully. We’ve really enjoyed the island and gone to many beautiful places, no issue with that at all. We’ve gone on boat trips, eaten out in lovely restaurants etc.

I just expected it to be pleasant and edible. Wasn’t expecting super fancy. Just hot and fresh and nice. We don’t really drink alcohol so apart from the very odd cocktail we haven’t used it for that - just soft drinks and juices.

Thank you. I’ll have a look at that hotel. 💐

I would rather chop off my own arm than go on an AI holiday, to be fair. Your children are now too old for this kind of holiday - you can go to a nice B&B hotel or appartment and have fun choosing a different restaurant every night.

no not all like that. lots of 5*AI have al a carte restaurants and so many different dining options. However, i would say in Ibiza and spain they are generally like that unfortunately. Go to mexico, caribbean, maldives, even Turkey they are not all like that

I’ve been to plenty of AIs, all over the world. Some are a bit like you describe Op (though did this one not have the option to at least have a few meals in the A la carte restaurants - most AIs I’ve stayed in do, which breaks it up, when they are like this).

I’ve also stayed in many where the food is excellent.

I also try to book AIs which gave a few different restaurant options, to mix it up a bit.

Yeah pretty standard in Europe. Luke warm food with a bit of show cooking here and there. If you're really food orientated it'd be better going SC and planning to eat in really nice restaurants.
AI in the Caribbean is another level of amazing though.

Ibiza is stunning what a ridiculous comment

I have been to AI 3 times and I’m not a fan.
First time was Lanzarote, someone else booked it and while it was ok we went out to eat a lot.
Second time was Caribbean for a friends wedding, food was pretty good but I wasn’t keen on a lot of the people there and couldn’t escape them.
Third time was Cape Verde and while it was ok we agreed as a family that it wasn’t for us.
We prefer SC , I know a lot of people do like AI but it’s not for us

Op
We have done all inclusive once at a 5 star resort in Cyprus.
It really wasn't for us and after the first breakfast I was struggling so much - kids everywhere, food left out ,messy tables etc.
We decided to eat elsewhere but enjoy the lovely accommodation and activities.
It made us realise that it just isn't the holiday for us and now we hire a villa with a pool and eat out when we holiday.
Others absolutely love all inclusive and would hate a villa- it's just about finding what works best for you and your family.

I avoid these places for the reasons you outline. Easy enough to just book a flight and an Airbnb and have a much calmer holiday. You can always eat out and buy simple groceries if you don’t fancy cooking.

My experience of AI was like yours op. First and last time we’ve ever booked. It wasn’t cheap either!

I have only been to one in Spain and it was like that. I went AI because I was exhausted and just wanted to lie down somewhere hot… but I wouldn’t do it again. Even if it were better, I think it’s more interesting to be somewhere with restaurants about.

If you don’t drink you’re basically losing money on AI because they’re pricing in alcohol to adult packages.

We have been to a couple of AI in Ibiza. the first was at Portinax in the north and was fine, the second was as you describe and quite disappointing. The kids like it though. I hate the getting up and down all the time, no-one sitting down at the table at the same time. Also think it just encourages greed ! We've been to one in Tenerife which was five star and food was lovely, the ones we've been to in Majorca and menorca very mediocre and as you describe. The dining areas were packed, kids running around, long queues for anything freshly cooked.

I hear you we went AI for trip of a lifetime to St Lucia and I was very disappointed, watered down drinks in plastic cups. Like you buffet style food sitting under hot plates. It just wasn't classy at all. Poor you as you'll have spent thousands to go. I'll never go AI again x

Ideally you would choose one with several restaurant. In Cuba we had 14 to choose from, Egypt usually around 10 same everywhere. I wouldn't go to one that only had a buffet restaurant as they are usually terrible.