Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Holidays

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

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Self catering vs all inclusive

64 replies

Pickingmyselfup · 13/09/2023 16:37

I'm just looking at the prices of hotels for a holiday and all inclusive works out as being £1500 more expensive for a week for a family of 4 than self catering. That works out at £208 for all of us a day.

That needs to cover all meals and drinks as well as snacks. I think if we went self catering the liklihood is that we would spend less but I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't much.

We just spent 4 nights at Butlins and whilst we weren't being either flash or frugal I bet we spent at least £500 on all food and drink and that was with some good discounts. We are going to the Canaries where food and drinks are cheaper but I bet not by much. We ate out 3 nights, 3 lunches, one breakfast, no desserts after our meals and not many treats like ice cream either.

All inclusive appeals for the ease, we don't need to worry about what the fussy kids will eat, if they want an ice cream or dessert it's not an issue.

Self catering appeals because we can visit different places and we aren't stuck with what the hotel has to offer but if we ate out every day I could imagine it wouldn't cost that much less if you did it like for like. I always get stuck doing the cooking as always and would feel like we had to be careful about letting the kids have dessert or ice cream.

We are going to visit family really so we know where to eat and drink so that's a big plus for self catering. We are happy to have breakfast in our apartment but it's the dinner and little extras that I like to spend money on and I like a drink too.

I really can't decide what is best to be honest so please let me know your experiences.

The family consists of:
Me-eats most things, drinks alcohol
Husband-fussy eater, drinks a little out but hardly anything
Children aged 7 and 9 by next year and currently are very fussy, would rather graze than eat a meal and love an ice cream.

We haven't been overseas since 2016 when my eldest was a baby. We've had a couple of Cornwall breaks and Butlins so I don't want to have to scrimp.

We are looking at almost 4K for an all inclusive holiday or a bit under £2500 for self catering. 4K is affordable but it seems so expensive for a week, I might be out of touch though.

OP posts:

G5000 · 13/09/2023 20:24

why not both? We often do half a holiday in AI so we can have a break from cooking and laze around the pool for a few days, and then after we have sufficiently recovered, swap for self-catering and sightseeing.

MrsSkylerWhite · 13/09/2023 20:25

The second is a holiday, the first isn’t.

BetsyBobbins · 13/09/2023 20:33

@NearlyMonday No money in the world would convince me to cook and wash it all afterwards on a holiday 😅 It's my holiday as well, I want to rest.

Maryandherlamb · 13/09/2023 20:36

I think with children aged 7 and 9 I would go self catering. That's only because I love eating out in restaurants abroad, and the ambience is much better than in hotel restaurants (in my opinion). I have younger kids so would choose AI for us at the moment because of the ease. I'm waiting for the days that we can go back to eating out though!

MammaTo · 13/09/2023 20:42

It all depends on what you want to do.

Im not an AI fan because I like to come an go as I please, I hate having to be ready for a certain time for breakfasts and evening meals. If the food opens at 7pm it means you’ve got to be back at the room for your shower/nap by 4-5pm and it eats away at your afternoon.

I like being able to stay at the beach or pool till whenever I want and maybe have a late afternoon snack and then have a late evening meal.

I’ve done AI in Mexico which was amazing as it was 5* with all the trimmings but this was open 24/7 and there was no set meal times, but your generic AI isn’t for me.

TheBirdintheCave · 13/09/2023 20:51

MrsSkylerWhite · 13/09/2023 20:25

The second is a holiday, the first isn’t.

Well to me being trapped in one place for a week isn't a holiday 🤷🏻‍♀️ Good job we're all different! 🙂

Abeli · 13/09/2023 21:02

I've enjoyed both. DC are adults now but at various stages s/c or AI have been better.
When I say self catering I don't mean actually doing food myself but having a villa or apartment and eating out.
S/C gives you more space, more bedrooms and you can enjoy a different restaurant every night. Not particularly cheaper though for decent accommodation.
AI takes all the hassle away and is particularly good for teenagers or fussy eaters. You need a good hotel though, if you choose cheap the food will be awful and it will be full of people who want to drink 24/7.

Now I prefer half board. The benefits of a nice hotel, breakfast buffet and good food (minimum 4*). We don't drink a huge amount and like to go out in the evening after dinner.
I find the extra cost of AI compared with HB not worth it.

Fizbosshoes · 13/09/2023 21:22

We always self cater, I find it less stressful than a hotel esp when kids were little but my DH loves shopping and cooking, so I don't do a lot of cooking. Last year we stayed somewhere fairly remote so we tended to buy a snack lunch out, and then eat in or bbq in the eve. This year we did a mixture of eating out in the eve or eating in

NearlyMonday · 13/09/2023 21:26

MammaTo · 13/09/2023 20:42

It all depends on what you want to do.

I like being able to stay at the beach or pool till whenever I want and maybe have a late afternoon snack and then have a late evening meal.

I’ve done AI in Mexico which was amazing as it was 5* with all the trimmings but this was open 24/7 and there was no set meal times, but your generic AI isn’t for me.

I have done many AIs and have found there’s at least a 2/3 hour time slot for each meal?

JustAnotherUsey · 13/09/2023 21:31

I'm all for all inclusive. You don't have to worry about budgeting and stopping your kids having pudding/ice creams. Drinks unlimited which can become quite expensive if you have to pay for it yourselves. AI hotels tend to have a few pools, so plenty of fun for the kids. No cost for alcohol so again, you don't have to worry about costs and can have wine with dinner etc. Buffet breakfasts. Kids love buffet breakfasts! Some ai have activities on site. Even kids club if you want a break!

I much prefer AI because I find doing self catering it's so easy to spend a lot for meals. Especially if the costs is more than you thought.

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 13/09/2023 21:40

my personal preference is b&b. I like to roll out of bed to a good breakfast but then please ourselves for the rest of the day. Dd1 went to the sort of AI we can afford (around £4k for 4 of us) with her boyfriend and wasn’t impressed with the food at all. I was worried she would be sold on AI and our holiday, which was a few weeks later would be a let down. But she said she preferred our way of doing it.

b&b accommodation, flights and spending money in Greece this year came to about £3.5k including 4 days car hire. This was all food and drink and activities. We are 4 adults (in price anyway) in 2 rooms.

Original poster

Pickingmyselfup · 13/09/2023 21:44

I have read every one of your posts and you all have solid reasons for both! We don't think it would work out much different if we went AI so I think we are leaning towards it. I don't want to end up being stuck in doing the cooking and inevitably the washing up too. I like cooking but if I'm on holiday I want a break from the day to day mundaneness. I don't want to have to deal with the kids picking at their dinner because they didn't like it and us stressing about buying them something else.

I've totalled up costs and if we go AI term time we save over a grand even factoring in the fine from school and extra childcare costs for actual half term. It seems like a no brained but I do have reservations over taking them out. They will have just gone into year 2 and 5 so fully established with friends and stuff, I think I'm just a bit concerned about them missing something important.

I remember being taken out a few times but one time sticks with me because whilst I was away (I don't know if it was one or two weeks) we learnt something in primary school and I was made to feel awful for not being there. I did have a horrid teacher though who used to make us stand on our chairs if we were in trouble, she just had a bad attitude in general. My kids teachers all seem so nice so whilst they wouldn't have time to do one to one catch up they wouldn't be twats about it and we could help if the kids said they didn't know something.

Whilst we could afford full price we aren't comfortable enough to wave off a grand. If it was £200 then it wouldn't be a question but so much money...it's insane.

OP posts:

sheeplikessleep · 13/09/2023 21:46

Love AI. Kids can eat / get drinks whenever they choose, no arguments over food and just the ease.
However, I spend days researching the TripAdvisor reviews and we get 4 star holidays and at least 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor and I look for feedback on the food specifically as it’s part of the holiday for us.
Zafiro in Mallorca and Iberostar are both great quality all inclusive I think.

However, next year I’m convincing everyone to go to Italy and I’m not sure we will do AI there.

Barbiesback · 13/09/2023 21:50

It's down to budget isn't it mainly. You can't compare trying a new restaurant and moving on to the next of you aren't keen.

Personally though I've always found something to eat an AL. Book a more expensive hotel and the food quality will be better usually. Having to budget for each meal with DC isn't enjoyable. I like to know everything is all paid for when I'm away.

LindorDoubleChoc · 13/09/2023 21:53

My idea of hell is being on an All Inclusive holiday in a hotel. I just can't think of a worse way to spend my 2 precious weeks off work. But then I don't like getting up early to bagsy a sun-lounger around a crowded pool with hundreds of other people and buffet food that reminds me of the works canteen. Package holidays, excursions, tour guides, entertainment nights - all of it hellish to me.

So we go self catering, or just a normal hotel for short city breaks.

PointeShoesandTutus · 13/09/2023 21:59

I've gone off AI since getting severe noro virus at a very fancy one a few years back. We saw a doctor there as our youngest was still a baby and was really very unwell. He basically said that he gets multiple cases out of all the hotels with buffet restaurants, as with 500+ guests there's bound to be one with a dodgy tummy, they hold the tongs before you (at best - there's always some scruff fingering the bread rolls) and you're stuffed. That was our last AI and the more I think about it, the more it's a vomiting bug waiting to happen.

I'd only consider AI now if it was a very fancy a la carte type set up. Villas and self catering/nice meals out for me!

MammaTo · 13/09/2023 22:07

NearlyMonday · 13/09/2023 21:26

I have done many AIs and have found there’s at least a 2/3 hour time slot for each meal?

Show quote history

Yeah there’s time slots but the AI’s I’ve been to if you get there towards the end of the time slots you get the scraps as they stop putting fresh food out in the last hour or so.

MammaTo · 13/09/2023 22:09

LindorDoubleChoc · 13/09/2023 21:53

So we go self catering, or just a normal hotel for short city breaks.

Same - self catering is so much more chilled.

reluctantbrit · 13/09/2023 23:07

We did AI several times for the convenience of not having to think about food shopping and if DD wanted a drink/snack/ice cream she just went.

We often ate out in the evenings as I am not keen on buffet (most are boring) and we only had one resort who actually had good restaurants. It seems my view and the majority of TripAdvisors in Europe differ a lot.

I love sc but we then again eat out a lot, I love the extra space, the peace and quite and as DD is now a teen, she is not that keen on resorts anymore.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 13/09/2023 23:38

I find self catering more relaxing.

We eat out somewhere nice for either lunch or dinner and buy nice tapas style food and bread from local shops to have if we decide to eat lunch or dinner in the accommodation. I like a nice leisurely breakfast so we try to find a decent bakery and buy bread and pastries and usually a jar of Nutella for the kids as a holiday treat.

We buy a bottle of gin at the airport and buy tonic water and bottled lager from the supermarket. We let the kids choose the soft drinks and any snacks they want so they are happy too.

We have done all inclusive and self catering but always feel I've had more of a foodie experience of we self cater.

BarbaraofSeville · 14/09/2023 05:15

Same here @AngelsWithSilverWings

If you want nice food and a relaxing experience, it's well worth doing a couple of supermarket runs and a bit of plating up and dishwasher filling/emptying.

Because the alternative is either running the gauntlet of three times a day disappointing buffet food or your holiday costing thousands of pounds more so it seems a better option than either of those to me.

grayhairdontcare · 14/09/2023 05:21

I always do b&b
Breakfast is easy
Lunch at the pool bar or whatever and then a nice place with a different view every night.
I don't drink alcohol though and we never stay in the hotel everyday.
We like exploring.

Orangello · 14/09/2023 06:17

Self catering: all household duties, but closer to the sea..

All options obviously have their pros and cons, main thing with AI is that it can't be budget. If you have pre-paid all meals, you really don't want to end up with canteen style food and race for sunbeds. So that can get expensive indeed. If you have DC who refuse to eat at mealtimes and claim they are starving 5 minutes after the plates have been cleared, well worth to have 24/7 prepaid food available.

SiobahnRoy · 14/09/2023 06:22

If they’re both in the same place you may as well do AI. As others have said, AI hotel isn’t my thing so we’d do self catering villa with pool, or city hotel b&b.

Sallyingon · 14/09/2023 09:52

We do a bit of both. I like self catering and going out for dinner. Always think it will save us money but it never does. We do a shop when we arrive and then get into a bit of a groove with early morning visits to the bakery to get fresh stuff in for lunch. Try to eat in a couple of evenings which is fine but then blow it a couple of times with lunch and dinners out in the same day!!
My DH and youngest son love all inc and the ease of it and I like it too. A lager mid morning, wine with lunch, not a care in the world skipping down to the restaurant for delicious concoctions of a bit of everything and no money worries or counting up while you're there.
We tend to swap around..been self catering this summer and it was very spendy with older teens. Going all inc next summer. It's the most we have ever spent for a weeks holiday but I think it will come in probably about the same as a week self catering when hire cars and food are factored in

Flip

1 2 3