Do you ever wish you’d just booked an all inclusive?

[raffamooie]

Dh and I love travelling and seeing new places. Like everyone we have limited annual leave.

We take one 2 week break a year and then shorter ones. We’ve just returned from 2 weeks of travelling around South Africa. Amazing trip. Saw and did so much. But it wasn’t hugely relaxing. We’ve come back from the trip feeling tired.

We sorta wish in future to simply book a 5* all inclusive in the med in September for 10 days. Not worry about anything other than relaxing.

I think we’d be a bit bored and feel we’re wasting a chance to see different places and cultures.

I couldn’t do an all inclusive these days, or hotels.

We love an adventure like yourselves but we mix it up. We now book flights, an Airbnb or similar and pick a hire car up. We alternate between sight seeing and chilling on secluded beaches that are tucked away from the tourist areas.

Portugal is this year’s adventure. We’ll pick the car up at Faro, head to the villa then pick and choose what we do. Can’t wait to find the beautiful quaint villages in the hills. Plus getting lost occasionally isn’t so bad.

Why does an AI holiday mean you sit still? I very rarely go on AI holidays, but at the last one I went to I barely sat down all day. All inclusive included a full daily timetable of activities: lots of classes eg spin/yoga/pilates/dance/bodypump etc, hikes, tennis lessons, sailing, water skiing, kayaking/SUP… and more, that’s just the stuff I did.

@BigBarm OP was saying they were planning on relaxing and not doing anything. That kind of inaction would be boring to me.

An AI would not be a good fit for me at all as I like to be in a city centre with good transport networks (as we don't rent cars) and tons of restaurant choices.

I'm sure they suit other people just fine though!

With small children there is literally no better holiday . I would never have considered one before having kids but AI is the only way the adults actually get to relax while the kids play is the pool or kids club. I also don't want to cook on holiday or have my child reject food I've paid for in a restaurant.

We did all inclusive for the first time summer 2022, I wasn't sure if I would get bored or not but honestly it was so relaxing! With the kids too we didn't have to worry about them asking for drinks and ice cream constantly because it was all included ha! I probably wouldn't do that kind of holiday every year because I do like seeing new places but we've got an AI holiday booked this summer and I can't wait, it's been a stressful few months so chilling by the pool with a cocktail will be just what I need!

Yes, fair enough, I also couldn’t spend the whole time doing nothing. Often to my detriment though - I never manage to finish my book, don’t sit down long enough. But I’m a bit knackered at the mo so an AI holiday to sit down and catch up on my reading is suddenly looking quite appealing!

For our big holiday we usually split it into 2, first portion exploring and walking/ hiking, final portion in a super relaxing place with nothing scheduled. Works a treat every time.

We've done AI and loved it but I would only do this in a country I didn't want explore - so a smaller country.
Somewhere like SA (I've never been), I would like to explore more.
We mostly do 'exploring trips" packing in as much as possible. Yes, sometimes on the day it is tiring, but we return recharged having experienced so much.
Next week we are going to Cairo and it's a pretty action packed schedule because we want to see as much as we can (and I never want to go back again - so many reasons)!