All Inclusive vs Self Catering Holidays, which is better?

[haughtyhannah]

Tossing up between two holidays, roughly same cost.

Holiday 1: All Inclusive, 5*, big hotel on the beach, fly and flop. 5-6 hour flight. A bit brits aboard.

Holiday 2: Self catering, small villa with pool, expensive destination, rent a car and explore the island. 8 hour flight.

We like self-catering, but we don’t cook. We only use the kitchen for snacks, beverages, and a place to keep leftovers. The last thing I want to do on holiday is cook, even something simple.

Btw, when we go self catering we don't prepare anything more than basic breakfast/fresh bread and cheese for lunch if we are having a pool day, there's no cooking going on.

Self catering every time, kids or no kids. Hate buffets, hate entertainment, hate crowds.

Depends where they are and which place I wanted to see the most. I'm not a fan of 'fly and flop' and I would plan to explore the area and eat away from the hotel. But if they're the same cost that doesn't matter? I wouldn't be cooking meals in the self catering option.
I plan my holidays on a destination I want to visit so need to know where these places are!

SC for us, our DCs are adult now but we've always done SC, we like the extra space and being able to buy local food for breakfasts, snacks etc. Usually eat out either lunch or evening and the other meal will be bread and cheese or similar, we don't do much proper cooking. We like being on a complex where you can use hotel facilities for some of our holidays, other times we go for standalone cottages, or apartments. The only AI type holidays we've done have been occasional cruises.

I have a small child so definitely wouldn’t do AI. I love the flexibility and privacy of a Villa. I can have the pool to myself, put the child to bed and relax on the terrace, have a midnight swim, explore the local food markets and cook whenever we want. I’d hate to be stuck in a hotel room at night at 1930 when our child goes to bed, I would also hate having to share my holiday with others!

i prefer self catering but I'm on a medical diet so it gives me more control over my food.

Depends where you go.

With kids, AI is amazing.

European type places - B and B ideally and explore!

Indian Ocean/caribbean - AI with a La carte. Awali in Mauritius is incredible!

We used to always do self-catering until a few years ago. Now, I look back in horror. It probably ended up costing even more than what we spend on AI or half-board now. Not to mention the work involved.

I choose our AI hotels very carefully. Minimum 4 star, and minimum 4.5 star reviews on TripAdvisor, with special attention to the reviews that mention the food

We will occasionally eat out if we are away on a day trip, but usually make it back for dinner.

AI either with or without kids.

No one needs domestic drudge of a self catering place on a much needed break.

Well I would tend to prefer Holiday 2 but I don't think either is intrinsically "better". It really depends on what you enjoy. There are pros and cons either way.I usually prefer SC because I'm pretty antisocial and I like the privacy of having our own place. I wouldn't self catering on a complex, I like to be out of the way. And I enjoy shopping in other countries and cooking some meals and eating out for others. Also one of our children has multiple allergies so self catering is logistically easier.
But I enjoy the occasional hotel holiday too. I think it's perfectly possible to enjoy very different types of holiday on different occasions.

Personal preference. I dislike hotels, like my privacy and space and don't mind cooking so always self-cater. As a family we dont lkke organised entertainment and my DC dislike joining clubs with others they dont know. If you want everything on tap, your family lokes entertainment and you don't want to do household stuff like preparing meals or loading the dishwasher, a hotel would be better. Not all hotels are AI though. You might be more likely to get out and explore if you needed to eat out.

Personal preference is 2 but each to their own. Which would you prefer OP?

Both have their time and place. But without kids, we don't really cook when SC. Light breakfast, snacks for lunch, and eat out in local restaurants.
What are the destinations?

Having done a Brits Abroad type place last summer, I wouldn't do it again and I definitely wouldn't do it if it was just DH and me. We only did it because DS loves a big pool and a buffet breakfast. TBF, the hotel was lovely and the staff were great - so attentive and the place was immaculate. We had B&B and we rented a car and explored, so you could do that anyway, but the noise and the mess and all the people playing ball games and shouting in the pool was awful. They were honestly the kind of people I'd pay to avoid! So for me it would be the villa.

I would rather stick pins in my eyes than go on a package holiday. Other people feel the same about self catering. Different people like different things!

I'd go for SC or a hotel that offers bed and breakfast. A "Brits abroad" isn't really my thing as I like to immerse myself in the local culture, eat local food, drink local drinks, sightsee etc as well as flop by a pool.

The 'brits abroad' comment meant I would choose number 2. I do my best not to be identified as a brit abroad when on holiday.

How do you define a package holiday?

We went to a Greek island earlier on this year. We stayed in a local, family run hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, explored, ate out in local tavernas and just did our own thing.

It happened to be a Jet2 package because it included flights, transfers and accommodation. Not all package holidays are Brits abroad AI holidays. It was cheaper for us to do it as a package than faff around sorting out all the different elements.

Another plus was that if one element of the holiday was a problem Jet 2 would be able to sort it out. I have read about many holidays where the flight was cancelled but the traveller was still liable for the accommodation.