Best all-inclusive ever?!

[ThatCoralDuck]

I’d love some recommendations for a 5* all-inclusive for next year’s school holidays! We’ll be travelling with two children (5 and 7).

We had such a brilliant holiday this year that I’m tempted to go back (despite always saying I’d never return to the same hotel 😂), but the price has gone up by over £1k, so I’m on the hunt for alternatives.

Our biggest priority is having several à la carte restaurants included in the all-inclusive, ideally with the option to eat at them more than once during the week. A kids’ splash area or small slides would be a huge bonus, as would a short transfer and swim-up room options.

Does anyone have any hotels they absolutely loved that tick most of these boxes? I’d love to hear your recommendations! 😊

Yes, what I wrote was probably confusing. There are a lot of places listed as 5 star holidays for £5-6k but I appreciate these won’t be in the same league as a £10-12k 5 star holiday!

P.S. Also went to Long Beach pre-kids and absolutely loved it! Have you been with kids and would recommend? We thought we’d wait another year before doing long-haul with them!

Ah amazing that you’ve also been to long beach! We went with our first child aged 18 months at the time. We will wait a bit longer perhaps 5 more years to go with ours when they are around 8-10.

I know you said you hate buffet but just to say, Ikos is the best buffet I’ve had in my life and on quite a few nights we chose it over the weaker restaurants…

This perfectly sums up my feelings on Ikos. We went last summer for my 50th, it was certainly lovely but I was expecting more for the price tag.

Stella palace in Crete is excellent

It’s not really about the food for me. It’s more that you’re up and down, you’re rarely sitting down at the same time as everyone, someone’s always up getting something, so it always feels a bit “un relaxing”. Plus as you eat, well if you’re me anyway, you have half a mind on what you’re eating and half a mind on what you’re going up for next. So weirdly, I find buffets a bit stressful. (1st world problem and all that!)
I have to say though, I didn’t find any of the à la carte restaurants weak. I thought they were all fabulous and we more or less did a different one every evening.

All of that said, the Ikos is brand is slick but a bit samey and we’ve already decided that we won’t go back.

Ikos Odisia. Fabulous

Best AI we had was Maldives. To be frank it has spoilt all other holidays for us. I’ve done an Ikos and while it was a very nice holiday, it wasn’t perfect and I don’t think i can justify the price. We spend 12k for 10 nights 2 years ago. The same trip would be at least £14k now and while it was good, I don’t think I can get my head around the costs for a week now.

Following

Rixos Premium Tekirova

Mitsis Selection Blue Domes tick all these boxes, we’ve been for the last 2 years with our 7 and 4 year old in the summer holidays, and I would go back again next year but I want to see some different Greek islands!

The best ones I’ve been to
Melia Carib Tropical - Dominican Republic
Hotel Greco- Crete

SENSATORI Biomar in Majorca

Following with interest, are there any really amazing ones outside Turkey and Greece?

We had an amazing time at Hyderpasha Palace in Turkey