Is an all inclusive family holiday in Italy worth it?

[BodyBoarder]

Is Italy all inclusive worth it? Any hidden gems or other recommendations?

We're looking for an abroad holiday next year and I would love to go to Italy.

What I want to find: nice family friendly resort, on beach or lake, 4+ star, optional activities, good pools. Good food. £4k budget for 10 days. I know I'm dreaming.

The only reason I'm considering all inclusive is the ability to budget. We'd likely still eat out for 3-5 evenings over 10 days.

What's putting me off AI, is the food quality. Any AI I've been to in the past, even 4 star, has been poor in terms of food. Ok for the first few days but quickly becomes repetitive and mostly crap.

Is this the same in Italy or is the food generally a better standard? One of the main reasons for wanting Italy as I know my fussy family will eat Italian food every day!

I don't want to spend £3.5k on a b&b and end up spending £2k on food and drink.

I think going to Italy ai is sacrilege. I know you say you’ll eat but ai is less common in Italy (as it’s not great for the local economy. There is also loads to do in Italy so staying n the hotel seems strange.

I might be wrong but I dont think All Inc is such as thing in Italy as it is in some other countries, but I have seen some half board hotels. That might suit your requirements better as you could eat out a lunchtime. Seems little point in paying for AI if you're going to have dinner out quite a few times anyway. Lake Garda would provably have something to suit your requirements.

Just wouldn’t do it either tbh

maybe I’m paying through the nose but I wish I could find an 4 star AI at that price in Italy.

This is why I was unsure about AI in Italy. It seems silly when there's so many great places to eat. But budget wise, 20 meals + drinks sounds unmanageable. We could drop down to 7 nights, but I want it to be nice - I don't want to turn up to something that feels like a premier inn but in a nicer setting.

We usually do something like a euro camp if we went to Italy - they are great and have pools and all sorts of things to do- we use it as a base and get out and about !

Christ no. Italy? You have got to explore all the food options!.

AI is a plastic holiday imo for those who are either alcoholics or have no imagination. As others have said, AI in Italy is sacrilege. You don't need to spend a lot to eat well.

We've done kinderhotels in Italy previously if you like mountains, small hotels and more like chalet style food. Really delicious and not wasteful piles of beige, still AI for food and activties but not alcohol. Still hot with pools in summer.

I don't know anywhere you'd get 10 days, four star all inclusive for £4k! Nevermind Italy.

How many people?

We did 8 nights at Lake Garda just last months and 4 nights in Florence beforehand.

3 adults and we had around €100 each night for dinner with some alcohol and dessert for 1-2 of the 3. A couple of times we went above it or had drinks in a bar before sitting down to dinner so may be another €40-50.

Lunch was often more on the go, we stopped at Lidl and got rolls, cheese and salami with some yoghurts for a picnic as we were out most days in the morning. Otherwise lunch in a restaurant/cafe or the pool restaurant in our hotel was around €50-60 for us 3.

We didn't look for any AI option, our hotel was B&B. But I also could have easily gone self-catering as you had plenty of cafes for breakfast everywhere.

I think AI maybe available in Sicily or Sardinia and I think there are half-board options but I personally think it's a crime.

AI isn’t really a thing. We did luxury campsite in a bungalow then just budgeted to eat out a lot. Supermarket for cans / ice creams / breakfast / snacks etc then campsite bar / beach bars for lunch and out and about for dinner

4 of us. I am finding options for 10 nights 4 star AI under £4k in several locations (only a few in Italy) - many more over £4k obviously, but the options are there.

I would go AI anywhere except Italy. If I was in Italy, I'd 1000% be eating out at every opportunity.

I'm interested in the eurocamp options, but I'm not sure the husband would go for it. We do caravan holidays in the UK a lot, so wanted something that feels a bit more luxurious.

I'm also not a fan of AI anywhere, but it's also me that's in charge of the budget and I don't want the stress on holiday.

I was just thinking AI as I could budget for 5 dinners out over the 10 days and then not have to think about budget for the rest.

I stayed half board at the conca park hotel in sorrento and the food was lovely!

There’s nothing wrong with AI. You’ve set a budget and decided to control the food costs with it, and accepted that it won’t be perfect.

We also stayed at that hotel in Sorrento @Mammyloveswinelast year and it was really lovely, half board, good selection of food. I think they grow quite a lot of it themselves. It’s also only a short walk from the main centre so you can decide to go out and eat if you want.

Looks lovely, but that's over £7k for 10 nights. And that's leaving before the summer holidays start!!

Plan your own independent holiday. So many options in tuscany, riccione etc. Look at Simpson travel and then book your own hotel x

This is definitely an option. Flights look ok with ba, for 9 nights with our dates (leaving just before school holidays start to make it cheaper).
I've already spent hours today searching hotels and areas, this may be my life for the foreseeable future 😆

I booked lapland last year independently, and it was amazing and exactly what we wanted - and cheaper than the package

Just go B&B and eat out - there will be a huge choice at a range of prices. I think it would be an actual crime to go AI in Italy.

We go to Italy each year. We do self catering but with breakfast option which we always have. We get snacks from the supermarket and then normally eat out one meal per day. The food can be pretty reasonable too. We find it overall much cheaper than an all inclusive inc car hire too

Do you even need B&B I would prefer brunch and dinner and not eat breakfast!

All inclusive in Italy is pretty rare. Hsve a look at Sicily, most of the AI resorts are there.