How did I not know this?

[LoserWinner]

I’ve always done complicated holiday planning - separate flights, accommodation, transport, checked out and booked things to do and see - because I thought package holidays were supposed to be a bit naff, and I’ve always had a great time. But this year I decided to try the lazy route and booked an AI package to a popular tourist area, with the only agenda items to hang out by the pool and read, and go for walks along the beach. I expected to be underwhelmed, but it’s fabulous! I struck lucky with the hotel - amazing local food and decent drinks, a lovely pool, not crowded and NO KIDS. The flight was on time, transfer was as advertised, and I’m having the best holiday I’ve had in years. It’s all so laid back and carefree.

Have I just been incredibly fortunate, or are AI packages usually this good?

We just arrived at our hotel in Turkey a few hours ago. I normally book everything separately but this was a last minute thing and apart from horrific queues at dalaman airport, so far everything is brilliant. Gorgeous hotel, great location and views, friendly staff. Flight was on time, transfer easy to find.

No kids cause they're all in school (most!) So wish I could holiday out of term time! Enjoy your holiday 😎

Sounds like you, like many others, hadn't moved on in your view of package holidays, which became outdated once it was possible for people to book their own holidays online.

'A package holiday' as you have discovered, is simply a way of booking your flight, accommodation and transfer in one go, which gives you certain legal benefits and is much easier. The accommodation can be exactly a same as can be found online looking separately and can be AI hotels of any standard, smaller hotels where B&B is standard and you can pay for dinner in the restaurant or self catering properties such as villas, apartments or even caravans, tents etc.

In many resort town hotels, there will be people on packages as well as those who have booked direct having exactly the same holiday. There's no rule as to which is cheaper, it could go either way. We've been on a few Jet2 packages where it was a lot cheaper to book the package, other times I've priced it up and it's cheaper to book separately, even on the same flight and hotel, often because we just get a bus or taxi to the hotel. But the bonus with the package is that if anything goes wrong with the transfer or the flight, it's the tour operator's responsibility to sort it, whereas if your separately booked flight is cancelled, you still could be committed to paying for accommodation you're unable to get to.

I expect the holiday with amazing local food was quite expensive because that's where I find AI hotels lacking, unless you pay a lot. I don't want to pay for 5 star a la carte AI and we like to have lunch out, so the cost would escalate even more but I don't like buffets for lunch or dinner, I want to sit at a table in a nice square or by the sea and have the food brought to me.

I also like a lot of seafood, which was the main thing I didn't like when I stayed in an otherwise lovely adults only spa hotel in Lanzarote that did AI, but I was HB - this cost hardly anything more than BB so I ate out at lunchtime and just went to the restaurant in the evening for a glass of wine and a bit of salad. The food was lovely, just not to my taste.

It's also true that a holiday in term time and/or in an adults only hotel feels very different to one in the school holidays that is much busier with lots of children. We're child free so never go in the school holidays but there has been occasions when there's been a small overlap and the difference is very noticeable.

They weren't last week when I was away abroad. There were school age kids all over the bloody place. V annoying.

Thats a whole lot of mansplaining captain obvious.

We've done both in recent years - I think there are pros and cons. Package holidays are great if you want to really relax and do nothing but sometimes we want something a bit different.

I travel a lot and have no issue booking a package. Going to canaries next week and it was much cheaper to book separately. Booking direct with the hotel was working out hundreds less (I’ve stayed here before) and I prefer a private taxi transfer.

We use to book separates as it was cheaper but with jet 2 free child places they often come up cheaper now. It is easier having it all booked in one place and a rep at the hotel.

I’m always tempted by the do nothing holiday but I get too restless and bored annd after 3 days I start wanting to move location no matter how good it is!

Well done OP. Sounds great. I have done one AI years ago which was great, but not since. Where are you out of interest?

As ex cabin crew, no they're not all like that but if you take your time looking you can get exactly what you want. They'll always be bad ones but they are some wonderful ones out there. I have travelled all over. Canada, Mexico, America, Phuket, Barbados, Jamacia, Antigua ect but my favourite place will always be Tenerife. I just love the place.

Op my ai experience has been great too, I still do independent travel, 22 separate hotels this summer! But for a short notice relaxing break an ai is great. I do check reviews carefully but I’ve never been disappointed. Just one thing, you do need to have expectations in line with what you have paid! If you have paid £500 for a 4 hour flight (typically £150 each booked independently), a week in a hotel (let’s say it’s £400), breakfast, lunch, dinner and all drinks, when even a coffee is €3 these days, it’s not going to be Michelin star food is it!!! Fresh, local, plenty of salads and to be honest avoid the mass produced sickly desserts.

No kids because I chose an adults only hotel! There were quite a few on the flight and transfer.

And a whole lot of a different kind of AI…

Gran Canaria - Maspalomas.

It’s been half term week in Scotland but whenever you travel there’s always kids on flights who should clearly be at school!

We had an “interesting” AI experience in Maspalomas, hotel was lovely and food was great but we did not realise there was a nudist sunbathing deck that we could see slightly from our balcony. Took some explaining to DC 🤣
That and the market selling giant wooden knobs, knob keyrings, knob bottle openers…

We went to Portugal last week, Jet2 package was slightly more than booking separately if we went with their transfers, but we wanted a car so we booked separately.

Hotel was lovely but the food was not and I’m really happy we had only booked B&B not AI and could venture out to eat. This is always my worry with a AI.

Really enjoyed simply chilling by the pool though but after 4 days I was bored and glad that it was only a short break

I love a package holidays and A.I are indeed a good option. Suits my older children, who can help thenselves to whatever they want without worrying about the bank account while your away.

I do research the hotels though, so I pick one that suits our families wants/needs etc and i have to checkout the reviews. Then I book with Jet 2 or Tui. It does have to be those 2 companies cause they are proper package holiday firms. They have Reps in the resorts for any issues that come up and you are fully covered for all aspects of holiday. I think since Covid, this has become more important to people.

i check both options, I find the hotel in the location I want then I check the travel agents for packages and also booking seperately, usually I find a package deal which is better

for long weekends away I book hotel and flights seperately, but for man holidays of plus seven days it’s normally a package.

as for ai, that’s not one size fits all, very many different standard and budgets, for example we are off to thr Caribbean in a few weeks , booked ai, but the hotels only serve à la carte, and the drinks are fantastic for example over 20 different wines inc and of the two, one even provides full bottles rather than by the glass,

I’ve also been away with friends to much cheaper resorts and the ai has been very basic, think Tui blue, but still enjoyable and fun.

Package doesn't have to be AI and while I think AI was good when DD was between 7-12, I now find it not really good value for money.
Package just means you book all in one go and in most cases you can choose what kind of board option you want, we paid mainly B&B the last couple of years.

In high season it's really expensive to get an AI where you have good quality a la carte restaurants and I absolutely hate buffets nowadays.

We also go out most days so lunch is always out. When DD was younger the main reason was the easiness of her getting food and drinks during the day and not worrying about shopping and a mini fridge in the hotel room.

A little bit off topic but my only experience of an adults only hotel was a nightmare. I didnt realise it would be full of “influencers” and horny young couples. No chance of anyone getting off their sunlounger to let me with my pale lardy arse have a go. Everyone posing for selfies all the time. Music blaring from phones all the time. I was desperate for kids and families by the end.

I usually book everything separately too, but this year I have done two package holidays.

First was Croatia half board. This is definitely the best food option for me as I barely drink and am happy to eat twice a day.

Hotel was five star absolutely amazing with private beach, plenty of sun loungers etc. However, the food was really boring and samey.

Second was Marrakesh AI. This was a TUI Blue Adults only. It was bloody brilliant having no kids running around screaming. We could always find a sun lounger in the gardens if nothing available around the pool. It was Four star and not as swishy as the Croatia hotel. The entertainment was brilliant. Really good fun and I don’t normally enjoy that kind of thing. Best thing though was the food. OMG it was absolutely amazing.

What hotel did you book in Croatia? DH really wants to go in 1-2 years.

Sounds like you, like many others, hadn't moved on in your view of package holidays, which became outdated once it was possible for people to book their own holidays online.

'A package holiday' as you have discovered, is simply a way of booking your flight, accommodation and transfer in one go, which gives you certain legal benefits and is much easier.

I agree. I have stayed in some pretty upmarket places by booking a package and wanted the security and protection of flights, hotel and transfers booked through an ABTA tour operator. We do everything ourselves once on holiday and book any trips with local providers. We never go AI, preferring to eat local food and support local businesses. Also, since DH has developed some potentially serious health issues I like the idea of being able to contact a rep if I need to.

I have also done everything separately and really CBA with all the faffing around sorting out all of the different elements these days. I find that using Street View and Trip Advisor I can research where we are going more thoroughly before we book and then don't get a nasty surprise on arrival like we did when we went to Tunisia many moons ago