Do you go All-inclusive or self catering?
There is advantage and disadvantage to both I think.
All-Inclusive-
If you run out of money you can still eat and drink to your heart's content. You really do need very little spending money while there and the kids will be kept occupied with free ice cream and drinks!!!!!!!! But it can get a bit claustrophobic after a week and you do not venture out much to see the local sights etc. One good comprimise is to try to find a hotel which has a few different restaurants to try. Treat yourself to at least one night out in a local restaurant, it probably still works out cheaper then going self catering. See if the hotel offers a packed lunch service, then you can still get out for the day. Try to book a few excursions, see a bit of the region etc. All In is def good value for money, especially if you love lasing around on the beach or near the pool! Food selection gets boring after 2 weeks at some places. Quality of the food on buffets isn't as good as freshly cooked.Sometimes having to queue or wait for food to be replenished,then everyone dives for it !Missing the personal touch and service of a waiter.
Self catering-
You can do what you want and when you want it. You will never miss breakfast if you happen to get up after nine,You do not have to follow a schedule. You can try the local food / different restaurants and bars. You can go out and about not having to worry what time to be back for food. but if with kids and they want drinks and ice cream you have to put your hand in your pocket. Making a budget how much you wanted spend out each night. having to be careful with money. A well equipped kitchen and the ability to prepare your own meals at any time of the day or night with the comfort of the on-site mini-market that is open from 8am to 12 midnight, offering a wide range of products gives you total flexibility and freedom while you enjoy your holidays. One of the advantages of Self Catering holidays is the cost, which is generally more economical than hotels or B&B of a similar quality.
A Self Catering holiday is convenient for you and your family. Family Holidays allows everyone to enjoy the convenience and flexibility which the self catering option provides by preparing meals for the children and having the space and privacy for the children to enjoy.
Hotels are businesses just like all others. They exist by taking your money and offering a service. The pricing for their services are carefully calculated to make sure that they do not supply anything that has not been paid for.
‘All Inclusive' is the term that hotels use for ‘Almost Everything Paid for In Advance'.
For some people who find it difficult to budget this can be a good idea. In some countries where you would not want to venture outside of the hotel it may also be something to consider, but I think that in all cases the guests should be given the choice of whether to pay in advance a set price for the food and drinks that they may have. Especially when you bear in mind that the set price, advance payment has been calculated by assessing the average guests spending habits and then adding on a sizeable percentage to cover ‘unforeseen circumstances'.
‘All Inclusive' is the term that hotels use for ‘Almost Everything Paid for In Advance'.
For some people who find it difficult to budget this can be a good idea. In some countries where you would not want to venture outside of the hotel it may also be something to consider, but I think that in all cases the guests should be given the choice of whether to pay in advance a set price for the food and drinks that they may have. Especially when you bear in mind that the set price, advance payment has been calculated by assessing the average guests spending habits and then adding on a sizeable percentage to cover ‘unforeseen circumstances'.
Especially when you bear in mind that the set price, advance payment has been calculated by assessing the average guests spending habits and then adding on a sizeable percentage to cover ‘unforeseen circumstances'.
This is why I don't do AI - it nearly always works out more costly than I would otherwise spend. I can understand why the concept appeals to others but I don't holiday with young children who need to be kept in ice creams and soft drinks and tend to drink only the local wine and when I look at AI prices it is clearly costed on the basis of higher levels of consumption than mine. It invariably works out more than I would spend going HB and buying lunch and drinks on top or going SC even though we eat out nearly every night. I only ever did AI once, for 3 nights in Cuba, and regretted it because the amount of food and drink wasted depressed me, especially in a country where the locals generally have nothing to spare and not a crumb or drop is wasted.
SM
I used to think that AI was quite an expensive way to go and was only for the wealthy 
until we tried it a couple of times whilst long haul. If you tend to use it exclusively for your whole holiday and don't do any trips or eating out elsewhere it can work out a fair bit cheaper than self catering.
Self catering is our preferred type of holiday as we do like to come and go as we please and part of our evening entertainment is tryng out different restaurants and bars each evening. We don't really 'self cater' as we eat almost all of our meals out, since I don't come on holiday to cook or wash up (do enough of that at home). The way we do it, we always end up paying a lot more than we would if we were AI but it's all about our enjoyment rather than saving money after all we've worked hard enough to afford it.
until we tried it a couple of times whilst long haul. If you tend to use it exclusively for your whole holiday and don't do any trips or eating out elsewhere it can work out a fair bit cheaper than self catering. Self catering is our preferred type of holiday as we do like to come and go as we please and part of our evening entertainment is tryng out different restaurants and bars each evening. We don't really 'self cater' as we eat almost all of our meals out, since I don't come on holiday to cook or wash up (do enough of that at home). The way we do it, we always end up paying a lot more than we would if we were AI but it's all about our enjoyment rather than saving money after all we've worked hard enough to afford it.
We've mostly gone B & B down the years(also done SC), even if you miss breakfast, you can get something out and about depending on where you are in the world. You can then spend the day getting to visit different places and learning something about the culture. As Shirley h has just posted, in the evenings you can go to different restaurants. Again, you are not tied to times.
Les
Les
Self catering is our preferred type of holiday as we do like to come and go as we please and part of our evening entertainment is tryng out different restaurants and bars each evening.
You can then spend the day getting to visit different places and learning something about the culture. As Shirley h has just posted, in the evenings you can go to different restaurants. Again, you are not tied to times.
I agree with both of you on that - even though I was only there 3 nights, I was climbing the walls at the AI I did in Cuba. Everything got to fell very 'samey' after a couple of days and it wasn't well situated for getting into the nearest town so I felt really hemmed in.
SM
we always went half board when the children were younger , as we dont like to tie ourselves to the hotel all day everyday , after breakfast we would then go out for the day and eat wherever we ended up , come back in time for evening meal , and then out again . As the family got smaller we took out youngest son and his friend AI mainly because we could leave the boys around the pool for a few hours knowing they could eat and have a drink if they needed it without having to leave money with them while me and hubby went out ( boys were 16 at the time ) but it really wasn't for us we would have a look at what was for main evening meal and if we didn't fancy it we would eat out , now its only hubby and myself so we opt for s/c which suits us better . i think for long haul AI is probably the way to go
Our preferred holiday is room only in Europe . We love to eat out at different places and having a walk around in the evening,But the way the euro is at the moment AI makes far more financial sense especially when holidaying with kids.
I think the set price advance payment statement is a bit out of touch considering the exchange rate against the extra of staying AI in Europe at the moment.
We paid just under £2000 for 14 nights in Tenerife in October, staying in a fantastic 4 * hotel there is no way we could have found simalar standard accommodation and then added meals and drinks for 2 adults and 2 children for the same money.
Horses for courses I suppose
I think the set price advance payment statement is a bit out of touch considering the exchange rate against the extra of staying AI in Europe at the moment.
We paid just under £2000 for 14 nights in Tenerife in October, staying in a fantastic 4 * hotel there is no way we could have found simalar standard accommodation and then added meals and drinks for 2 adults and 2 children for the same money.
Horses for courses I suppose
I prefer SC in Turkey but we go AI to Tunisia and Egypt.
We still eat out a few times especially in Naama bay .
I dont drink alcohol so it would probably be cheaper to go B&B or HB to these countries but as I nearly always get a really good deal it works out cheaper than going SC.
We still eat out a few times especially in Naama bay .
I dont drink alcohol so it would probably be cheaper to go B&B or HB to these countries but as I nearly always get a really good deal it works out cheaper than going SC.
I used to think that AI was quite an expensive way to go and was only for the wealthy until we tried it a couple of times whilst long haul. If you tend to use it exclusively for your whole holiday and don't do any trips or eating out elsewhere it can work out a fair bit cheaper than self catering.
I have never found any AI cheaper than going self-catering, but it depends how you define 'self-catering'.
Sometimes when I compare S/C with H/B, there is little difference when you drop on a bargain for a hotel/package, except you know you will have the space and flexibility in an apartment, and can eat what you buy and cook, or order in a restaurant.
If you're going out for every meal, then you're not doing self-catering and might as well just have room only, and any mini-market attached to a hotel will not be cheap, it's much better to shop where the locals shop and eat in the places the locals eat/drink.
A1 has its purposes in certain parts of the world, but it will be the death of Europe because it has been proven that A1 has a detrimental effect on local business and bars, and venturing out of the hotel/complex for the occasional meal will not keep these businesses in business.
In years to come, there will be nothing left outside the hotel/complex for you go and see/experience.
The only people who are getting rich from A1 are the Tour Operators.
Sanji
We self cater but than we don't stay in hotels other than travelodges as a stopover elsewhere on my travels. I like to be different from the majority of HT.
Sanji, when we've compared the cost of the AIs we've done with the SC, we've always ended up spending roughly £300 more for the fortnight whilst SC. That's because as I said-
Room only would suit us fine but more often than not there isn't as much choice for these as there is for SC. We've also started doing B&B which is also good for us.
We don't really 'self cater' as we eat almost all of our meals out, since I don't come on holiday to cook or wash up (do enough of that at home). The way we do it, we always end up paying a lot more than we would if we were AI but it's all about our enjoyment rather than saving money after all we've worked hard enough to afford it.
Room only would suit us fine but more often than not there isn't as much choice for these as there is for SC. We've also started doing B&B which is also good for us.
If you tend to use it exclusively for your whole holiday and don't do any trips or eating out elsewhere it can work out a fair bit cheaper than self catering.
So how would you know that A1 will work out cheaper than S/C, if you don't do self catering and eat out.?
Sanji
So how would you know that A1 will work out cheaper than S/C, if you don't do self catering and eat out.?
Point taken. I was referring to self catering holidays that we've taken which are only 'self catering' by the way the properties are categorised by the TO. Yes, I suppose if you Self cater properly i.e. cooking in your apartment, buying at the cheaper food shops and occasionally eating out where the locals do it would be cheaper than AI.
Good debate as it shows us that when you compare Self Catering with AI, you need to consider what sort of holiday you want
we like hb best of both worlds i think, xphx
I do either to be honest. The girls and I tend to do AI. We will eat and drink in the hotel until midnight and then we will go out into town. So AI works well for us as we are only doing a pool/clubbing holiday.
The OH and I will do SC, HB or AI really. We got a great deal on an AI hotel to Majorca this year and the hotel was so nice and you got AI on the beach that we didn't venture out much further. In all fairness, been there and done that with Majorca, we just went for the Sunshine.
When we went to Tunisia, we went sc as we wanted more freedom to explore. I suppose it just depends on your holiday and where you are going and who with.
The OH and I will do SC, HB or AI really. We got a great deal on an AI hotel to Majorca this year and the hotel was so nice and you got AI on the beach that we didn't venture out much further. In all fairness, been there and done that with Majorca, we just went for the Sunshine.
When we went to Tunisia, we went sc as we wanted more freedom to explore. I suppose it just depends on your holiday and where you are going and who with.
having been on both- s/c for me any day! I can't face anything to eat before 11.30- its great not to be tied- and to be able to eat at what time you want.- and wherever you want. I don't mind admitting when i went all inclusive (Only the once)- I ate and drank more than i would normally do- (and ended up putting pounds on- ). Never again!
belly
belly
We camp in France most years so definitely SC. This year we had nearly £100 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers which we used to fill the space in the car with non-perishable foods (rice, pasta, tins, cereals, etc) so all we had to buy in France was fresh foods. We live too far north to benefit from using the vouchers for theme park tickets etc and we usually use Brittany Ferries as that takes us as close as we can get to our campsite so we couldn't use them for ferry tickets.
SC everytime for me. Did HB last year and it was ok but much prefer the freedom of walking around, having a few drinks and deciding where to eat. Never done AI but someone at work (who incidentally is on a massive salary) does AI in Europe and won't venture out of the hotel 'because he's paid already' .
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Self catering for me too. Love the freedom, doing as we please and not having to eat at a certain time.
We have done AI. It does have its advantages and if you embrace it, it definately works. For us though its too regimental and to be honest, I dont think we "get our monies worth". I like a drink and I love my food, but I certainly dont eat all day long and I definately dont drink - especially alcohol - all day long. With SC you have freedom, I love to wander of an evening and if I want to eat at 9pm then I can, if I want to eat at 5pm I can. With AI you are (generally) restricted to eating between set times. Although alcohol wise I tend to drink whatever is "local", with AI you (generally
) dont have a choice, its all locally produced and sometimes very significantly inferior and cheaper than the local stuff. A couple of years ago, we did half board in an AI hotel, that was even worse. You couldnt even have a drink (except water) with your evening meal, the staff were rude, the food and drink both poor. Never again would I choose HB.
Id choose SC everytime. I like quality rather than quantity
We have done AI. It does have its advantages and if you embrace it, it definately works. For us though its too regimental and to be honest, I dont think we "get our monies worth". I like a drink and I love my food, but I certainly dont eat all day long and I definately dont drink - especially alcohol - all day long. With SC you have freedom, I love to wander of an evening and if I want to eat at 9pm then I can, if I want to eat at 5pm I can. With AI you are (generally) restricted to eating between set times. Although alcohol wise I tend to drink whatever is "local", with AI you (generally
) dont have a choice, its all locally produced and sometimes very significantly inferior and cheaper than the local stuff. A couple of years ago, we did half board in an AI hotel, that was even worse. You couldnt even have a drink (except water) with your evening meal, the staff were rude, the food and drink both poor. Never again would I choose HB. Id choose SC everytime. I like quality rather than quantity
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