That's all very well but you were certainly not helping the local economy were you? That is the main problem of AI resorts and one of the reasons that in areas where there are a glut of AI hotels many local bars and shops are closing.

Something to bear in mind on future travels.

Pippa

i'm going fuerteventura also a week today. going a/i but we only use the a/i for pop, ice cream around the pool of a daytime. would rather go out and try the local bars/resturants in the evenings (sometimes not all ) still eat in hotel all so.
we normally spend about £1000 on holiday for food, drink and trips etc.

I'm pleased you still go out and visit the local bars etc. that way you get the best of both worlds.

It doesn't sound as though the original poster ventured outside the hotel. Can't see the point myself of going abroad and not seeing something of the local area. Still each to their own as they say!

Pippa

That's all very well but you were certainly not helping the local economy were you? That is the main problem of AI resorts and one of the reasons that in areas where there are a glut of AI hotels many local bars and shops are closing.

Something to bear in mind on future travels.

Pippa
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The point of my post was to be honest a bit tongue in cheek?? and to be perfectly frank I really dont think the local economy of this Island was affected by our short stay.

We did not visit a small African island or a politically challenged Caribbean republic. We holidayed on an island that is part of Spain, a country within the EU that at the moment is not as affected by the global downturn as the UK FACT!!!!

You may be interested to note the " Original poster " did indeed venture out of there hotel during their stay and did indeed "during a totally crazy 5 minuet spell !!" spend 4eurors on a small and very overpriced bottle of water from a shop owned by one of the natives of this island whom originated from Wolverhampton?? a mystic town across many sea's I belive?

The "Original poster " also visited and spent much of their hard earned cash on this island in November 2008 and in all honesty was " So overly Taxed" by the local economy he felt totally justified in spending his money on an all inclusive hotel this time round.

Sorry Pippa but please "wind your neck in"!

Something to bear in mind on future posts on other members light hearted banter????

Spain is more or less as prosperous as the UK, in fact in some parts it is more prosperous. Probably gets tons more EU subsidies than we do. It's not some third world county we need to 'do good' for.

If someone has worked hard for 50 weeks a year they should be allowed to holiday as they wish without the moral police getting on their case.

I spent a fortune there this summer Millie so I have probably balanced things out a bit. Thats what happens when you have a vila with a pool. lol.

I stand by my comments. It is a known fact that in some holiday areas where AI hotels and resorts are growing the local economy is suffering because a lot of holidaymakers do not use the local shops, restaurants and bars. This has a negative effect in that places close down and can make the area look run down.

AI hotels do not appeal to me - I'm not too keen on the attitude "I've paid for it so I will eat and drink all that I can". I know that is a sweeping statement but sadly an all too common occurance with us Brits.

Pippa

We are all suffering though Pippa and if we work our backsides off to go on holiday the least we can do is spend our hard earned cash exactly how we choose.

They don't appeal to you personally and you have a very negative attitude about how you perceive that people who do AI think, that does not make you right though. If you don't holiday at such places how on earth do you have any experience on the subject

Back to the OP I think that it's fantastic that your chosen AI had everything you needed so you did not have to spend much more. I stayed in Alcudia for a week in May and although everything was great in the hotel I felt a little trapped so on the nights we got out and about we spent about £150 and were very pleased with that

I am entitled to my opinion as you are also entitled to yours!

I agree stardust its interesting how all the experts on AI never actually stay in them. There are all kinds of AI's and AI clients & AI establishments, just there are the same as with self catering and half-board. Who says everyone is 'ive paid for it so i'll have it ? Ive been AI 3 times and rarely eaten lunch, just dont need it in the heat.

Can you imagine anybody from abroad coming to the UK and thinking 'oh we must spend a bit and put something back it to the local economy' ? It's laughable and yet there are people constantly trying to guilt trip others about how they chose to spend their holiday.

If you go on a Ibiza/Majorca forum and dare to mention about a four sunbeds and 2 umbrella being 30 Euros to hire. You get an idignant voice saying 'we are the fifth largest economy in Europe you know' so put up with it.

I think this is a case of dammed if we do and dammed if we dont.

I think you and the OP must have chosen well to find hotels that so suited your needs.

There is a topic on the Malta forum about AI hotels. I am not alone in my views.

We have stayed AI twice , and its definately not for us , but in saying that each to their own, we find that half board suits us better. But dont knock it till you try it .

Millemuglia,

I can beat you there. We went to an all inclusive in Turkey(Lara beach) and spent 1 euro on a lighter and 5 euros on Haribo sweets in the on site shop!
And before anyone shoots me down, that same year we had visited Turkey twice before and spent an absolute fortune!!!!!

Denny

I'm on Millies side I am definately looking for a good all inclusive deal for next year, to help with the holiday budget!!!, went h/b this tear and still spent a fortune .

I have done both stayed in AI resorts and spent very little, and also on BB/HB and SC basis and spent quite a lot. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, somestimes the AI I have done, you get a good deal at the outset and when you get there if you spend wisely, as the original poster says, then you can go on hols very cheaply. I don't actually see anything wrong with that either.

It's down to choices for each of us, as some might like to kit theirselves out in designer gear from head to toe and others shop in primark - one isn't right or wrong is it I am not sure we should judge others for decided to be frugal with their hard earned cash, and if people do go on AI holidays and stay in the 'complex' then again that's their choice.

Im with the "original poster". Well done to you for keeping the spending down . AI holidays are expensive enough without the additional costs that usually go hand in hand with holidaying.

We have done several AI (plus HB and SC although I have to admit I prefer SC but that is MY personal choice). Apart from one, the AI's we have used were brilliant and we spent very little out of the complex apart from say a tour op exursion to the local water park (with age and wisdom, we have worked out its cheaper to make our own way there but thats another story ) The AI that was the pits we did have to use money that we couldnt afford because the food was absolutely appauling but you live and learn.

I dont think its fair that someone should have to line the pockets of the local population. Every person has to work hard for their holidays - especially in today's climate - and if they choose not to spend any other money, then fair play to them.

Sarah

We have been to several all inclusives so I think I am in a position to add my input.
Some have been OK (mainland Spain and Balearics) and sometimes we used to eat out - just for a change and to experience something different. Exactly the same applies when we have gone to hotels offering half board but at least with all inclusives they offer a range of food every meal time and most people can find something they like.

We now go to the Canaries and stay in all inclusive hotels which are much better as they offer exactly what we want.
We still go out and about and buy a few drinks in the bars along the way and we tip the barmen.
We do the same when we stay in the all inclusive hotels - we tip the barmen, waiting staff and maids so our money is going to the workers who are giving us excellent service.

We are very happy doing what we do and it suits us and many other nice people we have met on our travels.

well done millie, £that must be a record...

we have done a few AL/INC when the children were smaller....just for the entertainment and activities....

then a few years doing self catering in turkey.......

now we have booked AI for next year.....thourght it the safest option due to uncertainty with jobs etc, and spending money will depend on how we do during the year, i am hoping to take £500, just to cover bus trips ect, that will be the minimum....

but if its £100 we will still have a wonderful time, spending it as a family, as thats the reason we go.......

We are going Ai in a few weeks to Spain, and I'm not going to feel guilty that the local bars will suffer when you see Spanish people sit all night with a cafe solo and a bottle of water!!!

Only done AI once before in the Dom Rep and got really bored with staying in 24/7
so we shall venture out and spend a few euros. hopefully not to much though.

First off, I know that AI isn't for me - I discovered this on my most recent trip to Cuba and my four days in an AI hotel in Varedero will be the first and last time I'll do AI. I think that there are overall damaging consequences of going AI as this sector of the market spreads and as long as people are willing to accept them - well, it is each to their own and I can see the attraction for families but I think that the AI concept is one that is going to destroy the character of some holiday destinations and reduce the level of choice for those who want something other than AI.

So what are those consequences? Well, in my experience in Cuba, firstly, it's surly, resentful staff who in the end get fed-up at throwing out perfectly good food and drink, food and drink that they could never afford to buy in the first place. It also results in tiresome strategies on the part of staff to get tips. The usual practice in Cuba is just to leave the very small change ie round payment up to the nearest full CUC or leave a CUC at the end of night. But when no money is changing hands this can rapidly degenerate into having to tip in order to get good service in the first place rather than tipping to reward good service. I can see no reason why this should be limited to Cuba - it's going to happen wherever there is a similar large disparity between the income of tourists and local staff.

Secondly, if hardly anybody ventures out of their resort hotel then no infrastructure develops for those who would rather not spend all their time in the hotels. Or even worse, what would appear to be happening in parts of the Canaries, is that once AI becomes the dominant form of holiday in a resort, the local infrastructure of bars and restaurants cannot continue to survive because fewer and fewer customers are being spread increasingly thinly around them all. I think that this is why more and more resorts are being criticised for being too quiet of an evening now. Once this starts to happen, there are fewer and fewer incentives for people to leave their hotel and the local infrastructure disappears because there are so few customers to keep it going. As cazB discovered it can get really boring being stuck in the same hotel for a couple of weeks but if not enough visitors support the local bars and restaurants then there will no longer be any local alternative to what is on offer in the hotel. If you want an alternative or a good range of choice, then you do have to support the local economy by spending money in local bars and restaurants otherwise they will close.

Thirdly, the quality of the AI experience starts to go down for the majority as the AI hotels are forced into greater and greater competition on price and price alone. The luxury high end of the market will survive for those willing to pay a premium for a premium product but judging by the critical comments on here about so many AI hotels, the poor quality food, watered down drinks, limits on what actually is included in the AI offer (eg only local rather than imported spirits) I think that the middle market is already being really squeezed as it lowers prices even further and then adjusts what is actually on offer accordingly. I think there's a good chance that the AI market will become really polarised - a small, luxurious but expensive top end and a long tail of budget basement AI hotels for those who shop only on price. Which could leave the middle market with very little choice.

SM