hi, were going all inclusive to majorca at the end of june, me my fiance, his mum and her hubby and fiances nice (there grandaughter). me and my fiance went all inclusive fort he first time in january to egypt and we said we wouldnt do it again unless maybe when we have children as we like to go out and about and please ourselves, eat in different places etc. we didnt think wed like itanyway but it was a spur of the moment decsion to go and we thought wed give it a try.
were goin all inclusive again now because the family are and they had already booked fist and we wanted to be in the same hotel, plus with the euro been low it does make sense. what i didnt like about A/I in egypt was the drinks-vodka tasted stale so ruled out my usual holiday drink vodka and fresh orange (plus fruit juices wernt included on A/I) and cocktails (i dont like other spirits, except peach snaps/archers but they obviously didnt have these with it been local drinks only) so we stuck to beer which was ok but my fiances said it tasted weak and wine which was fairly nice.
the next thing is been unable to go out but this is only beacuse the hotel was far far away from the town which most hotels are in sharm i think but we did have a man made beach at the complex which was nice and a beach bar.
the other thing is food, the buffet food wasnt great but that hotel had 3 a la cart restraunts so made up for this and then poor entertainment.
so my dislike for that holiday wont nessarcarly (spelling) be the same for this one, as we are close to night life/restraunts/beach, im thinking the drinks maybe better but not sure on the food as it is just buffet restraunt.
we will go out a couple of nights for meals out and a few drinks for a change of scene and to see some of the area, just wondering do other people still go out and about when A/I or stay at their hotel mostly?
if we go ai there's me, hubby & 2 girls 16 & 12 we use the ai of a daytime but mostly go out in the evenings to try the resturants and different bars. i suppose it depends on how much money you have to spend.
AI isn't that much more expensive than SC in some places once you have paid under occupancy, and also its not much dearer than HB where they normally cane you for drinks prices as they know you are in the hotel for the evening meal.
It's purely a convenience thing for us I hate having a purse at the pool to buy drinks for the kids and thinking if I want to go for a swim where is it etc, have I got to wear one of those (totally not Euro chic plastic things round my neck like a St Bernard)
I like that all four of us can swim together without worrying whose looking after the money.
The general facilities, pools, amounts of sun chairs, gardens, places to get a drink are in a different league to your average block of self catering apartments, which often at best are 'basic'.
Even if an AI is isolated you can still get out and about on trips or take local taxis or public transport or hire a car.
I went to an AI in the middle of nowhere in Crete, had a fantastic holdiay and saw lots of the Island, but still felt we got good value from the AI bit.
Its like everything else in life though it depends on how much money you wish to spend
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Edited by
doe
2009-05-11 10:37:41
We do a bit of both Linzi. We usually eat at the hotel, then go out for a walk & perhaps call for a drink, before returning to the hotel for the entertainment. We usually go on just the one organised trip, as they can be expensive. We're not really beach people - preferring the pool area, but we do go a few times - especially if its in the Caribbean. As has been said, I suppose it depends on how much you want to spend. I don't normally like paying for extra meals out, when I've already paid for meals at the hotel
i agree doepsmc those things around your neck are not euro chic at all!
I just love the way the kids can go and get their own drinks and snacks and you don't have to keep handing out money to them.
I like the fact I don't have to carry my wallet down to the pool (or even the beach, in some cases) just in case anyone wants a or two. Actually, because most of the expenses are covered, we find we have more money for days out, etc., than we would if we were paying for every meal & every drink. We also find we are all much more relaxed on holiday now, compared to our days before AI, I guess because we don't NEED to go out anywhere if we don't feel like it, and we're not alwas concerned about how much money we have left & whether it will be enough.
I agree not having to worry whether you have enough money to last your entire holiday. Knowing your food, drink and entertainment is all paid for before you go allows you to spend money on trips, the odd meal out. Its nice to go out and explore the towns and stop off for a few drinks if you want to. AI definately makes for a more relaxing holiday.
We like to go AI when on holiday. However, we like to go out and about to, think I would go stir crazy if I stayed on the complex 24/7 . Like the other posters have said it is nice for the kids to be able to go and get stuff for themselves and not have to carry money with you but it is also nice to get out and sample the local towns, cafes, waterparks, shops etc. We use it very much as a base and decide day to day what we are going to do. On our last holiday to the HV Algarve we were amazed and saddened to notice the same families glued to the same sunbeds at the pool outside our apartment for the whole length of their holiday. The children never went anywhere and the younger ones were even put down to sleep on the sunbeds. Each to their own I know but what experience of Portugal did these children get? They could have been anywhere.
At the end of the day, I suppose it all depends on what you originally paid for your holiday, & what your budget is. I remember many years ago, we had the choice of going AI & staying put, or going without a holiday. I would imagine in these days of the credit crunch the same applies to many families.
We find that in some bed and breakfast/half board hotels, guests
choose to leave the hotel in the evening to drink in the local bars rather than pay
the hotel's high prices thus making the place too quiet.
With all inclusive hotels, they expect guests to stay around the hotel more at night so
they usually lay on a full nights entertainment.
Also, you are meeting up with people you or your children had chatted to around
the pool or on the beach during the day which makes it more friendly and sociable!
For the people who say they would go stir crazy, so would we if I had to eat in the same
restaurant every night - my advice is to try an all inclusive hotel that has several
themed restaurants. Mexican, Asian, Fish, Italian and Spanish! Yummy!!!!!!!
this year we are going for a week A1 ....me hubby and the 2 sons still at home....to celebrate hubbies 50th ( shhhh he dont know yet ).....as going rhodes to another sons wedding only a month after his 50th I was on a tight buget as couldnt overspend due to paying balance for rhodes ....was going to use caravan for a cheapy this year untill realised was his 50th this year ...
A1 was obvious answer....once booked it suddenly dawned on me ....this will be my first real proper holiday
no shopping for food drinks ect
no cooking or preparing meals
no dishes to do
no cleaning or tidying up as maids ect to do it
only beach towels to pack
no thinking Im depriving the kids of something If I have a drink
hubby can be happily sozzled all day not just on his birthday and I wont be worrying about the cost
wont be getting pestered all day for money for drinks snacks ect
so if you see a woman nicely merry with her feet dangling in the pool....looking like she's died and gone to heaven...it will be me
will have a rude awakening when I get back home
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