Hear, hear SMa. I couldn't agree more.In Greece I have seen tavernas that used to employ 3 or 4 local people for the season reduced to only the owner working. AI is good for families on a budget but it's a shame for all the small businesses that it forces to close.

Thought this was a bit of fun about spending money during your stay at an all inclusive hotel Not people getting on their high horse about other peoples style of holiday and where they spend their money, these hotels do employ local people too.

Well said cfc .

id love to go on holiday and only spend a £!!! i like spending money to much! i aim spend around £300, most of it goes on keeping my 3yr old tantrum free anything for easy life! oh then theres duty free stuff. Even though all inclusive nice to have a nice cream and drink in cafe restuarant beach bar everyday.

Some people seem to think that going all inclusive on holiday is a bad idea and we should apologise for the pleasure we get from staying in one!

We do it all - self catering, half board, bed and breakfast and a/i and for us a/i is our favourite because, usually they are more friendly due to what is on offer. You are not imprisoned - you can go out but you know that when you get back somebody you have met earlier will be there to have a bit of fun/natter/drink/dance with. There is always entertainment which you can enjoy or avoid - it is up to you -you decide!!

Take half board/bed and breakfast hotels - we have been to some where in the evening all the guests have disappeared and all is left are the barmen and piano player! Guests are reluctant to pay the prices a hotel charge so they leave the hotel to visit the English bars that charge 2euros for a coffee and brandy or a pint and stay there all night. The talking point on their holiday is where to find the best deals. It doesn't matter where it is situated as long as the drinks are cheap so they are not going to the Spanish etc bars/restaurants and therefore not experiencing anything different to those staying in an all inclusive hotel.

How many times have you read on this site about only choosing all inclusive hotels when visiting certain Countries?

I am sure some people who are so critical, have never been to a really good all inclusive hotel and perhaps it it better that they don't because they might just enjoy it!

Well said Suzie - I do get a little tired of 'holiday snobs' who think 'their' holiday is better than anyone elses.

Just a thought. I wonder if those same people that sit in judgement about people taking A/I holidays, also are as generous with English charities etc, i.e. helping their local communities - separate discussion no doubt.

CAN we get back on topic please.......

wizard

Sorry Wizard

not just you Pinky but all who have strayed

Sorry we strayed, Wizard. (It's Miss Pink's fault!!!) Is it possible for you to move our posts to a relevant topic, please?

I've just booked an AI holiday today, which generally i don't , this year we went BB in Luxor, then we had a week in Lanzarote at a private villa so SC, and now this one coming AI in Taba, i've stayed in Taba before and did HB , but we found that we ate most nights in the a la carte restaurants, i'm not a big fan of buffet dining prefer to sit on my ar$e and be served!! but ive gone AI this time because i really liked the look of the hotel and have upgraded to a really nice room and got a fantastic price, i'm prepared to spend about 400 on evening dining so will try the a la carte offer and the ones in the hotel next door at least its a change in scenery as i don't want to eat in the same place morning, noon and night. In our previous stay HB in Taba we spent about 400 on lunch snacks and drinks so this time they will be included and we'll spend that on nice evening meals instead.
I think some countries/resorts lend themselves to AI hotels, and i wouldn't dream of going AI in Lanzarote, not because i don't like them etc but i prefer my villa holiday there , i suppose its all about a bit of variety , i think it would get a bit boring doing the same thing all the time, i suppose most people are driven by their total budget, and if the buffet restaurant is good in Taba i'll probably save some money, perhaps i'll spend/waste it on more golf lessons at the lovely golf course there.

I managed to only spend whooping £20 in turkey that was mainly in airport on way back £5 for coffee!!!!!!!!!
But hubby spent his money think prob round £350 brought children all gifts, treated ourselves quite few things, ate out twice & boat trip.

My personal experience is that the 3 AI's we've done in the Caribbean have worked out around the same price as our self catering/B&B holidays (when we bring cost of hol and spends into it). Bearing this in mind, I'm going to stick with my beloved self catering or B&B hols for a good few years before looking at another AI again. Having said that we have already got one more booked Just for a week's break over Easter in Morocco but then I've got a wonderful B&B fortnight in Turkey to look forward to....and I can't wait.

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!!!

This made me laugh and is so true... when we were in fuengirola in august wherever we drank whether it be a spanish bar/english pub, the spanish buy 1 drink and make it last all night. most drink 1 half of local spanish beer. we on the other make the most of it whilst away, but on the subject of AI I am booking flights and an apartment/villa next august we were half board in august, and only once in 2 weeks ate in hotel, as the food in the evening was dire, so spent all my money on eating out etc, and found supermarkets were really reasonable, and atleast you can choose what you want to eat when you wish!!

We have just returned from a two week all inclusive holiday in Tenerife.
We bought papers etc, went out for drinks and a few snacks and could have visited anywhere we wanted on the Island but our biggest expenditure was on tips to the fantastic staff at the hotel - from waiters, bar staff and maids.
We think if staff offer a good service, then tipping is a way of showing our appreciation, along with a smile and a thank you!
If you go out to a bar, restaurant etc, then if you are happy, you might tip so why should it be any different in an all inclusive hotel?

I don't mind spending some money out and about, but it really makes me cross when the locals take advantage. During our last AI holiday, hubby fancied a Daily Mail with the guy selling them on the beach. Turned out that he paid £6 for the day befores paper. It just makes you think twice about buying things from the locals.
Next month when we go to Cape Verde we will probably spend money on doing one trip in the first week, and one trip in the second week. Apart from that, we'll probably remain around the hotel grounds apart from a walk or two along the beach

I went to Rhodes earlier this year and spent a fortune on S/C, I accept that but we are off to Dom Republic soon AI and we decided to do this so we will have an idea in advance of what we are spending. That said I would fully expect to spend more than the O/P in tips alone.

Hi went to Marjorca had a great time at the safari hotel Sa coma AI, with 2 girls in tow (20 and 17) we spent about £300 out and about, boat trips for hubby and me nights out after AI finished which was at midnight. We found the AI was great for the older family.

Hi,we went to Cyprus,2 weeks a i and still spent over five hundred pounds.We brought three boxes of Cyprus delight home,cost 5e ,didn't bring home anything else at all,the money was spent with trips booked through the locals .We choose a i because we can eat or drink whenever we want whilst around the hotel without taking money down to the pool.T.