hi, in my experience, if you choose well you will never want to go s/c again! I have been to jamaica all inc as well as turkey, tunisia, spain, canaries and have found them all to be great. I tend to find that i find a deal cheap enough that we can still enjoy the benefits of eating out also. we often go into the towns and eat lunch in little cafe's etc. Also its usually the drinks that bump up the cost of s/c if you go somewhere that is 5star and carribean! it is so hot that you just want to keep drinking!!
the food in the hotels that i have stayed in have been fab! they try and vary it every night and also in jamaica there were about 4 different restaurants to choose from....all free with all inclusive. the chinese/italian were superb!
we also have kiddies so its wonderful that you don't have to keep putting your'e hand in you're pocket every five minutes as all incs usually have everything from pina cola's to gorgeous ice creams.mmmmmm
Hope this has won you over!!!!

Where are you thinking about going Lisa? We went to 2 AIs in barbados. Both were good, nice variety of menus and restaurants on site. No-one was rolling about drunk. It was on our second one though that we "escaped" a few times at night. I decided then that we were missing out ( and of course if you go out you are paying for things you have already paid for!) I did some research and discovered that I could get a hotel room only for £100 less a day. Barbados IS expensive really to eat out but I love Mount Gay rum so drinking was cheap!! Our next holiday we did spend £100 a day but that included a trip, carhire, admissions to sights and some shopping. Therefore we were actually a little spending less than if we had gone AI. The bonus here was that I could eat where ever I liked and spend my evenings where I wanted to! I have to say that we did pick some of the top restuarants on the island so we could have spent a lot less!!
Yes I loved my AIs but wouldn't return to one there. Would I ever return to AI- maybe- if we were going somewhere where the locals weren't friendly!

the best thing to do is a little homework Personally In places like Jamaica where food and drink is cheap you do not gain by going all inclusive unless you are eating and drinking day and night , and you are right shopping queen you do tend to spend more time in the resort than seeing the country you are visiting, i do realise that some places are extreamly expensive and AI is a good option especially for families, I spent an AI holiday in Sri Lanka a few years back but there was nowhere else around where you could get a meal.
Look at the prices for food and drink to wherever you intend to go, either on the net or in the brochure, also read up on the forum of your choice of destination.

We always go all-inclusive for our summer holiday and it never stops us going out and about, trips, out in the evening for drinks and maybe a meal. However the food in the resorts we have chosen is usually so good you wouldn't want to eat out.

It gives you great freedom in the daytime, do what you want, have what you want and you don't need to guard your belongings as there isn't any cash lying around.

Very, very relaxing or with the activities on offer as active as you like!

We have been to many AI's throughout Europe and are going to Majorca and Turkey this year.

It is mainly the peace of mind that AI gives you. No counting out money for a trip to the bar. No family arguments as to where to eat, etc.

The main joy is the independence AI gives to children and parents. Since my children were small, they have been used to eating good food in restaurants abroad (and at home!), and they have become adept at conversing with the bartenders!

Carol

i have just come back from a hotel that was ai. i went room only and i am glad i did in some senses. could eat when i wanted and where i wanted. it gave me more freedom to do things and see more of where i was, to be honest so many people do in the caribbean and don;t leave their resort, so in actual fact you could be anywhere in the world and not see anything.. jamaica maybe the only place i would go ai as it can be dangerous to go out of resort after dark. but to be honest most hotels now are so near restaurants and bars etc that you can make it so much cheaper for yourself going r/o or s/c.. just weigh up the balances before you go

Depends where you stay I used to always do self catering but since I went all inclusive in 2000 have never looked back! I do however do a lot of research and always choose hotels which have more then 2 restaurants and have speciality restaurants. I have just returned from a 2 week holiday at the Iberostar Tucan in Mexico and despite the Hurricane would recommend it - apparently all the Iberostar hotels are excellent. Even the mini bar is included and refilled every day. It had 2 main buffet restaurants, Japanese restaurant, Italian restaurant, tropical restaurant, Mexican restaurant and a Steak restaurant. Might have even had a fish restaurant. The food in all was lovely - except possibly the steak one but then I am not a big steak eater! Go for it - if you choose the hotel wisely you will never look back!

I think the attraction of AI for me can be summed up in one word - budgetting.

If you are going somewhere new - as I like to do - you really have no idea of what things like snacks, meals or drinks are going to cost, and in the past I've always worried about running out of cash two days before the end of the holiday!

With AI, you know that even up to your last day you can get a meal and a drink.

Although some people will say "it restricts you to your resort" I have never found that. We have always eaten out - not every day to be sure - and have got out and about to explore.

We've done two AI's.
The first was to Mexico. We had a tour of the Yucatan penisular for the first week and the second week we stayed in an AI in Playa del Carmen. We really enjoyed it and it was great that we could eat and drink on the complex where we wanted without having to put our hands in our pockets.
The second was to Margarita and that time we didn't have a tour (albeit we had a couple of days out) and to be honest I was a ready to come home. I was sick of eating in the same places. We never went out of the complex on an evening as it was a bit isolated.
In both places we never saw anyone really drunk - I think because people knew they could have it 24/7, they never really over indulged.

Whislt I can see the attraction of European AIs for those with families from a budget point of view, I personally would only do AI on a long haul as, for us with no kids and not being big drinkers, SC in somewhere like Greece is quite cheap, even including car hire.

If you go to the Windies and are S/C, my tip would be to take twice as much money as you think you'll need and half as many clothes.
It can work out very expensive off the complexes.
We've done a few A/I's in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey but never let it stop us going off on trips or dining in the local tavernas and meeting the locals.
I get quite fluid, sorry, fluent after a few beers and try to chat with the locals.
In the Windies some of the locals can be a bit iffy, particularly in Jamaica.
Don't let it put you off, but always go on organised outings or with someone who knows his way around the island.

No matter which holiday you choose, ENJOY IT.

Parky

The only difficult bit about AI is counting the drinks - should I have 7-up this time 'cos I've already had 3 cocktails - and realising you don't have to eat everything off the buffet.

You can do just as much (or as little) as if you were room only or half board.

My main problem with A/I is trying to get my pants to fit when I get back home. Last time it was 18lbs gained.

We went on an AI to Tossa del Mar ,Spain several years ago. Needed to hire a car and explore after being there two days. Just proved to me why we prefer long weekends in European capitals. I know some people like to crash out with a beer and have their menus decided for them, when and where to eat etc. But never again, sorry no character, no style, no nothing, no memories of seeing great architecture, people watching, (I don't count Brits queuing at the bar as people watching). If you are into AI then I say good luck and I am glad you enjoy it, and I am not saying don't do it, but it ain't for us.

For my bit we did all-inc in the Caribbean and i'm so glad that we did. As when we did venture out to drink the drinks were so expensive it was untrue. But we did a cruise and stay had 5 nights all inc in the Dominican then 7 on ship, crusing round the islands. The drinks were expensive on board. But we did not drink much as we wanted a clear head to explore the next day. So we did not spend much. Then it was 2 nights back at the all-inc, which we took good advantage of with the friends that we had made.

I'm don't think that all inc for 2 weeks in 1 place would suit me. And i don't think that we would consider it in Europe. As we love to get out and about and see places. And the cost does not bother me in the slightest. As i'm on holiday and if thats what it cost then that is it. but i do love to search out a bargain. But i would never call people who do all-inc. I have friends who go to the same hotel in las Americas - Tenerife, cause they love the food and love to drink. But for a full week they never move out of the hotel, 'cause they have paid for it'

So for me it can sometimes restrict you. And again who needs all that food and drink.

But for the Caribbean i think that it is more probably a must. Compared to the cost of just going ro or sc.

I've only done 1 all inc but would recommend it to anyone. The thing is if you dont try it you will never know. We only traveled to Menorca for ours ( complete with 2 small children ) and i have to say it was fantastic. Even though its Europe it still cost us over £3000 and that was for May so i wouldnt always say its the cheapest option.
Having said that we were as i say very impressed the food was fantastic and i am thinking of upgrading to all inc next year in Cyprus.
I have to agree with earlier posts and say research your hotel well before you go and also as mentioned above find one which has more than 1 restaurant or some company's have sister hotels where you can also dine, this giving you the fealing of dining out.
Where ever you choose im sure you will love it x

try the rius in mexico.(playacar) the ones i have tried let you use all 3 others within 10 min of each other only thing is you have to eat dinner in the hotel you are booked at otherwise the skys the limit and if you can get out of the I have paid for it so i am stopping here mentality you can get and meet the locals.We did and theres also a riu in downtown cancun you can use. I am sure that there are other chains that do this also. go on try it you will never go back to anyother kind of holiday

I would echo the comments about doing some thorough research regarding prices and activities available.

Been AI twice - Costa del Sol and Fethyie Turkey - the choice was made easy as the costs were only slightly more than HB. The activities in Turkey were much better and varied and therefore the was never the feeling that you were in one place. The resort - Club Letonia - in Turkey, as well as the main buffet restaurants also had a seperate fish; sushi/Chinese and Turkish restaurants - again removing any degree of monotony.

All the travel companies had various day trips and like all holidays it will be as energetic/lazy/busy/interesting as you want it to be.