Tell me the best 'All-Inclusive' holiday you've been on
Discussion
Off-season, First Choice package to Fuertaventura.
It was great. Good bar, good drinks, a la carte food every day, for the grand or however much it cost for two of us for the week, I couldn't fault it.
Waiting for the wavers to turn up and start telling us about their Kuoni trip to the Maldives on their own chartered yacht...
It was great. Good bar, good drinks, a la carte food every day, for the grand or however much it cost for two of us for the week, I couldn't fault it.
Waiting for the wavers to turn up and start telling us about their Kuoni trip to the Maldives on their own chartered yacht...
Only ever been on the one and that was to a Riu resort in the Dominican Republic.
To food and drink was nice enough but nothing out of the ordinary. If you tipped the bar staff they made sure your drinks had plenty of alcohol in them and they also had some branded spirits that you could request e.g. Gordon's Gin in your G&T. Wine was out of a barrel, so very average, and just the local lager on tap.
I'd do it again but without high expectations.
To food and drink was nice enough but nothing out of the ordinary. If you tipped the bar staff they made sure your drinks had plenty of alcohol in them and they also had some branded spirits that you could request e.g. Gordon's Gin in your G&T. Wine was out of a barrel, so very average, and just the local lager on tap.
I'd do it again but without high expectations.
Antigua - Coco bay. This was an a la carte Al inc incredible (it was a small remote beach resort no more than 20 cabins so 30-40 people all in perfect & when we were there without question every single guest was on great form.
Majorca - Insotel Cala Medina. Really good food and all drinks were quality branded actually the whole complex was very good (hopefully going there next year). It is big but loads of pools and different areas and a vast lovely sandy beach.
Minorca - Insptel Punta Prima. Same group as the above but this was a 5 star the other a 4star. I'd say it was the other way round based on decor. However food was very good.
Costa Brava - ..... Grand Casino Royale. Junk. We tried food for two days but then ate out for every meal thereafter. Said it was 4 star it was a 1. Mind you it was £250 for 2 weeks.... The other three were ten to twenty times the price.!!!
Crete - cannot recall the hotel name but it was carnage, certain individuals would be prowling the prawns and when they came out would take two whole platefuls so all gone... And 1 tiny area of bar to all inc so massive wait -- we needed up paying for booze and zero wait. Never again.
Just a short sample of what I've been on but the crap ones were when I first started out doing all inc --- then I paid a lot more and really got it.
With 2x kids we wouldn't do anything but all inc now.
Majorca - Insotel Cala Medina. Really good food and all drinks were quality branded actually the whole complex was very good (hopefully going there next year). It is big but loads of pools and different areas and a vast lovely sandy beach.
Minorca - Insptel Punta Prima. Same group as the above but this was a 5 star the other a 4star. I'd say it was the other way round based on decor. However food was very good.
Costa Brava - ..... Grand Casino Royale. Junk. We tried food for two days but then ate out for every meal thereafter. Said it was 4 star it was a 1. Mind you it was £250 for 2 weeks.... The other three were ten to twenty times the price.!!!
Crete - cannot recall the hotel name but it was carnage, certain individuals would be prowling the prawns and when they came out would take two whole platefuls so all gone... And 1 tiny area of bar to all inc so massive wait -- we needed up paying for booze and zero wait. Never again.
Just a short sample of what I've been on but the crap ones were when I first started out doing all inc --- then I paid a lot more and really got it.
With 2x kids we wouldn't do anything but all inc now.
Been on several, the most expensive wasn't necessarily the best AI but best overall.
Maldives, fridge and mini bar in your room inc, snacks etc replenished twice daily, all branded liquors etc included.
The food included was buffet service but you could eat in the a la carte restaurant once a week.
Others I've been to Iberostar and Riu at various locations tend to be big properties, buffet meals but a number of restaurants you can eat in once per week. One in Mexico was very good room service inc, 4 a la carte restaurats that were all really good, overall cracking value.
Went to a place in Tunisia post Arab spring but pre beach shootings. Was <£500 for two of us for a week, didn't leave the hotel grounds all week and couldn't knock a single thing about it.
Generally you get what you pay for, we've done AI when we just fancy a chill out week with a book by the pool. Otherwise I think you have to pay a fair whack to get the food close to a decent HB hotel, which along with room only may be better value unless you drink like a fish all day. To some people eating out at different places each night is a big part of a holiday.
Maldives, fridge and mini bar in your room inc, snacks etc replenished twice daily, all branded liquors etc included.
The food included was buffet service but you could eat in the a la carte restaurant once a week.
Others I've been to Iberostar and Riu at various locations tend to be big properties, buffet meals but a number of restaurants you can eat in once per week. One in Mexico was very good room service inc, 4 a la carte restaurats that were all really good, overall cracking value.
Went to a place in Tunisia post Arab spring but pre beach shootings. Was <£500 for two of us for a week, didn't leave the hotel grounds all week and couldn't knock a single thing about it.
Generally you get what you pay for, we've done AI when we just fancy a chill out week with a book by the pool. Otherwise I think you have to pay a fair whack to get the food close to a decent HB hotel, which along with room only may be better value unless you drink like a fish all day. To some people eating out at different places each night is a big part of a holiday.
Pre kids -
Maldives was good
Cyprus (cheap 3 star - never make that mistake again) awful, ate out every lunch & dinner
Tunisia - 5* beautiful hotel/beach. Horrible food. Tried to venture out to find food, not good
Post kids
Corfu (iberostar) cheap drinks but food not bad. Mix of nationalities, most great but Russians do not like to queue (we returned the year after)
Portugal - similar to Corfu but no Russians & mostly French so much more polite
Maldives was good
Cyprus (cheap 3 star - never make that mistake again) awful, ate out every lunch & dinner
Tunisia - 5* beautiful hotel/beach. Horrible food. Tried to venture out to find food, not good
Post kids
Corfu (iberostar) cheap drinks but food not bad. Mix of nationalities, most great but Russians do not like to queue (we returned the year after)
Portugal - similar to Corfu but no Russians & mostly French so much more polite
We nearly always go AI. It just makes it easier for us to manage our finances.
Best: The Maldives. Food was excellent and their cake was on a par with our wedding cake!
Worst: Luxor, Egypt last year. Hotel had only jsut started doing AI and the food was not up to standard and several of us complained. Cyprus in 2008 was also pretty poor. Can't remember the hotel. It was scruffy and fairly dated and we only really went there, so I could dive the Zenobia
Best: The Maldives. Food was excellent and their cake was on a par with our wedding cake!
Worst: Luxor, Egypt last year. Hotel had only jsut started doing AI and the food was not up to standard and several of us complained. Cyprus in 2008 was also pretty poor. Can't remember the hotel. It was scruffy and fairly dated and we only really went there, so I could dive the Zenobia
R8Steve said:
Cancun - Secrets Vine Resort & Spa
Totally changed my view of all inclusive holidays.
True 24 hour any food/drink service.
Want a fillet steak, 6 corona and an 18 YO Laphroaig to your room at 4am, no problem sir.
Having said I'm never doing all inclusive again, that sounds and looks lovely, the proper way to do it.Totally changed my view of all inclusive holidays.
True 24 hour any food/drink service.
Want a fillet steak, 6 corona and an 18 YO Laphroaig to your room at 4am, no problem sir.
Now that the kids no longer want to drain my wallet and come with us on holiday, I could do that ^^ for two weeks with the missus for the same price as two weeks in Florida with the kids. Hmmm
Adenauer said:
R8Steve said:
Cancun - Secrets Vine Resort & Spa
Totally changed my view of all inclusive holidays.
True 24 hour any food/drink service.
Want a fillet steak, 6 corona and an 18 YO Laphroaig to your room at 4am, no problem sir.
Having said I'm never doing all inclusive again, that sounds and looks lovely, the proper way to do it.Totally changed my view of all inclusive holidays.
True 24 hour any food/drink service.
Want a fillet steak, 6 corona and an 18 YO Laphroaig to your room at 4am, no problem sir.
Now that the kids no longer want to drain my wallet and come with us on holiday, I could do that ^^ for two weeks with the missus for the same price as two weeks in Florida with the kids. Hmmm
I did the Royal Inn Cancun which is now called the Hyatt Zilara. Absolutely fantastic, although it was only burgers/pizzas/Chinese delivered after 10pm. Nicely stocked fridge that was replenished every day, as well as a good selection of top shelf spirits. 4 restaurants on site and an amazing omelette station at breakfast time, which turned into a create your own burger station at lunch.
Doing Thailand in March as the big holiday next year after much pressure from the missus, but either end of 2016 or beginning of 2017 we will be going back to Mexico for a week.
Some good replies (and ideas for next year!) - thanks 
Our best so far was Turtle Beach (and it's sister hotel we could use - Crystal Cove), Barbados.
Sensatori Crete was quite good - we weren't strictly AI but Full Board - food was very good but drinks so-so.
Just returned from 2wks at The Mirabello Hotel - Agios Nikolaos, Crete. Thomson rated 5T but food was really really poor - same stuff every day/night. Luke-warm - not hot. Meat was very fatty. Only good bits was the salad / cheese / desserts. Drinks were very watered down. It has put me off AI a bit, it's just handy being a family of 5 and not having to keep handing out money to the kids for drinks, ice-creams etc.
Already scanning the Thomson website - Ideas so far for next year are - Sensatori Tenerife (although bit pricey if adding AI). Sunrise Beach - Protaras, Cyprus. Family Resort Rhodes. Or blow the budget and go Sensatori Mexico - looks a great place but just hate long flights!
I want somewhere that does bbq's. Outside cooking etc. The Mirabello's grill was like something off a Burger van!
Oh, and don't get me started on the Russians...
Our best so far was Turtle Beach (and it's sister hotel we could use - Crystal Cove), Barbados.
Sensatori Crete was quite good - we weren't strictly AI but Full Board - food was very good but drinks so-so.
Just returned from 2wks at The Mirabello Hotel - Agios Nikolaos, Crete. Thomson rated 5T but food was really really poor - same stuff every day/night. Luke-warm - not hot. Meat was very fatty. Only good bits was the salad / cheese / desserts. Drinks were very watered down. It has put me off AI a bit, it's just handy being a family of 5 and not having to keep handing out money to the kids for drinks, ice-creams etc.
Already scanning the Thomson website - Ideas so far for next year are - Sensatori Tenerife (although bit pricey if adding AI). Sunrise Beach - Protaras, Cyprus. Family Resort Rhodes. Or blow the budget and go Sensatori Mexico - looks a great place but just hate long flights!
I want somewhere that does bbq's. Outside cooking etc. The Mirabello's grill was like something off a Burger van!
Oh, and don't get me started on the Russians...
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