After a long wait through lockdown, the first trip abroad again can feel like an important decision. You probably want to go somewhere that is stress-free. All-inclusive holidays advertise just this. They’re so popular because of their convenience and affordability. You will know exactly what the total cost will be and know that everything will be catered for, without having to dig into your savings.
Some travellers may turn their noses up at an all-inclusive. The argument is that they don’t support local economies. They don’t inspire people to try new cuisines or dive into a new culture. And they are a westernised invention that does not benefit local people or businesses. However, there can be some positives to all-inclusive holidays.
There is no right or wrong way to travel really. Travelling doesn’t have to be all about backpacking through countries or finding yourself. Excitement around travelling should cater to the mass. Some people may have full-time jobs that they’re happy with but want to know where to go for a week of relaxing. These types of holidays may fit them.
Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if an all-inclusive holiday is right for you.
The pros:
- All-Inclusive holidays are cheap
- Everything is produced in mass, the food and drinks, the entertainment, the tours. This means there are many discounts and deals constantly on offer. Watch out for prices fluctuating each day. When booking one myself, the prices went from £750 each on the Thursday, down to £500 each on the Friday. Keep an eye out! Airlines want seats to fill up, so kids may also sometimes fly for free. This can help families budget or go on more holidays each year.
- You can still explore outside of the resort
You don’t have to stay cooped up in the resort every day. You can book excursions that take you on tours around the local area. These could include buggy tours, boat trips, jet skiing, food or drink tours to meet new people. The tours are also run by locals, which means you can get to know the community and even hear interesting stories!
These will be advertised in the resort, and someone will always be available to help and give information. They also ensure you are picked up and dropped off as well. No added stress planning transportation.
- Something on every day and every night
- This means that you will never get bored. At first, the idea of staying in the same place for a whole week can seem crazy. You can feel like there’s no way you can stay entertained in one area for so long. However, there is always something on. Throughout the day, activities such as tennis, volleyball, archery and football take place. You can join in just for fun or join a lesson. These range between beginner, intermediate and advanced.
- In the evening, some sort of entertainment is always on. This also caters for all ages. Good for families as well as couples. Entertainment can include karaoke nights, rock themed nights, silent discos, bingo, Latin dancing etc. A bonus is that you will never have to pay extra for entertainment. A member of staff will also never be too far away. You can ask any questions at any time and get to know the local area.
- You can budget
- You can work out the exact cost of the holiday before you leave. If you don’t buy any extras, you won’t need to bring any money with you. This is good if you’re wanting to go on a few holidays throughout the year.
- Winter sun
- An all-inclusive is most common in the winter as British people love to chase the winter sun. This means in the miserable months of January, February or March, people will book all-inclusive holidays in places like the Canary Islands. Winter months can make you feel a lot more stressed and lonelier. So many people will see these types of holidays as a great escape.
- No stress
- An all-inclusive can make you feel relaxed and care-free as everything is being taken care of for you. You can have a drink at any time. Take your bottle of wine to your room or your cocktail to the beach/ pool. You can slow down, go for a swim, play tennis and then get ready for dinner. Don’t worry about finding / booking anywhere. For families, there are lots of child-friendly activities and staff who will look after your kids if you want to relax for a few hours. For couples, there will be no disagreement on where to go.
- The simplicity of eating
- With an all-inclusive there is always something to eat at any time. The best thing with resorts catering to many people means there are no queues as well. There is also a large buffet with a wide selection of food. You can eat local food or home comforts. You can also fill your plate up as much or as little as you want.
- All the food is labelled! This was a big one for me as I have a severe, life-threatening allergy. So, I knew exactly what I could eat and what I couldn’t, with no worry of having to translate. If you have a food allergy, this is very reassuring.
- Adults only or kid friendly options
- All-inclusive holidays can be great for families, but a lot of resorts offer adult only, with the idea of serenity and romance. Some do half and half as well! So even if there are kids running around, the resort has separate areas for playing and then drinking.
- An opportunity to make friends and meet new people
- You can still meet people from all over the world.
- In some places, all-inclusive holidays are popular for local people too; mingle with the locals and find out more about the area.
- Everyone is in the same boat; you can easily arrange to meet up, but you will keep bumping into each other during activities.
The Cons:
- Not everything is included…
- While a lot of things are covered in your package holiday, there are some services and luxuries that come with a cost.
- We found that the drinks that were free were weaker and cheaply made. However, the drinks you had to pay for went down a lot more easily. Not all all-inclusive holidays may be like this, after all you get what you pay for.
- These extra costs are also added to a tab, which means you can easily lose track of how much extra you’re spending. If you go on holiday with a certain amount of cash like I do, I’d recommend keeping a note in your phone of all your expenses. That way you can make sure you don’t go over budget.
- Excursions! These will also entice you into spending more money. You may want to spend one or two days out of the resort, and this is a costly way of doing so. Some are worth the money, but some are not.
- The destination
- As so much money and attention are put into the resort, the surrounding areas can sometimes be forgotten. We can forget that perhaps the reason we can go on holiday cheaply somewhere and enjoy an all-inclusive, is because the country / local town is quite deprived.
- May not support the local economy
- The resort may not support the local communities / economy. You could end up supporting international chains instead of local people and businesses.
- Fitting to a timetable
- When on an all-inclusive, yes there are always things to do. However, it can feel almost impossible to do each activity as EVERYONE staying in this resort is wanting to do the same thing as you. Although it can seem like there is a variety of things to do, only a certain amount of people can do each one and they are only on certain days. When it rains, activities can even be cancelled.
- Eating virtually all meals in the resort
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner can begin to feel quite repetitive. You’ll know exactly what’s being served by the third day. This may be a pro or a con depending on your preference. Some resorts offer speciality restaurants, which can nicely break up the week. However, these can come at a cost or need to be booked. It can also be questioned whether these are worth it.
Some Tips Before Booking!
- Know exactly what you’re getting yourself in for. Make sure you’re not surprised by extra costs or that things may not be up to high standards.
- Know what the food / drink selection is like and what activities are offered. Read some reviews on these beforehand.
- Take it with a pinch of salt; the purpose is to relax and have everything taken care of for you.
- If you’re chasing the winter sun, see it as a nice break from reality for a bit and don’t stress that it isn’t the most ‘adventurous’ holiday.
- Check if the resort is 24 hours! Some resorts have bars / restaurants that close at 11pm. This may be what some guests may enjoy, but if you want to stay up a bit later, then this may not be for you.
- Check the websites to see if they support local economies / communities!
