Cinnamon Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Does anyone take holidays on an all inclusive basis? I would love to know your thoughts.............. I have found our perfect package,in Kos for 9 nights in July next year,& they are offering an all inclusive deal for an extra £1000 We know the food is great,as we have stayed there before,but we do usually like to go out & about during the day,so I am wondering if it will be worth it,as we may miss several daytime meals (although we will probably make up for it in cocktails!) The daughters eat as adults,as they will be 19 & 17 (& drink like adults too!)......what do you think??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 We've gone AI for years now, it suits us with lots of young children who do nothing but eat and drink all day. We'll go out and about a few times but they're happiest by the pool. We worked out that the AI option costs us around £100 a day and with the Euro doing so badly against the £ there us no way we could eat and drink for less than that per day self catering. Considering how much a round of drinks at the bar in the evenings costs we know we do the right thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoopsie Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Self catering can get very expensive - the more I look at AI the more enticing it seems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 AI is great - but as with all things you get what you pay for - so a very cheap AI deal will be a bit nasty, whereas a more realistically priced one can be fantastic. As you know the place, I would say go for it! Especially as you enjoy cocktails etc. The odd lunch out or evening meal out won't really matter and it does make budgeting a whole lot easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 I think you all may have persuaded me. Now,if anyone would like to speak with my husband The suites hotel we are staying at is amazing,newly refurbished & now is a 4*,but Thomas Cook still seem to have it as a 3/4*, with those prices too,so we would be mad not to book It would be MUCH more expensive to do separate flights & accommodation - another £1000 or so! Plus I have just found out that there is at least 1 meal in the floating a la carte restaurant too PELAGOS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 It looks lovely, and AI is ideal for a family holiday. I'd never go AI for OH and I, as eating out a different restaurants is what makes a holiday for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Well I'm up for it, have you got room for a little one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Well I'm up for it, have you got room for a little one? I was just going to ask if I could come along too It looks beautiful, and if you have been there before, and know it is like that, then I'd say go for it. Maybe ask if the AI menu is the same as what you'd buy there if you went for a meal in their restaurant. I've heard of other places where you have to wear a wrist band, and you get different food - and not great. But that was many years ago and on Watchdog (I think). Also see if there is a limit to one alcoholic drink per person per meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutti Frutti Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Do it, do it, do it! We used to do self-catering but AI saves us a fortune in meals/drinks - but drinks mostly you can really rack it up when you "just" pop into a bar to avoid the midday sun Do you think you'd spend £1,000 for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks for four? That's less than £30 a day each so if you're anything like us, you'd probably spend more than that, once you factor in a few cool drinks during the day and some drinks and coffees with dinner Honestly, we now only ever take pocket money for the souks/souvenirs (£100 and never spend it all) and it's nice knowing we won't be coming back to a whopping credit card bill. We still go "out" once or twice for the local experience - and kebabs in Jemaa el-Fna **WAS** an experience!!! One added advantage - just flash your wristbands at the restaurant/bar touts and they leave you alone and pester someone else! Or maybe I've only been to dodgy places Disadvantages - the wrist band and (where we've stayed anyway), you'd better like chips and cake Which reminds me, I always come back fatter PS They should say which drinks are included and if it's local, not imported... so cheap "white rum" not Bacardi etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 I like local spirits anyhow - Metaxa & lemon juice is my tipple in Greece The food is in the normal restaurant,which was,5 years ago,brilliant. All self service & buffet style,heaps of choice,even for the veggie among us, & they do theme nights too (Italian,Chinese etc) We were amazed at how much more food & drink was in Menorca this year,so under £30 pppd,seems pretty good to me,plus the night (or 2 ) in the posh floating restaurant will be a bonus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 We had AI on the last foreign holiday we had with YS. I wish we'd done them earlier when the other two used to go with us, it would have saved a fortune. OH always tells everyone to eat a lot of breakfast (getting the older two up in time for breakfast was always an effort) and then we wouldn't need lunch, which of course we always did!! It was lovely for us all to just be able to have food and drink whenever we wanted it. Our hotel really did have it 24 hours a day, very handy when we arrived at 3 in the morning and starving hungry. The hotel in Turkey where we had AI had really nice food so we were lucky. The lunches were particularly scrummy, lots of fish and salad. This year we're only having b & b at our hotel in Malta so that will be a new experience for us as a family. We did this when just OH and I went to Italy last year and it seemed to work out ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I'd recommend it Sarah - my folks kindly take Rosie and I away every spring to the same lovely all inclusive resort in Greece - absolutely divine and no need to worry about taking enough money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 We used to do it, but found ourselves eating outside the hotel heck of a lot. So for OH & me we prefer bed & breakfast. But as a family - I would say All inclusive is a great option - especially with older teenagers who love their food, having some cocktails & getting up at lunchtime. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimmyCustard Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 We've done AI in the Maldives and Egypt and we're going to Mexico in January on another AI (and you have our chooks!), definitely worth it, even for the two of us! A decent cocktail is usually around the £8 - £10 mark in a nice bar so two each x 4 adults per day = £560 for 9 days just for cocktails! Maldives AI was great, Egypt was great for drinks but the food gave us caecal poos (too much info?!) but we knew it would, being Egypt As youve been to this place already you know what to expect, enjoy, you wont regret it! (I shall do my best to convince your OH on Thurs ) x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Went AI once for our honeymoon. It was OK but never again. We book everything separately - even when we had our children with us. But then we went to America and Canada so we explored, staying in motels (booked well in advance) and it was an adventure for us all. For Spain we stayed at MIL's apartment (never did that with children though) so just the flight to pay for - and self catering I guess. All other times have been self catering in the Cotswolds, Devon, Cornwall and Norfolk. We even went B&Bing all over the place with our children. Yes, self catering is costly but we can get up when we like, eat when and where we like and travel where we like in our own car. Haven't had a holiday for about 4 years now. Whatever you choose, I hope it's lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 I booked it today - got a good deal by phoning up (as the website was mucking about) & saved about £500 I am going to try & pay as much of it off as I can myself,then tell the Hubby,as a surprise (kidding myself here - he is tight fisted when it come to holidays so I HAVE to just book it up!) So, 10 days in a 5* in Kos,in July for 4 adults,in an apartment with 2 bedrooms for 6 people,all inclusive for £2500....I am very pleased with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutti Frutti Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Great stuff!!! You'll have a fabulous time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 having just come back from an AI holiday I would recommend it.. but it is so much more relaxing AI knowing you dont have to budget and work out where to to eat etc.... I love it personally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
