All Inclusive Holiday Packages – The Pros and Cons

The topic of All inclusive holiday packages is certainly one that divides a lot of travellers. Some people swear by their convenience and value for money, while others despise them for their so-called lack of culture and argue that they don’t help the local environment or economy of the place you are visiting.

Up until a couple of months ago I’d never been on an all inclusive holiday, but when planning a hectic two week trip to India back in January the idea of not having to move for five days seemed extremely appealing, especially after travelling through three cities in just over a week beforehand. So, after some umming and arring we decided to go for it and booked five nights at what seemed like a semi-luxurious and well priced 4-star all-inclusive resort in Goa. For our money we would receive all meals and snacks, drinks (cocktails included!) and activities.

I must admit, in the back of my mind I definitely had these grand visions of sipping decadent cocktails by a flowing waterfall-pool and being waited on hand and foot with delicious snacks and meals…but let’s just say the reality was a little different, but definitely nothing to complain about. And anyway, I had my bikini so I was going to be happy no matter what! (For the perfect swimwear for your next poolside trip, try ladies swimwear for curvy girls)

Half way through our India trip both Mike and I were extremely worn out from getting ill a few days before, and had been staying in cheap accommodation so were desperately longing for a nice hotel room, a pool and some food that didn’t send our digestive systems into meltdown. We started to panic just before arriving in Goa that our resort would be terrible and we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the relaxation that we desperately needed at that point in our trip.

Thankfully the resort was better than expected. We had a great room overlooking the pool and were able to rest, swim and eat to our hearts content for the remainder of our holiday. While it was a good place to stay, it did get me thinking that there was no way I could visit a new place and only stay at an all-inclusive resort. It suited us just fine because we had burned ourselves out in the week before Goa, but if this was the only place I was going to visit in India, I would have been sorely disappointed. We couldn’t even make it five days without leaving the resort and ended up hiring scooters on two of the days – so much for doing nothing!

I do still believe all inclusive holiday packages have their place though – you just have to know when and where that place is. If you’re thinking about taking a chance on one, then I’ve written out my pros and cons to help with your decision.

Pros Of The All Inclusive Holiday

• You can basically do nothing for an extended period of time – great if you are overworked or burnt out
• You don’t have to worry about transport, paying for food and drinks, or any activities – everything is already paid for!
• If you are looking to relax at the end of a busy trip, then a few days at a resort will do wonders
• You can save money – when all of your meals and drinks are packaged up with your accommodation it ends up a lot cheaper than a days worth of eating and drinking out at a restaurant

Cons Of The All Inclusive Holiday

• If you get bored easily, you will probably be restless after a day or two of lazing by the pool. This isn’t an issue though if your resort has outside activities for you to get involved in
• If you are a control freak and like everything ‘just so’ then you might find these holidays difficult, unless of course you are willing to pay to stay at the creme de la creme of the resorts!
• Some resorts are located a long way from town centres and other attractions, so you may be essentially stuck in a confined space with other families, travellers and staff for an extended period of time
• Staying at a resort means you are less likely to get out and about, and therefore miss out on seeing the destination you’re visiting, not to mention sampling the local restaurants and bars

At the end of the day, you know yourself and your travel habits best, so hopefully with this awareness as well as my list above you’ll have all you need to decide if an all inclusive holiday is for you. Now all you need to decide on is where you’re headed! Holidays to Lanzarote anyone?! 

Photo Credits – Thanks to Don_Gato (Attribution License).

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