All Inclusive: Is it worth it?
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The thought of paying off your holiday in advance and then arriving at your hotel and not having to pay an extra penny for the rest of your stay probably sounds amazing, but is all inclusive really worth it? Or would you be better off opting for self-catered accommodation and having more freedom of choice while you’re there?
The first thing you’ve got to seriously consider is whether you’ll be wanting to spend the majority of your time in your holiday resort, or if you would prefer to visit the local area and eat elsewhere. Be honest with yourself. If you think that you’ll quickly get bored of eating similar meals each night in your resort, and that you’ll visit local restaurants regularly instead, then all-inclusive probably isn’t for you. Effectively, you would end up paying for your meals twice and that’s pretty pointless really. If, on the other hand, you opt for self-catered accommodation, you can eat what you like when you like and not feel guilty about the extra pennies you’re spending.
Next, try to determine whether or not you’re good at sticking to a budget. If you are, self-catered may be a good choice as you can split your money up into a budget for each day and figure out how much you can afford to spend on meals. Additionally, if you’re travelling with a large group you may be able to split costs by buying food in bulk, or taking some basic foods with you in your suitcase, and dividing the cost. However, with all-inclusive, you don’t have to worry about this. All you need to budget for in this case is any extras such as additional excursions or emergencies, but the majority of your costs will be paid off before you even arrive at the airport, and sometimes that’s a great feeling to have.
One other major factor to consider is where you’re travelling to in the world. Certain countries, such as Greece or Spain, are generally quite cheap and you can grab yourself some low price food down at the supermarket to make some fantastic meals. However, other destinations, such as the Dominican Republic, are much more expensive and so there’s a good chance you’re better off going all-inclusive and grabbing yourself an even better deal via a holiday website.
So, is all-inclusive worth it? Well, that’s completely up to you and your circumstances. If you’re looking to pay off your holiday as soon as possible so that you don’t have to worry about saving up for spending money then all-inclusive is probably the best choice, plus you don’t have to worry about the hassle of cooking your own meals. However, if you would prefer more flexibility to eat what you want when you want, then you may decide to opt for a self-catered option.
Whichever you decide, we’re sure you’ll have a lovely holiday away. Enjoy!