5 Reasons To Do An All-Inclusive Vacation

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There is so much out there whenever you look for AI resorts, though the stereotypical locations of Mexico, The Caribbean and islands further afield certainly spring to mind. Even though there are obvious drawbacks which you may have read on yesterday’s post, I want to focus on researching what the benefits are to visiting a resort where everything is included in the base price.

Here are the benefits that I would like to focus on but please comment and let us know what else you consider to be advantageous when considering AI vacations:

1. Everything is free!

FREE

I am not under the illusion that there are no hidden fees but let’s be honest, the thought of going somewhere that you have already paid for and then being able to indulge yourself in everything the resort has to offer is pretty appealing! Food, drinks, room service, land activities, water activities and much more are all included in the pre-paid price. Wouldn’t we all want to be able to just go downstairs, enter a restaurant that you had a reservation for and then order anything from the a la carte menu. It’s a great thought and one that is a pretty big pull for these types of resorts even without considering other positives!

2. Room service

Grand Velas Nuevo Vallarta. Nayarit. Mexico.

Being waited on by someone 24/7 if you so wish has to be a great feeling, even if you only do this for a day or two. This is surely the epiphany of ultimate relaxation as you can order anything whenever you want it and your waiter will be right there for you. Relaxing around the pool at the resort with a waiter on hand to prepare that perfect cocktail is just another draw to these grand resorts. You can even lounge on the golden sands of the beach and expect a bartender to be close by in case you need an island speciality or local drink to quench your thirst.

3. Family Friendly or Adults-Only

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Dependent on your personal situation, there are many AI resorts that are either oriented towards family friendly vacations or those that offer purely adult only relaxation spots. If you are interested in being in a hub which caters towards all ages, there are bound to be activities on offer for everyone in the family. On the other hand, if you would prefer to get away from the hustle and bustle of noisy children, the perfect AI resort may be just down the coastline where adults are the only guests relaxing in the quiet ambience of the resort. Either way, the variety on offer is a certain attraction for families or couples looking to get away for a few days (or longer!).

4. Variety of Restaurants

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The majority of AI resorts have a myriad of restaurants to satisfy all taste buds. If dining at a buffet where you can pick whatever you want, as frequently as you would like it is more your taste, there are usually at least one of these options available for all meals of the day. If you would prefer to wine and dine at a more ‘up-scale’ restaurant, AI resorts offer a plethora of options from the international cuisine market to certainly intrigue all guests. Embrace the dress code as you relax and dine in restaurants where you may normally not engage in given the normal price range of these.

5. Activities on and off site

Golfing at Dusk on the Lighted Course

If you are wanting to be active at an AI resort, a whole bunch of activities are generally common ground at beach AI locations including tennis, beach volleyball, swimming, kayaking and even more adventurous activities such as canoeing, kayaking and windsurfing. If you want to get away for a few hours from the AI resort, the operators offer tours to nearby attractions generally at a reasonable minimal cost (sometimes these may even be included in your AI fees so check before thinking about putting your hand in your wallet).

Whenever you read over these positives, it is hard to resist venturing towards such a resort. The pictures on AI websites are endearing and certainly attractive but there are obviously drawbacks that we need to discuss (see later post on this)! For now, let’s just enjoy the possibilities and dream-like thoughts that we all must feel at some point when thinking about venturing to an AI resort around the world.

What do you consider to be the most important attractions and positives of traveling to an all-inclusive?

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Chris Boothmanhttps://abritandasoutherner.com
Chris Boothman is the co-founder of A Brit and A Southerner. Born near Manchester, England, Chris moved to USA in 2006 where he soon after met his wife and travel partner in crime, Heather. They have since embarked on an amazing journey of travel as they challenge others to follow in their paths of working full-time but also being able to travel frequently! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Chris at [email protected]

6 COMMENTS

  1. All inclusive resorts are the way to go with families. We enjoy locking up our wallets in the safe and getting up after a meal and not worrying about tipping the staff. Most of the activities are included. My kids like going to the bar getting drinks without us being around. All they have to do is sign for it.

  2. We are actually staying in our first all inclusive resort in a few weeks time here in the Dominican Republic. I feel kind of guilty going to one, but I figured since that’s what most visitors to the DR do, that we werent having the full DR experience without one lol.

    In saying that though, it is a lot of work having young kids, and the Caribbean cruise we recently took was the best break I have had since becoming a mum. It was sooooo nice not to constantly worry about where our next meal was going to come from (the kids eat 5 times a day and are grumpy if it’s not on time) and carrying round lots of stuff with me. It was awesome and I imagine the AI will have many of the same benefits.

    • I have always thought that the concept of going to an AI resort was pretty cool in terms of paying an up front fee and then being able to have food/drinks etc. whenever you wanted them and not having to think about the prices but at the same time my fear is that I would get bored. I think I have the same feeling with cruises because I personally don’t like being cooped up in one spot, I would rather be able to get out and about exploring the localities and surrounding region.

      I can certainly see the benefits whenever you have kids with an AI and maybe that is what they are catered towards primarily – the family based folks, but you always see couples heading there for a few days relaxation in the Caribbean etc.

      Either way, I hope you guys have an amazing time in the Dominican Republic and you have a very Merry Christmas!

  3. We actually love staying in an all inclusive, but only in a resort at the Red Sea in Egypt of Jordan. We spent our days snorkeling and diving, great for one week. So instead of exploring the surroundings, we explore the underwater world. Without the snorkeling I guess that, like you pointed out in another post, we indeed would suffer very quickly from acute boredom. 🙂

  4. It all depnds on what you are looking for… we went for one week with 9 adults and 6 teenagers to an all inclusive in Jamaica. Growing up on a small island in the Caribbean, all with different backgrounds/nationalities, but together like a family for over 15 years, it was a great way to celebrate our friendship. The resort was great, the rooms, the food, bar, the activities (yes, we did take some island tours out of the resort), each one of us was able to fill in the time/day/where abouts and still be around each other. There were no ‘hidden charges’ the hotel staff sweet and attending, whenever, whereever.. I would recommend a all in vacation… but as I said… it all depends on what you are looking for !!!

    • I definitely agree with your comments Irma! You probably noticed that I wrote two separate posts on the “Good” and the “Bad” of all-inclusives for those very reasons that it really depends on what you are looking for. AI’s are not something we tend to research and stay in because we prefer a little more flexibility and ability to get out and about exploring the region. I personally think when you stay in an all-inclusive, for the price you are paying you really want to make the most of the resort, hence reducing the time you have to explore the destination you are visiting.

      Thanks for providing such insightful comments though!

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