All inclusive resorts worth it?

[DoucheMeister]

I am starting to look around for a family vacation this coming winter, most likely in the Carribean. Lots of all inclusive packages are available, but I have never been on one.

Anyway, seems to run about $6k - $7k for a week, which seems pretty steep to me.

Would I be better off to just book a hotel, and take care of food and stuff myself? Also, any suggestions for destinations?

Thanks.

[Three Hole Puncher]

When you drink like I do, yes, they're worth it. I can throw them back, and I've stayed in non-all-inclusives where I've run up a higher booze bill than the cost of the room.

On the other hand, when I've stayed at all inclusives... Sandals- St.Lucia, Jamaica, etc... I tend to drink myself nearly into oblivion. At the Sandals in Jamaica, I tell the bartender to hand me a bottle of Appleton rum, and keep the ice coming... they've got no problem with that... all inclusive is all inclusive.

I'm not big on the blender drinks, and the beer is generally lousy... Red Stripe isn't great to begin with, they never clean the taps, and their taps sit out in that hot sun... :yuck2: The beer tastes like dorm room swill.

Which is why I stick to the rum.

In Jamaica....

http://www.sandals.com/general/resorts-jamaica.cfm

The Sandals Negril is cheaper and tends to attract the tattooed NASCAR crowd. Dunn's River and Mo Bay are a little more upscale, but you'll pay for it. I've heard that Ocho Rios is nice, but I've never been.

Good luck, bro.

[DoucheMeister]

If I was planning on partying, then yeah, it would make sense. But I am bringing the whole family, so not much drinking will be hapenning.

[HummerTuesdays]

I went to Breezes Golf & Beach resort in Jamaica in 1999. It was worth it. I had no desire to leave the compound (except for a Dunns River Falls tour run by Red Stripe), and it was nice to just walk around with a room key. No purse or wallet, since tipping is forbidden. I'd recomend it, and the company that runs Breezes runs Beaches, which is geared more towards families.

The buffet food gets redundant after a while, but they offered a sit-down, order off the menu restaurant which was also nice. Much better food, no additional cost.

If the family is old enough to be on their own, it might be worth it. This way, they can go eat & do what they want without having to track you down for lunch money.

[sclone]

When you drink like I do, yes, they're worth it. I can throw them back, and I've stayed in non-all-inclusives where I've run up a higher booze bill than the cost of the room.

On the other hand, when I've stayed at all inclusives... Sandals- St.Lucia, Jamaica, etc...
In St. Lucia, did you say at the small Sandals in Castries? There are three on the island. I stayed at Villa Beach Cottages. It was only $170 a night for a private beach front villa. Far from all inclusive, but there's a kitchen in the villa, so you can cook whatever you want.

[bruisedballbag]

I am starting to look around for a family vacation this coming winter, most likely in the Carribean. Lots of all inclusive packages are available, but I have never been on one.

Anyway, seems to run about $6k - $7k for a week, which seems pretty steep to me.

Would I be better off to just book a hotel, and take care of food and stuff myself? Also, any suggestions for destinations?

Thanks.


It all depends where you are going. If you have a few kids, they may just want to eat McDonalds and then you have already wasted your money, it also depends on where you are going.

Aruba or Cancun are two places that you don't want to really wander around outside the resort area, and besides that they treat you like 'gold' They have really good expensive food and free drink so that makes it worth it.

If I was going to Aruba, Jamica, Bahamas etc, I would go all inclusive so once you get there you do nothing but relax.

"fmeinthea" is in the Bahamas now. He got a killer deal with his timeshare. Cheap air line tickets out of Newark NJ, and then he picked up the food vouchers at the resort, so it was worth it because all he is really paying is for the food and ride, the time share already paid for.

If you want to be a bum, go for it.

[Voss's Tumor]

I am starting to look around for a family vacation this coming winter, most likely in the Carribean. Lots of all inclusive packages are available, but I have never been on one.

Anyway, seems to run about $6k - $7k for a week, which seems pretty steep to me.

Would I be better off to just book a hotel, and take care of food and stuff myself? Also, any suggestions for destinations?

Thanks.

If you're taking the kids and don't plan to do a bunch of partying, you can't beat a cruise. I've taken a few since being an adult and had a great time, but I remember going on a few when I was a teenager and my (much) younger sister was always easy to manage and/or dump on the "youth activities" people.

It's nice to know that once you get tired of Cancun, you'll be leaving for Cozumel soon.

[BIGSEXY]

Whatever you do, DON"T! go to Breezes Bahamas. The place was a dump. We had to change rooms like 4 times because the A.C. didn't work. Not to mention there were nothing but drunk teeny boppers running around looking to get into any pants they could. Sooo, if your 18-21 and single, I would definately go. A) because it's cheap and affordable and B) because your guaranteed to get laid. However if your looking for a nice relaxing quiet beach I definately would not go here.

[THE FEZ MAN]

after my vegas debockal i think me and the old lady are going for some type of all inclusive island type of place. freinds of mine have a timeshare on grand bahama but i dont want to go that native, they leave the compound and eat and drink with the locals, they have been going for the last 20+years and got tired of hotels and compounds.

me all i want to do is some fishing and tons of drinking, and NO fucking kids. im almost tempted to go to some fag resort to avoid kids.

[invisible76]

When you drink like I do, yes, they're worth it. I can throw them back, and I've stayed in non-all-inclusives where I've run up a higher booze bill than the cost of the room.
.


Exactly. I just got back from an all-inclusive in aruba (the former Wyndham Aruba). Since not everyone there is all inclusive, they give receipts with all your drinks and shit. As a goof we added up 1day's worth of booze receipts and came out with about 15% of our total bill for the trip (airfare+hotel+transport+all-inclusive meals and drinks).

Most people I saw there with families weren't doing the all inclusive, probably because the kids aren't gonna drink or eat their money's worth. Not to mention if you have kids you'll probably be spending more time off-compound doing tours and shit, whereas I laid on the beach and drank my weight in Captain and Cokes every day.

Also, not every all-inclusive is buffet food. Most of the hotels on Aruba have 3-6 full restaurants in the hotel where you can eat your all-inclusive meals. Some have small surcharges ($3-$10) for certain dishes, but you can definitely eat awesome for just your all-inclusive.

[Grace]

I used to work in the travel industry. Go all-inclusive, but realize that if you pick one with a low rating or that is cheap, you are going to be stuck for however many nights with crappy food and cheap booze. So aim for one that has nicer a la carte restuarants in addition to the buffets (which can be good), check to make sure they have imported beer included if you care about that, otherwise it's just domestic (usually presidente in DR or sol/el sol whatever in Cancun). You'd have to get AI in Jamaica or Punta Cana, it's not safe to leave the resort area. If you go non-ai in Cancun, off resort you are going to be eating at your basic american restuarants, still pricey, but not as good. Also, aim for somewhere that serves food 24hours.... If you get hungry in the middle of the night, and they don't you are screwed til morning.

Post where you are looking to go, I'll see if I have any suggestions or warnings. If you can avoid presidents weekend, the various spring break times and easter, you'll fine better deals. January to early February would be the best.

[generoso]

All inclusives are awesome. But I still prefer the cruise ships myself not a big drinker anymore and luv the casions on the boats. Just my two cents..

[THE FEZ MAN]

when i was a kid we went to disney on an all inclusive, it covered food and soft drinks almost everyware in the park. my dad added up all the recepts and we accualy came out ahead but we were eating 3 meals a day in top shelf restaruants and using every thing that the plan offered it was a great trip. but they dont offer that plan any more. i hate paying tons of money to eat, yet i hate to eat crap food.

[Myhairygrundle]

Keep in mind that some all inclusive also have all the activities like scuba, kayak, tours, etc...

Fancy folks like us do not need the hassle of booking our own activities.

[THE FEZ MAN]

yes our trip to disney included almost all activities including back stage tours. they were the best part of the trip. that and the bass fishing

[Chimpo]

I was at an all inclusive in Cancun a few years ago.

I walked up to a bar, I said "beer" and it was given to me. With no money exchanged or tipping required.

I repeated this process beyond necessity. I was never refused.


And then I sat by the pool with topless women.


I don't know if this is helpful to you or not, but I sure had a great time.

[Herbie Robinson]

I have been going to riu hotels for a few years.

http://www.riu.com/

I stay all-inclusive, at their palace hotels. If you are going with your family with I am going to assume includes children, steer away from the all-inclusive, alcohol is the only way that plan makes worth it, but keep in mind the price of meals when you are budgeting you vacation and they will not be cheap. Mexico has always been a nice destination, also enjoyed aruba and St. st. Maarten were beautiful.

[Bunny™]

I was at an all inclusive in Cancun a few years ago.

I walked up to a bar, I said "beer" and it was given to me. With no money exchanged or tipping required.

I repeated this process beyond necessity. I was never refused.


And then I sat by the pool with topless women.


I don't know if this is helpful to you or not, but I sure had a great time.

Similar experience here. Went all inclusive in Santo Domingo a few years ago, bar in the pool.
Sat on stool.
Ordered many Presidentes..and drank them.
My gf at the time and I eventually decided that we were too drunk to keep exiting the pool to urinate. So we'd both piss while perched on the underwater stools.
The moral of the story is, if you don't need to keep getting up to retrieve $ to pay for drinks, you can make other people wade in your piss.
All-inclusive rules.

[THE FEZ MAN]

i will never swim with tools

[Ren5150]

Went to Sandals St Lucia, all inclusive, ate and drank like a whore. Walked to the bar at anytime of day or night, asked for beers and champagne and was handed whatever I wanted. I walked the resort with a bottle of champagne and drank all day. Its worth it but dont leave the resort, that island is a like a zoo where the cages all popped open.

[flyerfan116]

I would say definitley check into the all-inclusives. I would think there would be a cheaper rate for kids since they can't drink, but i don't think i'd ever go without AI again...just be sure to check with the agent before you book...the one i went to in cancun (Grand Oasis i think) was awesome...ate and drank like a king all day all night, but the one i went to in Jamaica (Wyndamn) i was less han impressed with...all bottom shelf beer, lots of food choices weren't included and no food after like 10 or 11...had to bribe a savage one night to swipe some food from the kitchen one night...just make sure ur getting quality.
while we are on the subject, anyone ever been to Sandals in Antigua? thinking about heading there for our honeymoon.

[DonTheTrucker]

Stay away from these places like the plague. Cruise ships are a much better deal and the service/food/activities are tons better. Everyone I know who has done both would never do the all inclusive land resort again after a cruise. It's basically a 3rd world resort with the savages kept out by a fence. Watered down drinks and horrible food.

Of course this is directed to the mainstream Sandals/Superclubs type places. I'm sure the high end ones are fine if you wanna spend 10k a day.

[DoucheMeister]

We've decided to do the Disneyworld thing instead, staying on the site at one of the resorts.

I would imagine the kids would get bored at a Carribean resort after just a couple of days.

Thanks for the input, all.