All-inclusive holidays promise rest and relaxation. An escape from everyday life without having to worry about paying for dinners and drinks. While you’ll see trips advertised under this one catchall term on travel websites and brochures, they definitely aren’t all the same. Here I’ll walk you through what all-inclusive trips mean, their benefits and pitfalls, and offer some comparisons and tips to help you find the right one.
What does an all-inclusive holiday mean?
All-inclusive simply means that the price you pay covers everything in your stay, from meals to drinks to activities. Of course, it’s not quite that simple, as ‘everything’ is a subjective word where all-inclusive holidays are concerned. It actually refers to everything included in the specific holiday deal you’ve booked. This can differ greatly from hotel to resort.
For example, one trip may offer a lot of free activities, whereas another may stick to food, drinks and basic extras. To avoid any disappointment and unexpected costs, always check before booking to see exactly what’s included in the all-inclusive rate.
What do all-inclusive hotels include?
Imagine stepping into a world that satisfies your every craving. This is the magic of all-inclusive hotels. Take Hyatt Hotels’ Inclusive Collection of resorts, for example, which promises “no check-in or check-out times, 24-hour room service, top-shelf cocktails, gourmet à la carte dining without reservations required, and endless activities throughout the day and night”. Sounds great, right?
Here’s what it actually typically includes beyond your room:
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner are typically included, as well as a range of snacks usually available all day. There may be restrictions on exactly what’s included on some menus. |
| Drinks | Expect free hot and cold drinks, from coffee and tea to juice and soft drinks. |
| Alcohol | Alcohol is included in most but not every all-inclusive package and usually extends to local beers, wines, spirits and some cocktails. |
| Activities | This typically means free access to the hotel’s activities and classes. These often include watersports like snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding. Classes can be anything from cooking to drawing, tennis to tango. |
| Entertainment | All-inclusive hotels usually have a calendar of events and parties to keep guests entertained. Examples include live music, shows and film nights, and themed events like beach parties and bingo. |
| Amenities | These depend on what the hotel offers but think pool, gym, spa, tennis, golf, games room and the like. |
| Childcare | Childcare is sometimes included, especially in family-orientated resorts. Services often include babysitting, kids’ clubs and children’s activities. |
What does all-inclusive commonly exclude?
All-inclusive is something of a misnomer, as there are almost always caveats. While packages vary, there are some common exclusions you should check in advance:
| Premium dining | Inclusive meals usually mean buffet-style eating and sometimes select dishes from the à la carte menu. So it’s more likely to be the spaghetti bolognese than the chateaubriand that’s free. You’ll typically get fewer options for high-quality local dishes too. |
| Premium drinks | Premium drinks like known-brand spirits, fine wines, champagne and specialist cocktails generally cost extra. Always check what you’re getting before you order to avoid surprise charges. |
| Treatments | While you’ll likely get free access to the hotel spa and its facilities (sauna, steam room, hot tub etc), treatments like massages and manicures are usually paid for add-ons. Some packages may include a one-off massage or similar. |
| High-cost activities | While most basic activities are included, there are usually restrictions where expensive specialist equipment or qualifications are needed, like jet skiing or scuba diving. |
| Off-resort excursions | Some hotels may include daytime excursions, for example to waterparks or cultural attractions. This is rare though, and most tours or off-site visits will be charged for, especially if they’re guided. |
| Tips and gratuities | Even if your all-inclusive deal includes room service or poolside meals, they won’t include tips and gratuities for these kinds of deliveries. You won’t be expected to tip in the hotel restaurants, though. |
All-inclusive resorts vs. hotels
Hotels and resorts can both offer all-inclusive packages, but there can be many differences. Resorts tend to offer a wider variety of facilities and amenities that go beyond the standard hotel – luxurious spas and gourmet restaurants, activities like yoga, golf and water sports.
I like to think of a hotel as a place to stay, but a resort as a destination in itself. Resorts are often self-contained, providing entertainment, dining, lodging, sports activities, and shopping on the premises. There’s often very little reason to leave a resort, other than for local sightseeing.
Travel writer Jenna Scatena
Resorts tend to be larger than hotels, occupying a sprawling space often located in scenic natural areas rather than cities where space is at a premium. All-encompassing, they keep you on site by providing everything you need. Think beachfront villas lining the Caribbean coast or treetop bungalows deep in the forest.
Hotels, meanwhile, tend to be located in city centres or near attractions, aimed at providing a base to explore outside the hotel grounds.
Who are all-inclusive resorts suitable for?
You might have some preconceived ideas about who takes all-inclusive holidays. You might be right. But nowadays, there are all-inclusive resorts targeting every type of traveller, including you!
| Families | Many all-inclusive resorts are ideal for families, as they offer a wide range of activities and amenities that appeal to all age groups. The Onyx Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic has its own on-site kids’ and teens clubs and a dedicated family pool with water slides. |
| Couples | All-inclusive resorts are great for a romantic getaway, especially when you book an adults-only resort. The Liberty Lykia in Turkey is an adults-only hideaway renowned for its seclusion and amazing food. |
| Groups of friends | Resorts typically offer plenty of large rooms that can accommodate multiple people. As well as a variety of activities to keep everyone in the group happy. Breathless Resorts are particularly well known for their party atmosphere, few more so than Breathless Riviera Cancun. |
| Solo travellers | More and more, all-inclusive resorts are tailoring activities and amenities with solo travellers in mind, like the yoga classes and spa treatments at Vista Celestial in wonderful, solo travel-friendly Costa Rica. |
| Business travellers | Resorts offer everything you need for a successful business trip, from meeting rooms and business centres to restaurants and bars. You’ll often find business-centric resorts closer to major transportation hubs and cities |
| Family reunions | Resorts offer everything you need for a successful business trip, from meeting rooms and business centres to restaurants and bars. Plus, when you’re busy all day in meetings, you know everything will be taken care of for you on-site. You’ll often find business-centric resorts closer to major transportation hubs and cities |
| Budget-friendly holidays | When you consider all that’s included in the price, some resorts can work out quite cheap. Places you can find good budget options include the Costa del Sol, Greece and Italy. |
| Wellness retreats | Expect nutritious meals, curated fitness classes and luxury spa treatments. Wellness resorts help you focus on the calm and bypass the stress of booking everything individually, like the Spa Safari all-inclusive package at Nihi Sumba in Indonesia. |
| Last-minute holidays | Enjoy a relaxing trip even if you don’t have much time to plan ahead. Plus, last-minute deals often offer discounts on otherwise-expensive resorts. |
All-inclusive vs. full board vs. half board
What’s a holiday without great food? Certainly for me, what I’ll be eating is a driving factor in where I choose to stay. When it comes to all-inclusive, what meal packages include can make a huge difference to your experience and budget. Different packages can include varying degrees of culinary convenience, from every meal to full or half board.
One thing to remember is that many all-inclusive packages and resorts have less-than-glowing food reviews. Always check what you’re getting and read the customer reviews for honest feedback. If top-quality food is important, consider whether paying for all-inclusive is right for you.
What does all-inclusive include?
From the moment you step into the resort to when you wave goodbye, you can indulge in unlimited food, drinks and activities without worrying about a hefty final bill. Depending on the resort, this may mean fully catered buffets for each meal or a set menu for you to pick and choose your dishes.
What does full board include?
Full-board typically provides guests with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in the room rate. This means you can indulge in a continental breakfast, savour a midday feast, and dig into a delicious multi-course dinner without having to worry about paying extra.
What does half-board include?
Half-board usually means breakfast and dinner. It’s the perfect option if you want to combine the convenience of dining on-site with trying local cuisine when you’re out and about during the day.
Is all-inclusive worth it?
That’s down to your personal preferences and priorities, what the package includes and where you’re travelling to. Some things to consider:
- Value for your money. Packages include many of the typical added costs of travel, from meals and snacks to activities. If you’re going somewhere known to be expensive – from restaurants to excursions – going all-inclusive can make it much more cost-effective.
- A hassle-free experience. You won’t have to worry about making restaurant reservations or planning and booking activities.
- Often located in beautiful locations. All-inclusive hotels are often located in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. From the beaches of Mexico to the mountains of Colorado, there’s an all-inclusive hotel or resort to suit every taste.
- A wide range of amenities and activities. When you stay at an all-inclusive hotel or resort, you’ll often have access to a wide range of amenities and activities to choose from.
Tips for making the most of your all-inclusive holiday
As a seasoned all-inclusive traveller, these are my top tips to make the most out of your next all-inclusive trip.
- Do your research: There are a lot of different hotels and resorts to choose from, with different all-inclusive packages and add-ons. Read reviews, look at photos and compare prices to find the right place for your needs.
- Check what’s included: Always familiarise yourself with what’s included in your stay. In particular, check the meals and drinks packages as these are often the most restricted. Knowing what you have free access to also helps make sure you take advantage of everything on offer.
- Try everything (even the cheesy stuff): Shake a leg in salsa class. Turn your hand to painting. Chance your arm at bingo. All-inclusive calendars overflow with events and activities you might not usually take part it – but now’s your chance. You’ve already paid for it, after all.
- Plan ahead: Decide which activities you want to do and, where applicable, make reservations in advance. Most of the time you won’t need to book things, but better to be safe than disappointed.
- Tip smart: A lot of the time, going all-inclusive means you never get around to tipping resort staff. Not only is this unfair on them, but it robs you of the chance to get in their good books. Happy, well-tipped staff can still elevate your experience hugely. Quicker service, nice upgrades, more ice in your drinks. The possibilities are endless.
- Explore beyond the resort: While there’s plenty to do at an all-inclusive hotel or resort, don’t forget to explore beyond the property. Many all-inclusive resorts are located in beautiful destinations with plenty of things to see and do. So get out there and explore.
How do you find all-inclusive hotels on KAYAK?
Not sure where to start? Take advantage of KAYAK’s filtered search tool to help you find the perfect all-inclusive trip. Just search your destination of choice and then select the ‘All inclusive’ filter at the top of the page.
You can also use the KAYAK Holiday Packages search tool to find the cheapest flight and hotel deals. You can then select ‘All filters’ and check the ‘All-inclusive’ box.
Where are the best all-inclusive destinations?
Some destinations seem tailor-made for all-inclusive resorts. Cancun and Miami Beach are two of the most sought-after and the whole of the Caribbean teems with amazing options. If you want somewhere a little more laidback, check out Palma de Mallorca or Corfu – great for family-friendly holidays.
FAQs
Most all-inclusive resorts include alcohol. However, there are often limits on what types (or amounts) of alcohol. Always check the fine print before ordering.
Not always. You’ll usually find that soft drinks are unlimited. When all-inclusive stays include alcohol, there’s usually a sensible intake limit based on your behaviour or how much you’ve consumed. This is up to the discretion of the hotel, resort or member of staff serving you. There are often restrictions on certain premium brand drinks too.
That plus usually promises an all-inclusive experience with more things included! Expect premium brand drinks, better meal options, improved amenities and added services including things like massages or off-site excursions.
Just like all-inclusive plus, this is just a fancy name to showcase a deeper all-inclusive experience. Expect even more premium brand drinks, even better meal options, improved amenities and often unlimited added services like massages, scuba diving, golf and exclusive events.
Typically, all-inclusive packages cover accommodation, meals and resort amenities, but seldom flights. However, airlines often offer their own bundle deals that may be more cost-effective for your specific travel plans, such as combining flights and an all-inclusive stay. Check specific airline websites to see what they offer.
1
