All inclusive holidays – whether you love them or hate them they are a popular form of travel. I am, in fact, a huge fan of all inclusive holidays. I do, however, hate the travel snobbery that can exist from others because of this fact, especially as it always seems to come from people who have never tried one!

Since I have had a few different all inclusive holidays over the last couple of years, I think I am in a position to point out some of the negatives… I somehow managed to come up with 10 reasons why you should NEVER go on an all inclusive holiday. It was not easy, but if you fall into all the categories below, perhaps you will not love an all inclusive holiday as much as us.

You should definitely NOT go on an all inclusive holiday if you hate…

1.     Food

Unlimited food, any time of day from various restaurants, possibly room service too and usually a range of cuisines. If you hate eating good food then an all inclusive holiday may not be for you.

2.     Swimming pools

A small section of the long pool at the Samabe. It was hard work hanging out here!!

All inclusive resorts tend to have swimming pools. If the idea of looking at a pool makes you want to barf, then you may not enjoy an all inclusive holiday.

3.     Relaxing

Taking it easy at the Samabe.

All inclusive holidays take care of everything – from food to room servicing to flights. This gives you plenty of time to unwind and not think about the details of your holiday. If you hate taking it easy while people cook and clean for you then you may want to think twice.

4.     Shows and entertainment

Many all inclusive resorts include shows and entertainment. From a cultural performance to live music, there are many options and many different all inclusive resorts that can cater to different tastes and desires. However, if the idea of included entertainment turns you off then maybe an all inclusive holiday is not for you.

5.     Beautiful scenery

The beautiful beach at the Grand Marien.

Another thing that all inclusive holidays tend to have in common is a beautiful setting. This can vary from beaches to mountains, but there is likely to be something beautiful to look at in your vicinity. If you can’t think of anything worse than being surrounded by beauty then look at another option.

6.     Not thinking about money

One of the biggest benefits of an all inclusive holiday is not thinking about money – all your needs are taken care of and there is no need to keep track of your spending or be constantly pulling out your wallet. If you love pulling out your cash and spending money, dealing with foreign exchange rates, etc, then an all inclusive holiday may not be for you.

7.     Good service

A waitress at the Samabe helps Z feed some fish in the restaurant

All inclusive holidays have generally been set up to deal with foreigners. You are likely to receive great service at the levels you would expect at home. English is not going to be a problem. However, if you prefer waiting hours for your meals, dealing with poor service and never knowing what it is going on then you may not enjoy an all inclusive holiday.

8.     Drinks by a pool

Thanks to the fact that all inclusive holidays include drinks and pools, this is a great opportunity to combine two of my favourite things in life – having a drink by (or in) the pool. If cocktails or tropical juices are not your thing and pools make you feel ill then this option may not be for you.

9.     Quality time as a couple

With everything taken care of on an all inclusive holiday, there is plenty of time to relax and enjoy the company of your significant other while you take it easy by the pool or enjoy visiting the local attractions.

If you have kids, there is a good chance there will be a kids club and a great kids program which will mean that your kids are begging to have some time to play away from you. You may actually get some quality time with your partner which is no doubt severely lacking in day to day life.

However, if the last thing you want to do on holiday is spend quality time with those you love then look at other types of travel.

10.Easy holidays

All inclusive holidays make things so easy – from getting to your holiday destination, to eating, to relaxing to organising adventures of your surrounds. The most relaxing, best breaks I have had have been all inclusive holidays, especially since having kids. They are the only times I have really felt like I have had a break compared to other forms of travel when we have to constantly be aware of where we are going to eat next, where we can find water, how we are going to get to our next location in a way that will not end in tears from all of us. Travelling with preschoolers is not easy!

However, if you like stressing over the details and doing everything the hard way then maybe go on some other type of holiday.

We love all inclusive holidays

As you can tell, we are big fans of the all inclusive holiday. I love having everything organised for me and not stressing over all the little details which suddenly become very important when travelling with preschoolers. I love knowing that there are plenty of healthy eating options, clean water and that we will have a nice place to rest our heads. It is the one time we can leave our hotel room without a backpack full of food and drinks which is a nice feeling in itself!

I especially love just knowing everything is covered and we don’t have to worry about constantly spending more money. Meals and drinks for 4 add up! I love the opportunities to experience different things with the entertainment and activity programs. Really, the only thing I don’t like about all inclusive holidays is that the opportunity to do them seems quite limited in my home country of Australia.

You can read all about our all inclusive experiences at the Grand Mirage, the Samabe and the Grand Marien.

What do you love about all inclusive holidays?

This article is an entry into a competition about all inclusive holidays on First Choice.