All-inclusive holidays do precisely what they say on the tin - they are all-in. Most things are included in the price of your trip, including flights, transfers, hotels, food and drink and sometimes even activities, but are they actually worth the upfront cost? Here, we talk you through the benefits, the best ways to save and the top things to look out for when considering booking an all-inclusive holiday.
What are the benefits?
There are several benefits when it comes to booking an all-inclusive holiday. Firstly, you’ll save yourself having to spend a lot of money during your trip as the cost of food, drink and sometimes activities will be included in the price that you will have already paid. Although the upfront cost may seem more expensive, it can often work out slightly cheaper than having to pay for meals and other extras separately. It also means you won’t need to worry about planning or budgeting for your holiday, as this will already have been taken care of.
The sheer selection of choice is another reason to consider this type of holiday, especially when booking through reputable travel providers such as TUI, lastminute.com, easyJet and Jet2holidays. You’ll be able to filter your search and browse through family-friendly holidays, holidays offering free child places (depending on the agent you’re booking with) and adult-only stays in destinations such as Spain, Greece, Tenerife and places further afield such as Mexico and even the Bahamas.
Are they actually cheaper?
It largely depends on when, where and with who you are planning to book an all-inclusive holiday. As a rough guide, however, yes - they can often work out cheaper.
For example, at the time of writing an all-inclusive trip for two adults to the Coral Beach resort in Ibiza (through TUI) currently costs £644.00 per person for seven nights. For this price, you’ll get breakfast, lunch, an evening meal, drinks (including local-branded alcohol) and snacks. Flights, hotel rooms and transfers are also included. Below, we’ll compare it to a bed & breakfast equivalent.
It’s worth noting that the Coral Beach resort is an all-inclusive-only hotel, meaning we couldn’t check for the equivalent price for just flights and a hotel room. However, we were able to search for a similarly rated hotel over the same dates (at the time of writing and using TUI as the booking agent) and found the Invisa Hotel Es Pla, which offers a bed and breakfast and half-board service. Interestingly, the cost of this booking would be £661.30 per person - that's £17.30 more expensive than the all-inclusive equivalent listed above! If you add the cost of food and drink for 7 nights on top of that, it’s fair to say you’d be making a decent saving by booking everything in one go.
All-inclusive holidays can now, more often than not, be paid for in instalments. This certainly helps to break down the upfront cost, allowing people to spread payments over a number of months before finally paying it off. This can be particularly handy for those working on a tighter budget, whilst still allowing them to enjoy the holiday of their dreams.
How to get the best deals
There are a number of handy tips to use when searching for an all-inclusive holiday at the best possible price. Firstly, search for dates out of season - especially if travelling with children. The most expensive dates are during the school holidays, so avoiding peak months such as July and August will be an important factor in keeping costs down.
If you’re not too fussed about where you’d like to go, booking a last-minute all-inclusive holiday could be the best option for you. Last-minute deals are offered when providers try to ‘fill’ unbooked plane tickets and hotel rooms by selling them cheaper than normal. Although deals can certainly be found here, you’re limited as to when you travel, where you stay and where you travel from.
By signing up for newsletters and mailing lists with online travel providers, you can stay ahead of the game when it comes to jumping on the best deals. Many deals come with limited availability, however, and the popular ones often sell out quickly. That being said, travel agents will also have an online ‘deals page’ for discounted holidays - listing all available that haven't yet sold.
Many of the online travel agents listed above have easy-to-use filter options that allow you to break down your holiday search. Here, you can remove any results you’re not interested in and compare the prices of those you are. Another option to consider is to pick up the phone and speak to a salesperson directly. You may well find that you’re able to haggle on the price of your holiday and secure it for even less!
At MyVoucherCodes, we have an excellent range of discount codes for a variety of online travel agents! From TUI and Jet2holidays to easyJet, lastminute.com and First Choice, you can be sure to find an offer that will suit your holidaying needs and help bring the overall cost down.
What to look out for?
It’s important to look out for several things when booking an all-inclusive holiday. We always recommend double-checking everything that's included in the price of your chosen stay - don’t forget, some items might not be included, such as alcohol. There also might be time constraints on when you can eat and a limit on the activities you can book, too.
When booking package holidays through a UK-based provider, they should all be ATOL and ABTA protected. This means that should the company get into any financial problems you’ll be covered for the cost of your flights and holiday. It is also worth double-checking that your holiday is protected, and you can normally tell by scrolling down to the bottom of a travel agent’s website and checking for the relevant certificates (which should clearly be displayed).
When not to book an all-inclusive holiday
If you’re in any doubt about booking a particular all-inclusive holiday, then it’s probably best to hold off until you feel comfortable. It might be that you haven’t yet found the right place at the right price, or that your preferred hotel doesn’t include everything that you’d like. Remember, keep an eye on those last-minute deals and newsletter offers if price really is a sticking point, as you might just find something more affordable.
An all-inclusive getaway is ideal for families and travellers that plan to relax on-site and indulge, rather than those who plan to explore different places every day and eat out at a variety of restaurants. It certainly offers an alternate kind of holiday and can prove more cost-effective, depending on your given situation.
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