Last week I went to a wedding down in sunny Playa Riviera. We can get into the discussion of whether people should have such distant destination weddings later. What really concerned me was the hotel type. The decent places were all-inclusive resorts, I stayed at the Bahia Principal Tulum on this trip. This is not my type of travel but twist my arm I went. So, are all inclusive resorts worth it? Well that depends. I have gone to exactly four in my life, each time I am more disappointed than the last. Not to say there are not good aspects of an all-inclusive resort, they just aren’t my idea of travel.
For me the answer to the question are all-inclusive resorts worth it is no, but it is not that simple. I don’t like them because though you are on vacation, you are not really traveling. The overall cost can be lower (after factoring in eating and drinking), but the experience is a watered-down Americanized version of the trip. Also, if you don’t drink or just eat moderately, an All-inclusive resort won’t be worth the cost. Add to that the nickel and diming and the lower quality of the experiences I will be more likely than not to pass on an All-inclusive resort in the future. On the other hand, if you have kids and don’t usually care about quality over quantity it may be worth it.
Take the financial aspect out of it, if all-inclusive resorts are worth it depends on a number of factors. Is your idea of a vacation sitting by a pool or beach all day? Do you want to be around only locals? How adventurous are you? What is good for me might not be good for you. Let me go over some pros and cons of an All-inclusive resort and let you decide for yourself if an all-inclusive resort is worth experiencing.
First What is An All-Inclusive Resort
I will keep this short, assuming most of you have a basic understanding of what this type of an establishment is. The exact details of what makes something “all inclusive” might vary, but basically it is a place that takes care of all your food and alcohol (and of course lodging). In addition, many games and activities are set up by the hotel for the entertainment of the guests. Usually there is one main eating hall, that is a buffet, some snacks and a couple of nice restaurants that you get passes to, depending on the length of your stay.
Some better ones might offer additional services, like bottle service to the room or more passes to a nice restaurant, but for the most part they all have the same theme. The opportunity to gorge and inebriate yourself without worrying about the cost. Sign me up sounds great on paper… and I guess it could be.
Some Benefits of An All-Inclusive Resorts
When determining whether all-inclusive resorts are worth it, I would be a liar if I said there were no positives. The obvious being that you can drink until your hearts content and only worry about paying the tip. I liked running from bar to bar grabbing a cocktail and just swimming in the pool. No pressure to see or do anything except let alcohol make me think my problems are no longer real. There are bars in the lobby, there are bars in the pools, just bars galore. There are also usually plenty of places to grab food, unlimited eating without additional cost except for that of my future cardiologist! Let the debauchery begin.! I spent many of an hour doing just this.
Another thing I liked about this type of hotel was that they usually are big. I like to explore, so this was a plus. Walking in and out of the maze that was my resort and discovering new things is entertaining. This last time I was at a resort it was only for a few days; I think after I learned the lay of the resort, I would be a bit bored. Still, it kept me occupied on my first couple of days. I can’t imagine It would be able to carry me for a week.
Some Cons of All-Inclusive Resorts
I am guessing by the tone of this article you already know my answer to the question “Are all inclusive resorts worth it?” I don’t think they are. Let me explain why and you can determine for yourself if All-inclusive resorts are worth the additional cost. I will keep the price part out of this, yes on average they are more expensive before food and drink, but I have spent a lot on regular hotels before, I don’t think it is as straight forward to compare costs. As mentioned earlier, when you factor in meals, you should be saving money.
The Food in an All-Inclusive Resort is Terrible
I get it, every place is different, so maybe I shouldn’t generalize, or maybe that is exactly what I need to do. All-inclusive resorts are masters at giving you large quantities of mediocre food. First, there is the traditional buffet; included with each seems to be the Salmonella station. Of course, you are not told which one that is (although they all might be). I really hate buffets, bunch of heathens running around sticking their hands on everything, just disgusting.
One common theme I found in every resort is the buffet rarely changes. By day three you are so sick of this bland food you will eat a Lemoore (or whatever local animal strolls by). I always somehow hate and overeat this bad food. As if I am missing out if I DONT gobble up the food poisoning.
Worse of all the food is not authentic. It is made for the masse of westerners that are piling in. Even if they do serve something local, it is not something you will find in a local’s kitchen. Also, the specialty restaurants are just bad. I sat down to a nice meal and if it wasn’t free, I would have written a five-page negative Yelp review. Rule of thumb, if there is unlimited free food, it won’t be good. I travel to eat so this fact hurts.
The Drinks are Watered Down
I haven’t been to a resort yet where the drinks didn’t taste more like Kool aide than alcohol. The drinks are weak, especially at 9 AM, when you want to kick the day off right! Yes, you can tip the guy and he will pour a little harder, but who wants to do all that? Alcohol is usually pretty cheap overseas, so I don’t feel like I am saving some huge amount of money. Instead, I get unlimited, bottom shelf drinks of which one could serve at a child’s birthday party (ok not that bad). If you are going for just unlimited alcohol, I don’t think All Inclusive resorts are worth it.
There are “specialty drinks” (see above) that they charge more for. I bought a coconut/alcohol drink which had no coconut or alcohol. It was supposed to be three times stronger, but it tasted like a bad strawberry slushy. If you want to drink like a teenager with unlimited beer sure an all-inclusive resort is worth it. If you are over 26, then just get a hotel near a good local bar.
All Inclusive Resorts are Boring
I felt trapped on my last trip. Sure, the place was big, but it was all the same. Without taking a taxi, I felt like there wasn’t much for me on this last stay. It was like I HAD to eat the mediocre food. There wasn’t just a local spot within throwing distance. Even if there was, I would think, “just get a free beer, why pay.”
The activities are fine if you are a 12-year-old in camp, but as an adult I want to see and experience new things. I can only lie around the beach so long before I start pulling my hair out. There was a time when I actually went looking for crocodiles because I saw a warning sign posted. For the way I travel all-inclusive resorts aren’t worth it because they box you in. Your surroundings are just other resorts, so it is out of the frying pan into the fire! I am just not the band, pool volleyball, limbo playing kind of guy. God if I heard one more version of Brown eyed girl, I would have drowned myself. That isn’t a vacation to me, it is a Nickelodeon show.
All Inclusive resorts are not Worth it Because they are not Authentic
As I mentioned in many posts (like this one on Positano), If I am traveling in a different area, I want to see that area for what it is. That is the crux of why All Inclusive resorts are not worth it to me. You are seeing some Americanized version of their country. Last time I was surrounded by Americans, with a couple of Brits mixed in. If it wasn’t for the weird animals running around, I would not have known I was in a foreign country.
I travel to see the world, if I wanted to get drunk and lie around the beach all day, I could do that on Long Island. Once you get over the novelty of free (watered down) drinks everywhere you realize something. This could be anywhere. No culture, no museums, very little foreign languages spoken. Just thousands of average Americans that are getting drunk and being rude to the local staff (yes, I saw this). I don’t travel to see Mindy from accounting in a bikini about to make a questionable life choice. I travel to see the world. That does not happen on a resort.
Who All-Inclusive Resorts might be Worth it for?
I did a fair amount of bashing of All Inclusive resorts. To me they are boring, for the reasons I listed above. That is just how I travel. There are plenty of people who love them, clearly given their popularity. Below are who would enjoy this type of trip.
You are a Lounger
When I travel, I like to explore, but that is me. If you like to lay around in the sun all day drinking Pina Coladas than a resort might be perfect for you. There is no thinking involved in a resort. Pay upfront, then just sit on the beach drinking. To me this is a kind of hell, but I know a ton of people who love it.
Not everyone wants to get lost in the streets of Bangkok and end up with a mouth full of crickets in the middle of nowhere. Some people actually take vacations to relax (I call them nutcases!). If that is who you are an all-inclusive resort is certainly worth it.
You Have a Family
Those smaller people that so many adults have around them really get in the way. Always climbing on you and never leaving you alone. I think All-inclusive resorts are a good option for a family trip. It is a big area with a lot of places to explore, yet relatively safe. You probably won’t want your kid running around the streets of Barcelona by himself but go nuts on the resort. It is like one big cage for them.
In addition, there is a ton of things to do for kids in an all-inclusive resort. Games, arcade rooms, pools, plus all the vodka they can drink… Kidding they should be at least 16 to do that. If I know parents, they want nothing else then to get rid of their kids while they get wasted. What better place than an all-inclusive resort? To make things better, they can even come and go to the buffet at will, you don’t even have to eat with them.
If You are under 25
Younger people who still get off on unlimited beer might like this. Especially an adult only resort. It really is just one big beach party anyway so if that is your thing go nuts. Older people get over the novelty of drinking (most of the time), but a 22-year-old might have a blast.
Conclusion
Are All-inclusive resorts worth it? I guess that depends on who you are and your travel style. To me no, I like to explore and experience other cultures. Good food is important to me as well. To others it may be just what the doctor ordered. A place to pay $300/night you can drink so much you can’t remember you even went on vacation. It is a question you must answer for yourself.
