More and more, all-inclusive resorts are starting to appear everywhere. They seem to be very popular now and a good deal as well, and many times they are. Among the first to start this trend was Club Mediterranee, Club Med, and they are still around and doing well.
It certainly is appealing for the budget minded vacationer to know in advance how much will be the cost of spending some time in an All-inclusive resort. And this cost can be known to a very close approximation if not to an exact amount. One can lie on a beach or by a pool, have a drink, eat, etc. and not worry about how much one is spending.
On the other hand if one wants to be a true tourist, one must be willing to adventure out of the hotel and explore the surroundings, which in my view is the purpose of it all. I just love the feeling of arriving in a city, having spent the night travelling and getting there early in the morning, if possible, arriving at a train station, and walking out and mingling with the locals going about the start of their day. The feeling is not quite the same if one arrives at an airport, as they for the most part the same, and are rarely in the middle of the city and if they are I cannot think of one where one can just walk out and start walking down the street. There are always taxis, buses, and other forms of transportation, unlike a train station which are surrounded by regular streets, with people, cars, etc.
But if one just wants to able to relax and enjoy doing nothing and just laying around a pool, reading, listening to music, sunbathing, etc. an All-inclusive hotel is certainly a very good option. The price one pays for that is that it is very tempting to stay rather than go out, to eat at the hotel rather than at local restaurant and participate of the evening entertainment offered in-house rather than going to a disco or a local bar. I have known people who have remained their whole stay inside the hotel and then talk to others, with the authority of having been there, about the good and bad things one can find in such and such destination and how it compares to others.
How can one be able to advance an opinion about a place one doesn't really know? How can one distinguish between All-inclusives located in different resort areas, in different countries if one has not ventured outside the premises, except maybe for an activity or two? And what is the difference, really, between laying around the pool in the Caribbean and any other place in the world?
There are places meant to be visited... I can't imagine staying in an All-inclusive in Paris, or New York, for example, and I don't believe there are any in either city, certainly not with a pool and amenities meant to keep you inside. I have trouble to think of places where one doesn't want to go outside. When we wanted to get away, we used to go to a hotel on the beach a short drive from home, to spend a weekend and relax, but it never occurred to me to take a plane to stay in resort and get away from it all in that manner. Until I discovered cruising. Cruising is such a great alternative to an All-inclusive. They both offer a similar service if you want to get away and not really tour, but just rest and relax.
An All-inclusive is a very good alternative when the weather is cold at home and you need some rest. And it should also be mentioned that there are different types of All-inclusives, some more expensive than others, even in the same destinations. One reason for this is the quality of the food, drinks and activities included, so it is a good idea to ask otherwise you might find yourself paying extra for a better quality drink or having to eat out when it wasn't what you had in mind. Another reason for the different in price is the location as some are closer to the center of attractions (outside the resort) so here again it is a good idea to find out the exact location and cost of taxis and transportation if you do plan to do some limited outings.
So, in short, before going anywhere please ask yourself... what am I in the mood for... total R&R, how much can I spend, etc. but just be aware that the price one pays for an All-inclusive is to lose the opportunity to explore new surroundings, know different people and places, and restaurants and views and photographic opportunities, and just adventure. I'm not demeaning All-inclusive hotels but if you can afford to spend your vacation differently, do it. If you can't, then enjoy as much as you can and go out as much as you can. After all life is just one /trade-off after another.
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