susan1

I'm just curious why people must have all inclusives.<BR><BR>It is usually about $1,000+ per person more. I mean come on, how much food can one actually eat????????? And drink for that matter?<BR><BR>Also, most of the time, those AI have buffets.<BR><BR>I would think if you wanted peace and quite, the AI would drive a person crazy.<BR><BR>We checked out the Allegro in Aruba and they always had LOUD music and alot of activities going on. If you wanted to relax and read a book, forget it. It almost reminded me of kiddy land or some tacky Disney resort.<BR><BR>Just my opinion.<BR><BR>Does anyone feel the same way I do?<BR><BR>Again, I am NOT putting people down, so don't jump down my throat. I realize we ALL have different views, im just curious on this one though.<BR><BR>

basilwat

Well you kinda answered your own question...some people want a no-brainer vacation w/their kids or they want to be with other couples in a relaxing, quiet setting or be with crazy singles...that's the beauty of the different all-inclusives.<BR><BR>I do question why some folks do go to a place like Beaches in T&amp;C when they don't have any children because it is clearly an all-inclusive that caters to families, yet they complain that there were too many kids running around!<BR><BR>I really think it depends on what you are looking for when you go on vacation...is fantastic food a priority, if so, i wouldn't go to an all-inclusive. <BR><BR>If laying on the beach and not going anywhere and having activities available to you w/in a step if you want to participate and have drinks served to you on the beach w/out having to carry a wallet and have no surprises on the bill at checkout is what you are looking for, then i say an all-inclusive is the way to go!<BR><BR>I priced out a vacation for 3 adults and 2 kids at the Westin in St. John and at Beaches in T&amp;C and to be honest when all was said and done, the prices were pretty much the same and i think the Westin would've ended up being more because i now have a one bedroom suite at T&amp;C which would've been much more expensive at the Westin.<BR><BR>So, i just think it really depends on where you are in your life and what your priorities are when taking a trip!<BR><BR>Just my .02<BR><BR

CF

Depends on the AI and the package you can come up with. Last trip to Provo we stayed at Allegro because we ended up paying $50 each a day to go AI. Figure breakfast and/or lunch, dinner and a few drinks during the day(and evening) and you will be well over $50. I missed going to my favorite restaurants tho.<BR><BR>The people who lose the most on AI's are non drinkers and those of us who don't eat a lot at one setting.<BR><BR>Even tho they are largely buffet, every one I have been to had sit down restaurants as well.<BR><BR>I think a lot of people like knowing how much they are going to spend before hand and like not having to carry a wallet around all day. Or worry about room charges.

ParrotMom

Several of the AI resorts we have been to are in the D.R. and are rather isolated. Several have &quot;reservations only&quot; for some of their speciality ones.. The resort we were at in Punta Cana did not require reservations at their restaurants. In the end things even out...there are people who are constantly at the bars either inor out of the pool. After the first few days the max we have is probably three or four drinks during the day....so it evens out. At one point we were in C.R. had a semi-inclusive plan and found it fun to go to a few of the restaurants a few miles away.

diann

My husband and I went to Beaches, childless, in T&amp;C. We went there only because it was offered for $1,000 per person including air from the East coast. It included unlimited scuba. We felt it was a great value for the money. The AI's are a good value if you have teenagers. Some people do not want to take out there wallet every 5 minutes. If you are a big drinker and like the tropical drinks, it can really add up fast paying al la carte. We have done both, AL's and not and it seems to even out in the end. As far as the food is concerned, AL's can become dull after a week. It also depends how much you pay. You generally get what you pay for either way. Royal Hideway in PDC is going to be a higher quality than an Allegro for example.

dilbert

I like AI's because I don't have to have money with me everywhere.<BR><BR>I am a big eater and a very big drinker. Nine drinks a day on vacation is common.<BR><BR>I realize that I am not getting the best food at the AI but, since I live in NY, I truly feel that I have the best restaurants near home and that I don't expect much great food elsewhere.<BR><BR>I also hate tipping. I don't like to be on vacation an be constantly preyed upon by a group of 'hustlers'.<BR><BR>My last non-AI vacation was two weeks at the Hyatt Regency Maui. The food bills were incredible. The bar bills were beyond incredible. Everybody had their hand out. It 'cost' me $3.00 every time I took my rent-a-car out and put it back. This is silly. I can park my own car and walk 75 feet easily.<BR><BR>I feel that the best vacations are AIs with a few forays out of the compound.

Diana

I was reading a book last night that - for me - perfectly explains the AI phenomenon.<BR>The author was talking about hating Disney, but she couldn't put a finger on why. She found it flat and dimensionless.<BR>She read a book called, &quot;Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Repair.&quot;<BR>In the book, the author was describing why people like places like AI's and Disney.<BR>They offer what is called a &quot;static&quot; experience. This is a predictable and stable environment where everything that occurs is expected and almost regimented.<BR>In the AI case, everything from the activities, the food and the entertainment are very structured, and the AI guest knows almost exactly what is going to occur and when, and what they are going to get for their money.<BR>Many people find great security and enjoyment in that type of environment.<BR>For me, much of the enjoyment of traveling in the Caribbean comes in the spontaneous and unplanned things that happen - a spur of the moment beach party with locals, stopping our rental car to give kids a ride to school, going to what amounts to a shack on the beach and finding mouth-watering conch and icy beer, etc., etc. - but that's just ME.<BR>Many people want to just go veg on the beach with a fruity drink with an umbrella in it, or have a toga party, or play volleyball 5 times a day if they feel like it.<BR>That may be some people's idea of great fun, or it may be some people's idea of he// on earth - &quot;to each his or her own.&quot;<BR>AI's fit some travelers' needs and wants perfectly.

dilbert

Just to add....<BR><BR>AIs are very cheap. Quite frankly they are cheaper than living in my own house.<BR><BR>My house....<BR>$200 / week property tax<BR>$100 / week utilities<BR>$50 / week cable TV<BR>$150 / week food and booze<BR>$500 / week mortgage interest<BR>The fact that you don't have to cook and clean..... priceless<BR>

sap115

I never thought I would like all-inclusive resorts for some of the same reasons that I hated cruise ships. Plastic food, annoying people shovelling in food at the buffets and chugging beer by the pool, and being stuck in the same place eating the same thing for 7 days in a row. Then I realized that when I take a winter vacation I'm looking for a warm place, frozen drinks, a comfortable lounge chair, a view of the ocean and peace and quiet. That's it. There are plenty of all-inclusives that don't have trough like buffets and drunk people playing drinking games. You just have to do a little research and be willing to shell out some money.<BR><BR>I'm lucky enough to be able to travel more than once a year. I love exploring during the summer. Taking in a National Park, eating fancy meals in NYC and seeing a show . . . <BR><BR>And yes . . . I can eat and drink my money's worth! It helps that I have expensive tastes in food. Lobster for dinner, smoked salmon for breakfast, shrimp by the dozen at lunch, champagne, Maker's Mark, . . . it all adds up.

Smokyboy

Just curious dilbert but with what your paying for property taxes, do you live in Canada?

Scott66

Once again, I agree with Diane, and feel she explained her views very clearly.<BR><BR>It simply comes down to preference. There is no right or wrong answer here, simply opinions.<BR><BR>Do you want structured vacation, with somewhat of a schedule? Then AI might work well for you. If you just want to be on your own, explore, and have absolutely no schedule to follow, then AI is most likely a mistake. <BR><BR>It comes down to one question: What do (YOU) want from your vacation? Thank God we all have such diverse opinions, or certain resorts would get a tad crowded!! Stay warm folks...

JMM

I have done both AI and non AI. For me the destination has a lot to do with whether I go the AI route or not. Also cost - when AI is cheaper I do that simply because it is easier.<BR>T&amp;C - non AI - lots of decent restaurants whose sanitary standards I dont have to worry about. And I dont like the AI resorts there (Beaches is too expensive,Club Med is not to my taste,Allegro - I might try sometime but so far it is too expensive in comparison to nice non AI places.<BR>Dominican Republic - mid to high end AI only. Quite frankly I just would not trust restaurants here.<BR>St Kitt's - Non AI - basically same reasons as T&amp;C<BR>Mexico - so far I have only done AI - largely for $ reasons - I have gotten some great deals. If I went non AI, it would have to be high end and that works out to more than AI. A friend did the non AI route,staying at mid to low end accomodations and eating at local restaurants - she got very ill. <BR>Quite frankly I dont go on vacation for gourmet dining or drinking - so sanitarily prepared edible food suits me just fine.<BR>Whether I choose AI or non AI depends on my research and $.<BR>An observation: I often find that some<BR> NON AI people on this board and others have a rather &quot;travel snob&quot; attitude towards people who go to AIs. AIs are just another vacation choice people make for a variety of reasons not some reflection on their personal characters.

susan1

JMM-I didn't mean to come off snobby, so I hope you guys didn't take it that way. It is true though, some people to put them down.<BR><BR>I haven't experienced it first hand, other that checking out Aruba.<BR><BR>I'm sure there are alot of good ones.<BR><BR>It sounds like the Dominican Republic and Jamaica would be the place to do AI.<BR><BR>I was just curious of the peoples viewpoints on these.

liza

I can't speak to the DR, but I've only done AI in Jamaica once out of twn trips, and that was the first time because i wasn't aware of the options.<BR><BR>Jamaica has a wide variety of accomodation, including huge mega resorts both AI and not, staffed private villas, cottages and cabins, small hotels, guesthouses....something for all budgets and travel styles.

liza

oops...twn trips should be TEN trips

donkeypunch

BEER

Dreamer2

Hey, SmokeyBoy, I bet Dilbert lives in New Hampshire!<BR>To Sap115: I like your thoughts. Which AI's have proven a haven from the winter harshness, yet up to your standards? Thanks in advance for any specifics!<BR>

joan

Diana, very well said...&quot;static&quot; - you've hit the nail on the head! I'll have to read that book.<BR><BR>I've done both types of vacations, usually we rent a villa and shop at the local places and explore. But once in a blue moon, you really need that mindless/decisionless vacation, and nothing fills the bill like an AI.<BR><BR>

Enya

My last stay at an AL was at Jack Tar in St Kitts and we stayed only because we were with a group who decided to stay there. My personal preference would have been Ocean Terrace (so muc better and not AL). I was not at all impressed by Jack Tar and I had friends who thought it was so wonderful...goes to show, different strokes for different folkes. The room was a basic as it could come, the resort was sprawling but so non-descript and ordinary, the buffet breakfasts and dinners, plentiful, lots of variety but just barely passable in terms of quality. Service was not bad, the staff was friendlier than most but I would not stay there again and in any event much prefer smaller more intimate hotels. I think for people with families, choosing an AL makes sense because I think you would in that scenario get some value for your money.

nina

I've done both and prefer AI's, especially with kids. First of all, it's less espensive. I've rented cottages and villas and you know what? It's the same old thing as home with a great view. I still have to shop, cook and wash dishes. This is NO VACATION. Lying on a beautiful beach, having as many pina colada's as I feel like having (believe me, at $12-$15 a pop at a nice resort, you could spend beaucoup bucks on drinks alone), letting the kids have as many soda's, virgin pinas, sails, kayak, mini golf, archery, etc. Are you kidding me? One sail alone could be over $100. At an AI I sailed 4 times a day, all included.<BR><BR>Some are better than others but I think they're great. $1,000 per person is nothing when you think of what you're getting. I've paid $50 for two for breakfast at some resorts. AI's are often a great value.