You just might love an All Inclusive if...
 

1)you have warm nostalgic memories of your college dorm's food

2)when asked your favorite wine, you say GRAPE

3)your motto in everything is "the more, the merrier"

4)seeing fish is just a sidelight for a snorkeling trip...the real deal is all those 'free drinks'

4)MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC - all loud, all repetitive, all the time

5)overweight guys in speedos, black socks and sandalas are HOT!

please feel free to add on here...

That is not an accuracte accessment of all AI hotels and if you think it is you have not been going to the right ones or you haven't been doing your research.

Yes, there are still a few of those type of AI's around, but many have greatly improved their service and quality. Along with that, their prices have gone up also. So that keeps the party types out.

We just returned from a "5 star" AI that was quite spendy (in the $500-600/day range) and it was the worst experience of a lifetime. yes, we travel a lot and yes, we have high standards but when you're told by others at the pool that they've been lowering their expectations by the day...I don't think it was just me!

Sorry, you have a bad experience at that one AI hotel. There are many others out there, so grouping them all together is not a fair accessment.

We've been to 12 AI hotels throughout the Carribean/Mexico and heading to another one in 3 weeks. We've have good experiences at all except 2, but it doesn't deter us from contining to go.

Instead of making a broad generalization of AI hotels, it would be more helpful if you posted a trip report. That way, others can decide for themselves if that is the type of vacation and/or hotel they are looking for. There are some party people out there that might think that is just the hotel they are looking for. While others will know to avoid it.

We too have traveled both ways quite a bit and prefer an AI...we have never had a bad experience. I guess its what you make of your own vacation...not everybody will be pleased with everywhere they go!!!Happy travels!!!

We were just at Palm Island in the Grenadines last month and it was AMAZING! Wonderful cottages 20 yards from the water, quiet; the beach was fabulous. And it was an AI.
We usually do a non-AI, but we have done a few AI'S. Please do not post negative remarks on the way some people choose to travel. Perhaps what you have posted has been your experience as you've only gone to ones that cost $90 a night. Palm Island as well as some of the others have excellent food and very well aged red wines. I have only seen one drunk person at any AI and I can tell you that at Palm Island I saw people maybe have a glass of cognac after dinner. The only music was live and was brought in at night. Additionally, the people that have been at the AI'S we've been to have been appropriately dressed.

Well this is just plain silly and somewhat mean-spirited, and really does not describe the AI experience at all.

Where did he go? Thats the question. Otherwise post is not helpful at all.....

cmeyer54 must not travel as much as he/she would have us think.

NewsFlash: Every where you go you'll find the unpleasant if you look for it.

I guess cmeyer forgot to pack his/her "chill"

:)

I think this post is kind of snobby.

To limit yourself in life to just one type of vacation or not is a shame. Sometimes you're in the mood for an AI vacation and sometimes not.

It's all about choice!

Peace, Greenie

6)you can stay away from the guy who wrote 1 through 5!!

We were in the dominican republic and knew it was a third world country when we booked. Our church sends mission trips there annually so the poverty was expected. However, given our travel experiences, I expect value for the money spent and this AI did not deliver value. to answer the comment that perhaps we don't travel all that much, if Cabo, Huatulco, Ixtapa, Cancun(2x), Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Aruba, St John, St Thomas, St Croix, Amsterdam, Brugges, Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, Paris, Normandy, Munich, Heidelburg, Rome, Florence, Venice(2x), Milan, Tuscany, Alto Adige, Lake Como/Garda, Cortina, Bolzano, Siena and Verona aren't much. We've stayed in lodgings from agritourismso to luxury suites. I expect value...the Barvaro Palace didn't deliver. Sorry to toss cold water on the AI enthusists but it was my experience.

So I was curious and hunted around for more info on this forum. It appears the OP booked a last minute trip to the Punta Cana Barcelo Palace. A partial trip report was posted and not completed.

We've been to many AI hotels/resorts, but not in the DR. (for a reason) More, thorough research would have probably helped.

Good luck on your next vacation.

Yes it is unfortunate that some post with an attitude not befitting an informed "traveler".

The comment isn't helpful to those looking at an AI for their first time.

So who did it help?

The Bavaro Palace may not have met your expectations, but is that really a reason to put ALL of the all inclusive resorts in the same category??!! I think not!

While I appreciate that everyone's " ideal vacation" is different, I could never understand why I'd want to travel miles and miles on an airplane to a foreign country then cloister myself at an AI.

When I travel I want to experience the culture (which is very abundant through local foods/restaurants) and meet the local people and feel the vibe of the place. Some of our most memorable experiences have been at local eating establishments, conversing with people who live where we are only visiting. I do think you miss out when eating all your meals at a resort or not venturing out to take advantage of local services (boat charters, guided hikes, etc.)

That said, when I need a purely relaxing, no exploring/decisions to be made vacation, I'll head to a US resort for a few days of R&R and pampering.

I've also read in several travel magazines that the AI can be detramental to the local economy (like what's happened in Jamaica) similar to what happens when a casino opens near a small town/city (casino thrives, main street goes ghost town)

Of course I realize that everyone's personality is different and that "Mr too-small-speedo looking for the buffet" would not be at all happy at my villa on a desserted beach on a quite island (just as I'd be miserable in the congo line at Beaches!)

To each his own I guess!

You know, they don't lock you into the confines of the resort! You can stay at an AI and still experience the local flair. There is no rule that says you can not leave the resort. We have stayed AI and have explored and mingled with the locals with no problem.
I like traveling any way I can. If I want pure relaxation and pampering, then it's going to be an AI resort....and YES...I will still explore the area!

That's great Schmeri . . . you've found your "ideal vacation" but I know many people (relatives, friends, neighbors) that when I ask about their AI trip to St Martin, Barbados, etc they rave about how great it was and they NEVER HAD TO LEAVE THE RESORT! (sigh)

SO while it sounds like you (and I'm sure many others) enjoy the AI experience AND the local culture, there are as many who don't.

It is a total misconception that all people who vacation at an AI hotel "cloister" themselves at the hotel.

We love AI hotels for the conveneince, but we don't spend our entire vacation at the hotel. We are quite active and do excursions and visit the local bars and restaurants also.

I agree it is a shame that some people do that, but it's not accurate to think all AI vacations are that way. It's totally what the person makes of their vacation.

KVR....your post was 100% right on!you could not have said it any better A+.