I've worked at a front desk. I can tell you that between about 9-10 am (check-out time) and 3-4 pm (check-in time) are absolutely chaotic!!!!! We don't try to hide anything, we just have 100 ppl to check in. The best time to go talk to the front desk and get all your questions answered is between like 11 am and 2 pm. We love chatting with guests and will be absolutely thrilled that you are taking an interest in our resort.
Good hotels will remove personal belongings from the pool chairs if they remain unattended for a while. They have pool boys go around with little stickers with the time on them. An hour later they check back and if the chairs are still unattended they will remove towels and things like that. This is such a great system because obviously now there is always a chair in at least a decent location available and removes a lot of stress about getting those good seats. It also prevents fights because when another guest complains, yes it happened to me, you can simply state that the seat was available and redirect them to the hotel staff who have of course plenty of experience in dealing with such a situation.
Agreed. Our resort had a person who monitored the chairs. If no one showed up for more than 90 minutes, they would remove the belongings and free up that chair. Greatest policy ever.
@@dank2059 My opinion, I think if nobody shows up for 30 or 45 minutes that towel or sunblock needs to go. Because I don’t think somebody should be able to save it before their breakfast or lunch because some people only want to sunbathe for 30 or 45 minutes then the chair just lies empty
Ive done the all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, about 6 years ago. We liked not having to worry about how much the bill was gonna be at the end of the trip and not having to worry where to get lunch and such. Its not my favorite type of vacation, I much rather go out and explore and eat local and street food, but sometimes its just nice that you dont have to worry about drinks and food
These are great vacations with kids or teens because there is not much to distract them into burning through cash or your credit card. It's all there, take it or leave it. Cost certainty is the main benefit.
I definitely prefer having free roam rather than everything all-inclusive. When it's all included you don't feel encouraged to explore and see new things
Yeah. I would feel claustrophobic in an all-inclusive. When I travel I like being a tourist and spending most of my time exploring and experiencing tourist traps, local flavor, and bet kept secrets. I am barely ever in my lodging except for sleeping
You can absolutely go to an all inclusive AND explore at your will. I do all inclusive resorts because I don’t want an additional bill for drinks and food. But each time I go, I spend more time off resort than on resort.
A lot of these issues can be alleviated by doing your due diligence and researching the resort and looking at reviews. I will spend many hours looking at reviews before picking a resort. It is easier for us because we only go to adult only resorts. I always know what is included and any restrictions on those inclusions.
Totally! Wife and I got married at a Sandals resort and it was so incredible! While some of the things mentioned were true, reservations for example, we made our plans prior to arrival and had the best time of our lives!
I've done all inclusives in Jamaica (twice at the same place), St Martin twice, and Antigua and had a fantastic experience at all. I still go out and explore the island and enjoy the local culture then come back to the resort and enjoy the amenities and convenience.
I have done All Inclusive in Turkey ages ago, from the Netherlands a 4 hours flight. Besides a market, I didn't see anything but that was what I wanted. I worked fulltime, studied 3 evenings a week at school to get my bachelor, did homework, housekeeping, commutes from home to work and school took hours. I just wanted nothing to think about combine with sun, a pool, food, magazines and that is what I've got for a week. So it fitted the preferences for a fix price. The towelgame is a thing though. Just know what you are up too and if it fits your needs.
Our best experience and truly all-inclusive resort has been Sandals Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Never had to worry about paying anything extra except for at the end of our stay tipping our Butlers (and tipping the driver to/from the airport - transfer is also included). Never had to do that for each drink or meal or any service at all. All watersports including scuba, snorkeling and glass bottom boat tour is included. All mini-bar drinks also included. Never had an issue with lounge chairs, Food is FANTASTIC. It is a truly no stress about money vacation.
The towel/chair game is the most frustrating thing and I don't play it. It should be first come, first serve, especially if a chair is otherwise empty and untouched for hours. Being away for a few minutes or a short break is fine.
@@deadzio I have stayed at one so far where a worker marked them then set a timer. That's what he did all day. It was fantastic. The other 4 or 5 places I've stayed it was never an issue. But man the entitlement of some folks is just insane.
I would never book a package trip to one of those places because when abroad I want to stay away as far as possible from people from the country I live in instead of spending my holiday with them.
If your goal is just relaxing at a beach all day, all-inclusives are great. Mark hit on alot of the negatives I've seen. However, the one he missed is the timeshare or "membership" pitch that you can get sucked into. I think my wife and I were promised some resort credits, so we went up front not knowing what we got ourselves into. We didn't sign up for a timeshare, but it was almost 3 hours of pushy sales pitches. Just stay at the pool or beach to avoid these things, and don't go up front for some free surprise.
Some times you can take advantage of the timeshares if they give you free stuff for a 2 hour tour we did one and the person we go to try and sell know we were not getting one so did not even bother trying he was really funny guy talkative had much info on the town and when we sat down he said bet you glad you got me instead of the other one over there trying so hard to sell a timeshare to other people. Plus we got free bottles of water free taxi rides all over to see the timeshares and at the end of it got a free 60 euro coupon for any restaurant at the beach.
Sometimes I get self-conscious because I've traveled dozens of times to hotels with timeshare or "vacation clubs" and never once been asked to a presentation. I must look poor. On the other hand, I have none of the horror stories other vacationers tell me about the sales pitch. So I guess it works in my favour haha.
I love cruises. I have 2 teenage sons and it allows them to wander around and feel independent. We meet up for meals, shows at night and 1-2 events like trivia. It’s great for single moms because I get a break from parenting and alone time to sip cocktails and entertain myself. So I think all inclusives will be great for us!
What a coincidence! My husband and I were just talking about all inclusives yesterday. We strongly lean toward a "Lonely Planet" travel style* vs a pre-planned type, but I did say I might be open to an all inclusive resort in an area where I didn't speak the language at least a little and where safety might be an issue. * What I mean by that is for example, we honeymooned in Ireland. We researched a lot about what we could see and do, and how the tourism industry there works. Ireland has a terrific tourism board which is easy to access even in small towns. At that time you could buy a B&B pass which was accepted at 90+% of the B&Bs. We bought that, our airline tickets, made s car reservation, and pre-booked our first and last night's accommodations. The 1st day we asked our host about local stuff as well as what their favorite place to go if they were going to go for an overnight. Some days we literally flipped a coin 😊. We had a fantastic time and met wonderful people. It felt more like an adventure and less like a tour 😊
Wow, I didn't know these details about all inclusive resorts. Thank you for sharing. I've always wondered. My husband and I are more cultural travelers rather than resort goers, so we've never been to a resort or cruises. We prefer to muck it up with the locals. Not fancy, but real and satisfies our cultural curiosity. The work that it takes for self catered travel is enjoyable for us, not stressful. There are many types of travelers, and there are those that look for the relaxation style vacations at visually stunning resorts or cruises, specially us Canadians that have to endure a very long winter.
I was on a cruise that was clearly marked, no chairs can be saved. A friend joined our group. The only chair available was a nereby chair being saved by a lady sitting in the chair next to it. Our friend went over and started pulling that chair over. The lady hooked her leg through the armrest and was being dragged across the deck yelling for him to stop. He was insistan, "no chair saving!" She finally let go.
I loved our all inclusive in Cozumel . Food and drinks were pretty good . When we go to Europe we book breakfast included hotels Its so nice to start your day with out trying to figure out where to eat my little tip
Tip tip and tip. Also, don’t forget to tip the cleaning people that keep your rooms tidy. They don’t make as much as the bartenders and servers and they can have a dirty job. Being polite and grateful went a long way for my wife and I. We were treated like royalty. The servers and bartenders went out of their way and gave us free items, drinks, deserts, food etc because of tipping and being good company. What really irked us was how the other guests treated the staff and their environment. Throwing beer bottles and trash into the pool. Treating staff like they were 3rd class and beneath them. Felt embarrassed to be American as some of the staff told us that some American tourists are the worst.
I’m not tipping nothing. Mechanics don’t get tips, garbage Pick up men don’t get tips. Do you tip your doctor? Only westerners get tip happy then complain about being broke. Next time you traveling and in the airport, tip TSA, or a military person in uniform. Saying thank you for your service is pretty cheap right?
For me it's the social aspect; certain people tend to go to inclusives and/or cruises. I just don't feel in place with these people, they are not all awful just the mindset. Simply put: I prefer to travel my way & others their way. Thanks for the insightful video.
I went on a cruise to Alaska, and might do two others, but they are cruises where the ship acts as hotel, transportation, and dinner source - for me the ship is a means to the end.
@@jonatikaWwe Answer: Ingenuine people. People looking to travel on cruise ships or stay in inclusives aren't looking for an authentic experience at a destination. People who tend towards these activities tend to be ingenuine. On a personal note, I have had the most conflicts/clashes while traveling with "these people". I don't want to waste my valuable vacation time arguing over trivial details or listening to someone talk about themselves nonstop. I hope that explains my comment without coming off as a jerk. Happy travels however you choose to go.
I have been to many all inclusive resorts and never had an issue with food or finding a chair or a lounger but we always go to a 5 star resort and preferably adults only. It is a nice , worry free Caribbean vacation. When we go to Central America , we like to explore and we rent a house and a car and enjoy local restaurants and travel around the country. Everything has its pros and cons.
I have discovered that a lot of these issues are resolved if you travel during the off-season for the resort. We have been to a couple all- inclusives and never had an issue with finding chairs or waiting in long lines. Also, the resorts will frequently offer deals on various packages, which can include excursions. My advice, even if you are not staying at an all-inclusive resort, is to travel during the off-season. You will have a much better experience.
So true. The off-season AI packages can be an excellent value, even if you choose to eat elsewhere at times. We typically travel during the off-season.
I usually travel alone and AIs can be expensive that way. I love going to Mexico or the Caribbean during "hurricane season" because I can stay at a nice place for two weeks for less than half of what someone would pay for one week in February. The better lines and crowds are an added bonus.
I went to my 1st all inclusive in Puerto Vallarta this spring and it was much better than I expected. Food was quite good with a few Mexican specialties and a high end Mexican restaurant. Nice that we were able to go into city center at PV. Not sure that it’s an option in all locations. However I do speak Spanish fluently and was able to negotiate taxi rates in our return.
Stayed there as well. We used the older cabs instead of the tourist ones. Saved us a lot And yes normally all resorts generally have cab services to the downtown areas. Buses are great too $1 per rider :)
When it’s obvious the towels are for reservation, I remove them and take the seats when nothing's available. In the rare times I see these people coming back, they usually don’t dare complaining and when they do, I say I don’t know what they’re talking about and they don’t insist.
It really comes down to what you are looking for. If you are trying to explore local culture and food these resorts aren't for you. If you just want to relax, swim, eat and drink without worrying about your tab running up then it's perfect. Just got back from TRS Turquesa in the DR a couple weeks ago and my main complaint is they had people walking around trying to sell spa packages. I was literally approached a dozen times. I didn't come to a resort to have a used car salesman accost me every ten minutes. I know they can't stop people on the beach from doing it but these were resort employees. It was highly annoying.
My only experience with an all inclusive was a small resort near Puerto Vallarta. As a matter of fact I walked into PV everyday which took about 20 minutes. The resort was wonderful. Private Bay, great food in all restaurants, excellent service and not packed with people. Much like a cruise I took to Alaska, Smaller is Better.
All the reasons I have never tried all inclusive. And one more reason could be supporting the local restaurants bars supermarkets. About the sunbed game, I have heard that in Europe many hotels just remove towels if the sunbed is not used.
Our last 3 vacations were all inclusive; adults only. Never have we experienced fighting over chairs, vomit in the pool or elsewhere. We've never felt like we were held "captive", just relaxed because everything is taken care of at the resorts. Yes, they can be a nuisance sometimes about timeshares, but politely say no thank you and keep moving. About to plan another one; just trying to figure out where to go. 😎
I’ve gained so much traveling knowledge from this channel, Thank you for all the videos you make! Been watching for almost 3 years now and I’m waiting for you to hit that 1 million subscribers mark. Good luck!!
Great video and points. I think all inclusive resorts have their place for some ppl but to me it just feels like you're visiting a country in a bubble. I love the point on local food. I've had the worst Mexican food in a Mexican resort because you're in a bubble.
This is why I love you and your videos, you learned about La Bandera lol. I’m Dominican, and when I hear other people trying out our stuff I get excited keep it up, brother!
I have tried both All-inclusive and Bed and breakfast in Dominican Republic and Mexico for many years. I definetly pick all-inclusive for fixed budget and careless vacation. You have it all entertainment included. You don't need to worry about food and drink cost and you are FREE to go out and visit whatever you like. Excursions, trips sold at all-inclusive are very expensive but you can get fair prices just stepping out of the hotel.
We went to Breezes in the Bahamas in 2012 and it was great. None of your bad points. Food was great, plenty of free activities, staff was super friendly. Tipping actually wasn’t allowed there. I would absolutely go back.
We had an all inclusive in Turkey a few weeks ago and it was Fantastic, food was amazing and always always a huge selection of things to try for breakfast, lunch and dinner 👍👍👍
Watch "adult only" tags, even if you're all adults. I'm a solo adult traveller but avoid adult only resorts because of the behavior. I would much rather a family resort with kids but some semblance of 'quiet time' in the evenings than an adult one that is basically adult daycare. If drinking and whooping it up is your thing, then the adult resort would suit you but be prepared for puddles of vomit in corners (once in the food line!) and guests that never sleep.
Yeah a good point. I’ve been to a fantastic hotel in the Austrian Alps quite a few times now in my late teens/early twenties and it’s a place where you can bring your kids, but if you don’t have kids and don’t want the noise etc you wouldn’t notice them at all. It has a kind of a friendly ‘children should be seen and not heard’ approach, but not in a stuffy or old fashioned way. This also means you don’t get unhinged adults at the same time.
@@ryanm4013 That's not true. There are all-inclusives for every lifestyle. If someone has a 9pm bedtime, there'd be somewhere for that. That's where, like I said, look for the reviews that say 'boring', 'too small' etc. The whole point is to research. I just found I was dodging more puke and filth in the adult-only one than ever in the family one.
So true. We’ve been to all inclusives for the watersports and ease of not worrying about the cost of food or drinks. If you want to party it up all night or go to bed early for an early scuba excursion, should be your choice. No judgement.
My wife and I love our occasional All-Inclusive Resort vacations. Perfect when what you're after is laying on the beach/by the pool and being served light food and drinks. We both think paying extra for the upscale/upcharge restaurants is never worthwhile because the food is always pretty mediocre relative to the extra money being charged. Better is to plan some time in the local community finding 'real' local food and experiences. If you're eating at the resort, stick with the included restaurants.
That lack of pool seating is the absolute reason I would never go back to a resort. Its frustrating seeing empty seats people have earmarked with a towel....
An all inclusive a few years ago on Cyprus had a booking system where you were assigned sun-beds for the time you stayed. One could easily change sun-beds in the hotels app in case you didn’t like the ones you were given. No one was left without sun-beds and a parasol. Genius…
We just came back from Costa Rica. We spent most of the time touring but spent the last few nights of the trip at an all inclusive in Guanacaste. My least favorite things are (1) making dinner reservations - we for to the resort on Wednesday and had limited options for dinner and (2) the struggle for lounge chairs, although we’ve never stayed at a resort where it’s allowed to reserve lounge chairs for the afternoon at 7:30 AM!! So rude!!! My struggle is getting enough lounge chairs in the shade!! But all in all we love all inclusive. We call them land cruises! We’re picky about where we stay though!
All inclusive works for me right now as my husband has limited mobility. He is waiting for knee surgery. The staff were very accommodating to my husband and he got lots of extra care. This would not happen if we were on our own.
There are rude people everywhere. Once on a Thailand beach, I witnessed a family sending their children remove towels and belongings on people's chair then take the reserved chair 😢
Some years back, we did Sandals Grenada, and had a great time. No complaints. We had our reservations for La Jardinier (French) and Butches' (Steak) and had no problems getting into the restaurants we wanted. Our cottage was spacious with a private outdoor hot tub, and there were always treats and liquor in the room (Appleton, mon). And we took a full-day tour of the island, that included a nutmeg processing plant, a chocolate plantation, and a rum distillery with a 200 year old water wheel. I usually avoid all-inclusive resorts because I want to see the local communities, but for our short visit, I don't think we missed anything. Plus it's so nice to just relax at a resort for a couple of days. Not something I would do frequently, but we had a great time.
Good video and it reminds me of why I disliked my only stay at an all-inclusive resort (in the Dominican Republic). Here’s my rant: 1. The resort was more than an hour away from the capital which I wanted to visit- just sitting on the beach gets old very quickly for me. It would have been a very expensive day trip since we hired a driver to get us from the airport to the resort because… 2. We we told absolutely nothing about what services were available, either for free or for an extra charge either by the travel agent or the hotel staff (and we arrived on a weekday for a three day stay so there was no crowd at check-in). 3. The beach chair situation was pretty bad so we walked around a little and found an area with empty chairs. As soon as we sat down we were chased away by an employee because it was an ‘exclusive’ area. As much as I resent the idea, we might have gone for the extra fee if we’d been informed about it. 4. The drinks were as weak as the fruit juice they were mostly composed of. In all honesty, the canned light beer from the refrigerator in the room was stronger than any drink I ordered at a bar and…I tipped- generously, I thought- as soon as I ordered each drink. 5. There were actually a number of other issues which I’ve blessedly forgotten and I detailed them all in the customer survey we were given as we were leaving but never heard anything back from the resort. BTW, we never went back to that travel agent either. It was a fairly new resort and she had never booked anyone there but ‘thought’ it would be a nice place for us to stay. Since that experience I don’t rely on anyone to plan our trips for us and, instead, scour RUclips. It’s not perfect but I think it’s a much more reliable way to find a vacation experience that will suit us.
We just got back from Secrets Cap Cana in the DR and loved it. We are planning on going back with some friends in the future. By our 3rd day, I found out the best way to reserve a couple of poolside chairs that had the most shade. But definitely keep an eye out during the day when you're at the pools to see which locations by the pool you'd like to be at and then get up early before breakfast to reserve them. Thankfully our resort wasn't as big as other ones so I only had to get up at 7am to reserve them. I definitely wasn't the only one doing this though. We never really encountered people getting angry about not being able to find a chair. The staff went above and beyond to help guests too. I also loved how small our resort seemed so I didn't have to walk very far to get to the pool. They always had plenty of umbrellas and could be moved around as well as plenty of chairs on the beach in the shade. A couple of times we went after lunch to the pool and could always find chairs if we hadn't been there in the morning. For me, I don't have a problem with people saving chairs or keeping the same ones all day, even leaving your towels on them while you go to eat lunch. I made sure to do a ton of research before we went so we knew what to expect. I also joined the different Facebook groups and searched and asked questions there. That greatly impacted our decision on which resort to go to. As well as tempered our expectations. Next time, I'd definitely love to try some more local food. The food at Secrets was probably above average for an all inclusive resort and was great. They did have plenty of options for food there.
All inclusive resorts are always clean and well maintained and have everything under one roof. They take away the stress of having to shuffle a group of people around various locations each day and take the stress out of whether you have enough money or you need to get more or whether it's going to be more expensive than you budgeted for overall. I don't do them all the time but when I do I come away feeling more relaxed than other types of holiday even though they definitely aren't the cheapest options a lot of the time. The deckchair douchebags are by far and away the most annoying part of all inclusive resorts though.
"All inclusive resorts are always clean and well maintained" How on earth can you make such a sweeping statement? So you have been to every single All inclusive resort in the whole world? and even if you had, it does not mean that they maintain that level every week. Obviously if you are an omniscient God then forget my previous comment!!
@@RobG001 Crikey. You're an angry one aren't you. I assumed it was obvious we were all talking in the context of places we had been to. To be clear and to hopefully lower your blood pressure a bit I am specifically referring to all of the inclusive resorts that I have been to. Does that simmer you down a bit?
Been to the Yucatan and had no desire to stay in Cozumel or Cancun (resort towns). Instead I stayed in Merida, in a hotel less than a couple hundred meters from the main square and main cathedral. Took tours to chichen Itza, Uxmal, Progresso, etc, and cenotes, and local food. Great time. The merchants I walked by went from asking me if I wanted to buy to "Hla senor! How are you today?" I would chat with them abit, and then go off on my adventure. One word of advice, if you have an Android or Apple phone, have a translate program. Trust me.
Thanks for the comments on tipping. So essential. A stack of ones and fives (US preferably although I’m Canadian) will make your stay much more enjoyable
We stayed at an Airbnb in Cancun and loved it! The math did not work out for us at an AI since we don't like sitting around doing nothing. We like exploring and hitting the beach
I’ve been to all-inclusive once but it wasn’t a resort, just a small hotel. Had a great experience at the hotel I stayed at, the all-inclusive aspect of it meant not having to budget for food or regular beverages like water or soda and me and my travel companions were traveling on a budget. With it being a small hotel, getting a sun chair wasn’t an issue as there weren’t many guests at the hotel and many guests went to the beach nearby as well rather than staying by the hotel pool. Food wise at the hotel, it came from a catering company and while it was pretty simple and not prepared in house, it was really good so my friends and I actually only dined out once during our stay, other than that we were happy with the food at the hotel. If wanting snacks between meals there was grilled cheese sandwiches and such available at an extra (very reasonable) charge. Mixed drinks were extra charge as well, but not expensive. With me not drinking alcohol at all, just having access to water and soda is all I need when it comes to drinks. Food wise it doesn’t have to be fancy, just good quality and clean conditions and I’m happy. I could imagine going to an all inclusive resort sometime, BUT I’d have to go to an adult only resort because screaming kids splashing around all over the place can totally ruin everything for me. Basically children or drunk or otherwise just obnoxious loud people are things I just can’t stand (I’m a sound sensitive autistic and get both physically and mentally completely drained by children or loud people in general)
I have never been to one, but I feel like it must be similar to cruises. I don’t love crowds and waiting in line with tons of people, so it has never been appealing.
Excellent video and I agree with all of the annoyances with the all inclusives. We always get someone pushing really hard for us to buy a time share. The sales pitches are relentless so watch out for them as they try to entice you with something.
There is an all-inclusive resort in Siargao, Philippines called Nay Palad and it is REAL all-inclusive. It is luxury so it’s expensive and you have to prepay in full before arriving-but when you go there, they tell you to leave your wallet behind because you literally don’t pay for anything else. Your wish is their command. Any tours, any lessons, any food, any drinks and spa literally everything and anything is included and of the highest standards. The chef collaborates with the guests on what they want prepared for each meal, every dinner is fine dining with wine pairing. You can raid their bar and get any cocktails you want. There’s only 12 villas so customer service is personal. Been there twice and it is legit all-inclusive no hidden charges whatsoever. You just go there to relax and enjoy. Highly recommend it 👌🏼
In Curaçao, we really missed not having good AC the whole time. But it was super gorgeous and chill there though. In Cancun, there wasn’t much to complain about as it was awesome-maybe just the seaweed or the noise nearby.
I had a great all inclusive in Cancun. The food was amazing and they were very upfront of what was included and what was not. I will say, a lot of items and drinks were included. I will totally come back to the same resort
Did my 1st all inclusive this year (playa del carmen, playacar area). I was skeptical since i typically plan getaways to experience local area, food. My inclusive experience was positive in that it was nice to not plan an agenda, be the group planner....and just relax poolside and by the beach. The beach was white sand with turquoise waters. Most Beautiful beach I have seen. I did also realize i was in a "bubble". But i was fine with that. The resort held events throughout the day to entertain, made it fun. The food and drinks were fine and got our monies worth. I did experience the seat saving though, which I can definitely see as annoying. However was not a problem for me since one of my things to do is watch the sunrise and then lounge, hence I'm at my seat typically early. Note, I did this as a short getaway, testing out the all inclusive experience. I will definitely return for a longer period.
Just got back from Punta Cana stayed at that exact same Barcelo Bavaro all-inclusive you were at. Our biggest complaint and turn off was the near constant expectation of a tip from literally everyone. It really has gotten out of control! We had several staff members that were downright rude to us when we didn’t happen to have money on us for tip. Really dampened the enjoyment of our vacation
You just described my trip in Cancún. Just got back fromm Quinta Roo Cancún yesterday. I didn't love it or hate it. I felt like it was all about selling pointless upgrades. I am definitely doing a boutique and then explore.
Just got back from an AI in Antigua - wonderful experience! Much different experience than Mexico, but I suspect experience will vary resort to resort. Agreed with several dislikes Lack of local food Pool chair saving - I've seen several resorts commit to remove the towels
You nailed these Mark! That’s exactly why my husband and I hate all-inclusive resorts. 👌 I understand the appeal of it though. You’re basically paying for convenience.
All inclusives are great if you’re going in with the mindset of going to chill and not have to think about anything at all. Not great if you want to see local sights etc. The best solution to avoid chair drama: book a swim-up room!
The last time we went to an all inclusive there was a table of retirees celebrating an anniversary or something. That would have been totally fine except they were all drunk and shouting. Nobody in the restaurant could have a conversation because of how loud they were. We asked the staff if they could politely ask them to quiet down but they said they couldn't do that "because they're top tier guests." There should be some kind of public decorum seminar as part of the reservation process. See you again, NEVER, Sandals.
Their pool chair policy is stupid. It creates tension and animosity between guests. We don't reserve parking spots at the mall. Why should a pool deck chair be different?
I never go to these. Always a hotel or airbnb, I've never had issues with my airbnb's just gotta do your due diligence. When I'm in a nice place I want to taste the local food, not the all inclusive hamburger & fries. I can eat those at home. The whole consumerism vibe and fighting for chairs puts me off so bad lol.
I always go to all-inclusive in Punta Cana and the 5 Star ones are pretty good. Definitely tip! Your dollar goes a long way and you are treated well by the staff. Cuba is another amazing beach destination (food so so). Varadaro beaches are beyond perfection. But yes, just like DR, in Cuba people grabbing chairs on the beach around 6:00 am and not using them.
2 things I've always avoided, 1- All-Inclusive, mostly because I love eating off-site and finding independently owned small eateries, tasting the local foods and eating with locals as opposed to with other tourists... Although I think I would definitely save money on my alcohol consumption, LOL. 2- Buffets, being in food service for years.... nevermind, just stay away from buffets, I could write a book... I'm pretty sure Anthony Bourdain already covered that subject before.
Thankfully I had a great experience with TRS Yucatán. I went in October, so that’s probably why it wasn’t overly crowded. I’d highly recommend TRS Yucatán, especially in the off season, if you have the extra cash to stay there. It is pricey, I went as a wedding photographer so everything was paid for. Sidenote: if you want to experience a country, don’t do a giant resort or an all inclusive resort.
I have been to many all inclusive resorts, I would not bother to go anymore... but when I did, I would take people reserved loungers, move their stuff and take them in their absence. These places have policies about holding lounge chairs, and I have no issue telling people to beat it when they come back 3 hours later wondering why their stuff is gone.
With countless vacations to various countries under my belt, and where approximately 85 - 90% of those stays were in all-inclusive resorts/hotels, I have never had a problem per se with any of my stays. Usually, the only issue - which I do not allow to ruin my fun - is the quality liquor, which could be better.
Do the numbers. I did after I got home from a cruise. For the first time I bought a drinks package because my bestie drinks regularly and since we we’re sharing a cabin I had to buy one. Well after crunching the numbers, it would have been so much cheaper if I just bought my drinks A-La-Cart.: even with having many specialty coffees I came nowhere near drinking my money’s worth. Same goes for the drinks packages at those All Inclusive resorts ✌🏼❤️❤️❤️
We spent a week at a DR all-inclusive, which included food and drinks. The place was fabulous, and we had no complaints about the food or the drinks. In general, we had a great time, but we won't do one again. When I'm on vacation, I typically eat and drink a lot, so the value for me was good. For my gf, not so much. But what started to put us off is that just about every couple we fell in with seemed to be next-level drinkers. It makes sense that this would be the case at an all-inclusive. However, and I don't mean to be a snob, this did start to wear on us. Tequila shots already? Maybe after dinner.
Wow, I’m Dominican and was thinking of a nice week vacation at one of these all inclusive hotels. Sorry, but it sounds like a nightmare or at best a good attempt to get rid of some stress. Thank you for sparring me and my family from a bad experience🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
My sister and I travel together and it is a fight at all inclusives to get a room with 2 beds. And the fact there is almost no alcohol in the drinks unless you pay extra.
All inclusives CAN be amazing. I've been to two different Excellence resorts in Mexico and they were both incredible. Do your research, and you can have a great time and definitely get your money's worth.
I think all-inclusive resorts are great for quick and short stays, if you're only interested in staying on property for the beach and pool. Anything longer than three-to-four days is too long. If you're interested in culture, museums, and way-of-life, all-inclusive resorts are not it, kid. I'd also stick to the "free" restaurants and drink only wine and beer (if you want alcohol), mixed drinks are watered down. And try to avoid time-share pitches at all cost, even if you get something for "free" afterwards. It's not worth your time, especially when you're on vacation. All-inclusive resorts are really only for soaking up sun at the beach or pool, eating and drinking, destination weddings, and hooking up-if you're single and that's your thing.
My husband and I have been to Jamaica. Many times has the all inclusive couples, all inclusive and the sandals, all inclusive and have never had the problems that you’re talking about always, always able to get a chair. Food was always good. Never ran into an up charge for food, maybe we were just lucky I don’t know, but it seems like the better class of all inclusive you go to the better your experience will be. If you’re trying to go on the cheap no then you really are going to get taken.
If you research you can choose the right resort you won’t have to worry about different levels, up charges, wrist bands, airport transfers, tipping etc..
Been in a better Turkish hotel where all inclusive that includes alcohol was not sold to British people. If you need good coffee like I do, choose a hotel with a bar. Usually you get excellent coffee at the bar and really bad coffee everywhere else in an all inclusive hotel. Excursions with different operators are not the same, even with the same destinations. Some force you into an outlet to get additional commissions, others don‘t.
I've had generally positive experiences, whether in the Med or the Caribbean. Mind you, I usually go in the 'shoulder seasons'. Top tip: maximise use of the speciality restaurants.
Been to Puerta Plata 14 times staying between Fun Royal when it was still open and Grand Paradise. Alway such an amazing time. Alway met lovely staff and other guest. Visiting staff casas and familias have alway been one thing I do when going down south. Cant wait to visit my amigo Rene at Grand Paradise. Also shout out to my amigos a mathu playa in Cuba will see you this winter.
People have a responsibility to READ what they are buying. I never had issues with staying at all inclusive resorts because I read what the package included. I made reservations as soon as I got on the ship - my first cruise - and it was worth it. We LOVED those restaurants more than the sea of buffet tables and people, everywhere. YOU are responsible to know what you bought and what you want. BOOK your special events soon after finding out about them - it you are going to wait until you get on the ship to find out what you bought, you will be upset.
We went to Sandals Jamaica and I hated it. Small beach (and beggars harassing us all the time), small pool, mosquitoes were CRAZY, and they had no place to escape indoors (except your room). I had a blast on the excursions…but as soon as we came back from those I just barricaded ourselves in the room.
Which one did you go to? There are 6 Sandals in Jamaica and they are all different. There are quite a few that have no beggars/vendors because they are private beaches.
Mark I hate to say it, but for me the answer to the question is simple; Why do people hate all inclusive resorts, because they are all inclusive resorts. But then again take that from someone who travels alone through Europe looking for strange puppet theatres and lived near bears in Alaska for 22 years.
My husband and I have been going to all inclusive hotels twice a year for 10 years now. The most annoying thing for us are the timeshare people. Every time you walk past they hound you to go to their presentations - really long sales pitches. Not all hotels have them, but most of the bigger chains do.
I've worked at a front desk. I can tell you that between about 9-10 am (check-out time) and 3-4 pm (check-in time) are absolutely chaotic!!!!! We don't try to hide anything, we just have 100 ppl to check in. The best time to go talk to the front desk and get all your questions answered is between like 11 am and 2 pm. We love chatting with guests and will be absolutely thrilled that you are taking an interest in our resort.
Agreed when we follow this rule employees adds incredibly helpful.
Good hotels will remove personal belongings from the pool chairs if they remain unattended for a while. They have pool boys go around with little stickers with the time on them. An hour later they check back and if the chairs are still unattended they will remove towels and things like that. This is such a great system because obviously now there is always a chair in at least a decent location available and removes a lot of stress about getting those good seats. It also prevents fights because when another guest complains, yes it happened to me, you can simply state that the seat was available and redirect them to the hotel staff who have of course plenty of experience in dealing with such a situation.
I love when they do this. Hate when people plop a towel down at breakfast then show up at 2pm thinking they should still have their spot
Agreed. Our resort had a person who monitored the chairs. If no one showed up for more than 90 minutes, they would remove the belongings and free up that chair. Greatest policy ever.
@@dank2059 My opinion, I think if nobody shows up for 30 or 45 minutes that towel or sunblock needs to go. Because I don’t think somebody should be able to save it before their breakfast or lunch because some people only want to sunbathe for 30 or 45 minutes then the chair just lies empty
If I came to a pool where all good chairs was “reserved”, I wouldn’t think twice taking them. I don’t understand people accept this.
Yes but Karen and her simp man is very experienced too
Ive done the all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, about 6 years ago. We liked not having to worry about how much the bill was gonna be at the end of the trip and not having to worry where to get lunch and such. Its not my favorite type of vacation, I much rather go out and explore and eat local and street food, but sometimes its just nice that you dont have to worry about drinks and food
These are great vacations with kids or teens because there is not much to distract them into burning through cash or your credit card. It's all there, take it or leave it. Cost certainty is the main benefit.
I definitely prefer having free roam rather than everything all-inclusive. When it's all included you don't feel encouraged to explore and see new things
Yeah. I would feel claustrophobic in an all-inclusive. When I travel I like being a tourist and spending most of my time exploring and experiencing tourist traps, local flavor, and bet kept secrets. I am barely ever in my lodging except for sleeping
You can absolutely go to an all inclusive AND explore at your will. I do all inclusive resorts because I don’t want an additional bill for drinks and food. But each time I go, I spend more time off resort than on resort.
All-inclusive resorts cater to travellers with specific needs. It is OK to have different facilities for different travelling styles.
All inclusive resorts are great for families and the elderly 😅
@@ryanm4013Exactly. I agree.
A lot of these issues can be alleviated by doing your due diligence and researching the resort and looking at reviews. I will spend many hours looking at reviews before picking a resort. It is easier for us because we only go to adult only resorts. I always know what is included and any restrictions on those inclusions.
Exactly
Totally! Wife and I got married at a Sandals resort and it was so incredible! While some of the things mentioned were true, reservations for example, we made our plans prior to arrival and had the best time of our lives!
You took the words out of my mouth 😂
You are totally right.
If there are restrictions, then it’s not all inclusive at all. All means all. Not all except……..
I've done all inclusives in Jamaica (twice at the same place), St Martin twice, and Antigua and had a fantastic experience at all. I still go out and explore the island and enjoy the local culture then come back to the resort and enjoy the amenities and convenience.
yeah, antigua is a lot smaller than dominican republic so getting about antigua is a lot easier and quicker.
Where did u stay in Antigua, ST. Martin
I LOVE all inclusives! I never need to worry about overspending.
I have done All Inclusive in Turkey ages ago, from the Netherlands a 4 hours flight. Besides a market, I didn't see anything but that was what I wanted. I worked fulltime, studied 3 evenings a week at school to get my bachelor, did homework, housekeeping, commutes from home to work and school took hours. I just wanted nothing to think about combine with sun, a pool, food, magazines and that is what I've got for a week. So it fitted the preferences for a fix price. The towelgame is a thing though. Just know what you are up too and if it fits your needs.
Our best experience and truly all-inclusive resort has been Sandals Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Never had to worry about paying anything extra except for at the end of our stay tipping our Butlers (and tipping the driver to/from the airport - transfer is also included). Never had to do that for each drink or meal or any service at all. All watersports including scuba, snorkeling and glass bottom boat tour is included. All mini-bar drinks also included. Never had an issue with lounge chairs, Food is FANTASTIC. It is a truly no stress about money vacation.
The towel/chair game is the most frustrating thing and I don't play it. It should be first come, first serve, especially if a chair is otherwise empty and untouched for hours. Being away for a few minutes or a short break is fine.
This guy is terrible for encouraging the game. Need to do better.
Especially at some resorts where they get charged alot of money for that non turned in towel :)
@@deadzio I have stayed at one so far where a worker marked them then set a timer. That's what he did all day. It was fantastic. The other 4 or 5 places I've stayed it was never an issue. But man the entitlement of some folks is just insane.
I would never book a package trip to one of those places because when abroad I want to stay away as far as possible from people from the country I live in instead of spending my holiday with them.
Same. That's why the only kind of resorts I would stay at while abroad are naturists resorts like "Domaine De La Sablière - Naturiste"
If your goal is just relaxing at a beach all day, all-inclusives are great. Mark hit on alot of the negatives I've seen. However, the one he missed is the timeshare or "membership" pitch that you can get sucked into. I think my wife and I were promised some resort credits, so we went up front not knowing what we got ourselves into. We didn't sign up for a timeshare, but it was almost 3 hours of pushy sales pitches. Just stay at the pool or beach to avoid these things, and don't go up front for some free surprise.
Some times you can take advantage of the timeshares if they give you free stuff for a 2 hour tour we did one and the person we go to try and sell know we were not getting one so did not even bother trying he was really funny guy talkative had much info on the town and when we sat down he said bet you glad you got me instead of the other one over there trying so hard to sell a timeshare to other people. Plus we got free bottles of water free taxi rides all over to see the timeshares and at the end of it got a free 60 euro coupon for any restaurant at the beach.
Sometimes I get self-conscious because I've traveled dozens of times to hotels with timeshare or "vacation clubs" and never once been asked to a presentation. I must look poor. On the other hand, I have none of the horror stories other vacationers tell me about the sales pitch. So I guess it works in my favour haha.
An All-Inclusive resort. A captive customer, like one on a cruise ship.
I love cruises. I have 2 teenage sons and it allows them to wander around and feel independent. We meet up for meals, shows at night and 1-2 events like trivia. It’s great for single moms because I get a break from parenting and alone time to sip cocktails and entertain myself. So I think all inclusives will be great for us!
What a coincidence! My husband and I were just talking about all inclusives yesterday. We strongly lean toward a "Lonely Planet" travel style* vs a pre-planned type, but I did say I might be open to an all inclusive resort in an area where I didn't speak the language at least a little and where safety might be an issue.
* What I mean by that is for example, we honeymooned in Ireland. We researched a lot about what we could see and do, and how the tourism industry there works. Ireland has a terrific tourism board which is easy to access even in small towns. At that time you could buy a B&B pass which was accepted at 90+% of the B&Bs. We bought that, our airline tickets, made s car reservation, and pre-booked our first and last night's accommodations. The 1st day we asked our host about local stuff as well as what their favorite place to go if they were going to go for an overnight. Some days we literally flipped a coin 😊. We had a fantastic time and met wonderful people. It felt more like an adventure and less like a tour 😊
Glad you had a good time here. It's not a bad little Island :D
You are living the dream.
Delighted to hear you enjoyed your time in Ireland! 🎉☘️
On the other hand, trying to deal with a foreign language (and they trying to work things out with you) is one of the things I enjoy.
Wow, I didn't know these details about all inclusive resorts. Thank you for sharing. I've always wondered. My husband and I are more cultural travelers rather than resort goers, so we've never been to a resort or cruises. We prefer to muck it up with the locals. Not fancy, but real and satisfies our cultural curiosity. The work that it takes for self catered travel is enjoyable for us, not stressful. There are many types of travelers, and there are those that look for the relaxation style vacations at visually stunning resorts or cruises, specially us Canadians that have to endure a very long winter.
I was on a cruise that was clearly marked, no chairs can be saved. A friend joined our group. The only chair available was a nereby chair being saved by a lady sitting in the chair next to it. Our friend went over and started pulling that chair over. The lady hooked her leg through the armrest and was being dragged across the deck yelling for him to stop. He was insistan, "no chair saving!" She finally let go.
Omg. That sounds like a horrible experience
I loved our all inclusive in Cozumel . Food and drinks were pretty good . When we go to Europe we book breakfast included hotels Its so nice to start your day with out trying to figure out where to eat my little tip
Tip tip and tip. Also, don’t forget to tip the cleaning people that keep your rooms tidy. They don’t make as much as the bartenders and servers and they can have a dirty job.
Being polite and grateful went a long way for my wife and I. We were treated like royalty. The servers and bartenders went out of their way and gave us free items, drinks, deserts, food etc because of tipping and being good company.
What really irked us was how the other guests treated the staff and their environment. Throwing beer bottles and trash into the pool. Treating staff like they were 3rd class and beneath them. Felt embarrassed to be American as some of the staff told us that some American tourists are the worst.
Geez I never saw this at native American casino resorts or Las Vegas resorts...might be a different vibe overseas
I’m not tipping nothing. Mechanics don’t get tips, garbage Pick up men don’t get tips. Do you tip your doctor? Only westerners get tip happy then complain about being broke. Next time you traveling and in the airport, tip TSA, or a military person in uniform. Saying thank you for your service is pretty cheap right?
@@GirtonOramsay yeah, its called racism
Hahaha... that little bottle of sunscreen guarding the chair. I would move that in a heartbeat.
For me it's the social aspect; certain people tend to go to inclusives and/or cruises. I just don't feel in place with these people, they are not all awful just the mindset. Simply put: I prefer to travel my way & others their way. Thanks for the insightful video.
I went on a cruise to Alaska, and might do two others, but they are cruises where the ship acts as hotel, transportation, and dinner source - for me the ship is a means to the end.
Mmm interesting may I ask what kind of people is that? I’ve never been on a cruise
@@jonatikaWwe Answer: Ingenuine people. People looking to travel on cruise ships or stay in inclusives aren't looking for an authentic experience at a destination. People who tend towards these activities tend to be ingenuine. On a personal note, I have had the most conflicts/clashes while traveling with "these people". I don't want to waste my valuable vacation time arguing over trivial details or listening to someone talk about themselves nonstop. I hope that explains my comment without coming off as a jerk. Happy travels however you choose to go.
I have the same.
I have been to many all inclusive resorts and never had an issue with food or finding a chair or a lounger but we always go to a 5 star resort and preferably adults only.
It is a nice , worry free Caribbean vacation.
When we go to Central America , we like to explore and we rent a house and a car and enjoy local restaurants and travel around the country.
Everything has its pros and cons.
Helpful video - I learned that "all inclusive" resorts are not for me
I have discovered that a lot of these issues are resolved if you travel during the off-season for the resort. We have been to a couple all- inclusives and never had an issue with finding chairs or waiting in long lines. Also, the resorts will frequently offer deals on various packages, which can include excursions. My advice, even if you are not staying at an all-inclusive resort, is to travel during the off-season. You will have a much better experience.
So true. The off-season AI packages can be an excellent value, even if you choose to eat elsewhere at times. We typically travel during the off-season.
Unfortunately not possible if you you travel with kids as school impedes to off season holidays.
I usually travel alone and AIs can be expensive that way. I love going to Mexico or the Caribbean during "hurricane season" because I can stay at a nice place for two weeks for less than half of what someone would pay for one week in February. The better lines and crowds are an added bonus.
I went to my 1st all inclusive in Puerto Vallarta this spring and it was much better than I expected. Food was quite good with a few Mexican specialties and a high end Mexican restaurant. Nice that we were able to go into city center at PV. Not sure that it’s an option in all locations. However I do speak Spanish fluently and was able to negotiate taxi rates in our return.
Please tell us the name of the specific resort.
@@e815usa Secrets Puerto Vallarta
Stayed there as well. We used the older cabs instead of the tourist ones. Saved us a lot
And yes normally all resorts generally have cab services to the downtown areas. Buses are great too $1 per rider :)
My 1st resort was in PV. It was great and still went into town.
When it’s obvious the towels are for reservation, I remove them and take the seats when nothing's available. In the rare times I see these people coming back, they usually don’t dare complaining and when they do, I say I don’t know what they’re talking about and they don’t insist.
It really comes down to what you are looking for. If you are trying to explore local culture and food these resorts aren't for you. If you just want to relax, swim, eat and drink without worrying about your tab running up then it's perfect. Just got back from TRS Turquesa in the DR a couple weeks ago and my main complaint is they had people walking around trying to sell spa packages. I was literally approached a dozen times. I didn't come to a resort to have a used car salesman accost me every ten minutes. I know they can't stop people on the beach from doing it but these were resort employees. It was highly annoying.
My only experience with an all inclusive was a small resort near Puerto Vallarta. As a matter of fact I walked into PV everyday which took about 20 minutes. The resort was wonderful. Private Bay, great food in all restaurants, excellent service and not packed with people. Much like a cruise I took to Alaska, Smaller is Better.
I disfavor all-inclusives for many of the same reasons i dislike cruises
All the reasons I have never tried all inclusive. And one more reason could be supporting the local restaurants bars supermarkets. About the sunbed game, I have heard that in Europe many hotels just remove towels if the sunbed is not used.
Our last 3 vacations were all inclusive; adults only. Never have we experienced fighting over chairs, vomit in the pool or elsewhere. We've never felt like we were held "captive", just relaxed because everything is taken care of at the resorts. Yes, they can be a nuisance sometimes about timeshares, but politely say no thank you and keep moving. About to plan another one; just trying to figure out where to go. 😎
Passport Pages, another youtube channel, does great reviews of all inclusives in many different price ranges.
I’ve gained so much traveling knowledge from this channel, Thank you for all the videos you make!
Been watching for almost 3 years now and I’m waiting for you to hit that 1 million subscribers mark. Good luck!!
Great video and points. I think all inclusive resorts have their place for some ppl but to me it just feels like you're visiting a country in a bubble. I love the point on local food. I've had the worst Mexican food in a Mexican resort because you're in a bubble.
Same here :) the worst mexican food in cancun
This is why I love you and your videos, you learned about La Bandera lol. I’m Dominican, and when I hear other people trying out our stuff I get excited keep it up, brother!
I have tried both All-inclusive and Bed and breakfast in Dominican Republic and Mexico for many years. I definetly pick all-inclusive for fixed budget and careless vacation. You have it all entertainment included. You don't need to worry about food and drink cost and you are FREE to go out and visit whatever you like. Excursions, trips sold at all-inclusive are very expensive but you can get fair prices just stepping out of the hotel.
We went to Breezes in the Bahamas in 2012 and it was great. None of your bad points. Food was great, plenty of free activities, staff was super friendly. Tipping actually wasn’t allowed there. I would absolutely go back.
We had an all inclusive in Turkey a few weeks ago and it was Fantastic, food was amazing and always always a huge selection of things to try for breakfast, lunch and dinner 👍👍👍
Watch "adult only" tags, even if you're all adults. I'm a solo adult traveller but avoid adult only resorts because of the behavior. I would much rather a family resort with kids but some semblance of 'quiet time' in the evenings than an adult one that is basically adult daycare. If drinking and whooping it up is your thing, then the adult resort would suit you but be prepared for puddles of vomit in corners (once in the food line!) and guests that never sleep.
Yeah a good point. I’ve been to a fantastic hotel in the Austrian Alps quite a few times now in my late teens/early twenties and it’s a place where you can bring your kids, but if you don’t have kids and don’t want the noise etc you wouldn’t notice them at all. It has a kind of a friendly ‘children should be seen and not heard’ approach, but not in a stuffy or old fashioned way. This also means you don’t get unhinged adults at the same time.
Hotel Bismarck, Bad Hofgastein, if anyone’s interested in going to that part of the world
If you need a 9pm bedtime, an all inclusive is not for you
@@ryanm4013 That's not true. There are all-inclusives for every lifestyle. If someone has a 9pm bedtime, there'd be somewhere for that. That's where, like I said, look for the reviews that say 'boring', 'too small' etc. The whole point is to research. I just found I was dodging more puke and filth in the adult-only one than ever in the family one.
So true. We’ve been to all inclusives for the watersports and ease of not worrying about the cost of food or drinks. If you want to party it up all night or go to bed early for an early scuba excursion, should be your choice. No judgement.
My wife and I love our occasional All-Inclusive Resort vacations. Perfect when what you're after is laying on the beach/by the pool and being served light food and drinks. We both think paying extra for the upscale/upcharge restaurants is never worthwhile because the food is always pretty mediocre relative to the extra money being charged. Better is to plan some time in the local community finding 'real' local food and experiences. If you're eating at the resort, stick with the included restaurants.
That lack of pool seating is the absolute reason I would never go back to a resort. Its frustrating seeing empty seats people have earmarked with a towel....
An all inclusive a few years ago on Cyprus had a booking system where you were assigned sun-beds for the time you stayed. One could easily change sun-beds in the hotels app in case you didn’t like the ones you were given. No one was left without sun-beds and a parasol. Genius…
We just came back from Costa Rica. We spent most of the time touring but spent the last few nights of the trip at an all inclusive in Guanacaste. My least favorite things are (1) making dinner reservations - we for to the resort on Wednesday and had limited options for dinner and (2) the struggle for lounge chairs, although we’ve never stayed at a resort where it’s allowed to reserve lounge chairs for the afternoon at 7:30 AM!! So rude!!! My struggle is getting enough lounge chairs in the shade!! But all in all we love all inclusive. We call them land cruises! We’re picky about where we stay though!
It’s really all about understanding “All inclusive”Versus “What’s included”.
All inclusive works for me right now as my husband has limited mobility. He is waiting for knee surgery. The staff were very accommodating to my husband and he got lots of extra care. This would not happen if we were on our own.
My favourite part is @ 0:15! Everything for the arts Mark!🥇🏆
There are rude people everywhere. Once on a Thailand beach, I witnessed a family sending their children remove towels and belongings on people's chair then take the reserved chair 😢
Some years back, we did Sandals Grenada, and had a great time. No complaints. We had our reservations for La Jardinier (French) and Butches' (Steak) and had no problems getting into the restaurants we wanted. Our cottage was spacious with a private outdoor hot tub, and there were always treats and liquor in the room (Appleton, mon). And we took a full-day tour of the island, that included a nutmeg processing plant, a chocolate plantation, and a rum distillery with a 200 year old water wheel. I usually avoid all-inclusive resorts because I want to see the local communities, but for our short visit, I don't think we missed anything. Plus it's so nice to just relax at a resort for a couple of days. Not something I would do frequently, but we had a great time.
Good video and it reminds me of why I disliked my only stay at an all-inclusive resort (in the Dominican Republic). Here’s my rant:
1. The resort was more than an hour away from the capital which I wanted to visit- just sitting on the beach gets old very quickly for me. It would have been a very expensive day trip since we hired a driver to get us from the airport to the resort because…
2. We we told absolutely nothing about what services were available, either for free or for an extra charge either by the travel agent or the hotel staff (and we arrived on a weekday for a three day stay so there was no crowd at check-in).
3. The beach chair situation was pretty bad so we walked around a little and found an area with empty chairs. As soon as we sat down we were chased away by an employee because it was an ‘exclusive’ area. As much as I resent the idea, we might have gone for the extra fee if we’d been informed about it.
4. The drinks were as weak as the fruit juice they were mostly composed of. In all honesty, the canned light beer from the refrigerator in the room was stronger than any drink I ordered at a bar and…I tipped- generously, I thought- as soon as I ordered each drink.
5. There were actually a number of other issues which I’ve blessedly forgotten and I detailed them all in the customer survey we were given as we were leaving but never heard anything back from the resort.
BTW, we never went back to that travel agent either. It was a fairly new resort and she had never booked anyone there but ‘thought’ it would be a nice place for us to stay. Since that experience I don’t rely on anyone to plan our trips for us and, instead, scour RUclips. It’s not perfect but I think it’s a much more reliable way to find a vacation experience that will suit us.
We just got back from Secrets Cap Cana in the DR and loved it. We are planning on going back with some friends in the future. By our 3rd day, I found out the best way to reserve a couple of poolside chairs that had the most shade. But definitely keep an eye out during the day when you're at the pools to see which locations by the pool you'd like to be at and then get up early before breakfast to reserve them. Thankfully our resort wasn't as big as other ones so I only had to get up at 7am to reserve them. I definitely wasn't the only one doing this though. We never really encountered people getting angry about not being able to find a chair. The staff went above and beyond to help guests too. I also loved how small our resort seemed so I didn't have to walk very far to get to the pool. They always had plenty of umbrellas and could be moved around as well as plenty of chairs on the beach in the shade. A couple of times we went after lunch to the pool and could always find chairs if we hadn't been there in the morning. For me, I don't have a problem with people saving chairs or keeping the same ones all day, even leaving your towels on them while you go to eat lunch. I made sure to do a ton of research before we went so we knew what to expect. I also joined the different Facebook groups and searched and asked questions there. That greatly impacted our decision on which resort to go to. As well as tempered our expectations. Next time, I'd definitely love to try some more local food. The food at Secrets was probably above average for an all inclusive resort and was great. They did have plenty of options for food there.
All inclusive resorts are always clean and well maintained and have everything under one roof. They take away the stress of having to shuffle a group of people around various locations each day and take the stress out of whether you have enough money or you need to get more or whether it's going to be more expensive than you budgeted for overall.
I don't do them all the time but when I do I come away feeling more relaxed than other types of holiday even though they definitely aren't the cheapest options a lot of the time.
The deckchair douchebags are by far and away the most annoying part of all inclusive resorts though.
Love your comment ❤️
"All inclusive resorts are always clean and well maintained" How on earth can you make such a sweeping statement? So you have been to every single All inclusive resort in the whole world? and even if you had, it does not mean that they maintain that level every week.
Obviously if you are an omniscient God then forget my previous comment!!
@@RobG001 Crikey. You're an angry one aren't you. I assumed it was obvious we were all talking in the context of places we had been to. To be clear and to hopefully lower your blood pressure a bit I am specifically referring to all of the inclusive resorts that I have been to.
Does that simmer you down a bit?
Been to the Yucatan and had no desire to stay in Cozumel or Cancun (resort towns). Instead I stayed in Merida, in a hotel less than a couple hundred meters from the main square and main cathedral. Took tours to chichen Itza, Uxmal, Progresso, etc, and cenotes, and local food. Great time. The merchants I walked by went from asking me if I wanted to buy to "Hla senor! How are you today?" I would chat with them abit, and then go off on my adventure. One word of advice, if you have an Android or Apple phone, have a translate program. Trust me.
Thanks for the comments on tipping. So essential. A stack of ones and fives (US preferably although I’m Canadian) will make your stay much more enjoyable
Hey Mark! Maybe do a video about cruise experiences?
We stayed at an Airbnb in Cancun and loved it! The math did not work out for us at an AI since we don't like sitting around doing nothing. We like exploring and hitting the beach
I’ve been to all-inclusive once but it wasn’t a resort, just a small hotel. Had a great experience at the hotel I stayed at, the all-inclusive aspect of it meant not having to budget for food or regular beverages like water or soda and me and my travel companions were traveling on a budget. With it being a small hotel, getting a sun chair wasn’t an issue as there weren’t many guests at the hotel and many guests went to the beach nearby as well rather than staying by the hotel pool. Food wise at the hotel, it came from a catering company and while it was pretty simple and not prepared in house, it was really good so my friends and I actually only dined out once during our stay, other than that we were happy with the food at the hotel. If wanting snacks between meals there was grilled cheese sandwiches and such available at an extra (very reasonable) charge. Mixed drinks were extra charge as well, but not expensive. With me not drinking alcohol at all, just having access to water and soda is all I need when it comes to drinks. Food wise it doesn’t have to be fancy, just good quality and clean conditions and I’m happy.
I could imagine going to an all inclusive resort sometime, BUT I’d have to go to an adult only resort because screaming kids splashing around all over the place can totally ruin everything for me. Basically children or drunk or otherwise just obnoxious loud people are things I just can’t stand (I’m a sound sensitive autistic and get both physically and mentally completely drained by children or loud people in general)
I have never been to one, but I feel like it must be similar to cruises. I don’t love crowds and waiting in line with tons of people, so it has never been appealing.
Excellent video and I agree with all of the annoyances with the all inclusives. We always get someone pushing really hard for us to buy a time share. The sales pitches are relentless so watch out for them as they try to entice you with something.
Oh those are so annoying
I recommemd RIU all inclusive resorts, they don’t try to sell you timeshare
There is an all-inclusive resort in Siargao, Philippines called Nay Palad and it is REAL all-inclusive. It is luxury so it’s expensive and you have to prepay in full before arriving-but when you go there, they tell you to leave your wallet behind because you literally don’t pay for anything else. Your wish is their command. Any tours, any lessons, any food, any drinks and spa literally everything and anything is included and of the highest standards. The chef collaborates with the guests on what they want prepared for each meal, every dinner is fine dining with wine pairing. You can raid their bar and get any cocktails you want. There’s only 12 villas so customer service is personal. Been there twice and it is legit all-inclusive no hidden charges whatsoever. You just go there to relax and enjoy. Highly recommend it 👌🏼
In Curaçao, we really missed not having good AC the whole time. But it was super gorgeous and chill there though. In Cancun, there wasn’t much to complain about as it was awesome-maybe just the seaweed or the noise nearby.
I had a great all inclusive in Cancun. The food was amazing and they were very upfront of what was included and what was not. I will say, a lot of items and drinks were included. I will totally come back to the same resort
Which one?
@@jonatikaWwe Hotel NYX Cancun
Did my 1st all inclusive this year (playa del carmen, playacar area). I was skeptical since i typically plan getaways to experience local area, food. My inclusive experience was positive in that it was nice to not plan an agenda, be the group planner....and just relax poolside and by the beach. The beach was white sand with turquoise waters. Most Beautiful beach I have seen. I did also realize i was in a "bubble". But i was fine with that. The resort held events throughout the day to entertain, made it fun. The food and drinks were fine and got our monies worth.
I did experience the seat saving though, which I can definitely see as annoying. However was not a problem for me since one of my things to do is watch the sunrise and then lounge, hence I'm at my seat typically early.
Note, I did this as a short getaway, testing out the all inclusive experience. I will definitely return for a longer period.
Just got back from Punta Cana stayed at that exact same Barcelo Bavaro all-inclusive you were at. Our biggest complaint and turn off was the near constant expectation of a tip from literally everyone. It really has gotten out of control! We had several staff members that were downright rude to us when we didn’t happen to have money on us for tip. Really dampened the enjoyment of our vacation
Greek people when asked about these resorts in Greece hate them very passionately because the owners are the only ones who gain
Your opinions always seem so right to me.
You just described my trip in Cancún. Just got back fromm Quinta Roo Cancún yesterday. I didn't love it or hate it. I felt like it was all about selling pointless upgrades. I am definitely doing a boutique and then explore.
Just got back from an AI in Antigua - wonderful experience! Much different experience than Mexico, but I suspect experience will vary resort to resort.
Agreed with several dislikes
Lack of local food
Pool chair saving - I've seen several resorts commit to remove the towels
Which hotel did u stay in?
@@mancunianinlondon Cocobay. Rented a car - provided the best access to the entire island.
You nailed these Mark! That’s exactly why my husband and I hate all-inclusive resorts. 👌 I understand the appeal of it though. You’re basically paying for convenience.
All inclusives are great if you’re going in with the mindset of going to chill and not have to think about anything at all. Not great if you want to see local sights etc.
The best solution to avoid chair drama: book a swim-up room!
The last time we went to an all inclusive there was a table of retirees celebrating an anniversary or something. That would have been totally fine except they were all drunk and shouting. Nobody in the restaurant could have a conversation because of how loud they were. We asked the staff if they could politely ask them to quiet down but they said they couldn't do that "because they're top tier guests." There should be some kind of public decorum seminar as part of the reservation process. See you again, NEVER, Sandals.
Their pool chair policy is stupid. It creates tension and animosity between guests. We don't reserve parking spots at the mall. Why should a pool deck chair be different?
I never go to these. Always a hotel or airbnb, I've never had issues with my airbnb's just gotta do your due diligence.
When I'm in a nice place I want to taste the local food, not the all inclusive hamburger & fries. I can eat those at home.
The whole consumerism vibe and fighting for chairs puts me off so bad lol.
I always go to all-inclusive in Punta Cana and the 5 Star ones are pretty good. Definitely tip! Your dollar goes a long way and you are treated well by the staff. Cuba is another amazing beach destination (food so so). Varadaro beaches are beyond perfection. But yes, just like DR, in Cuba people grabbing chairs on the beach around 6:00 am and not using them.
Tipping is so key
2 things I've always avoided, 1- All-Inclusive, mostly because I love eating off-site and finding independently owned small eateries, tasting the local foods and eating with locals as opposed to with other tourists... Although I think I would definitely save money on my alcohol consumption, LOL. 2- Buffets, being in food service for years.... nevermind, just stay away from buffets, I could write a book... I'm pretty sure Anthony Bourdain already covered that subject before.
Thankfully I had a great experience with TRS Yucatán. I went in October, so that’s probably why it wasn’t overly crowded. I’d highly recommend TRS Yucatán, especially in the off season, if you have the extra cash to stay there. It is pricey, I went as a wedding photographer so everything was paid for.
Sidenote: if you want to experience a country, don’t do a giant resort or an all inclusive resort.
I have been to many all inclusive resorts, I would not bother to go anymore... but when I did, I would take people reserved loungers, move their stuff and take them in their absence. These places have policies about holding lounge chairs, and I have no issue telling people to beat it when they come back 3 hours later wondering why their stuff is gone.
With countless vacations to various countries under my belt, and where approximately 85 - 90% of those stays were in all-inclusive resorts/hotels, I have never had a problem per se with any of my stays. Usually, the only issue - which I do not allow to ruin my fun - is the quality liquor, which could be better.
Im glad I saw this, I don't think I will ever try all inclusive, sounds too stressfull for me
Thank you for the tips, I will going to my first all-inclusive next month!
Do the numbers. I did after I got home from a cruise. For the first time I bought a drinks package because my bestie drinks regularly and since we we’re sharing a cabin I had to buy one. Well after crunching the numbers, it would have been so much cheaper if I just bought my drinks A-La-Cart.: even with having many specialty coffees I came nowhere near drinking my money’s worth. Same goes for the drinks packages at those All Inclusive resorts ✌🏼❤️❤️❤️
We spent a week at a DR all-inclusive, which included food and drinks. The place was fabulous, and we had no complaints about the food or the drinks. In general, we had a great time, but we won't do one again.
When I'm on vacation, I typically eat and drink a lot, so the value for me was good. For my gf, not so much. But what started to put us off is that just about every couple we fell in with seemed to be next-level drinkers. It makes sense that this would be the case at an all-inclusive. However, and I don't mean to be a snob, this did start to wear on us. Tequila shots already? Maybe after dinner.
ur videos and voice jus relaxes me for some reason
Wow, I’m Dominican and was thinking of a nice week vacation at one of these all inclusive hotels. Sorry, but it sounds like a nightmare or at best a good attempt to get rid of some stress. Thank you for sparring me and my family from a bad experience🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I've been to a number of all inclusive resorts and love it!
My all-inclusive to Disneyworld was the best vacation of my life. The whole family loved it.
A hotel with breakfast included is perfect for me. And free museums!
My sister and I travel together and it is a fight at all inclusives to get a room with 2 beds. And the fact there is almost no alcohol in the drinks unless you pay extra.
Hi my friend! It was a pleasure to meet you there.
This video really helped me. All inclusive are not for us.
All inclusives CAN be amazing. I've been to two different Excellence resorts in Mexico and they were both incredible. Do your research, and you can have a great time and definitely get your money's worth.
I think all-inclusive resorts are great for quick and short stays, if you're only interested in staying on property for the beach and pool. Anything longer than three-to-four days is too long. If you're interested in culture, museums, and way-of-life, all-inclusive resorts are not it, kid. I'd also stick to the "free" restaurants and drink only wine and beer (if you want alcohol), mixed drinks are watered down. And try to avoid time-share pitches at all cost, even if you get something for "free" afterwards. It's not worth your time, especially when you're on vacation. All-inclusive resorts are really only for soaking up sun at the beach or pool, eating and drinking, destination weddings, and hooking up-if you're single and that's your thing.
My husband and I have been to Jamaica. Many times has the all inclusive couples, all inclusive and the sandals, all inclusive and have never had the problems that you’re talking about always, always able to get a chair. Food was always good. Never ran into an up charge for food, maybe we were just lucky I don’t know, but it seems like the better class of all inclusive you go to the better your experience will be. If you’re trying to go on the cheap no then you really are going to get taken.
If you research you can choose the right resort you won’t have to worry about different levels, up charges, wrist bands, airport transfers, tipping etc..
Been in a better Turkish hotel where all inclusive that includes alcohol was not sold to British people.
If you need good coffee like I do, choose a hotel with a bar.
Usually you get excellent coffee at the bar and really bad coffee everywhere else in an all inclusive hotel.
Excursions with different operators are not the same, even with the same destinations.
Some force you into an outlet to get additional commissions, others don‘t.
I've had generally positive experiences, whether in the Med or the Caribbean. Mind you, I usually go in the 'shoulder seasons'.
Top tip: maximise use of the speciality restaurants.
Been to Puerta Plata 14 times staying between Fun Royal when it was still open and Grand Paradise. Alway such an amazing time. Alway met lovely staff and other guest. Visiting staff casas and familias have alway been one thing I do when going down south. Cant wait to visit my amigo Rene at Grand Paradise. Also shout out to my amigos a mathu playa in Cuba will see you this winter.
We go to one of the Sandals resorts, all inclusive, Club Med also, you get what you pay for. Keeps the riff raff away.
You reinforce my avoidance of all inclusive resorts. Went to one and will never go to another
People have a responsibility to READ what they are buying. I never had issues with staying at all inclusive resorts because I read what the package included. I made reservations as soon as I got on the ship - my first cruise - and it was worth it. We LOVED those restaurants more than the sea of buffet tables and people, everywhere. YOU are responsible to know what you bought and what you want. BOOK your special events soon after finding out about them - it you are going to wait until you get on the ship to find out what you bought, you will be upset.
We went to Sandals Jamaica and I hated it. Small beach (and beggars harassing us all the time), small pool, mosquitoes were CRAZY, and they had no place to escape indoors (except your room). I had a blast on the excursions…but as soon as we came back from those I just barricaded ourselves in the room.
Which one did you go to? There are 6 Sandals in Jamaica and they are all different. There are quite a few that have no beggars/vendors because they are private beaches.
Mark I hate to say it, but for me the answer to the question is simple; Why do people hate all inclusive resorts, because they are all inclusive resorts. But then again take that from someone who travels alone through Europe looking for strange puppet theatres and lived near bears in Alaska for 22 years.
My husband and I have been going to all inclusive hotels twice a year for 10 years now. The most annoying thing for us are the timeshare people. Every time you walk past they hound you to go to their presentations - really long sales pitches. Not all hotels have them, but most of the bigger chains do.