All-inclusive holidays are incredibly popular as they allow you to pay for everything upfront as part of a package: flights, accommodation, transfers and food/drinks. Pricing for these packages can vary – as can the quality. To help you get the best deal, here are some all-inclusive holiday hacks that are worth knowing.
Book early or book last minute
Booking an all-inclusive holiday early can give you access to exclusive early bird deals and the opportunity to pay in many smaller installments. In most cases, you can book up to a year in advance. This does require quite a bit of commitments, but can be worth it for the savings.
Last minute discounts could potentially give you access to greater discounts. Often the later you book, the better the discount, however you’ll need to be prepared to pay the whole amount at once, plus you’ll likely need to book the time off in advance.
Plan to go away during the shoulder season
For most destinations, the summer months (June to August) are considered peak season – you’ll get the best weather, but you’ll have to pay more and the crowds will be greater. To guarantee good weather and cheaper prices, aim to travel in the shoulder season (either April to May or September to October).
It’s worth noting that different types of holiday may have different peak periods and shoulder seasons. For example, ski holidays are more popular late December to February – the shoulder season in this case is early December or March to April.
Check what ‘all-inclusive’ actually includes
Despite advertising themselves as ‘all-inclusive’, many holiday packages still come with hidden costs such as resort fees, wi-fi or entertainment passes. Others may have restrictive drink and food menus or may even have restricted areas you have to pay more for to enter.
In order to not get caught out by this, check carefully what is actually included. There are some honest all-inclusive packages out there that truly do include everything such as all-inclusive cruising packages that include excursions, wi-fi and speciality dining. These packages allow you to relax without worrying what you’re spending.
Explore alternative destinations
Where you go in the world can also affect the cost. Destinations like the Maldives, Barbados and UAE do have all-inclusive hotels, but you can easily spend thousands of pounds per week for a single person at some resorts.
Countries like Turkey, Tunisia and Bulgaria are renowned for their much cheaper packages. Book at the right time, and you can spend less than £400 per person for a week. It’s generally best to avoid the most classic touristy destinations and look at more off-the-beaten track destinations or up-and-coming resort towns.
Read reviews and check the star rating
When trying to get the best price, try not to sacrifice quality too much. The cheapest resorts may be compensating for poor quality food and drinks, rude customer service, poorly maintained rooms or a general lack of amenities.
The star rating will give you an idea of how basic or luxurious a hotel is. 1 star hotels may not even come with a pool or restaurant, so you’re not getting much for the all-inclusive label. Customer reviews will meanwhile give you a good idea of the quality of customer service and food. Make sure that most recent reviews are positive.