Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

DH and I are trying to plan a vacation for november. we were originally thinking the Bahamas but are now leaning more towards St. Martin. our travel agent quoted us $1385pp at the divi for all inclusive. but if we only do air/hotel its only $725pp. i originally wanted to do all inclusive but then i thought "do i really wanna plan my day around meal time???"...meaning, if im clear across the island and i wanna eat lunch do i really wanna go all the way back to the hotel just for food??? for the $665 difference in price pp, i would think thats more than enough money for us to eat wherever we want as opposed to just eating where the hotel tells us, kwim.

what are your thoughts? for those that do AI package vacations, is it really as much of an inconvenience as i think it is?

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

I would only do an all inclusive if I know I wouldn't be leaving the resort like in Jamaica or some place like that. Otherwise, I would probably go with just air/hotel.

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

I'd say just do air/hotel. DH and I like to explore the islands and eat at local restaurants. My feeling is why go on vacation if you don't get a chance to experience a place and it's culture outside the bubble of a resort?

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

You have to ask yourself a couple of questions:
1) How is the food at the all inclusive place?
2) Do you and DH drink and I mean drink! That is the #1 reason people do AI is because they don't want to get a $1000 + bar bill at the end of the trip.
3) At the AI resort, can you eat when you want to eat and not at set times?

Personally, I love doing all inclusive but I make sure they are top notch ones where the food and drinks are so good that it really does not matter if I venture out for food. Picture this, we live in NY there is every type of food you could imagine here, I don't need to go on vacation for that, at least that is the way we look at it.

I am going to Aruba in Oct and doing an AI. Now most people say in Aruba don't do it because there are so many great places to eat, but DH and I discussed it and figured on the nights we want to go out we will, for the times we don't we relax and not worry about it.

It's all personal preference.

Message edited 8/18/2008 2:32:58 PM.

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

I'm not familiar with St Maarten but, DH and I end up spending less when we don't do all inclusive.

We usually end up getting bored with the AI option and going out for dinner/drinks a night or two anyway so it ends up being more $$ than if we just booked the air and hotel.

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

DH and I tried an all inclusive for the first time this summer and we did not like it. We did not like the food or the drinks. We wound up eating out every night and going out for drinks. Our fair priced vacation started turning into a much more expensive one. It just wasn't for us. But so many people love all inclusives.

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

I think it really depends on where you are going. Take into consideration the area outside of the resort. I don't think you will have any issues with this in St. Martin. Air/hotel will probably be fine for that area.
However, All Inc. can be a great option for people who are going to do quite a bit of drinking, because that can get expensive fast.

Re: Do you prefer all inclusive or just air/hotel?

I love all inclusive and if you find the right place for the the right price its totaly worth it