A budget travel expert has found an answer to the age-old dilemma – are all-inclusive holidays worth the extra cost?
Chelsea Dickenson, the Cheap Holiday Expert, put an all-inclusive holiday to the test with TravelSupermarket during a five night stay at the 5* H10 Rubicon Palace in Lanzarote.
While she booked the hotel’s all-inclusive option for £732 per person, her partner James stayed on the bed and breakfast plan for £550 per person.
Their challenge had one golden rule. James had to match everything Chelsea consumed, down to the last bite and sip, to see if the extra £36.40 per day for all-inclusive was worth the money.
And it turns out all-inclusive is the best choice for bargain hunters, with the pair discovering going all-inclusive can save holidaymakers a whopping £82 per person per day.
Chelsea says: ‘I think it’s clear from the results that all-inclusive packages can hold a lot of value.
‘Going into this, I had wondered if there would be some caveats, such as “[it’s better value] as long as you stay at the hotel all day”, but even if you did choose to spend the afternoon somewhere else, I think you’d easily be able to bank plenty of value even just thanks to a meal and some drinks of an evening!’
Alcohol was one of the biggest savings on the all-inclusive package.
Chelsea Dickenson, the Cheap Holiday Expert, put an all-inclusive holiday head-to-head with a B&B option to find out if the upgrade is really worth the money
James had to match everything Chelsea consumed, down to the last bite and sip, to see if the extra £36.40 per day for all-inclusive was worth the money
Drinks were the biggest spend on the couple’s holiday, accounting for over £60 of their total £118.53 bill.
Premium spirits and mixers cost £10.40 each, making these drinks an expensive choice for those on a bed and breakfast package and especially good value when included on an all-inclusive.
All-inclusive packages are even a bargain for non-drinkers.
Chelsea explains: ‘I often get asked whether all-inclusive can be worth it for individuals who don’t drink and in this case, the answer is a resounding yes!
‘All you’d need to do is have a coffee, eat at the lunch buffet and have one ice-cream and you’d be close to breaking even. The hotel also had mocktails which were priced at €7/£5.78 so that would absolutely be a way to build up your value there too!’
Chelsea found that holidaymakers would only need to have a coffee (£2.89), enjoy the hotel’s lunch buffet (£28.89) and get an ice-cream (£3.14) to nearly cover the £36.40 cost difference.
However, bed and breakfast is the best value option for tourists who want to spend the majority of their time exploring, rather than at the hotel.
Chelsea reveals: ‘The great news for those who only want to book bed and breakfast is that you could absolutely fill up in the morning on the big buffet breakfast!
‘But overall, I think this option is best for people who don’t plan to be in the hotel much and perhaps are hoping to eat and drink elsewhere.’
Pesto spaghetti (pictured above) cost James £10.32 but it was included on Chelsea’s all-inclusive deal
The couple found going all-in can save holidaymakers a whopping £82 per person per day. Alcoholic drinks were the biggest saving for all-inclusive guests
Chelsea says: ‘I think it’s clear from the results that all-inclusive packages can hold a lot of value’
The holiday expert adds that she was ‘impressed’ that many of the hotel’s activities didn’t have an ‘extra charge’ for B&B guest.
She reveals: ‘James was even able to bag a free sangria at their “sangria party” one day! And mini golf was free too, as were lots of other sports and entertainment such as a kids disco, live music and karaoke.’
The budget traveller booked her break with TravelSupermarket and adds: ‘What I like about TravelSupermarket is it lets you search for all different types of board and allows you to quickly see all the options, and work out which one is best for you.
‘When I’m after an affordable all-inclusive, I love checking the TravelSupermarket Deals page – I’ve even found all-inclusive trips for less than £300 in there before!’
| ITEM | COST |
|---|---|
| Cappuccino | £2.89 |
| Lemon Beer | £4.13 |
| Sangria Party | Free |
| Lunch Buffet | £28.89 |
| Beer | £2.89 |
| Mini Golf | Free |
| Mango Daiquiri | £7.43 |
| Pina Colada | £7.43 |
| Ice Cream | £3.14 |
| Mango Daiquiri | £7.43 |
| Pesto Spaghetti | £10.32 |
| Chicken and Chips | £15.85 |
| Coffee | £2.89 |
| Moscow Mule | £7.43 |
| Tequila Sunset | £7.43 |
| Havana Rum and Coke | £10.40 |
| TOTAL | £118.53 |
| Daily cost to upgrade from B&B to all-inclusive | -£36.40 |
| Daily extra cost of staying on B&B basis | £82.13 |
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .