We have stayed at Flamingo Beach all inclusive.  It was my first experience of an all inclusive holiday.  But I enjoyed it so much that the following year we booked another holiday of this board type! It makes being on holiday so affordable.  I hate watching the pennies when we are away from home.  But with the food, drink and entertainment included you can really indulge yourself. You don’t have to say no to the kids when they ask for another ice cream, a slush or fizzy drink.  So that cuts back on the grumbles from them.

Everyone can just eat, drink and be merry!

It’s the most convenient option, no need to jump in a taxi to get a restaurant of an evening it’s all there at your resort for you to enjoy. I was looking at all inclusive holidays from Holiday Gems as I think after Florida next year 2019 will need to be another all-inclusive break. I dread to think how much Florida will cost with food and drink.  We have breakfast included but that is it! So, our bank account will be feeling very sorry for itself. I just wanted to tick Florida off my list.  But the reality of it is our inclusive holidays are probably the most enjoyable.

Some people find going all inclusive repetitive.  You go to the same restaurant and chow down on the same food day after day until you come home. Pick the right resort and usually there will be a range of dining experiences.

In Flamingo Beach we had the opportunity to eat in an Italian restaurant one night, tapas another (so we still had the chance to try local food) and we squeezed in the Mexican near the end of our holiday. The restaurants were all run separately and themed.  It was a pleasure having a variety of dining options. Yes, the main buffet hall could be a bit noisy and crowded but the food was always plentiful and appetizing. I have a sweet tooth, so it was nice to have the chance to sample a few different desserts each evening.  I prefer not being restricted to one pudding, the more the merrier.

Holiday Cocktails

I am not a big drinker but do like to have a couple whilst on holiday.  I liked the sangria and cocktails whilst in Lanzarote. You will be surprised by the choice of drinks available.  They taste like the brands we have at home. Flamingo Bay made it easier to identify what you wanted by having the original bottles from home on display.  You could point at what you wanted before they gave you the Spanish variant. Some all inclusive resorts offer the premium brands as standard.  So if that is important to you do your research before booking.

The kids liked the cocktails for them (sans alcohol!) in Salou.

If you are planning on staying close to your resort all inclusive really is the best option when you’re on a budget! Even if your planning on doing some day trips do check what your resort offers.  Some with provide a complimentary packed lunch so you don’t miss out on your free meals!  Our last two holidays were very reasonably priced even with being all inclusive.  I didn’t mind eating out once or twice elsewhere. I feel we had lots of value for money with all the meals and snacks we devoured the rest of the time.

The only downside for me during our stay at Hotel El Paso in Salou we had to pick a time slot for breakfast.  This was tricky because as the week progressed the boys were becoming quite tired and could have done with a lie in, but our 8:30am slot was set for the week!!! It might be worth checking if hotels have something similar in place before making your final selection. Flamingo Bay you just went when you fancied anytime until breakfast finished.