The Big Debate: Self Catering vs All Inclusive?

When booking your holiday, one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether to opt for self-catering or all inclusive.

But which one is the best?

In an attempt to answer this eternal dilemma, we’ve looked at the advantages of both types of holiday.

Why Choose a Self-Catering Holiday?

1. They’re flexible

Rather than having to eat at a specific time every day, a self-catering holiday means you’re able to choose exactly when you’d like to eat. It also means you’ll be able to decide the type of food you’d like – and you have the option to eat somewhere different every day if you wanted to.

2. More freedom

There’s nothing worse than trying to rush back to your hotel before its food outlets close for the evening. Nobody wants to be thinking about what time they’ll need to leave somewhere just so they can get back in time for dinner. Self-catering holidays mean you can simply get something to eat whenever you get back from your day out.

3. Control costs

If you’re on a tight budget, keeping control of your costs is often easier when self-catering. Ingredients can be bought to create a few different meals out of them, and buying in bulk is a lot cheaper than eating out.

4. Experience more

If you do fancy eating out on holiday, a self-catering trip provides many more options. Rather than being limited to the cuisine offered by your hotel, you’ll be able to get out and about to sample a range of different food types. With local delicacies and food you’ve never tried before often on the menu at restaurants abroad, eating out avoids the temptation of simply sticking to the food you’d usually eat back home.

Why Choose an All Inclusive Holiday?

1. No need to cook

If you’re looking for a break from the cooking for a week or two, an all-inclusive holiday should be right up your street. It’s also incredibly convenient (particularly when travelling with kids) as there’s no need to spend time finding somewhere suitable to eat. Choosing an all-inclusive hotel which has more than one place to eat is always a good idea so you can pick and choose where to dine depending on what you fancy. And the other good news is there’s no washing up to do!

2. No spending money required

Ok, you might want to take a bit of extra cash for any trips you might want to book or any souvenirs you’d like to bring home, but apart from that, no other spending money is required for food and drink at your resort. This means there’s no need to worry about carrying (or losing) large sums of cash whilst away.

3. No hidden extras

The cost of buying the odd drink or ice cream every day can soon add up, but an all-inclusive trip means you don’t have to worry about paying for any hidden extras. It also means you can go down to the pool without taking any money with you. Families travelling with children will also benefit when drinks and snacks are included, as it’ll prevent the little ones from nagging for them throughout the day.

4. More relaxing

If your holidays are all about relaxation, then an all-inclusive break is definitely the way to go. With everything taken care of, it really does cut down the number of things you need to worry about, meaning there’s more chance to simply chill out and relax.