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When booking a holiday in the travel agents or online and the question of board basis comes up, it can be a little difficult to answer. What do you pick between all-inclusive or self-catering? Both have their merits, but which is the best choice for you?

Here’s a list of pros and cons for both self-catering and all-inclusive to help you make the best decision.

Self-Catering Pros – all-inclusive or self-catering?

Freedom and Flexibility

A self-catered holiday will give you the freedom and flexibility to go where you want and when you want without being restricted by things such as meal times. Having this flexibility will also let you feed the kids when they need it, not when the food is available.

By having breakfast, lunch and dinner catered for you at your hotel you will find you wont want to stray too far away incase you can’t get back for the meals. Lets face it, you’ll want to get your money’s worth if you have paid for all-inclusive.

This means you might see a lot less of the place you have chosen to holiday in and you will be pulled more and more into your hotel or resort.

A self catering option will allow you to go off for days out with a backpack and a picnic and explore the area you are there to visit, making sure you enjoy and experience local culture and sights.

Lower initial cost – all-inclusive or self-catering?

When booking a self-catering holiday the initial cost of the holiday will be substantially lower, which is a good thing, especially if you are trying to travel on a budget and save money.

However, try and work out how much money you will spend on food if you opt for the self-catered option and then put that cost on top of the price of your holiday. How far away are you from the all-inclusive prices?

Buy What You Want, When You Want

On a self-catered holiday you don’t have to worry about feeding your kids according to the all-inclusive meal schedule. You also don’t have to worry about them not liking the food, if your kids are particularly picky eaters, as you will buy what you know they will eat. Certainly one less headache.

Local Supermarkets – all-inclusive or self-catering?

One of the most exciting things about a self-catered holiday is exploring the local supermarkets! You may scoff at the idea, but trust me, it’s amazing what you can find!

When in France, it’s the fish counter and breads, when in eastern Europe it’s the alcohol isle, when in Portugal it’s the biscuits, Turkey the tea, America the meat and music, Bulgaria the sweets and in the Ukraine the fact that everything is orange flavoured!

It’s a unique opportunity to become an incognito local! Big winner in the all-inclusive vs self-catering debate for us!

The supermarkets allow you to try new things and live like a local without paying through the nose. This also means if you tried something and didn’t like it you haven’t broken the bank doing it!

You can also learn what is value for money as you will quickly learn the real price of goods vs the tourist price, which will ultimately save you money.

Try New Things – all-inclusive or self-catering?

When you choose a self-catered holiday it gives you the freedom to try new things in a new setting. For example: visit local cafes, frequent local restaurants, enjoy local delicacies with more individual choice and try out weird and wonderful street food such as quail eggs in Lima, churros in Portugal or deep fried whole crab in China.  

Bigger Apartments

If you opt to stay in a resort, but choose to go the self-catered route you will have your pick of apartments complete with kitchenette and separate bedrooms, rather than just a single room.

This is great news if you have kids! It gives you infinitely more space for little ones to run around in and play. Plus there’s room for you all the spread out, which is always a massive plus!

Full Size Fridge – all-inclusive or self-catering?

In a self-catered apartment you are more likely to get a full sized fridge, which you can put drinks and bottles in rather than a mini fridge.  

Eat Less 

When you are self-catered you will definitely eat less! All-inclusive packages make it very easy to over indulge as usually most of the food is on a buffet.

Gluten Free

If you have special diet requirements such as gluten free or you need to cater for weaning babies, it can be easier to do this yourself.

Self-Catering Cons

Getting to the Supermarket

If you do not have access to a car, getting to a supermarket and ferrying the food back can be a bit of a pain.

In this instance a visit to the supermarket can end up as a bit of a chore and not in keeping with the true spirit of a holiday.

More Expensive

A self-catered holiday could end up more expensive if you can get a really good deal at an all inclusive.

Cooking – all-inclusive or self-catering

If you are on a self-catered holiday you will need to cook and clean up after yourselves.

Also, some apartments are only equipped with a hob and not an oven so this might be worth checking out before you book.

All Inclusive Pros

Food Food Food!

On an all-inclusive holiday you don’t have to worry about food at all. Throughout the day and in-between meals there are usual snacks and fruit available to stave away those niggling hunger pangs.

Also, drinks and ice-creams are usually included so if you have kids this will be all their holiday dreams come true at once.

No Extra Charges – all-inclusive or self-catering?

On an all-inclusive holiday your trip is all paid for so you don’t have to worry about spending any money once you are there. This means you don’t need to worry about holiday money, currency exchange or bank charges.

Variety of Food

If you are on an all-inclusive holiday you can try lots of different dishes all day every day. Although you may find your choice is limited to what the hotel puts on and sometimes the menu can be dictated by the countries their guests are visiting from.

Indulge Yourself!

Indulge yourself and have a break from the cooking, cleaning and everything your ‘normal’ life throws at you. Also, enjoy the on-tap food, drinks and alcohol, which can be delivered to you at any time of the day.

All-inclusive Cons

You Get Trapped

You can get locked into your resort or hotel as you get trapped by the daily ritual of food times.

You Don’t Travel

Because of this entrapment, you don’t see the true culture of where you are staying.

Weight

On an all-inclusive holiday it’s so very easy to pile on the pounds. So much so, you will be able to accurately plot your weight gain as you look back through your holiday photos.

Higher Initial Cost

Some all-inclusive holidays can be exorbitantly more expensive. What is it exactly you’re paying for? Is it worth the price-hike?

Resort Location

Some of the fabulous all-inclusive holidays on offer can be set in very remote areas of a country or in parts where there is not much else to offer. They can also be in areas where it is deemed unsafe to travel on your own. If being stuck in one place doesn’t fill you with much holiday cheer, check your resorts geographical location before you book.

Disappointing Prizes – all-inclusive or self-catering?

Some all-inclusive resorts offer up competitions and games with prizes for the winners. Some resorts offer spa treatments and days out, which are great prizes! Others offer bottles of drink…. at an all-inclusive resort, in my book, not so good.

Too Much Alcohol – all-inclusive or self-catering?

At all-inclusive holidays you can end up drinking way too much alcohol in the day, when you don’t normally touch the stuff. At times it can almost feel staff are pressuring you into drinking! Sounds weird, but by day 10 your belly and your blood sugar levels have probably had enough!

Best Type of All-Inclusive?

The best all-inclusive resorts are those that offer à la carte restaurants and not lots of buffets affairs.

This way you can temper your desire to over indulge and you can enjoy what is on offer without overdoing it.  

The Compromise!

Ultimately, we at Well Travelled Munchkins feel there is a compromise between self-catering and all-inclusive – and that is half-board!

Half-board! – all-inclusive or self-catering

We think that the half-board choice is really the best of both worlds, although the half-board option is often less available than the self-catered and all-inclusive option.

Half-board means that you received breakfast and dinner at the hotel, but no lunch.

When travelling with kids this is a great option. An easy pre-prepared breakfast is a great way to start the day and if you’re sneaky you can pack a little sandwich to take with you on your day out exploring.

If you are travelling with little ones with early or set bedtimes you will probably find you will gravitate back to the hotel at a reasonable time anyway, so the routine of dinner and bed stays intact.

Half-Board Plus!

The ultimate sweet spot might even be half-board plus! This is where you receive free alcoholic drinks with dinner!

Conclusion – all-inclusive or self-catering?

The ultimate pro over anything to do with all-inclusive vs self-catering is that you are on holiday!!

So whatever you decide to do – all-inclusive vs self-catering – enjoy it!

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