The all inclusive system is the holiday format families travelling from Azerbaijan choose most, and the reason is clear: the budget is known in advance. But entirely different things are sold under the same name. At one hotel it means a buffet three times a day, at another a network of restaurants open twenty-four hours. Below I have written the differences and what you should look at.
The types of all inclusive system
| All inclusive | Three buffet meals, local drinks, daytime snacks |
| Ultra all inclusive | Additional restaurants, imported drinks, night service |
| Half board | Breakfast and dinner, lunch at your own expense |
| Breakfast only | Standard in city hotels, rare on the coast |
In the ultra version the main difference is the restaurants outside the buffet, but most of them have to be booked in advance and only one or two visits a week are allowed. Ask about this when you book, because the advertisement says “free use” while in reality there is a limit.
When all inclusive pays
For a family with children it pays almost always. Looking for a restaurant with three children is a matter of both time and nerves, and the system closes that off entirely. It is logical on a week-long beach holiday too, because you leave the hotel little.
There are cases where it does not pay. If you want to walk round the city, taste the local cuisine and eat somewhere different every day, you are not using half of what you paid for. On trips shorter than three days the difference does not prove itself either.
What to check when booking
Look at the type of beach; whether it is sand, shingle or a platform changes the character of the holiday entirely. Ask for the hotel’s distance to the sea in metres, because the phrase “by the sea” sometimes means crossing a road.
Clarify separately whether there is a pool, entertainment and a children’s menu for a child. Are the sunbed and the umbrella included in the price? At some hotels that is an extra charge. Filtering hotel options by the type of beach and the facilities for children answers these questions on one screen.
Read more: An Antalya travel guide: Kaleici, the coastal districts and day trips
A package compared with booking separately
On seaside routes a ready package often comes out cheaper than booking separately, because the agencies make block contracts with the hotel. The flight, the transfer and the hotel come at one price, and you are not looking for the transfer at the airport.
To make the comparison honestly, add the transfer and baggage costs when you calculate it separately. Look at package offers on the seaside routes and set them side by side with your own arithmetic. Official information on tourism services is on the site of the State Tourism Agency.
In one sentence
All inclusive is the format that pays best for a family with children and a beach holiday, and an unnecessary cost for city sightseeing. Clarify the type of system, the character of the beach and the extra charges when you book. To settle the route and the visa question together, fill in the application form.
Note: the terms of the concept vary by hotel, so check what is included on the booking confirmation.
