Are all-inclusive holidays worth the money?

And are cheaper all-inclusive deals really any good? By Carol Muskoron

I've done Club Med and Mark Warner - I like all-inclusive family holidays but they are not cheap. So when I spotted that First Choice (the ones who have had a huge advertising campaign this year) were doing all-inclusive, I wondered: would it be as good? Would it be as expensive?

 

I checked it out and we could go on their top-grade all-inclusive holiday to Fuerteventura for a couple of thousand less than some of the other all-inclusive companies. In desperate need of some winter sun, I decided it was well worth a try - and it really paid off. First Choice are doing a great job on all-inclusive hols and we had one of the best family holidays we've ever had. The resort was lovely, the facilities fabulous and we just had so much fun.  

 

Fuerteventura is one of the Canary Islands but, unlike on Tenerife, development has been restricted, so there are still miles of gorgeous beaches, sand dunes and nature reserves. It is breathtakingly beautiful. It can also be quite windy, with strong breezes from the Atlantic, and the waters are clear and warm - which means that it is a favoured resort for windsurfers. And, of course, because it is just off the coast of Africa, it is warm all year.

 

It's an interesting climate - we travelled in October and there was a little rain one day. It burst out of the sky, soaked us and was gone within, ooh, 10 minutes. We barely had time to pack up our gear by the pool before we were heading back there for more sun!

 

We stayed at the luxurious Suite Hotel Atlantis, which is near the main tourist town of Corralejo. The hotel is used by a large number of tour companies - many from Germany and Italy - so there is a demanding clientele.

 

There were seven swimming pools (each group of apartments had its own, but you could use all of them), a fitness centre with sauna, and everything (including drinks) was included in our booking cost. Our children threw themselves into the biggest pool and stayed there for most of the holiday. They made friends with a group of children from Liverpool and most afternoons were spent running around in a pack.

 

The hotel beach was just opposite the entrance, but we didn't really use it because, as nice as it was, there was a beach that was a whole lot nicer down the road and the hotel had a free bus to take you there. You arrived to miles of white sand and lots of luxurious parasols and sunbeds.

 

Eating and entertainment

Food needs a special mention. It was great. Every day there was a fresh roast and and freshly grilled steaks and fish. They also had some elaborate Spanish specialities, with great pasta dishes and puddings. There was a speciality Spanish restaurant, which was available at no extra cost, although you had to book. This served wonderful varieties of paella and seafood dishes - really very special.

 

Every evening there were two discos (one early for the kids; one later for the adults), bingo (we played every night - the kids insisted) and a live show. One of the shows was not terribly impressive - the local contortionist didn't do much for me. The rest were great - the male African dancers were literally spectacular and the kids adored the parrot show. But we enjoyed every show. And best of all, because we felt we were in a safe environment, I was able to sit with my husband while the children played with their new friends in the courtyard (where we could still see them).

 

There were children's clubs, and every night fun awards were given out for the best sandcastle or the winner of the backstroke race. Adults got them too - I almost won the fastest water aerobics swimmer but another mum pipped me at the post.

 

How does this holiday compare to other all-inclusives?

So what didn't First Choice have? The food was as good. As were the accommodation and facilities. What it didn't have was the organised system of nannies and free sailing and tennis lessons. But the kids did play tennis and I think they preferred the more relaxed and sociable environment of this holiday to the more structured ones we've been on before. And we had our fill of sailing on a catamaran trip on which we all had a turn on a jetski - great fun.

 

There isn't a great deal to see on Fuerteventura (this is a place for chilling out) but there were trips to the local volcano, to the nearby island of Lanzarote and to the local wildlife park. I imagined the Oasis Park to be pretty unimpressive but the kids fancied it, so we went and it was a stunning experience. There were great displays from the sealions (one of whom kissed my daughter!), a marvellous reptile show (in which baby crocodiles were passed around) and about 50 camels, on which we all rode to the top of a hill (and down - gulp).

 

It was a brilliant holiday, First Choice really take care of you but they let you breathe too. I felt we personalised this holiday more than we had other all-inclusives, and in many ways it felt more special.

 

Further information

First Choice offers a seven-night holiday in Fuerteventura in summer 2009, staying all-inclusive at the four-sun Suite Hotel Atlantis Resort from £579 per adult, £229 for first child and £385 for second child (based on two adults and two children sharing), departing from London Gatwick. (You can also fly from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Notts East Midlands, and Stansted airports.) Book online at www.firstchoice.co.uk/fuerteventura or call 0871 664 9012.

 

---

 

You might also like...

 

Global guide to travel documents: do I need a visa? 

 

Travelling solo: prepare for a voyage of self-discovery