Tell me about "all inclusives"

[Ottakee]

I have some airline miles and found that I can get to Costa Rica on our miles for about $40 per person.  I am sure I can get other places as well.

 

Are all inclusives really ALL inclusive or are there a lot of other hidden charges?  We are not gamblers or drinkers and not huge show people.  We do like nature, good food, relaxing, walks, hikes, etc.

 

Likely this is a pipe dream thing but something I had never thought of trying before.

 

It would be just dh and I.

[Farrar]

I'm curious too. We've never traveled this way but sometimes I see deals and wonder if it might be nice... just once, you know?

[Roadrunner]

I have done it couple of times. Food and alcohol was included and accessible from morning to about 11 PM.

Excursions outside (trips to the jungle, paragliding, swimming with dolphins, trips into town...) cost money. If you are going with young kids, having food always accessible is a huge plus. Some resorts have activities for kids.

These resorts are gigantic islands of wealth usually in the midst of extreme poverty. It feels super comfortable and super uncomfortable all at once.

[Lolly]

Dh and I went to one for our honeymoon...so ages ago. Not truly all inclusive if you like to go do stuff. Truly inclusive if you are happy staying on the compound and doing the beach and pools. Dh and I did go out shopping once. Only had to pay for stuff we purchased for that. We also paid an extra fee to take a snorkeling trip. That was well worth the money. Big pirate-like boat and lovely fishies. All food and drinks were included onsite. Hiking trips and other adventures off the hotel site were not included. We were happy to just laze about the hotel compound. Many of the activities at the hotel were included, but never available. There was always some reason they couldn't be done just at that moment. We were on island time after all... Finally figured out that actually meant that the people working there just sat in a chair and chilled out. Then, we stopped asking.

[Amira]

Here's my rather biased opinion of all-inclusives (and I'm trying very hard to temper my opinion here :)). If you want a lovely vacation somewhere on a beach, then an all-inclusive is an easy way to do that. You can just go and relax and have a great time. They take care of all the tricky parts. But if you want to see Costa Rica, then an all-inclusive probably isn't the best choice. All-inclusives are, to me, a rather limited experience and it sounds as if some of the things you want to do might not fit an all-inclusive.

 

I know a lot of people aren't comfortable going to another country and dealing with hotels, food, and transportation and I can understand that, but there is a wide gulf between an all-inclusive resort and an all-out adventure and you could probably find something in between those that worked for you. Do your homework before, find an affordable place on Airbnb or something like that from an English-speaking host, rent a car to get to the places you want to see, and you'd have plenty of money left over for different food options whether it's from restaurants, street stands, or the grocery store.

[Pam in CT]

Concur with Amira.  Costa Rica is extremely manageable, and its different parts (beaches, fincas, rafting, turtles (ah...), Monteverde cloud forest, volcanoes) are so very different it'd be a shame to just stay put.

 

If you want something in between a complete all-inclusive and complete DIY, or if you're wary about driving (the roads are pretty good except the one up to Monteverde, and the drivers aren't too crazy) you might consider using a service just to coordinate that bit.  When our extended family went a few years ago, we stayed here for just 4 (?) nights but used their network of transport services to get around from place to place for two weeks (I just called ahead and asked, and they arranged it).  If we go again, we'll rent a car, though.