August 12, 2026, 12:56 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

Among the numerous unsolicited mailings that land in my mailbox every day are often travel brochures. These advertise tours to exotic destinations, the world’s most beautiful train journeys, and occasionally all-inclusive vacations. I regularly wonder which marketing geniuses think a picture of a massive, completely faceless hotel block is the right advertising image for such an offer. Yet it seems to work, as all-inclusive trips are booming. Personally, after a few experiences with the concept, I’ve decided I would never book it again.

First of all, as I’ve already hinted, an all-inclusive vacation usually takes place in an absolutely dreadful location. A block of a hotel, ideally located near the coast of a destination, with more gray giants of this kind lined up, all offering the same package. The resort centers around a massive pool area, so no one has to walk the few steps to the usually nearby sea. Thanks to all-inclusive, the goal is to consume and spend as much time on-site as possible. The crowds that populate such a destination, especially during peak season, are an absolute horror to me.

Reckless Behavior

Now, I may be an extreme case in the other direction, but today I prefer the solitude of nature over the hustle and bustle of an all-inclusive vacation. The fewer people I encounter during a stay, the more I feel at peace and can truly relax. Of course, in the evenings, I sometimes enjoy pleasant company, but I choose it myself. On an all-inclusive trip, however, you’re simply–depending on how much you’ve paid–equipped with a colored wristband and herded with other vacationers into the pen, meaning the pool area.

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I see little appeal in vacationing at a hotel where, jokingly, you have to undertake entire hikes to get from point A to point B due to its size. And where you probably have to send out a rescue team every time a child gets lost. Unfortunately, an all-inclusive vacation also brings out the worst in many people. Many seem to think that by paying, they’ve also earned the privilege to behave recklessly. The most notorious example is the shameless reserving of beach chairs or other spots with towels, even if they don’t use them all day.

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Bad Music

Unfortunately, bad behavior is sometimes encouraged by the availability of certain alcoholic beverages on the house. For many, one of the main attractions of an all-inclusive vacation seems to be the ability to drink for hours every day. Cliques form, meeting at a certain time, only interrupting their binge to drag themselves to meals in the restaurants. It’s most embarrassing when these people try to dance to the inevitable and incredibly bad music in the club disco late at night.

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For many, a main argument for an all-inclusive vacation is finally not having to cook themselves. Several restaurants usually offer an astonishing range of culinary delights, served in giant metal tubs. Everyone helps themselves to their heart’s content. The amounts you sometimes see on the plates, especially of older vacationers, are absolutely impressive, or rather frightening. Just like the behavior of forming long lines before the restaurants open, then storming the place as if they might run out of food.

Jostling at the Buffet

This may sound a bit snobbish, but I also don’t like the food itself. Where everything has to be produced quickly and in large quantities, there’s no room for real quality. Nothing is worse for me than a buffet where I have to be jostled and shoved by others who fear I might eat something they want. They don’t hesitate to grab with their hands when someone else has taken the utensils. Meanwhile, numerous noisy children run around, looking like they’ve bathed in the chocolate fountain. And their parents seem to think their offspring are a communal problem during an all-inclusive vacation, but certainly not theirs.

The most alarming aspect of the all-inclusive vacation concept for me is that it can easily rob travelers of the country they’re visiting. And I know what I’m talking about. I’ve tried the concept in both Tunisia and Egypt. And from both countries, I saw almost nothing, as I spent most of my time in the hotel. Vague memories of a water park and a crocodile farm. But that’s about it, and that’s a pretty sad conclusion after a week in a country. At least in Egypt, there was a reef in front of the hotel with an incredibly beautiful underwater world.

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With this text, I don’t intend to make a case against all-inclusive vacations as such. I understand well that for some people, it’s nice to not have to worry about anything for a week. Because everything is taken care of, from breakfast to dinner and childcare. And apparently, there are now concepts like All-inclusive Plus or even Ultra. These are aimed at a slightly more demanding and affluent type of vacationer. However, you won’t find me on such a vacation anymore. But if you’re ever on a hike and see someone early in the morning emerging from a sleeping bag in the middle of the forest, that’s me.