Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a snob. I won’t do all inclusive. I like to stay in small locally owned hotels and venture out.

Same. Except I'll even do a Fairfield Inn if the need arises. But I like to explore, and staying on a resort for a week just seems...artificial.

When we did break down and go to Tulum (Chichen Itza is worth a trip, it's pretty spectacular. Private tours gets you in early which is nice and not crowded) we rented a house that was on the compound of a large all inclusive. Had access to their amenties but since we had a car we didn't really use it much. I agree about how artifical it seems, even right down to a small shopping "village".

Anonymous wrote:Until I started perusing DCUM regularly, I didn't realize some folks had such disdain for all-inclusive resorts. We're just back from a luxury one in Mexico and it was terrific: good food, great service, and very well-behaved and friendly guests. We stayed in the adults-only part of a larger complex, which gave us peace and quiet. I suppose some AI places are pretty downscale, with party atmospheres, but not all. The freedom of never once thinking about prices or opening our wallets was wonderful. We don't even drink much, and we still feel we got our money's worth.

Which one was it??

DCUM looks down on almost everything. And many posters here are generally miserable. Do what you enjoy OP.

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of DCUM "snobbery" about travel to Mexico in general. This is a combination of rich white people racism and folks on this board being wealthier and/or better-traveled than your average American.

I've lived here almost 30 years. It takes a lot to impress the average DC area person when you're bragging about vacations.

I don't take people discussing vacations as "snobby" though, I enjoy hearing about people's experiences even if they can afford more than me. But I also have self-confidence and DGAF what others think which is clearly not something OP has mastered.

WTF. How exactly is that?

Anonymous wrote:I always went to all-inclusives as a child, because my parents were too busy to plan trips by themselves (and it was harder pre-internet). But they were not luxurious - just Club Med stuff around the Mediterranean. Usually it was fine. One time we had rats scampering about in our room in Greece and the gardener came in and, with unerring accuracy (you could tell he did this every day), broke their skulls with the side of his rake. I will never forget it.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a snob. I won’t do all inclusive. I like to stay in small locally owned hotels and venture out.

Same. Except I'll even do a Fairfield Inn if the need arises. But I like to explore, and staying on a resort for a week just seems...artificial.

Anonymous wrote:I always went to all-inclusives as a child, because my parents were too busy to plan trips by themselves (and it was harder pre-internet). But they were not luxurious - just Club Med stuff around the Mediterranean. Usually it was fine. One time we had rats scampering about in our room in Greece and the gardener came in and, with unerring accuracy (you could tell he did this every day), broke their skulls with the side of his rake. I will never forget it.

That sounds memorable!

I always went to all-inclusives as a child, because my parents were too busy to plan trips by themselves (and it was harder pre-internet). But they were not luxurious - just Club Med stuff around the Mediterranean. Usually it was fine. One time we had rats scampering about in our room in Greece and the gardener came in and, with unerring accuracy (you could tell he did this every day), broke their skulls with the side of his rake. I will never forget it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of DCUM "snobbery" about travel to Mexico in general. This is a combination of rich white people racism and folks on this board being wealthier and/or better-traveled than your average American.

I've lived here almost 30 years. It takes a lot to impress the average DC area person when you're bragging about vacations.

I don't take people discussing vacations as "snobby" though, I enjoy hearing about people's experiences even if they can afford more than me. But I also have self-confidence and DGAF what others think which is clearly not something OP has mastered.

It's not snobby to not want to go to a dangerous place. People get gunned down on the beaches. No thanks. There is a reason why Mexico is cheap.

Bingo. (And No need to cloak all disagreements in racism other pp)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of DCUM "snobbery" about travel to Mexico in general. This is a combination of rich white people racism and folks on this board being wealthier and/or better-traveled than your average American.

I've lived here almost 30 years. It takes a lot to impress the average DC area person when you're bragging about vacations.

I don't take people discussing vacations as "snobby" though, I enjoy hearing about people's experiences even if they can afford more than me. But I also have self-confidence and DGAF what others think which is clearly not something OP has mastered.

You've misunderstood me--I don't really discuss my vacations with anyone unless we're traveling together. Nor do I post on social media. DH and I have found an AI that we really like, and when searching for threads on it on DCUM I saw that many DCUM users apparently feel that they are too good to go to AIs, period. That's not going to stop us from enjoying ours; however, the general level of snobbery was somewhat surprising. I can only assume they haven't visited our favorite place.

I guess I'm not sure I understand why you care what anyone on DCUM thinks about a vacation that you enjoy. I don't go to all inclusives myself but that's not because I think they're low class or anything - it's because I am terrible at relaxing. So they are just wasted on me.

I live in a state that's constantly denigrated on this board. I don't care (though I do sort of judge the people who say such dumb things).

Be glad you had a nice trip! We could all use a good vacation.

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes I travel, sometimes I take a vacation. For me they are not the same thing. If I go to an AI or Disney that's a vacation. Meals and activities are onsite and I don't have to think much at all.
Travel is trying new things, doing research, taking more risks. I like both and think they are all valid, good uses of money and time.

I am the poster from above with the AI-hating spouse and this is a perfect explanation -- I'm going to use it with my DH. It perfectly encapsulates why I sometimes like to book a trip to a resort even though, yes, the food will likely be mediocre and the experience will be somewhat generic. I just want to sit by a pool and read a book and have someone bring me a drink when I want it. And I want a kid's club so I get an actual break from the kids and to just have nowhere I have to be and no schedule I need to keep.

I also kind of love the cheesiness of resorts sometimes, like when they'll host an ice cream social in the lobby on Friday afternoon or something. Kids love this stuff and there is something very retro about it that I do too. Who doesn't enjoy a sundae bar? Or being able to order some ridiculous drink at the bar just because (at AI resorts I will order stuff like mudslides or piña coladas that I would normally never have because when in Rome...).

I am in a mixed marriage where I like all-inclusive now and again but my DH looks down his nose at it.

I've talked him into it occasionally. I think with kids and as he gets older, he better understands the appeal of just booking a resort and then not having to do any further planning. He'll still make little comments though. I've learned we can't do a whole week at an AI resort. 5 days is his absolute max, and 3/4 is pretty ideal because with that he doesn't get sick of the food and will actually enjoy the pools and service and the ease of not needing a car or to plan our days much.

Sometimes I'll attach an AI trip to a couple days in a city for exploring. So like tack 2 days in Mexico City onto a trip to a Mexican resort. That way we all get what we want. If you do this, do the city visit after the resort when it will feel like a relief to get to eat wherever you want. Otherwise if the food at the resort is only so-so or kind of narrow, you will spend the time at the resort with the AI-hater complaining that if you were still in the city, you could be going out to any of a bunch of great restaurants.

The economics of an all inclusive resort, encourage the owners to use the least expensive food and alcohol that they can reasonably get away with. That doesn’t mean the food or alcohol will be bad, but it doesn’t allow for some people who may want better to be able to pay more to get it.

Sometimes I travel, sometimes I take a vacation. For me they are not the same thing. If I go to an AI or Disney that's a vacation. Meals and activities are onsite and I don't have to think much at all.
Travel is trying new things, doing research, taking more risks. I like both and think they are all valid, good uses of money and time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a lot of DCUM "snobbery" about travel to Mexico in general. This is a combination of rich white people racism and folks on this board being wealthier and/or better-traveled than your average American.

I've lived here almost 30 years. It takes a lot to impress the average DC area person when you're bragging about vacations.

I don't take people discussing vacations as "snobby" though, I enjoy hearing about people's experiences even if they can afford more than me. But I also have self-confidence and DGAF what others think which is clearly not something OP has mastered.

You've misunderstood me--I don't really discuss my vacations with anyone unless we're traveling together. Nor do I post on social media. DH and I have found an AI that we really like, and when searching for threads on it on DCUM I saw that many DCUM users apparently feel that they are too good to go to AIs, period. That's not going to stop us from enjoying ours; however, the general level of snobbery was somewhat surprising. I can only assume they haven't visited our favorite place.

Is it snobbery or merely preference? There are several things I prefer not to do on my vacation. I’m sure the next person would disagree with my list and have their own preferences.

As for AIs, I’m not interested in eating at the resort and we’re not big drinkers. I also am too restless and will probably just be there to sleep. An AI might not work for us. But, we always say we’ll try one someday so share your rec.