Anonymous wrote:Why haven’t you shared which place this is??

+1 share the AI

We did a bunch of nice AI trips with extended family when all our kids were young- they were great. Westin in Costa Rica, Riu Palace in Riviera Maya, Paradisus Playacar and others. We were vacationing more than exploring and it was so nice to not have to worry about logistics for 15 people. Also- so nice not to keep tabs on who spends what. Everyone got to do what they liked, the kids loved the activities, adults loved the beaches and the meals were excellent- multiple restaurants and very fresh food.

Because people like to feel superior and find anonymous message boards a great place to do so.

Personally, I sometimes loves traveling to places and staying off the beaten path, going to local restaurants and bars, and finding more authentic experiences.

AND ALSO I sometimes love turning off my brain that constantly has to be in planning and decision-making mode due to my job and parenting, sitting on a beach, not thinking about where to go to eat and how to get there, and just walking into a buffet to eat decent good and go back to my beach chair and lovely view and my book.

It is possible to like both these things. I don't judge people's choices.

Why haven’t you shared which place this is??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people like a very corporate, catered experience when they “travel”, and that is fine.

+1

If people like that, good for them! I enjoy chance encounters with locals in grocery stores and on the train, especially if I’m trying to speak their language. Other people would hate that, and that’s fine.

Oh FFS. I guarantee they don't enjoy it.

How do you know that, oh, great expert?

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.

Now that’s local flavor!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people like a very corporate, catered experience when they “travel”, and that is fine.

+1

If people like that, good for them! I enjoy chance encounters with locals in grocery stores and on the train, especially if I’m trying to speak their language. Other people would hate that, and that’s fine.

Oh FFS. I guarantee they don't enjoy it.

"trying to speak their language"
that is so cringe. I cringe.

We all cringe. Lol. Can you picture that pp, all full of themselves butchering the language while trying to talk to a local about the damn melons? Or trying to ask where the locals go out to eat? Ugh. So embarrassing. And they think they are so worldly, lol.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you brag about it on social media and then got all deflated when you found out it's kinda pathetic and low class?

...self awareness... try it

Nope, I don't post my vacations or much of anything on social media. Not sure why you'd jump to that conclusion, but I'm sure it's a you problem.

Then how did you get tipped off that your vaca was low class? You came on here and figured it out? Did I miss how you came to this conclusion that your idea of a holiday is just not good enough?

Yes, you missed it in the first sentence (“perusing DCUM”).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people like a very corporate, catered experience when they “travel”, and that is fine.

+1

If people like that, good for them! I enjoy chance encounters with locals in grocery stores and on the train, especially if I’m trying to speak their language. Other people would hate that, and that’s fine.

Oh FFS. I guarantee they don't enjoy it.

"trying to speak their language"
that is so cringe. I cringe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people like a very corporate, catered experience when they “travel”, and that is fine.

+1

If people like that, good for them! I enjoy chance encounters with locals in grocery stores and on the train, especially if I’m trying to speak their language. Other people would hate that, and that’s fine.

Oh FFS. I guarantee they don't enjoy it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Grand Velas, OP? Went to a wedding years ago at the Cancun location. When we looked it up, it was touted as essentially the ‘nicest’ of the All-Inclusive resorts. The alcohol tasted strange, the food was gross and there was sand in the sheets. If I’m a snob for paying top dollar at a regular five star resort so be it.

I'm sure this was the case at OP's resort too. They just don't know it.

I'm not the op, but I can sacrifice a bit on food quality occasionally if the rest of the trip is easy and relaxing. It can still be a great trip.

I live in NYC. I can be a snob when it comes to food and culture and experiences and all the rest. But also sometimes an easy vacation is called for, even if, god forbid, the chicken fingers are not piping hot and the drinks are watered down.

Anonymous wrote:Some people like a very corporate, catered experience when they “travel”, and that is fine.

+1

If people like that, good for them! I enjoy chance encounters with locals in grocery stores and on the train, especially if I’m trying to speak their language. Other people would hate that, and that’s fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you brag about it on social media and then got all deflated when you found out it's kinda pathetic and low class?

...self awareness... try it

Nope, I don't post my vacations or much of anything on social media. Not sure why you'd jump to that conclusion, but I'm sure it's a you problem.

Then how did you get tipped off that your vaca was low class? You came on here and figured it out? Did I miss how you came to this conclusion that your idea of a holiday is just not good enough?

If the AI is significantly cheaper and there are restaurant options that I would consider in all in. We’ve done an AI once and while the restaurant options were decent, we were limited by seating times/options. The buffet choices were unappealing most days so we’d grab a bite at the cafe but after awhile we were sick of those options as well. As for the alcohol it was mainly watered down or rail liquor or full of sugar. In all, I’d say my aversion to AI is that I want to custom order my food and explore different options. I don’t knock people who enjoy them however.

Anonymous wrote:Is it Grand Velas, OP? Went to a wedding years ago at the Cancun location. When we looked it up, it was touted as essentially the ‘nicest’ of the All-Inclusive resorts. The alcohol tasted strange, the food was gross and there was sand in the sheets. If I’m a snob for paying top dollar at a regular five star resort so be it.

I'm sure this was the case at OP's resort too. They just don't know it.