The all-inclusive vacation seems to be an easy getaway:  go online, pick a resort, click and off you go.  But is all-inclusive the best way to vacation?  Can you stand eating the same thing for breakfast for a week?  Do you want to have to fight with a 10-year-old to get the best spot on the beach?  The following guide looks at the pros and cons of heading south for the escape you've been dreaming of!

Food:  All-Inclusive

My primary concern with all-inclusive resorts is the availability, quality and choice when it comes to eating.  I love to eat and vacations are the perfect excuse to throw diets and food restrictions out the window.  Your holiday escape should be ready, set and let loose.  Can all-inclusive resorts provide the culinary experience you’ve been dreaming of?

Resorts tend to have three types of dining experiences:  buffet, snack-stops and a la carte restaurants.  It’s important to know what you get for your buck before you book. 

The buffet is great for breakfast.  You can get custom-made omelets and a variety of smoothies.  If you’re in the company of picky-eaters, the buffet can become troublesome.  If this is the only choice on the resort, chances are you’ll be sick of the same old fare after about the third day.  Also, most buffet restaurants tend to serve 'American' foods in a bid to make picky-eaters happy and make the experience feel 'like home' to tourists.

Snack carts and 24-hour pasta bars or grills are the perfect option for a quick lunch by the pool.  Look for variety and the operating hours of the snack carts before you book.

The a la carte menu is generally the best choice, but access can be severely restricted depending on the resort.  Often one meal per week at the a la carte restaurant with reservations is the minimum.  After that, you have to pay for additional a la carte meals, if you can get a seat for the evening meal.  Resorts with several a la carte restaurants and plenty of options (Japanese, Italian, Seafood, etc.) will keep bellies and palates happy.

Food:  Regular Vacation

On a traditional vacation, getting three nutritious, delicious and reasonably priced meals can become practically impossible if you have any other plans in mind for the day.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to research restaurants or your area of the city, as well as drive to and from your meals.  Then you’ll have to decide where to go to please everyone.  Also keep in mind that in parts of the world, operating hours may be very different than what you’re used to; calling ahead to book a table is highly recommended.

The other option is to cook in the vacation property’s kitchenette, which means grocery shopping is a must.  Cooking and grocery shopping doesn’t sound like much of a break!

Conclusion:  Although eating out is full of fun and there are fantastic little culinary finds the world over, it can’t beat the all-inclusive experience if you pick the right resort.

Drinks:  All-Inclusive

Along the same lines as food, all-inclusive resorts vary in this area.  Some resorts do not serve alcoholic drinks 24 hours a day, others only serve local alcohol instead of brand name and some charge extra for fancy drinks or imported beer.

Read the fine print before you book, so you know if you’ll be swimming up to the bar or waiting in line for another rum and coke.

Drinks:  Regular Vacation

On the traditional vacation, you’re going to pay for each and every drink, but you’ll get what you want and have the chance to try different varieties from local to imported.

Conclusion:  A connoisseur will likely be disappointed with resort offerings.  If you just want to relax with a Pina Colada in your hand, resort drinks will do just fine.

Safety:  All-Inclusive

Most resorts have a good safety rating.  Rooms have locks and often safety deposit boxes for your passport and money.  Resorts tend to have their own private beaches, which may or may not be patrolled by lifeguard staff.  Children are fairly safe on resort property, but that doesn’t mean you should leave your little ones by the pool while you have lunch with your partner.

Despite several recent resort safety concerns, including falls from balconies and wide-spread food poisoning, all-inclusive vacation properties take safety seriously.  Tourist dollars are very important to the local economy and they do their best to keep guests and their belongings safe.

Safety:  Regular Vacation

Staying safe on your self-serve vacation is always dependant on the vacationer.  A good hotel will provide a safe place to leave your belongings, money and passport, but after that, the traveller is on his or her own.

Driving depends on the skill of the rental car driver.  General safety depends on the country, your language skills and following basic traveller safety.  Public beaches are usually unmanned.

Conclusion:  If you want a vacation that thinks about safety for you, all-inclusive is the better bet.

The Score So Far

So far, all-inclusive getaways seem to be winning the battle.  A good meal, a bottomless drink and a safe place to relax sounds about right to me.  But what about entertainment, experiencing a new culture, meeting new and interesting people or all those other things that make a great vacation?  That's all in Part 2.