Holidaymakers often wonder whether the allure of all-inclusive deals actually adds up financially compared to a “pay as you go” approach, which might leave more pounds in their pocket. Adventurous YouTuber Ed Chapman set out on a calculated quest at an all-inclusive resort in Turkey to determine if he could come out ahead money-wise.
He kept a close tally of his consumption during his holiday to see if he could make the experience ‘profitable’. Ed didn’t start seeing a return on his investment until day five of his getaway, leading to his conclusion that all-inclusive holidays particularly benefit those who appreciate a regular tipple.
Shelling out £965 for his TUI sojourn, Ed began his cost analysis by deducting: “We need to knock off about £165 for the return flights to Turkey with checked luggage and then maybe like another £500 for five nights in the hotel. That leaves us with roughly £300 paid for the ‘all inclusiveness’.”
With enthusiasm, he jumped into his gastronomic adventure, enjoying a sandwich and the first of many strawberry daiquiris. His unique exploits also included attending a silent disco where he observed guests dancing independently to distinct tunes, reports Edinburgh Live.
Sharing his impressions of the unusual entertainment setup where three DJs played different tracks, Ed noted: “You can change between the different channels …just weird to be trying to dance just dance with yourself. This is the first time I’ve ever done a resort holiday by myself, so this is going to obviously be a bit weird for us all.”
Ed discovered his budget stretched quite comfortably at the Turkish resort, beginning his days with a Turkish-inspired breakfast before lounging by one of the numerous pools, as reported by BirminghamLive.
He noted what he considered an advantage of the hotel: “One thing I do like about this hotel is that there’s no wristbands or anything like that. Sometimes, in these places, you get really annoying wristbands that are fiddly and scratchy, but there’s nothing like that here. They don’t even ask your name at breakfast or at dinner or anything, so you could in theory just waltz in [and eat what you like].”
Sticking to the rules didn’t stop Ed from getting the most out of his £300 allowance, as he popped by the bar for drinks and nibbles, and indulged in the gym and spa facilities, which came with a modest extra fee of £15 for the entire week.
With the thermometer consistently reading around 27C, except during a brief thunderstorm, Ed took full advantage of the swimming pools and even the water slide.
By the fifth day, Ed had exhausted his initial £300 budget, yet he continued to savour his lunches and toast to the good life, all thanks to the all-inclusive deal. Looking back, he valued the economy of the package, particularly for guests who enjoy more libations than himself.
Sharing his experience, he said: “We have managed to make a profit, and let’s face it I’m not a massive drinker. If you’re a bigger drinker than me and you had five, six seven or eight alcoholic drinks a day you could easily add another £150 onto that total.”
Ed expressed a different view on all-inclusive holidays, saying: “So, the reality is if you’ve got the money to be able to do all-inclusive, and you are somebody that drinks quite a lot it’s absolutely worth it. If you’re somebody that drinks not too much, like me, it’s still probably worth it if you’ve got the money.”
He described his own experience as “pretty decent actually.”