.......have you not considered going the d.i.y route ; a suitable apartment and flights can work out cheaper. The all-inclusive packages are not always the best, even at tempting prices - when the cost of eating out is quite reasonable, it can provide better value by making your own holiday arrangements.

I gave up on self-catering for exactly the same reason! By the time you've added on the under-occupancy supplements you end up paying not much less than AI, and then you still have buy all your meals, drinks, ice creams etc Have you thought about going DIY? A lot of privately-owned villas and apartments are priced quite reasonably (you pay for the apartment instead of 'per person') and you can sometimes get good bargains for flights.
The only other alternative is to go for budget half-board or B&B accomodation, which can often work out cheaper than self-catering, and find some nice restaurants to eat out with the money you've saved.

Thanks cyberspace,yes we have done half board but the kids always want to stay in the hotel and this is why we did allinclusive because we cant go anywhere and end up paying expensive hotel prices for drinks so decided to go allinc.But next year i want to do something for ME.But i still havnt got the heart to actually pay more for my holiday self catering than for allinc.

Nicole

san stefanos n.w we offer good clean comfortable budget cottages
1 minute from the beach. set in garden back from the road-with private rear patio area.

Nicole, DIY has to be a serious option. If you can get the flights you want at a decent price, the accomodation part is a "doddle". There are some great sites out there offering good deals, wintersunshineholidays being just one.

Best of luck, and keep us informed,

Robby

Hi, we know exactly where you are coming from!!! We stopped going AI for the same reasons. I think you have got to weigh it up - we have three children and by the time we paid under occupany supplements it was cheaper for us to go AI - and then eat out - we just used the places as a base and for drinks - however, the last couple of places we went to were miles from anywhere and we were stuck in the middle of nowhere (remember we have three children and very little choice!)!! My wife like Barcardi and coke, and considering she was being given local spirit and coke from a pump ie sugar and water - she wasn't surprised when it tasted NOTHING like the real thing!
We decided to buy our own place in Tenerife and go out in the winter months instead! It works out much cheaper (even after buying 5 seats on the plane) and you can eat where you like and drink out of your own fridge - the complex is opposite the Beverly Hills complex which has a kids club and the children have been allowed to join in (if they want too). Our kids are getting much older now and not into all that, the're just happy chilling out around the complex, sunbathing, watching a bit of telly or a dvd, playing on their playstation etc. So shop around you will be seriously surprised at what you can get for your money - if you buy your flights early enough you can get some great deals with Monarch (who fly from most major airports).
We have decided to BRAVE the summer months this year, and have three sets of friends and their families coming with us (who are all sick of being fed by AI and drinking drinks that don't even resemble the real thing!) So hopefully we will all make our own entertainment, have our home comforts and enjoy ourselves. We are off in three weeks time, so I will let you know......... Tommy!!!

http://www.royalpalm-tenerife.co.uk

hi. I have just booked a half board to cyprus as it was £56.00 cheeper per person than self catering..if the foods no good we havent lost anything

brian

look at flight prices then text etc. on http://www.ionian-gem.com

I know what you mean - it all depends on when and where you go I guess. As there is only two of us, once the under occupancy is added on, we've been quoted some ridiculous self catering prices over the years.

Last year we went to Kefalonia and intended to do DIY but going SC in a studio worked out at half the price. However just been to Tunisia HB in a hotel for a bargain price and we only spent £80 on lunches, drinks, phone calls and mini bar over the week. In the past it's also been cheaper for us to go B&B in a hotel than SC.

If there a few of you a villa could be the answer.