Booking a tour to Egypt or Turkey almost never raises questions among tourists: all inclusive- a phrase familiar to everyone. But you can get confused if you see unfamiliar abbreviations next to the hotel name.
To prevent your vacation from being overshadowed by unpleasant surprises, we recommend that when choosing a tour you should always look at the type of food served in hotels.
A standard naming system has been adopted throughout the world. You may encounter the following options:
- without food;
- breakfast only;
- breakfast + dinner;
- Three meals a day;
- all inclusive.
And also many different variations of all these types of food in hotels. We have compiled the abbreviations into a small cheat sheet to make it easy for you to navigate.
Hotel stay only: what are the designations?
Planning early departures or late returns to the hotel or want to try local cuisine? Then your choice is a room without food - this is the most cheap option at the hotel.
If you see the following letter abbreviations in the hotel description, meals are not included in the price:
- OR (RO)
From English, all these designations can be translated as: “room only” or “price per room”.
You can order food separately or cook it yourself in the shared kitchen or in your room. If the hotel has such an opportunity, this is indicated additionally in the description and is designated by the abbreviation SC (self catering).
Explanation of food designations in hotels with breakfast
The mysterious letters BB mean bed and breakfast.
If you are not going to be in a hotel all day or are staying for one night, BB is an ideal choice. This is one of the most common categories in European cities where tourists come for excursions or walks. The cost of breakfast is included in the room price.
Breakfasts can be different:
| Name of breakfasts | Letter designation | What does breakfast include |
|---|---|---|
| English (aka American) breakfast | EB /AB = english (american) breakfast | Fried bacon or sausage, an egg dish (most often scrambled eggs, but sometimes an omelet), hot drinks (tea, coffee). Additional ingredients vary depending on the region (for example, toast), but eggs and bacon are always present in the English breakfast. |
| Continental breakfast | CB = continental breakfast | Croissants or mini buns, butter, jams and all sorts of additions to them, yogurt, a few pieces of cheese and sausage, hot drinks. The most common option in budget European hotels. |
| Buffet | BBF = buffet breakfast | A lot of different dishes are displayed nearby, you go to the table and put the food you like on your plate. Usually the choice of food is quite large: fruits, muesli, buns, cheese, sausage, boiled eggs, a variety of drinks, etc. |
What is boarding?
The slightly old-fashioned word board in the hotel business means meals two or three times a day. It’s easy to guess that the first, reduced option is half board, the second is full board.
This type of nutrition has its own designations and classifications:
Meals at all-inclusive hotels
The favorite type of food in hotels for many tourists - after all, you don’t have to worry about finding food and drinks for the entire vacation. The price includes three standard meals, a variety of snacks, barbecue, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
The decoding of the food designation in the all-inclusive system is very simple:
- ALL, AL, AL- all inclusive. This is everything listed above: three meals a day, snacks, alcohol, drinks, etc.
- UAI, UAL- ultra all inclusive - expanded selection of alcoholic drinks and dishes.
- ALL De Luxe/High Class/Royal Class/Superior- VIP service: in addition to full all inclusive meals, these packages include various services that are provided only by hotels of the highest class. This could include chocolate, ice cream, fruits and drinks in the room, free alcohol in the minibar, etc.
- Mini all inclusive- and this, on the contrary, is a stripped-down version. Something between full board and all inclusive, with a limited number of drinks.
Other categories of food in hotels
Some types of food serving are not so common, but they are also worth knowing about:
- Brunch dinner+ (breakfast leading into lunch) - often practiced in hotels on ski resorts. In addition to food, brunch includes drinks. And in some regions they also offer local low-alcohol drinks (wine or beer).
- A-la-carte- à la carte service in the hotel restaurant. Sometimes the price of a room may include several free visits to a restaurant, sometimes all meals are paid.
How to choose the right type of food at a hotel?
So, you have decided on your vacation plans. How to choose a suitable service so as not to overpay, but also not to waste a lot of time searching for food?
We have developed a small table for you with rest parameters and suitable food options. Check it out to make your vacation as comfortable as possible:
| Vacation plans | Without power | Breakfast | Half board or full board | All inclusive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch your figure or go on a diet | + | + | ||
| Do you want to go on many excursions or walk around the city? | + | + | + | |
| Do you want to get to know the local cuisine? | + | + | ||
| You have no dietary or budget restrictions | + | + | ||
| You don't like local cuisine | + | + | ||
| You don't want to worry about finding food and spending money at a restaurant | + | + |
Remember also some important points:
- ⭐ If comfort comes first for you, and your travel budget is unlimited, choose high-class all-inclusive programs - you will always have fresh fruits and drinks for every taste. This is especially important in exotic countries- after all, there is always a risk that the local cuisine will not be to your taste, but in luxury hotels they will serve food according to your wishes.
- ⭐ If you do not drink alcohol or have food restrictions, do not overpay for all inclusive - choose breakfast or half board, and the rest of the time cook yourself or test the local cuisine.
- ⭐ Don’t overestimate your strength - if your vacation consists of active walks, and you only come to the hotel late in the evening, don’t overpay for dinner. It is better to choose hotels that have their own restaurant or the ability to order food for an additional fee.
- ⭐ Do you like to sleep longer? Ask what time breakfast is served until. They usually last from 7 to 10 am (sometimes until 11). If you are not willing to sacrifice sleep for breakfast, choose other types of meals or have breakfast outside the hotel.
- ⭐ When choosing all inclusive, remember not only the advantages of this system in the form of comfort, but also the disadvantages: high cost and the risk of gaining extra pounds.
- ⭐ Half board or full board is an excellent choice for those who are not ready to overpay for “all inclusive”: you definitely won’t go hungry and will save money.
- ⭐ In some countries, for example in the UAE, visiting restaurants will cost much more than eating at a hotel. Therefore, choose HB, FB or all inclusive.
To avoid making a mistake in your choice, take a look at our instructions when choosing a tour. We wish you only comfortable and pleasant trips!
Especially if you are traveling to distant overseas countries, where you don’t particularly want to eat at local eateries. Any trip, business, tourist or recreational, implies the choice of a comfortable hotel. So that you don’t have a question about what NV power is, we suggest you take a closer look at the system.
All famous and not so famous hotels have special designations for rooms and meals. You are planning to vacation in an unfamiliar country, choose a hotel based on the stars, and then you come across a strange abbreviation next to the “Food” column: NV. The question is asked by thousands of tourists choosing a tour for the first time.
Types of food
Most often they are indicated in English (international) language or in an abbreviated version. All hotels adapt to generally accepted standards, so memorize the abbreviations in advance, and you will be able to navigate them as an avid traveler, and you will tell newcomers who want to go to a particular hotel what NV, BB food means.
BB, or Bed & Breakfast
Basically it translates to "bed and breakfast". It is understood that you will only be provided with a morning meal, which was initially included in the tour price. For the rest you must pay extra at the restaurant. Typically it is suggested Buffet. This means that you yourself come to a large set table on which dishes are laid out, and put them in the quantity you need.
The type of food, which involves only a morning meal and overnight stay, is most often found in European small hotels and small resort towns, and also in those places where the main emphasis is on sightseeing tourism. This is convenient if excursion program is scheduled for the whole day, that is, you leave the hotel early and return only late in the evening.
What's on offer for breakfast?
The food at the NV hotel is more complete, but if you want to save money, let’s take a closer look at the BB menu. These are a wide variety of sandwiches, stewed and fried vegetables, snacks on tartlets and unleavened bread, canapé sandwiches, fried pieces of meat or chicken wings, various salads and desserts. Also tea, water or coffee are free drinks. You will have to buy alcohol, cocktails and juices at your own expense. NV nutrition - what is it? You will read about this further.
HB (Half Board), FB and AL
If you don't like the idea of just breakfast and want to eat two meals a day, then you should consider a system called "Nutrition NV". "What is this?" - you ask. The abbreviation translates as "half board". You eat twice for free. Most often this includes only breakfast and dinner. Other hotels may offer breakfast and lunch, although this is not particularly encouraged. Hotels in the UAE offer to replace dinner with lunch.
Drinks are offered free of charge only in the morning. Usually this is coffee, tea and water. You will have to pay for drinks at lunch or dinner. If a bottle of alcohol is left unfinished, it is served the next day with the evening meal. What else is convenient when choosing the HB system? You don't have to pay for drinks every time. It's simple - you tell the waiter your room number, and the bill is provided after you check out of the hotel.
Who will like HB? Most often, this type of food is found in 3* or 4* hotels. This is ideal for travelers who come to relax for a short time, and will also appeal to those who prefer to go to a restaurant for lunch. If you spend all day on the beach and enjoy sunbathing, choose a hotel with HB meals. At lunchtime you can have something to eat on the beach, and you don’t really feel like eating at midday. A light salad in the afternoon or snacks, a glass of local beer will help save money and take care of your figure, because usually more hearty and satisfying dishes are served for lunch.
FB, AL - this is Full Board and we have already figured out what NV power and BB mean. Full Board - this includes a full three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Drinks offered for lunch or evening dinner are not included in the price.
All inclusive has the same meal plan as full board. That is, breakfast, lunch and dinner are given to you by the hotel for free. Additionally, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served, mainly from local producers. What NV, BB and AL food means is known, and you can choose your place of residence. But there is another category, more elite - UAL.
UAL or Ultra All Inclusive
Translated as "ultra all inclusive". This also includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Locally produced alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are also served with imported ones. Various free services may be provided at the discretion of the administration.
English and continental breakfast
After we have figured out what BB, NV, AL and UAL nutrition means, let's move on to traditional breakfasts. Some hotels may offer tourists English, American or Continental.
1. English breakfast. Made in the ancient traditions of England. A full set of dishes includes juice (orange or any other fruit), scrambled eggs with slices of ham (in some hotels an omelette is used instead), aromatic toast fried to a crisp. They come with butter and fruit jam. Drinks, of course, include tea or coffee.
2. Continental breakfast. More simple and modest than English. Serve a bun with butter or jam with coffee, juice or tea.
3. brought to the table different kinds sausages and cheeses (sliced), hot sausages, as well as scrambled eggs, coffee, tea, water or juice.
Meals at the resorts - BB, HB, FB, All Inclusive
“Healthy eating” is an important (and for many, the most important) component of a successful vacation. Alas, there are no standards that allow you to be sure that the chosen hotel will provide food to your heart's content, tasty and varied. Of course, any tourist today knows that most leave Turkish hotels having significantly improved, but the French are unlikely to give you such an opportunity. Although, in any case, the choice of dishes in a 5* hotel will obviously be higher than in a 3* hotel.
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Most often, types of food in hotels are designated in Latin letters (BB, HB, FB) - such abbreviations can be found both in the tour description and in the catalog where the hotels themselves are presented.
Ep, RO, BO, AO, OB (only bed)- without powerBB (bed end breakfast)- breakfast only (buffet)
Continental Breakfast - light breakfast consisting of coffee or tea, juice, buns, butter and jam
English breakfast - full breakfast, usually includes fruit juice, ham and eggs, toast, butter, jam, coffee and tea
American breakfast - analogue of a continental breakfast + various cuts (sausages, cheeses) and hot dishes (omelet, sausages)
HB (half board)- half board, breakfast and dinner (buffet), free tea, coffee, water for breakfast
HB+ (half board plus)- extended half board, breakfast and dinner (buffet). Locally produced alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
FB (full board)) - breakfast, lunch, dinner (buffet)
FB+ (full board plus)- full board, breakfast, lunch, dinner (buffet), and drinks during meals
Mini all inclusive- full board with local drinks not only during meals, but also in limited quantities throughout the day
AI (all inclusive)- all inclusive, breakfast, lunch, dinner (buffet), local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Also additional food
UAI (ultra All Inclusive)- meals throughout the day with a wide selection of dishes, including imported alcoholic drinks.
A la carte– a menu in which each dish is indicated with a price
Meals BB (Bed&Breakfast)
BB means the hotel only serves breakfast. Typically, this option is offered for sightseeing tours or business trips. Continental breakfast (usually this is what is served in 2*-3* hotels) is most often not rich, some thinly sliced sausage and cheese, a bagel with jam, a small package of yogurt, coffee. If it is a buffet (known throughout the world as a buffet), then vegetable and fruit salads, several types of pastries, and boiled eggs are added. In hotels high level You can already count on hot dishes of sausages and scrambled eggs. Juice, which is usually poured from a machine, is also required at breakfast, but it almost certainly turns out to be a highly diluted concentrate.
It is important to note that in a hotel of any level breakfast is included in the price of your stay and it is impossible to refuse it. Usually breakfast is served no later than 7 am, but if a tourist leaves for the airport or on an excursion earlier, then the receptionist must be informed about this - they will serve breakfast early (though without a hot dish) or give him a lunch bag with him.
Power supply NV (Half-Board)
HB - half board, that is, breakfast and dinner, is the most popular type of food in almost all resorts, with the exception of Turkey, which loves to “include everything”. Breakfast in this case is usually a traditional buffet; dinner can be a buffet and a salad bar with some choice of hot dishes according to the menu. Any drinks in this case are paid (this also applies to plain water, if it is brought not in a jug, but in glass bottles) and are not cheap. True, if you order a bottle of wine at dinner and it is not drunk entirely, then it is left for the next days. There is no need to pay for drinks each time, you just need to tell the waiter the room number, and upon departure the receptionist will issue an invoice for all days (which is recommended to be checked carefully!).
Power FB (Full-Board)
FB is full board (three meals a day). Lunch, like dinner, in this case can be either a buffet or à la carte, but in any case, drinks during the day and evening are again paid separately. Given the opportunity to choose between “half board” and “board”, tourists usually choose the first, since in Spain, Greece or Cyprus, finding a good tavern near the hotel even in high season is not a problem. Unfortunately, it is not possible to replace a hotel lunch with dinner or vice versa in all hotels, although hotels in the UAE provide a similar service.
Sistama AL (All Inclusive)
All Inclusive "all inclusive" - most common in Turkish resorts, in other countries it is much less common. In inexpensive hotels 2*-3* assumes the usual three meals a day with a standard choice of dishes and 1-2 bars that serve free tea and coffee throughout the day, mineral water, cola and local spirits.
The selection of local alcohol is the same everywhere: rakia grape vodka (in Turkish “crayfish”), which is drunk diluted with water, as a result of which it acquires a milky color, local cognac (konjak), a drink under strange name VoTka, dry red wine, in principle, is not bad, but without any “frills” and, of course, the national pride is Efes beer. Of course, in these hotels you can also order imported alcohol, but for an additional fee.
All other types of All Inclusive offered by Turkish hotels under the names “Ultra”, “Maximum”, “Imperial”, etc. provide almost round-the-clock food (and drinking, including imported alcohol). Tourists who find themselves in a Turkish “club” hotel can attend two consecutive breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and “late soup” after a disco during the day, and during the breaks enjoy sandwiches, pizza, ice cream and sweets.
The variety and choice of dishes here often exceed reasonable limits, the quality is excellent, especially since best hotels many dishes are prepared directly in front of you. If you wish, you can book a table in advance and spend the evening not at the general buffet, but in an Italian or Japanese restaurant located on the hotel premises. As for imported alcohol, the choice is usually limited to several types of whiskey, martinis, and gin. However, such hotels often warn that several types of elite alcohol (expensive cognacs, wines) are offered for an additional fee.
By the way, often in all-inclusive hotels you are asked to give the room number and sign on the receipt, even when ordering “free” alcohol. You shouldn’t be afraid of this; it’s just one of the forms of monitoring the work of waiters.
IN sightseeing tours when hotel accommodation is temporary, the following types are used:
- Continental Breakfast(Continental Breakfast) - light breakfast consisting of coffee or tea, juice, buns, butter and jam;
- English breakfast- full breakfast, usually includes juice, scrambled eggs, toast, butter, jam and coffee (tea);
- American breakfast- similar to a continental breakfast, includes a variety of cold cuts and hot dishes.
- "Buffet"- This is an organized free breakfast in many hotels around the world. It is included in the price of the room you occupy at the hotel.
this could be a fenced part of the restaurant, a special room. In the middle of the hall there is a table, which can be located along the wall of this room. Various foods are laid out on it: fruits, cottage cheese, juices, gastronomic snacks, hot dishes under a lid in special bowls, and packaged products in foil (butter, pates, jam, honey). And on a separate table or on the same table there are dishes and cutlery.
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Whatever one may say, “all inclusive” is a convenient type of vacation. I bought a tour - you can fly almost without money. They will feed you, give you something to drink, and take you to the hotel. Although the all inclusive system is different countries is different - and it happens that after the Turkish diversity, tourists are dissatisfied with the modest choice of “all inclusive” in Jordan.
Read and remember how all-inclusive works in different countries - now you will know exactly what to prepare for and will not be disappointed!
All inclusive in Greece
Nutrition. Healthy - a lot of fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits, which are delivered to hotels directly from the garden. Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers do not have time to turn into a sour salad - the waiters serve fresh dishes on time. The cuisine is mainly Greek. There is fish and meat. Hotels do not always have a buffet - most often it is a menu with a choice of 3-4 main courses. There is always something for vegans and vegetarians to enjoy. The higher the hotel category, the greater the choice of dishes.
In the most expensive Greek hotels (where the price starts from 250,000 rubles per tour) with all inclusive meals they offer a unique service. It's called dining out: you can dine at any local tavern outside the resort for free.
Animation. There are no noisy parties and daily entertainment by the pool. You can count on live music and shows on the weekends.
Additional services. Sun loungers and pools are free only if the hotel is located on the first line with a private beach. Spa treatments, massages, meals in a-la carte restaurants are rarely included in the all-inclusive price. You will have to pay extra for additional options - for example, for a children's potty (it is considered disposable). In Greece you will have to pay for everything that is done by hand in front of you.
Don’t take it - it’s better to have breakfast or half board, so as not to be tied to the hotel. But even if you only plan beach holiday, then it is better to eat in local taverns: local Greek cuisine is tasty, aromatic and inexpensive. During a week of rest, you can try many different dishes and never repeat them.
All inclusive in Turkey
Nutrition. In 90% of Turkish hotels there is a free buffet with salads, main courses, desserts, and appetizers. Locally produced alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price; you will have to pay extra for well-known brands of alcohol. Hot dishes - meat, fish, grilled sausages - are given out in portions, the rest can be taken at the common table. Drinks are provided by the bartender.
Some hotels have an “ultra all inclusive” system: this is a 24-hour service, meals at any time of the day, drinks foreign production. To correspond to this type, hotels must have several restaurants (including a la carte, all free), a large area, and heated swimming pools.
Animation. There is entertainment by the pool even in the most simple hotel 3*. These could be performances by dancers, a bartender show, juggling with torches, competitions for children and drunk adults, or a regular disco.
Additional services. 4-5* hotels may have water parks for children - visits are included in the tour price. Spa treatments usually cost extra. Sun beds and umbrellas on the beaches are most often paid.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Definitely yes. Nourishing, plentiful, tasty and economical. Yes, finding a tour to Turkey without all-inclusive is quite a quest.
All inclusive in Tunisia
Nutrition. Usually 3-4 meals a day, the restaurant is not open 24 hours a day. Hotels may have bars and a-la carte restaurants, where meals are not included in the price. The variety of dishes is not as great as in Turkey. Soft drinks are free, but you have to pay for alcohol. Some hotels in Tunisia use plastic cards instead of bracelets: drinks and meals are issued using barcodes, and there should be a break of 5-7 minutes between servings of alcohol.
Animation. Water aerobics in the pool, evening shows, children's club - free. Activities on the beach - jet ski, parachute, banana - for a fee.
Additional services. Thalasso, balneo and spa treatments are paid separately. Some hotels offer free steaming in the hammam. Sun loungers and umbrellas on the beach are free, but towels may be charged.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take. Eating outside hotels is usually more expensive. Plus, the variety of dishes on the Tunisian buffet is almost as good as the Turkish one.
All inclusive in Cyprus
Nutrition. Small selection of dishes, often drinks are not included in the price. The buffet is a lot of vegetables and meat (meatballs, kebabs, souvlaki and cutlets), but not enough fish. All fish dishes and seafood are prepared from frozen raw materials. There are also the ubiquitous snacks: French fries, burgers, nuggets. The choice of dishes is limited, every day they serve the same thing, changing 1-2 dishes.
Animation. If animation is announced, then it can be karaoke, discos, show programs and competitions by the pool, water aerobics - everything, like in Turkey.
Additional services. Drinks and food between meals, dry cleaning, and laundry are paid separately. Sun beds and umbrellas are usually paid for, because... The beaches are mostly municipal.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take it if you are on vacation with children and do not plan to travel around the island. Take half board if you don’t want to be tied to the hotel. The cost of eating outside hotels is expensive, but give it a try local dishes you'll still want some in taverns. So breakfast and dinner are ideal.
All inclusive in Bulgaria
Nutrition. A definite plus is that all inclusive is available here, the dishes are familiar to us. Eating at a hotel is 2-3 times cheaper than going to a cafe every day. IN standard hotel 4* you will be served seasonal vegetables and fruits, 2-3 fish and meat dishes, several types of soups, ice cream, pastries, pancakes. Almost everywhere there is a children's menu. Restaurants are not open 24 hours a day, but only for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Alcohol is most often paid for, drinks outside the restaurant too.
Animation. Entertainment in hotels in Bulgarian is water aerobics and exercises by the pool. In 4-5* hotels there are entertainment shows in the evenings.
Additional services. With all inclusive bracelets you will be admitted for free private beach hotels (although there are few of them - basically all the beaches are municipal). If the hotel is simpler, you will have to rent sunbeds and umbrellas for money. It can be uncomfortable on the sand with your own towel: the beach all the way to the sea is equipped with sunbeds, forcing you to pay rent.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take. Restaurants and cafes on Sunny Beach and Golden Sands are expensive, all-inclusive always pays off. Even if you don’t plan to stay in a hotel, he recommends “half board” - it will still be cheaper.
All inclusive in Jordan
Nutrition. Red Sea, 5* hotels, all inclusive - sounds very similar to Egypt. But no: this country is completely different, especially when it comes to food and service. In Aqaba hotels, the buffet system has a good selection of dishes: yoghurts, casseroles, omelettes, sliced cheeses, sausages and vegetables, rice, potatoes, pasta, several meat and fish dishes. Chicken is the most popular meat. The most delicious desserts are fruit jelly and local halva. There is little fruit.
Keep in mind: Most hotels do not include drinks in the tour price. You will have to pay for juices, drinking water, alcohol. But you can fill your bottle with free water from the cooler.
Animation. There are practically no show programs, karaoke, or competitions. In the evenings in 4* and 5* hotels you will only be entertained by live music.
Additional services. It is uncomfortable to swim on the municipal beaches of Jordan - they are, after all, for locals. Therefore, almost all hotels organize transfers to private beaches (Tala Bay). There you will have to pay for umbrellas and sunbeds, unless you live on the first line of the beach.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take. If only because the tourism infrastructure has not yet been developed, it is problematic to eat in local cafes outside hotels.
All inclusive in Israel
Nutrition. As a rule, all inclusive means 3 meals a day, drinks at the bar are included in the price. The choice of dishes is usually large, but hotels don’t offer anything special to try - standard cereals, pasta, potatoes and several types of meat (mainly chicken and turkey). There are almost no fish. Lots of dairy products and yoghurts. Delicious desserts You won’t find it in a standard Israeli hotel - except maybe fruit. Drinks usually include liqueurs, beer, and packaged juices. Tourists are advised to take tea bags with them - there are problems with this.
Animation. Mainly designed for children. For adults there may be discos and music in the evenings.
Additional services. If the hotel has a private beach, then sunbeds and umbrellas on it are free. If not, you will have to pay. But no one is stopping you from lying down on your towel right on the sand.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take it only if you are traveling with children. Don’t take it if you don’t have children and plan to go for a walk - in Eilat, Netanya, Tel Aviv there are many inexpensive cafes and street stalls with high-quality fast food. Catering on your own will be cheaper than at a hotel. Tastier and more varied.
All inclusive in the UAE
Nutrition. All inclusive in Arabic is a high-level service. Starched tablecloths, portioned dishes, drinks served in beautiful glasses. The amount of alcohol is usually limited. The waiters may well refuse another portion if they think you’ve already had enough. Local drinks are included in the price, imported drinks are paid separately.
Restaurants are only open for breakfast, lunch and dinner - there is no 24-hour food service here. If you need a snack during the day, then only for money. There is a large selection of dishes, but you will have to pay separately for delicacies (like lobster).
Animation. It practically never happens.
Additional services. UAE hotels often include free use of bicycles, boats, canoes, and sauna in their all inclusive package. You will have to pay for sun loungers on the beaches if the hotel is not on the first line.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take it in all emirates except Dubai - there you can eat more varied and cheaper food in street cafes.
All inclusive in Spain
Nutrition. In European resort cities, hotel all inclusive is similar to Turkish - a buffet with a large selection of dishes. Lots of fresh vegetables, fish, seafood, meat dishes. Vegetables are cut separately, sauces are placed separately - so that you can assemble your own salad. Ice cream, pastries, cakes, jelly - a wide variety of desserts. All local drinks are free while the bar is open. Food and drinks cannot be taken out of the restaurant.
note: There is a significant difference between FB and ALL food in Spain. With full board, drinks are served free of charge only at breakfast, and during lunch and dinner you will have to pay. You cannot bring drinks into the restaurant, and the price for them in the hotel is raised 2-3 times.
Animation. There is practically no such event, except for discos and live music.
Additional services. Sun beds and umbrellas are free only on private beaches; on municipal beaches you will have to pay.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Take it to Mallorca and Tenerife - eating in local cafes there will be more expensive. On the Catalan coast you can easily get by with breakfast or half board. There are plenty of affordable cafes here serving mouth-watering local tapas, paella, fresh seafood and sangria - definitely worth a try!
All inclusive in Cuba and the Dominican Republic
Nutrition. Shrimp, crabs, mussels, fish of all kinds, grilled meat, fresh salads that are prepared in front of you and tropical fruits - all this is all inclusive in the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Local rum, several types of imported drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails are included in the price. In 2-3* hotels there is a small selection of meat, but there is always seafood. If you are leaving on an excursion, you can ask the hotel for a packed lunch with sandwiches. Most often, food is available around the clock.
Animation. In Cuba there are discos, show programs, sports activities, and beach bars. In the Dominican Republic there is live music and exercise in the morning. The higher the star rating of the hotel, the more entertainment.
Additional services. Typically, the price of your stay includes the use of equipment for water activities - canoes, boats, catamarans, fishing rods, snorkeling masks. Sun beds and umbrellas on private beaches are free. Towels are provided as a deposit.
To take or not to take all inclusive?
Definitely take it! Eating out is more expensive, but the quality of the food is about the same.
"All inclusive" is a convenient system when you travel with children. Less costs, less risk, less whims. If during your trip you plan to go on excursions and spend a minimum of time at the hotel, choose half board.
In Asia, India, Indonesia, it is better to do without meals at the hotel or take only breakfast: it is cheap, tasty and interesting to eat on the street to get acquainted with the local culture. And in some countries, for example, in the Seychelles, all inclusive is generally prohibited at the legislative level. So the government wants tourists to explore the country more and get out of hotels more often.
