II/ All Inclusive Properties/ I hate it!!

[jp10558]

I think I must have missed something in the discussion - particularly the reason why your preference to have II not offer AI resorts should override the wishes of other people who are interested in AI resorts. Personally, I'm in favor of letting people have choices. If you don't like AI, then don't book AI. I don't like AI, and when I look at inventory in places such as MX, I discard the AI options.

I think if you read the rest, the actual request is to be able to filter them out of your results - like RCI can. That way you don't feel like you're wading through 80% AI in Mexico etc that you're not willing to pay for. It is very frustrating to see an exchange you expect to cost $250 and your week and then "oh, BTW it'll be $2,000 per person".

 

[davidvel]

Get a grip, Scoop. Snottiness like that is unbecoming a person of your character and sensibilities.

Certainly, what you describe exists. Maybe 20 or 25 years ago, there was a discussion involving AI at the (now) Vidanta resorts. One of the posters gushed about how much she loved the Vidanta resorts with AI, because it was like going to Mexico and feeling as if she was still in the US - with familiar food, everyone speaking English, great hospitality, and no funny smells.

On the other hand, I have a DS and DDIL, who are world travelers, who always make a point of being in the local culture, often doing couch surfing in places such as Istanbul, Cambodia, Tanzania, and Ghana. However, for one trip to Puerto Vallarta, they decided they wanted to do an AI just so they could kick back and relax for one week.

We visit some resorts in MX that have optional AI (which we never use). Viewing the food options there is an abundance of local food options. And lots of local aromas as well.

Character and sensible. That is a hoot!

 

[dioxide45]

Something else to consider. A lot of AI resorts only include food & drinks, while others include activities in their fees. I've only stayed at Sandals & Beaches. It has been almost 20 years, but I think they still include scuba diving, kayaking, golf, etc. If you dive or golf, an AI resort might actually be cheaper than timeshare + diving and golfing. Their drinks were not watered down. My mom rarely drinks asked if she could get some rum for the room. She was expecting a mini and they dropped off 750 ml bottle.

For the most part, non powered water sports are included. Things like snorkel gear, paddle board or kayaking, even those small catamarans. If you want to use things like Jet skis, then there is an additional fee. I would be surprised if scuba diving is included these days. Perhaps if you had your own gear.

 

[geist1223]

As a Member of a Mexican AI Resort (Royal Solaris) we always enjoy our week there. It is always week 1 of 3 to 4 weeks. Our other weeks are at Cabo Azul (next door) and Coral Baja. There are benefits to being a Member: paying a smaller daily fee (plus an additional discount if we pay "X" days jn advance), Members only Bars (Pool Side During the day and indoors at night) that stocks top shelf Liqour, Menu Items in the several Sit-down Restaurants that only Owners can Order, Personal Congiere that handles making Reservations, 1 free outside activity, Top Shelf Liqour in the Room, the large Palapa between the Pool and Beach is restricted to Members for Breakfast (anyone can eat lunch), a Surf and Turf Dinner one night, etc, etc.

Patti did not think she would enjoy AI. Our original Membership was a limited 3 year Membership. Patti discovered she enjoys AI for a week. When we converted to a regular Membership (30 year) we got Credit for every Penny we spent on the 3 year Membership. Also we converted during the large recession when many people were not traveling to Mexico and those that were were not spending much money so we got it at a very good price with no Maintenance Fees.

This is a very family oriented AI Timeshare with lots of activities for kids. In all of our years of going there we have only seen 1 person seriously drunk. It was the Maid of Honor the day before the Wedding. She face planted into the cement around the Pool. The Bartenders had actually cut her off but guys in the Party kept bringing her drinks. Talk about a pissed off Bride.

 

[ScoopKona]

One of the posters gushed about how much she loved the Vidanta resorts with AI, because it was like going to Mexico and feeling as if she was still in the US - with familiar food, everyone speaking English, great hospitality, and no funny smells.

Exactly. "I want Mexico's winter weather -- without Mexicans, their food, or especially their language." Even the best all-inclusives are cooking for the lowest-common-denominator visitors. And "best" is still going to be somewhere between decent and mediocre. They've already got their guests on the hook. As long as they don't poison any of them, they have no real incentive to do better.

The worst thing about all-inclusives is that it appeals to the tourist who doesn't want to think. They want a theme park. And what they really want to do is turn a region into their theme park -- where the resort employees are more like servants than hosts. Jamaica suffers from this more than most countries. "I want to go to Jamaica. But I heard it's bad to leave the resort."

And it never really occurs to them how badly they're being cheated by the all you can eat model. Most people see a $9.99 all you can eat buffet and think, "Wow, I'm going to put a hurting on those eggrolls and dumplings!"

It's a better idea to wonder how that place is turning a profit selling unlimited food for ten bucks. Yes, restaurants pay less for food than the public pays at supermarkets. But it's not THAT much less. As Tony Bourdain noted about discount sushi: At 7 a.m., the Korean and Chinese buyers, who've been sitting in local bars waiting for the market to be near closing, swoop down on the over-extended fishmonger and buy up what's left at rock-bottom prices," he wrote. "The next folks to arrive will be the cat-food people." That's the fish that ends up in your discounted spicy tuna roll.

 

[2rebecca]

Ahh, everything I heard (never gone, don't dive or golf) was food and drinks only. That seemed the implication from the RCI listings, but I didn't look that closely. Yes, I'm sure if you can make use of a lot of amenities you might find it a reasonable deal - much like people who go to all you can eat restaurants can get a deal if they eat a massive amount.

I don't have an RCI membership, but as far as I know, the II Resorts are food and drinks only. I just threw this info out there because the community usually suggests booking directly with the resort or via travel agents outside RCI & II. If you're going to do that, why not expand the search to include a more inclusive AI. I just paid $110 pp for 4HR paddle boarding excursion in Biscayne National Park, so maybe it would be worth the AI fee just for paddle boarding, glass bottom boat rides, & snorkeling. I got married at Beaches' Boscobel, so we splurged a little. Nowadays, I like to take budget-friendly timeshare vacations, but for folks with a higher budget who like "active" vacations, I can see the appeal of the AI's that include the activities.

For the most part, non powered water sports are included. Things like snorkel gear, paddle board or kayaking, even those small catamarans. If you want to use things like Jet skis, then there is an additional fee. I would be surprised if scuba diving is included these days. Perhaps if you had your own gear.

Fair point. I just checked Sanadal's website and scuba diving is still included. They still provide all the equipment, too. As long as you're a certified diver, they'll let you do 2 dives per day with 1 tank each or 1 dive with 2 tanks. For an additional fee, they offer a program to help you get certified. I was one dive short of getting my PADI certification when I went. The dive instructor was wonderful and helped my finish my last dive for my certification. Green fees are still included for golf. You have to tip the mandatory caddy, but it was that way 20 years ago.

 

[jp10558]

I don't have an RCI membership, but as far as I know, the II Resorts are food and drinks only. I just threw this info out there because the community usually suggests booking directly with the resort or via travel agents outside RCI & II. If you're going to do that, why not expand the search to include a more inclusive AI. I just paid $110 pp for 4HR paddle boarding excursion in Biscayne National Park, so maybe it would be worth the AI fee just for paddle boarding, glass bottom boat rides, & snorkeling. I got married at Beaches' Boscobel, so we splurged a little. Nowadays, I like to take budget-friendly timeshare vacations, but for folks with a higher budget who like "active" vacations, I can see the appeal of the AI's that include the activities.

I think for me the issue is just that the things I'd like to do wouldn't be included in an AI in most cases. In general though, like you said - but more bluntly - if you're doing 2x activities every day, drinking a number of drinks each day and eating the food 3-4 times a day, you might hit what I've seen in the AI fees and feel like you're getting value. In some ways, these would appeal to the cruise or tour taker.

From my POV if I'm doing a "more expensive" trip, I'm probably either going to theme parks or I'm going to cities where resorts usually aren't. And there's the rub with a lot of this IMHO in terms of value - if you're not doing a cheap TS vacation, why go to a substantially similar resort location vs cities or all the non-resort places you'd like to go? Spend the extra money on nice hotels or VRBO or whatever in places they're not building resorts and enjoy the museums, restaurants, shows and more?

From the perspective of someone on II - the AI never really make financial sense, not least because you can just book via an OTA and not eat an exchange or whatever. From a general perspective - I think the AI resorts much like retail TS sales mostly get people via advertising who don't think about it or do any research. Or the people with more money than time who aren't looking at if it's a value compared to alternatives.

 

[timeshare trader]

I am simply looking to spout off. I am so tired of a lot of the resorts, offered in the Caribbean/Mexico, with the mandatory "All Inclusive" feature. First the pricing of them is outrageous, and the inability to be able to opt out of them is ridiculous! I bought a timeshare to get away from the AI and to havre the ability to be able to get our own food/cook and enjoy the local spots if we wanted. Why is II going this way? Once again just pissed off about this and looking to vent! Thanks for listening!

All inclusive developers love timeshare exchangers as prospects. No maintenance fees, pay as you go, over the top service.... I do all inclusives occasionally but, there is a reason nearly every resort in Cancun, Punta Cana and Jamaica are al-inclusive. That is what sells. EP hotels in cancun, dominican and jamaica are majorly struggling.

 

[WorldT]

And it never really occurs to them how badly they're being cheated by the all you can eat model. Most people see a $9.99 all you can eat buffet and think, "Wow, I'm going to put a hurting on those eggrolls and dumplings!"

All you can eat for $9.99? I have not seen that in over a decade. Or were you just using a random number.

 

[TolmiePeak]

All-inclusive = "I'm ascared of Mexicans and I won't eat anything spicier than Velveeta on Wonder Bread."

There aren't too many places where all-inclusive makes less sense. Mexico has some of the best cuisine on the entire planet. Missing out on that in order to eat gabacho cruise-ship food is nuts.

Aren't the drunk Americans far more scary and annoying than the Mexicans?

 

[moonstone]

All you can it for $9.99? I have not seen that in over a decade. Or were you just using a random number.

Golden Corral seniors weekday lunch price was around that, or just over, last time we went.

~Diane

 

[ScoopKona]

All you can eat for $9.99? I have not seen that in over a decade. Or were you just using a random number.

As of two years ago, the lunch special at my mother in law's favorite AYCE in Las Vegas was ten bucks.

 

[ScoopKona]

Aren't the drunk Americans far more scary and annoying than the Mexicans?

Yes and yes.

But I think it's more fair to say the people who gravitate to all-inclusives (with exceptions for mobility/disability) are timid. All inclusive means no Spanish. No thinking. Nothing outside the tourist's comfort zone. Nicer weather than Ohio, and food which is basically "taco tuesday."

 

[dioxide45]

We're giving an all-inclusive a try this year. First time staying a week. We've done the one day resort pass kinda thing when on a cruise ship. I doubt the food will be anything spectacular, but we aren't big foodie people. I like tacos. I'm not looking for a Michelin Star experience.

 

[zentraveler]

We're giving an all-inclusive a try this year. First time staying a week. We've done the one day resort pass kinda thing when on a cruise ship. I doubt the food will be anything spectacular, but we aren't big foodie people. I like tacos. I'm not looking for a Michelin Star experience.

Which one? Do report back. They always seemed to be to be a huge amount of money for the amount of food I can eat. I am not someone who sees a buffet and goes nuts and I just don't eat that much but I hope this is one you can enjoy!

 

[dioxide45]

Which one? Do report back. They always seemed to be to be a huge amount of money for the amount of food I can eat. I am not someone who sees a buffet and goes nuts and I just don't eat that much but I hope this is one you can enjoy!

It's TRS Coral in Cancun. Though not in the Hotel Zone. We will be at the Westin Lagunamar the following week.

 

[timeshare trader]

I think if you read the rest, the actual request is to be able to filter them out of your results - like RCI can. That way you don't feel like you're wading through 80% AI in Mexico etc that you're not willing to pay for. It is very frustrating to see an exchange you expect to cost $250 and your week and then "oh, BTW it'll be $2,000 per person".

I have heard through good sources that Marriott is planning a good sized investment in the II digital structure. Their quarters have not been very promising let's see if they keep that commitment

 

[davidvel]

I have heard through good sources that Marriott is planning a good sized investment in the II digital structure. Their quarters have not been very promising let's see if they keep that commitment

If it is a rumor, it is not a "commitment." If not, what is your good source? MVC hasn't even invested in their own IT, I can't imagine they would be investing in II's.

 

[sponger76]

If it is a rumor, it is not a "commitment." If not, what is your good source? MVC hasn't even invested in their own IT, I can't imagine they would be investing in II's.

Well, technically MVW does own II. But I agree, I don't see them investing in II's IT platform until after fixing their core (MVC/Sheraton/Westin) timeshare IT platforms. Which so far they haven't been bothering to do .