-
TUG started 32 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!
Read about our 32nd anniversary: Happy 32nd Birthday TUG! -
TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!
All subscribers auto-entered to win all free TUG membership giveaways!
Visit TUG on Youtube! -
TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $24,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!
Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $24 Million dollars -
Wish you could meet up with other TUG members? Well look no further as this annual event has been going on for years in Orlando! How to Attend the TUG January Get-Together!
-
Now through the end of the year you can join or renew your TUG membership at the lowest price ever offered! Learn More!
-
Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!
Tens of thousands of subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners! -
Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!
All T-shirt options here!
Question about optional all inclusives in Mexico
- Thread starter Shabang
- Start date
You simply pay cash for meals/drinks either at the resort or elsewhere. That's how you get better meals at locally owned establishments and support the local economy.
You will probably get recommendations either from the reviews or by checking the Mexico forum stickies by resort location.
Of course some resorts make it a PITA to leave the resort and get groceries, visit a liquor store or get to restaurants.
Where are you contemplating going?
You will probably get recommendations either from the reviews or by checking the Mexico forum stickies by resort location.
Of course some resorts make it a PITA to leave the resort and get groceries, visit a liquor store or get to restaurants.
Where are you contemplating going?
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2008
- Messages
- 16,468
- Reaction score
- 5,024
- Location
- Maryland
- Resorts Owned
- A few in S and VA, a single resort in NC, MD, PA, and UT, plus Jamaica and the Bahamas
I stayed in one AI optional when I was younger and if you didn't purchase the AI then you could get no food or drinks on site. You either had the bracelet and they served you or you had to eat and drink elsewhere. There was no kitchen, only a mini fridge and coffee maker. They didn't even have a microwave.
What part of Mexico are you looking at. Villa Del Palmar and Arco properties in Cabo and Puerta Vallarta have optional AI and if you don't use it then you are charged to room for what you order.
The Royal Cancun (in Cancun
) has an optional AI for exchangers. I think it is $99 per day. If anyone in the unit has it then everyone has to take it. At a minimum it needs to be taken for 4 days in a row and may even be the whole week, not sure on that. Units otherwise have full kitchens, nice grocery recently opened nearby, resort's restaurants then a la carte if not AI.
) has an optional AI for exchangers. I think it is $99 per day. If anyone in the unit has it then everyone has to take it. At a minimum it needs to be taken for 4 days in a row and may even be the whole week, not sure on that. Units otherwise have full kitchens, nice grocery recently opened nearby, resort's restaurants then a la carte if not AI.I prefer to stay at small boutique hotels in Mexico. First, they have centralized locations (AI's tend to be out of the way). Second, eating out is one of the pleasures of going on vacation. If you leave your AI resort to eat out you are paying for what you don't use so there is no incentive to leave. Maybe other people want to spend their entire vacation at one resort but I like to get around. I pay for what I eat, where I want to eat, when I want to eat it.
Although the Grand Mayans have nice accomodations and no AI required they are one of those resorts that make it hard to leave. (Quite a walk to find your way off the property because of fences, etc.) They also are not walkable to town where the majority of good restaurants are.
Although the Grand Mayans have nice accomodations and no AI required they are one of those resorts that make it hard to leave. (Quite a walk to find your way off the property because of fences, etc.) They also are not walkable to town where the majority of good restaurants are.
Karen G
Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2004
- Messages
- 9,470
- Reaction score
- 1,988
- Location
- Henderson, NV
- Resorts Owned
- Once owned these: FirstFairway@Walden X 2; Lawai Beach; ManhattanClub; PuebloBonitoRose; 4 South Africa--now timeshare-free
The three Pueblo Bonito resorts in Cabo are optional AI. The two on Medano Beach (PB Rose and PB Los Cabos next door) are within easy walking distance of town. The PB Sunset Beach has a free shuttle to the other two.
Pretty much same deal in Mazatlan. Tons of restaurants near P.B. Maz, and Emerald Bay has a free shuttle to the 'in-town' location. There are also good local restaurants a 50 peso ($3) taxi ride from Emerald Bay if you don't want to patronize the on-site restaurants.
Jim
Mr. Vker
Guest
I like the AI in Cabo. Just for the alcohol, breakfast and lunch honestly. Very easy to exceed the AI cost drinking by the pool, breakfast buffets-which I find to be very good and lunch. Sometimes we will eat out anyway for dinner.
We did AI at PB SB Cabo and it was great. There was just 2 of us, but I found a special which brought it down to $60 per person per day. Sure, we could eat cheaper than that, but the time savings and convenience was phenomenal. Wrist band valid at the 2 Medano Beach properties to. Best vacation decision I've ever made as I have never sat on the beach and had drinks and snacks brought to me and not have to pony up.
PB's have onsite restaurants and PBSB has a little store/deli. If you plan to "eat in" be sure you know how much of a kitchen you will have. We had microwave and fridge but I don't think we had a cooktop.
I would consider fetching groceries to be a non-issue. Take a cab if you need to. It's not a big thing.
PB's have onsite restaurants and PBSB has a little store/deli. If you plan to "eat in" be sure you know how much of a kitchen you will have. We had microwave and fridge but I don't think we had a cooktop.
I would consider fetching groceries to be a non-issue. Take a cab if you need to. It's not a big thing.
I booked an all inclusive optional in cancun and decided to try the buffet one night. I asked at the podium how to go about getting the buffet just for one night and the guy at the podium gave me a price much below the price if you paid inside. It was quite a bargain, they even supplied me with drinks-even though I only had two. I did this just a few times, as all you can eat buffets just are not appealing at any price. I rather go out to a restaurant, or cook in the room if they have a kitchen.
Did you get a bill for the buffet or was it more of a tip?
Very easy for the guy at the podium making good tips by allowing people to enter who do not have AI.
Pretty sure it was a tip and the guy at the podium included all the servers in on it as I've never had the type of service I had that night. I paid the guy before we sat down and the wait staff was there with things before I even knew that I needed them. They were bringing me "special drinks" from the bar, entertaining my grandson (almost 3 at the time), giving my daughter and myself a welcome break from dining out with a 3 year old. The staff was great to us for the rest of our stay, even though we only did the buffet one additional night. Every time we would pass by any of the staff that was on duty that night, they took time to speak to us and ask us if we needed anything. We were treated better than the band people, I am sure because they knew we "tipped" well.