Ok friends! Today we are going to settle the age-old debate of Airbnb vs All-Inclusive for our next vacation once and for all! Well…maybe not, but we will help you make it a little easier to decide what is right for your vacation. 🏡vs.🏨
Table of Contents:
First, let’s talk about what each one does really well.
Airbnb Pros
I like to think of Airbnb as a home base 🏡for my urban adventures. I book an Airbnb or other vacation rental if I am going to be OUT AND ABOUT and I don’t plan on spending a ton of time in my room. An Airbnb really allows you to go and experience the local culture.
You can find them in just about every neighborhood in any city, instead of in a typical hotel zone. So if you traveled to a relatively small city, to see something specific, for a doctor appointment, or something like that, your chances of finding one close to where you need is very high.
You can find them with enough beds and bedrooms for everyone in your family. This is super handy when you are traveling with more than one family or even on something like a girls’ weekend. Everyone can split the cost of a big house and it ends up being a reasonable price per family.
Airbnb rentals can be VERY economical if you are traveling as a solo human and just need a bed to crash in. Cheap Airbnbs were the whole idea behind the founding after all – listings of places to couch surf for a great price!
It’s not only low-cost for solo travelers though! It can also be very economical for a family traveling. You can find them in just about every price range and every size, so if you are on a budget, you can book something at a low price per night, cook at home for some of your meals, and save a lot of money.
Airbnb often has a washer and dryer. That is GREAT when you have little kids or you are on a long trip with only a carry-on.
Airbnbs often have a full kitchen so that you can make your own food for breakfasts and lunches 🍳 to try to keep the costs down on your vacation.
A big Airbnb house has living and dining rooms for larger groups to congregate. If you are traveling with several families or on a girls’ (or guys’) trip, and you’ve booked a big house, it’s really fun to be able to sit in the living room and talk and laugh all night, or play a loud game of cards without having to worry about keeping the people above you awake.
One of my favorite things is that you can find an Airbnb that will allow you a truly unique experience – stay in a treehouse? Ok! Hobbit house? Yup! Those too! You can find almost any type of home on a vacation rental app and let your inner child run wild!
All-Inclusive Pros
I would book an all-inclusive if I were in need of serious rest and relaxation. Everything you need is typically on the property so there isn’t necessarily a reason to go traipsing through town all day every day. You can if you want – but you won’t starve if you don’t. Pick up the phone and get room service. Ahhhhh. So nice.
There is usually an all-inclusive resort in any popular beach destination you can think of: Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Punta Cana, Costa Rica, Mallorca, or even Tenerife. Truly, there are so many beautiful luxury hotel options all over the world.
All-inclusives typically have amazing pools and amenities 🏊♀️. So if you just want to sit by the pool and sip a drink with an umbrella in it, this is the place for you. Same if you have kids. They can play in the pool all day, and you can sit next to the pool with your frosty drink 🍹 and be happy as a clam.
All-inclusive resorts are often on phenomenal beaches with direct beach access. And they have beach chairs with umbrellas just waiting for you to claim your spot. 🏖️
There are all-inclusives in all sorts of price ranges – from luxury and mid-range to budget. And they include all of your food and (often) all of your drinks, so you don’t have to try to budget a separate line item for eating.
If you have children, many all-inclusives have a babysitting service, a kids club, and a lot of child friendly activities. That way you can spend some time with your lover (oh la la) while someone else watches the kids.
At an all-inclusive property, there are usually a lot of excursions or activities you can choose to do. They also have concierge services to hook you up with any activity your little heart desires. Spa day, snorkeling excursion, deep sea fishing, or swimming with dolphins🐬are all things that you can expect to find at an all-inclusive property.
Some may be included with your stay, but many are pay-to-play, so make sure to put some adventures (or massages) in the budget!
The part about the towels….
All-inclusive hotel rooms have UNLIMITED towels. Take a shower, get a new towel. Go swimming, get a new towel. Never have a damp towel, always have a fresh towel. This might be my main reason for loving an all-inclusive property.
You don’t know how much you will miss a fresh, dry, fluffy towel until the two towels at your Airbnb are all used up and you have to wait for the laundry to dry before you can go to the beach. Ask me how I know…
Next, let’s hit the cons. There’s not a ton for either option, and you can find stellar and not-so-stellar versions of each. Be sure to do your research and read reviews, there are a few things to consider before you book.
Airbnb Cons
The towels. …There she goes again with the towels…🙄
It really depends on the host, but for sure, there is not going to be nearly as many beautiful fluffy towels as a hotel. If you are not going to be in the water all day and all night, cool. Let’s say you are just traveling for a doctor appointment, no big deal. But if you are going to be playing in the water a lot, or going to the beach, make sure your Airbnb includes a washer and dryer. You can also message the host and see if you can request extra towels. I’m very passionate about this, they are one of my favorite things.
Sometimes the Airbnb cleaning fee can be really expensive. Be sure to check on your final price. Make sure it’s as economical as the price per night would lead you to believe. There are some that look reasonable, but after the fees, become very expensive.
Be sure you understand what you are getting.
My husband and I went on a little romantic getaway and I booked one that I could have SWORN from the description was supposed to be detached from the main family home. Well, it wasn’t. The bed was VERY SQUEAKY.😳 Every time you twitched a finger it sounded like it was going to fall apart. So our romantic night turned into a sleep-with-your-clothes-on and-binge-watch-Netflix kind of night. It’s just not super romantic when you can hear the host’s kids talking next to your room. I was very glad that was one of the short stays on our vacation.
All-Inclusive Cons
Your food is included in the cost. 🌮 I know this doesn’t SEEM like a con; but if you are a foodie, and you want to try all of the local cuisine, you may feel guilty spending money outside the resort for food.
A lot of resorts have food that is fine. But, it is usually not as good as the delicious local food that can be found outside the resort walls at local restaurants. If you plan to eat outside the property often, it may be worth finding out if your resort will allow you to pay for just the stay and not the food. Some will and some will not.
All-inclusive resorts have a lot of people staying in them. There is a lot of people in the pool, and a lot of people doing everything else with you. Some of us love people and don’t mind. Some of us do not want to be elbow to elbow with other people all the time. Introverts UNITE!
All-inclusive resorts are typically in a “hotel zone.” Again, this may not seem like a con, but generally speaking, the hotel zone has very “touristy” things to do, eat, and buy. And that might be ok for you (this is your vacation, after all!)! But, If you want to get a flavor of the real locale where you are staying, you may need to venture outside the hotel zone. Sometimes that can mean a pricey taxi/Uber ride to downtown.
All Inclusive resorts can also have pricey fees. You really need to read the fine print to see what is included.
Some include drinks, while others require you to purchase a drinks and spirits package. Some do not include all of the dining options, just the buffet or cafe. And others include an excursion or two, while some don’t include any. Some include babysitting or a kids club, some require payment for that service.
I have some friends who went to an all-inclusive expecting everything to be paid for. Then they got a bill of several thousand dollars at the end for drinks and activities. That would be a sad day at the beach. 😞🏖️
Recap!
So, did we decide? Airbnb vs All-Inclusive? To be honest, both options are great! They are just different. Each has pros and cons. Be sure to do some research and make sure that all of your boxes are ticked before you book. This is all about you and your point of view! And the answer may change from vacation to vacation. For each type of property you can typically find better pricing if you travel during a low or shoulder season as opposed to high season. Oftentimes, you also get better pricing if you are willing to travel to less popular destinations.
Figure out what is important to YOU so that you can spend your vacation your way. Don’t be afraid to call the property or contact the Airbnb hosts with questions before you plunk down all of your hard-earned money.
My last piece of advice is not to overthink it. You can spend daaayyyys in the rabbit hole that is Airbnb or TripAdvisor. Sometimes you just need to book it and then move on to planning the rest of your amazing vacation! Let me know about your favorite resort or Airbnb in the comments! ☺️
xoxo,
Morgz
Make sure to check out this post if you’re planning a getaway weekend in San Diego soon. 🥰
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