Man goes on £965 TUI all-inclusive holiday to Turkey and issues one warning
A YouTuber wanting to know if all-inclusive holidays are worth the money shelled out £965 on a TUI trip to Turkey to find out – and came to one big realisation
by Michael Moran · Birmingham LiveAn all-inclusive holiday may seem like an attractive choice, but it's difficult to determine if you could have saved a bit by opting for a "pay as you go" vacation and ended up with more in your pocket.
Ed Chapman, a YouTuber, decided to put this theory to the test. He booked himself into an all-inclusive resort in Turkey and kept a running tally of everything he consumed to see if he could make his trip "profitable".
It was only on the fifth day of his five-day getaway that Ed managed to make a "turn a profit" from the deal. And he ended up believing you can only get the best value on such trips if you enjoy a tipple.
Ed shelled out £965 for his TUI holiday. He immediately made a few deductions from the total and explained: "We need to knock off about £165 for the return flights to Turkey with checked luggage and then maybe like another £500 for five nights in the hotel. That leaves us with roughly £300 paid for the 'all inclusiveness'."
He dove headfirst into his challenge, grabbing a sandwich and the first of many strawberry daiquiris. He then found himself at a silent disco where, oddly enough, everyone was dancing to different tunes.
Ed described the unique party scene where three DJs were playing at once, saying: "You can change between the different channels ...just weird to be trying to dance just dance with yourself. This is the first time I've ever done a resort holiday by myself, so this is going to obviously be a bit weird for us all."
However, he soon got down to the task of stretching his budget, indulging in a Turkish-inspired breakfast and then heading out to one of the resort's many pools.
Highlighting a potential loophole at the resort, Ed added: "One thing I do like about this hotel is that there's no wristbands or anything like that. Sometimes, in these places, you get really annoying wristbands that are fiddly and scratchy, but there's nothing like that here. They don't even ask your name at breakfast or at dinner or anything, so you could in theory just waltz in [and eat what you like]."
Still, by following the rules, Ed managed to delve well into his initial £300 budget, frequently grabbing drinks and snacks, and even making use of the resort's gym and spa, tallying an additional £15 charge for the week.
He was fortunate with the weather, enjoying a consistent 27C, aside from one dramatic thunderstorm. This meant he made the most of the swimming pool and the water slide.
Having spent his notional £300 by early on the fifth day, he relished his lunch and savoured a few celebratory drinks, all of which were effectively on the house. Reflecting on his trip, he concluded that the all-inclusive package was a savvy choice, especially for those who enjoy their tipple more than he does.
He shared: "We have managed to make a profit, and let's face it I'm not a massive drinker. If you're a bigger drinker than me and you had five, six seven or eight alcoholic drinks a day you could easily add another £150 onto that total."
"So, the reality is if you've got the money to be able to do all-inclusive, and you are somebody that drinks quite a lot it's absolutely worth it. If you're somebody that drinks not too much, like me, it's still probably worth it if you've got the money."
Contrary to some opinions on all-inclusive vacations, Ed found the entire experience "pretty decent actually."