DESTINATIONS MYTH-BUSTING | ALL-INCLUSIVE HOLIDAYS
ABOVE: Lily Beach Resort & Spa, Maldives; Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Course, Bahamas; TRS Yucatan Hotel, Mexico; FACING PAGE: (clockwise from top left) Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa; Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife; Ikos Aria, Greece; Grand Palladium Palace Ibiza Resort & Spa PICTURES: Sergio Villalba/WE Photo Agency; Michael Stavaridis
– covers a day devoted to spa treatments. Guests get yoga and Pilates lessons, a 25-minute massage, half- hour hydrotherapy treatment and 20-minute hydro jet bath, plus access to the sauna and hammam for the day.
WILL I BE CUT OFF FROM LOCAL CULTURE? All-inclusive resorts have come under fire in the past for not encouraging clients to get out and about to embrace local culture and – crucially for the area – spend in local shops and restaurants. Many resorts have listened, and now connect guests with local producers in different ways. Mauritian group Attitude hotels’ Otentik programme
can arrange for guests to eat dinner with a nearby family in their home, learn to play a traditional instrument with a lesson from a local musician, or shop for handmade crafts at the on-site bazaar. In Greece and Spain, Ikos Resorts offers “a luxury all-inclusive experience like no other”, according to Elegant Resorts head of product Rebecca Turner. She says: “One unique concept is that guests are offered much more flexibility when it comes to dining. In addition to the à la carte restaurants in-resort, which offer menus curated by Michelin-starred chefs, Ikos offers a Dine Out service whereby guests can dine at local restaurants outside the resort as part of their all-inclusive package. And for those who want to explore the area, a complimentary Mini car is available to guests for a full
travelweekly.co.uk Our culinary
event programme for guests includes market tours, tasting dinners and beach barbecues
BOOK IT
Tui offers seven nights at Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic from £934 per person based on two adults and two children sharing a Junior Suite with balcony on an all-inclusive basis, with flights from Gatwick departing February 3, 2021, and transfers.
tui.co.uk
Beachcomber Tours offers a week at Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa from £1,795. The price is based on two adults staying all-inclusive in a Superior Room and includes Emirates flights, complimentary sports and airport transfers in Mauritius, departing February 2, 2021.
beachcombertours.co.uk
If Only offers a week at Lily Beach Resort & Spa in the Maldives, staying in a Beach Villa on a Premium All-Inclusive package, from £3,359 in November, with flights, speedboat transfers and airport taxes.
ifonly.net
14 MAY 2020 23
day, so they can easily travel to places of interest.” At Lily Beach Resort & Spa in the Maldives, visitors
get two complimentary excursions on each stay, including a trip to a local village or sunset boat cruise. Meanwhile, resort brands Sandals and Beaches offer a host of excursions through sister company Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours, from popular activities such as seeing swimming pigs in the Bahamas or Shirley Heights in Antigua, to a weekly Reading Road Trip to a local school, in partnership with charitable arm the Sandals Foundation.
TW
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
