Written By: Laura Gavin
Summer vacation means different things to different people. It does make a person wonder what the great travel writers would think of our ideas of “travel.” Today’s travelers have comfortable ultra-modern cars to drive on excellent roads. There are jet airplanes that can reach the other side of the world in less than a day.
All-inclusive resorts cater to traveler’s every want and need in some of the world’s most beautiful locales. This might be a far cry from what the great travel writers think of traveling. However, that doesn’t mean they would be against the idea of package holidays.
Benefits of an all-inclusive resort
Stress free
Knowing from the minute you step foot on the plane that all the fees, tips and logistics will be taken care of for the rest of the trip is certainly a load off your mind. Once you land, a shuttle will be waiting to take you and your luggage to the resort and the same when you leave. Lewis and Clark would have admired this. They sometimes had to carry their canoe and gear for miles between navigable waterways.
Great value
Although the packages can differ, all-inclusive resorts usually include all-you-care-to-eat food, beverages and alcohol. Mark Twain would surely have approved since he was probably somewhat familiar with this level of service during his Grand Tour of Europe.
If it’s a beach resort, there will be watersports as well as beach and evening activities led by an activities coordinator as well. An added benefit of the resort package is that you’ll spend less money on miscellaneous items because you’ll stay on the property more. When you think of it this way, it’s difficult to think of this as just a cheap summer package holiday.
Be adventurous
Remember, all-inclusive package resorts aren’t just about staying on the property. You can easily get information from the hotel staff about local tours and sights. Often you can be picked up for sightseeing trips right from your hotel to see the local ruins, the rainforest, nature parks or other activities. As an archaeologist by trade, T.E. Lawrence would certainly see the merit in this.
It’s difficult to know what the great travel writers of the past would think of the comfort and conveniences that are included in today’s vacations. Fortunately, thousands of individuals and families have visited all-inclusive resorts, enjoyed them and shared their reviews and information online.
The Vintage Postcard 
Great post! I did 3 all-inclusives in a row and am frankly tired of them. My last vacation in Morocco and Spain was organized with the help of the internet and some ideas from friends. I felt much more adventurous travelling this way, in spite of some apprehension at first. But it did capture the spirit of the global traveller much more precisely.