- What Are the Meal Choices? - The same food . . . again? You may not want to hit up the buffet line for seconds for the second day in a row if you see the same stuff and many all-inclusives do themed weeks (e.g. Monday Mexican Cantina, Tuesday Italian Trattoria, etc.) so you only have one cuisine available each day.
- Are There Set Meal Times? - Larger all-inclusives with incorporated à la carte dining plans have several on-site restaurants to choose from — be warned, the "good" one may be packed each night — so check to see if you need to make reservations in advance and look at the flexibility of dining hours, too.
- Are Drinks Included? - While "all-inclusive" is defined to incorporate meals and beverages, there can be certain hours for free alcoholic drinks, limits, or certain types that are excluded (e.g, top shelf).
- Does Pampering Factor In? - On-site massages and other spa treatments can cost extra — quite a bit when you're their captive audience. Plus, room service, in-room Internet/ hotel Internet cafes typically are not included.
- Is There Something For Everyone? - A big selling point for parents would be kids' packages (they may be extra!) allowing mom and dad to lounge around while the kids play with other kids in supervised programs.
- Do the Activities Sound Fun to You? - Free activities, yay! If you'd prefer to leave the conga line and crafts in your distant memories from childhood camp, make sure there are things you'd want to be doing while you're there (since you're paying, in part, for these options).
- What Activities Are Extra? - Then, what happens when there's limited equipment or rental wait times/ time limits for the things you want to do? (Answer: Wait or go elsewhere.) Also, some come in as a "hidden cost" as things like horseback riding, scuba diving and classes with instructors or rental equipment can pack additional fees.
- Are You the Resort's "Target" Demographic? - Ahh, college. Remember, all-inclusive resorts can draw certain crowds at certain times of year. Not only are some resorts little kid-dominated, others are packed with college-aged partiers — either way check to make sure you won't feel totally outnumbered or out of place.
- What is the Region Known For? - It's great when your room, food, drinks and activities are included but if you plan to do additional sightseeing or shopping, don't forget to factor that in (along with distance and transportation) — it adds up!
- Is It the Best Option For You? - Remember, if you're not going to be hanging out at the resort, eating the food or playing along with the activities, compare with equally-rated non inclusive resorts to see if you'd be better served paying the same (or even a little more) for only what you want!
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