All-inclusive on Greece. You love it or you hate it, people say, and I think it really is. I myself once went to an all-inclusive hotel and for me (and Vincent) that was also immediately once and never again. And I can still imagine choosing all-inclusive in Egypt, Mexico or Turkey. But in Greece, NO WAY! So today 5 x why you should not go all-inclusive to Greece 😉 .

1# Crowds at an all-inclusive

Because oh boy, how crowded those resorts can get! Especially in high season, it’s just completely packed. And let’s face it, we don’t want to feel like a bunch of chickens in a coop, do we? You don’t want to stand in line for your food, do you? Or for an activity? For us, Greece is relaxing and if you’re looking for hustle and bustle you go to the center.

#2 Food & drink

Okay we are not a big fan of eating and drinking in all-inclusive hotels, especially on beautiful Karpathos. Still, it’s good to briefly mention why.

The same food & drink every day

Convenient, of course, that the food and drinks are included, but that’s all there is to it. After all, is it really nice to be in the same restaurant every night, with the same people and service? Let alone standing in a line to brag. Standing in line at breakfast in a regular hotel is bad enough for me.

Heated bowls of food

And then a word about those trays where the food is in…. In the Netherlands, hotels generally follow the rules about how long the food may lie in heated trays. Abroad, a little less attention is usually paid to this. As a result, there is a good chance that bacteria will all grow on it before you slide it inside.

And honestly, it also usually looks like it was thrown from a can right into the heated container right? And okay, some all-inclusive hotels are a lot better in terms of food and drink, but that comes at a price. When you pay more, you may be able to eat à la carte, for example, which is a lot nicer.

What about without all-inclusive?

Still, you want to see some of Greece and enjoy genuine Greek specialties and local hospitality, right? For example, you can have a delicious breakfast at En Plo in the harbor of Pigadia. Once a different breakfast than from your hotel. Also don’t forget to alternate restaurants for lunch or in the evening. We wrote a blog about our 5 favorite restaurants on Karpathos. So book lodging/breakfast and enjoy outside!

#3 All-inclusive to Greece is unsociable

The Greeks are very hospitable and you will really notice that when you are in a small hotel or an apartment. Because it is small scale, you often have good contact with the locals and that is of course always cozy. In a large all-inclusive hotel you miss this. The hotel is aimed at many people at once. At smaller accommodations the chats with other guests and staff are often fun. A large all-inclusive hotel is just a lot more impersonal.

#4 The hotel determines your rhythm

You’re on vacation, so you want to enjoy the free time you have now, right? After all, you don’t have to get up for a while because your employer expects you at work at 8 a.m. Tough luck if you’re in an all-inclusive hotel then! Your rhythm is completely determined by the hotel and usually by other guests as well. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are fixed times.

Depending on the number of stars, you also have set times for snacks and drinks in between, and are you still hungry at 11 p.m.? Too bad, then the all-in concept is closed. In addition, you’re often going to make allowances for other guests. You are also going to put your towel ready early in the morning, because otherwise at 9 o’clock your spot will be occupied and breakfast you do before 9 o’clock, because otherwise there will be such a long queue etc. etc….

#5 You see so little of the country

Greece is so wonderful. The beautiful beaches, Greek food, hospitality and history is really something you should not miss when you go to Greece. But if you book an all-inclusive hotel in Greece, you probably won’t see anything at all of the country. So book a small-scale hotel or apartment and get out and about! If you would like to visit the Greek island of Karpathos, check out our start guide on how you can enjoy everything without an all-inclusive hotel!

Disclaimer

These were them, the reasons not to go all-inclusive to Greece. I want to add one last disclaimer to the text, because I understand that there are many people who choose to go all-inclusive. After all, you know what you get and there are basically no additional costs. So I understand that for people with perhaps a smaller budget, that they choose that kind of vacation and I have nothing against that at all. But apart from this, I find all-inclusive vacations just a waste, because you get nothing from a country and/or culture. 🙂