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

1# Hustle and bustle in an all-inclusive

Because oh boy, it can be busy in those resorts! Especially in the high season it is just completely full. And let's be honest, 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 nice to relax and if you are looking for crowds you go to the center.

#2 Food & drinks

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

The same food & drinks every day

Handy of course that the food and drinks are included, but that's all that's said. Because is it really fun to be in the same restaurant every night, with the same people and service? Let alone that you are all in a row to brag about. I think standing in line at breakfast in a regular hotel is bad, you can check if it would go like this all day long.

Eating heated dishes

And then about those bins where the food is in ... In the Netherlands, hotels generally adhere to the rules about how long the food can lie in heated bowls . Abroad, less attention is usually given to this. Because of this, there is a good chance that all bacteria will grow on it, before you slide it in.

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

What without all inclusive?

But still, you want to see something of Greece and enjoy real Greek specialties and the local hospitality? For example, you can have a delicious breakfast at En Plo in the port of Pigadia. Have a different breakfast than from your hotel. Don't forget to alternate in restaurants for lunch or in the evening. We have written a blog about our 5 favorite restaurants on Karpathos. So book a nice bed / breakfast and enjoy outside the door!

#3 All-inclusive to Greece is uncozy

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 fun. 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 very nice. A large all-inclusive hotel is just a lot more impersonal.

#4 The hotel sets 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 anymore, because your employer expects you at work at 8 o'clock. Bad luck if you are in an all-inclusive hotel then! Your rhythm is entirely determined by the hotel and usually also by other guests. Breakfast, lunch and dinner there are fasting times attached to it.

Depending on the number of stars, you also have fixed times for snacks and drinks in between and are you still hungry at 23:00? Too bad, then the all-in concept is closed. In addition, you will often also take other guests into account.  You are also going to prepare your towel early in the morning, because otherwise your place is occupied at 9 o'clock and you have breakfast before 9 o'clock, because otherwise there is such a long line etc. etc ...

#5 You see so little of the country

Greece is so beautiful. The beautiful beaches, the Greek food, the hospitality and the 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 of the country at all. So book a small-scale hotel or apartment and go out! If you want to visit the Greek island of Karpathos, check out our start guide how you can enjoy everything beautiful without an all-inclusive hotel!

Disclaimer

These were them, the reasons for not going to Greece all-inclusive. I just want to add a final disclaimer to the text, because I understand that there are many people who choose an all-inclusive stay. You know what you are getting and in principle there are no costs. I understand that for people with perhaps a smaller budget, that they choose such a type of holiday and I have nothing against that. But apart from this, I think all-inclusive holidays are just a shame, because you don't get anything from a country and / or culture. ????