All Inclusive Resorts Have Changed

If you’re thinking of traveling in the near future, and want something different for this year’s vacation, you should consider an all inclusive resort.  Now, I know what you’re probably thinking when you hear that term, and it’s probably one of two things: they’re boring places for old people with no sense of adventure, or they’re decadent meat markets filled with people with one thing on their mind, and one thing only. 

And it’s certainly understandable why people have those impressions of these vacation getaways.  For a long time, that phrase brought to mind places that were filled with elderly, gray haired couples who whiled away their days playing shuffleboard and bingo, hit the buffet at five o’clock, and then retired for the night by eight o’clock.  That is certainly the image that these places had at one time, and there’s no denying that, unless you’re elderly yourself, it doesn’t sound like a very interesting vacation, let alone an exciting one.  This is the first image these places acquired, and it’s still the prevalent one in many people’s minds.

And then, suddenly, back in the roaring 1980s, out of nowhere came a new kind of all inclusive resort.  One that was the exact opposite of the old style.  TV viewers began to see ads for places like Club Med, a destination for people looking to use their vacation time for brief and meaningless hook ups and one night stands.  They were places where people would go to shed their inhibitions, and often their clothes, and do things they would never do back home.  For a few years, Club Med and its copycats did a booming business.  And unfortunately, that’s another image that has stuck in people’s minds when they hear about all inclusive resorts.

But both these images are seriously out of date.  Today’s all inclusive resorts are nothing like the “nursing home” style resorts of the sixties and seventies, nor the “swinger’s clubs” of the eighties.  Instead, they’re great places to go when you just want to get away from it all, but don’t feel like doing a lot of traveling, or worrying about all the hassles that come with a regular trip.  They also make great honeymoon destinations.  Many of them offer activities like sailing, scuba diving and water skiing. You can relax, have all sorts of fun, enjoy great food and service, and just take it easy while you recharge your batteries.  Don’t miss out on these great resorts because of mistaken,  outdated images!