Beware the not-so-all-inclusive holiday, warns Which? because it reveals the best providers – and how holidaymakers at the worst routinely pay HUNDREDS for extra food and drink

Holidaymakers booking popular all-inclusive holidays routinely spend hundreds of pounds extra on food and drink as tour operators fail to include the basics – including soft drinks and local alcoholic drinks – in the top price. Which? has found.

The Consumer Champion surveyed almost 2,000 holidaymakers about their experiences with all-inclusive holidays over the past two years, asking them to rate their provider on seven categories, including customer service, accommodation, how well the description matched reality, including benefits and where for your money.

At the top of the table was Which? Recommended provider Jet2holidays, with Lastminute.com at the bottom of the rankings.

Which? found that ‘many all-inclusive holidays are far from all-inclusive’, with survey respondents paying an average of £258 per week extra for extras both inside and outside the resort.

Which? said 13 percent of people in the survey reported having to pay extra for local soft drinks on their ‘all-inclusive’ holiday because they were not included in their package, while 18 percent said they had to pay extra for snacks.

Only 79 percent of respondents reported that local alcoholic beverages were included, and 43 percent of respondents reported that branded and premium alcohol was available at no extra cost. Two-thirds of holidaymakers (67 percent) felt cocktails were included in their package, and half (51 percent) could get a bottle of wine at no extra cost.

When the consumer champion looked at individual holiday companies, he found ‘even greater discrepancies between what was included and what was not’.

Those who booked through Expedia.com spent the most on extras on their all-inclusive, with an average reported spend of £165 per week in the hotel/resort and £228 outside. Which? revealed.

The consumer group said 44 percent of Expedia customers reported local alcoholic drinks were included, dropping to a quarter (25 percent) for branded alcohol.

Which? said even local soft drinks were missing, with 29 percent reporting paying extra for them.

According to Which? customers rated the company just two stars for the range and quality of extras included in the price, and were ‘far from impressed’ in other areas, with an overall customer score of 67 percent rating it ‘resolutely’ posted. in the bottom half of the table’.

Lastminute.com ranks lowest thanks to an overall customer score of 63 percent. Which? found customers spent an average of £128 in the resort and a further £238 away from it.

Only 39 percent of customers reported that local alcoholic drinks were included and 32 percent were able to access branded alcohol at no extra cost. Which? said this “may explain why its customers had some of the largest additional expenses.”

It scored three stars for value for money, and which ones? said it achieved ‘no higher than two stars in any of the remaining categories, including customer service, accommodation and included benefits’.

Which? said love holiday customers stayed close in average spend to those who booked with lastminute.com, spending a further £328 per week. Overall, the company took 14th place in the rankings with a ‘mediocre’ customer score of 69 percent.

The survey found that 24 percent paid extra for snacks and local alcoholic drinks at the resort, and 38 percent paid more for cocktails.

According to the consumer group, ‘some guests also faced unexpected hurdles when it came to food – one said ‘meals were served cold and you had to microwave them in the dining room”.

In the meantime, On the beach ‘did better’ with a customer score of 73 percent. Which? found customers “were more likely to report that basic necessities such as soft drinks and snacks were included.”

However, which one? said 29 percent of respondents had a problem during their holiday, with the company scoring just two stars for the overall organization of the holiday, and one customer described the food as ‘hit and miss’.

Which? Recommended provider Jet2holidays took first place thanks to an ‘impressive customer score of 82 percent’. It scored four stars for value for money, transport, organisation, how well the description matched reality and ‘crucial’ for customer service. Which? revealed.

Which? said respondents’ reviews were “glowing.” One customer told the provider ‘the package contained everything we needed and wanted’.

Most travelers found everything they expected. 86 percent reported that local alcoholic drinks were included and 78 percent found snacks available at no extra cost. Which? said.

In second place was ‘luxury operator’ Kuoni, with a customer score of 81 percent. Which? said it scored four stars in all but one category. The consumer group said: ‘Its three-star rating for value for money meant it was a coveted Which? Recommended Provider badge.

‘Nevertheless, customers were generally impressed with their holiday experiences, with several respondents praising the excellent customer service.’

Achieving the bronze medal was a tough task for the over-50s Saga, which scored four stars in every category – and was the only other company to win the Which? Recommended Provider badge.

Which? said: ‘One happy holidaymaker commented that the company ‘always delivers’, while another said the ‘attention to detail was excellent’.”

The consumer group found that 85 percent reported that local alcoholic drinks were included for free, while 72 percent reported that tours were included in their trip and 81 percent reported that entertainment was added.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: ‘As we approach peak booking season, this detailed research from Which?, the UK consumer champion, should act as a real guide for customers and independent travel agents wanting to know more about who they should confidence when it comes to booking those all-important holidays.

‘Across all our brands we are referred to as Which? Recommended supplier a whopping seven times, which is a truly fantastic reflection of the hard work we put into delivering industry-leading customer service.

“What makes this recognition special, besides our consistent success in every category, is the fact that it is based on the actual experiences of paying customers. Whatever type of holiday it is, this detailed and robust research from Which? shows that you are in the best hands when you book with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.’

Lastminute.com said: ‘Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and we will follow up the findings of Which? to heart, but these should be taken with a grain of salt, given that it is comparing companies that offer different types of products. It is very important to realize that many of the questions in this survey are not relevant to the products and services that our company provides.’

Rory Boland, editor of what? Travel, said: ‘When budgets are tight, all-inclusive holidays are becoming increasingly popular, seemingly offering people a simple way to keep holiday costs under control, with food, accommodation and drinks all included in the price.

‘However, our latest research has revealed that some all-inclusive holidays are far from ‘all-in’, with some unhappy guests discovering that even basic items such as soft drinks are not included.

‘If you’re thinking of going all-inclusive for your next holiday, it’s worth taking the time to research what’s on offer. Check the terms and conditions carefully to see what’s included, and read reviews from other guests to make sure you won’t be left out of pocket.

For more from Which? and to view the survey in full, visit which.co.uk