Beware of the not-so-inclusive holiday, warns Which? because it highlights the best suppliers – and how worst-case holidaymakers often pay HUNDREDS for additional food and drinks

Holidaymakers booking popular all-inclusive holidays often spend hundreds of pounds more on food and drink as tour operators don’t factor basics – including soft drinks and local alcoholic drinks – into the peak price. Which? found

Consumer Champion surveyed almost 2,000 holidaymakers about their experiences with all-inclusive holidays over the past two years and asked them to rate their provider in seven categories, including customer service, accommodation, how well the description matches reality, including benefits and true 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 respondents paying an average of £258 extra per week for on- and off-resort extras.

Which? said 13 percent of respondents had to pay extra for local soft drinks on their all-inclusive vacation because it wasn’t included in their package, while 18 percent said they had to pay extra for snacks.

Which? surveyed nearly 2,000 vacationers about their experiences with all-inclusive vacations over the past two years

Only 79 percent of respondents said local alcoholic beverages were included, and 43 percent of respondents said branded and premium alcohol was available at no additional cost. Two thirds of holidaymakers (67 per cent) felt cocktails were included in their package and half (51 per cent) could receive a bottle of wine at no additional cost.

When the consumer advocate looked at individual tour operators, he found “even greater differences between what is included and what is not.”

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

The consumer group said 44 percent of Expedia customers said they included local alcoholic beverages, compared with just a quarter (25 percent) for branded alcohol.

After what? Did travelers who booked with Expedia end up spending the most on extras on their all-inclusive package?

Which? discover that “many all-inclusive vacations are not all-inclusive”

Which? said even local soft drinks were lacking, and 29 percent said they paid extra for them.

After what? Customers rated the company just two stars for the selection and quality of included extras and were “far from impressed” in other areas, with an overall customer rating of 67 percent giving the company a “close” rating. in the lower half of the table”.

lastminute.com ranked lowest with an overall customer rating of 63 percent. Which? found that customers spent an average of £128 on resort and a further £238 off resort.

Only 39 percent of customers said that local alcoholic beverages were included in the price and 32 percent could access branded alcohol at no additional cost. Which? said this “may explain why its customers incurred some of the greatest additional costs.”

It got three stars for value for money, and which one? said it “did not achieve more than two stars in any of the remaining categories, including customer service, accommodation and inclusions”.

Which? said Love vacation Customers’ average spend remained the same as those who booked through lastminute.com, spending a further £328 per week. Overall, the company ranked 14th with an “average” customer rating of 69 percent.

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

According to the consumer group, “Some guests also faced unexpected obstacles while eating – one said: ‘Meals were served cold and had to be microwaved in the dining room’.”

Meantime, At the beach “outperform” with a customer rating of 73 percent. Which? found that customers “are more likely to say that basic necessities like soft drinks and snacks are included in the price.”

But which one? said 29 percent of respondents had a problem during their holiday, with the company receiving only two stars for the overall organization of the holiday and one customer describing the meal as a “round trip”.

Which? Recommended supplier Jet2 Holidays took first place thanks to an “impressive customer rating of 82 percent”. It received four stars for value for money, transport, organisation, consistency of description with reality and “crucial” customer service. Which? revealed.

Lastminute.com takes last place with an overall score of 63 percent. The travel provider received two stars in all but one category

Which? The assessments of those interviewed were “overwhelming”. One customer told the supplier, “The package contained everything we needed and wanted.”

Most travelers found everything they expected. 86 percent said local alcoholic beverages were included in the price and 78 percent said snacks were available at no extra cost. Which? said.

In second place was “luxury supplier” Kuoni, with a customer rating of 81 percent. Which? said it received four stars in all but one category. The consumer group said: “Its three-star value for money rating meant it was a prestigious Which? “Recommended Provider” badge.

“However, customers were generally impressed with their holiday experiences, with several respondents praising the excellent customer service.”

It was a difficult task for the over 50s to achieve the bronze medal saga, which achieved four stars in each category – and was the only other company to win the Which? competition. “Recommended Supplier” badge.

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

The consumer group found that 85 percent said local alcoholic beverages were included free of charge, while 72 percent said tours were included in their trip and 81 percent said entertainment was added.

The second biggest holiday supplier was Kuoni, just behind Which? Recommended supplier status

Third place went to over-50s holiday provider Saga. It received four stars in each category and an overall customer rating of 80 per cent

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “As we approach the peak booking season, this detailed research from Which?, the UK’s consumer champion, should act as a real guide for customers and independent travel agents looking to find out more . .” Who to trust when it comes to booking those important holidays.

“Across all our brands, we will Which? assigned We’ve recommended the supplier a whopping seven times, which is truly a fantastic testament to the hard work we’ve put in to deliver industry-leading customer service.

“Besides our continued success in all categories, what makes this award special is the fact that it is based on the real experiences of paying customers. Whatever kind of holiday it is, this detailed and in-depth research from Which? show you’re 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 Which? follow-up.”, but this should be taken with caution as it is a comparison of companies offering different types of products. “It is very important to recognize that many of the questions in this survey are not relevant to the products and services that our company offers.”

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

“However, our latest research has found that some all-inclusive holidays are anything but ‘all inclusive’ and some disgruntled guests find that even basic items such as soft drinks are not included in the price.

“If you’re looking to book an all-inclusive option for your next holiday, it’s worth taking the time to find out what’s on offer. Read the terms and conditions carefully to find out what’s included in the price and read reviews from other guests to make sure you don’t miss out.

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