All inclusive: eat and drink, all is paid?

Who doesn't love "free stuff"? Maybe that is the reason why we like to have an "all inclusive" vacation. By paying only the cost of  the stay in a hotel with all the conveniences you can spend a week or two without spending a single extra dollar. This generates the feeling of total “free-of-charge”. Is it all so simple and easy? Probably not, all inclusive appears to be diversified, and before dreaming about carefree holiday it is recommended to find out the details what is this "all" which is "included".

Classics of the genre
Perhaps, in the mind of any Russian tourist the “all inclusive” concept is firmly associated with Turkey, the country named by professionals the "Russian summer residence”. According to experts, more than half of its hotels and up to 90 % Antalians prefer the "all inclusive" system. Therefore, Turkey is the best sample to review all types of “all inclusive”.
First of all let’s get rid of a popular belief that only expensive 4-5* hotels and clubs of the first class work under the all inclusive formula. Absolutely any hotel from 2* up to 5* can feed and entertain tourists, not having taken a penny over than paid in Moscow. The difference is only in quality and number of the services which are included in «a gentlemen's set».

 *** Hotels of 2-3* level usually include three meals a day. Difference from a full board (FB) is in an opportunity to consume local and alcoholic soft drinks all day (usually from 10 am till 10 pm) without any restrictions. Edibility of dishes depends on skills of cooks, but in any case one cannot expect special culinary masterpieces. A buffet of approximately five kinds of salads and the same number of hot dishes is guaranteed to the tourists. Plus some vegetables, some fruit and a batch. Basically, all can be very tasty, but by second week of stay the learned by heart menu does not cause enthusiasm any more and pulls to have a meal somewhere else.
  As to the services not connected to eating, their variety is insignificant too. Minimally necessary beach accessories - chaise lounges and umbrellas are given free-of-charge. Playground and fine pool is provided to kiddies, the adults are offered innocent entertainment of table tennis. The well-known Turkish animation might be missing.

**** In 4* hotels  "all inclusive" system means the 4th meal added to three traditional meals as a late breakfast or a late dinner. The choice of dishes here is wider. Besides vegetables for snack approximately 10 kinds of salads and as much hot dishes are offered to the tourists. Plus a batch, tea, coffee all day. Nonalcoholic and alcoholic drinks of local production are served from 10 am and till the midnight, and even till two-three am. Snack bars and bars on a beach and at pool are sometimes ready to offer free-of-charge light snack all day.
  The quantity of the included services and amusements increases also. Not only chaise lounges, but also mattresses, sometimes along with beach towels are given out to the guests. Alongside with open pool there is a closed one and if lucky also waterslides. The kids can be sent to children's club, and the adults enjoy the sated animation and a disco. Big tennis joins table one and also a training hall, volleyball and other kinds of sports of course with free-of-charge equipment.  Finally, any Turkish 4-stars hotel with all inclusive system provides the guests an opportunity to visit a Turkish bath or a sauna.
***** "All inclusive" in 5*hotels does not differ much from a 4-stars one though there are pleasant "makeweights" here. Thus some hotels serve the clients not only local, but also import drinks; others serve ice-cream all day. Jacuzzi is usually added to  bath and sauna, and beach towels become not pleasant exception but a rule. Water entertainments are replenished with free-of-charge riding on a canoe and catamarans.

Modest but Europe!

The Russian tourists spoilt with Turkish excesses, aspire to lodge in Europe in an all inclusive hotel. Disappointment is waiting here. The all inclusive system for Europe is like a pineapple in Russia: with a great desire it can be grown here but it will be sour.
The reason is in the nature of all inclusive. It was invented where there is no place to have a rest beyond the territory of hotel. In Europe all tourist centers abound cafes, restaurants, discos. According to the manager of a travel agency, it is simply a crime to be in France or Italy and constantly stick to hotel. Therefore Europeans consider all inclusive an unnecessary excess and apply in exclusive club cases (for example, well known Club Med chain).
European hoteliers, Spanish in particular, imagine "all inclusive" system originally, frequently suggesting to choose from breakfasts, a half board and all inclusive. Those who paid "all inclusive» are given bracelets or other distinctions. With this all inclusive very much resembles a full board as the "marked" tourists are fed three times day and served with local cooling and alcoholic drinks. Simple entertainments like aqua aerobics, tennis and saunas are added to meals. Animation is usually common for all. However, in Europe in hotels of 3* special entertainments are not provided at all.
In Italy unlike in Spain hotels have their own beaches. Free plank beds, umbrellas, a canoe, sometimes surfing, and also various beach sports are added to the set described above. Club hotels from 3* up to 5* on Sicily, Sardinia and on the tip of the “boot”  - in Calabria work by “all inclusive" system. 
In the last couple of years all inclusive formula began to develop in Cyprus and in Bulgaria. Both states  « include all » in cost of accommodation in hotels from 2* up to 4 *, while 5-stars hotels prefer a half board.
Cyprian all inclusive is closest to Turkish one, difference is only in restriction of a three meals a day. Like Turks, Cypriotes serve drinks, snack, ice-cream all day. 4* Hotels  offer a free-of-charge sauna, a training hall, a Jacuzzi and even lessons of tennis. However the Cyprian hotels working by "all inclusive" system are very few - approximately one or  two in each resort.

In the distant countries

The all inclusive system is actively developing in Egypt. However, according to tour operators, this African country is still very far from Turkey in terms of all inclusive. First, there are very few hotels working by "all inclusive" system here. Second, frequently hotels suggest both a half board and all inclusive. In that case the principle of "all inclusive" is actually reduced to a full board. Therefore the adherents of all inclusive should choose the hotel working exclusively by the given system.
Since Egypt just recently joined the all inclusive family, unified rules are not developed yet. Thus an expensive 4-5 star hotel might not include beach towels or a training hall, but will give out free-of-charge slippers for walking on corals but will offer plenty of sports entertainments. The weakest point of Egyptian all inclusive is food. Even 5* do not guarantee tasty buffet, bars and small restaurants on seacoast not always can show rich assortment. Finally Egypt is a Muslim country – no good to expect good binge.
In Tunis all inclusive and ultra all inclusive fully comply with Turkish analogue, moreover in Hammamet there are some hotels of well known Turkish Magic Life chain. Unfortunately few hotels work by all inclusive system, but all spectrum - from 2* up to 5* is present.
Really all inclusive hotels can be enjoyed in Central America. It spread first of all in sparsely populated regions: on Riviera Maya in Mexico, almost everywhere in Dominican Republic, in Cuba in a distance from Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The basic distinctive feature of Latin American all inclusive is a wide choice of all possible entertainments, including riding and water kinds of sports, and also fine cuisine and all spectrum of local and import alcoholic drinks, including cocktails. In some hotels it is possible to smoke free-of-charge local cigarettes and cigars, though in limited numbers. The maximum choice of the blessings of a civilization is offered by hotels of Iberostar and Sol Melia chains.