As a traveller for whom hotels only meant a place to stay the night and store my backpack, staying at my first all-inclusive resort felt different. I mean, pleasantly different. I’ll tell you why. For once, I did not have to worry about anything.
To sum it up in one word, it was EASY.
And that was the beauty of it all.
If you are a traveller you’ll know what I mean – having to arrange everything yourself sometimes takes a toll – in the sense, it takes away the time you can otherwise spend relaxing because you are only thinking about or planning your next move.
To be honest, opinion on all-inclusive resorts can be dividing. People either swear by it and return year after year while some find this kind of a vacation “stuffy.” I am all for new experiences – so I did make the best of it all. What’s even better is that I chose to stay at Club Med Palmiye in Antalya, Turkey for my first ever all-inclusive resort during my short stay in search of a Sunken City. That worked for me.
Here is why!
How all-inclusive resorts came to be
Today’s modern all-inclusive resorts can thank the efforts of a Belgian entrepreneur Gerard Blitz, who in the 1950s founded with Club Med with the first ever such resort in Alcúdia, Majorca, Spain in 1950, where guests stayed in tents and basic straw huts along the beach.
Blitz aimed to create “a place to be happy.” In the post war context, people wanted an escape to be free to recharge and relax. Blitz’s goal in founding the all-inclusive company was to eliminate extra charges that can sour the sweetest of vacations.
Over the next several decades, Club Med continued to evolve and expand with the addition of included activities and increasingly luxurious amenities.
Today, it has over 70 properties worldwide.
I couldn’t have chosen anything better for my first ever all-inclusive holiday. And with the price of travel on the rise, the concept of all-inclusive resorts is especially appealing.
What worked for me –
Nestling between the Taurus mountain and the blue Mediterranean sea Club Med Palmiye felt like a complete holiday – a destination in itself. I was forced to slow down and relax – while at first I did have my reservations about “staying within” slowly but surely, I felt at peace. Relaxed and taken care of. i also realised that it wasn’t necessary to scurry around making things happen. Sometimes, you just have to let it be.
My wallet stayed in my room
It was very liberating not to have to carry a wallet around or make a reservation for lunch or dinner or worry about getting to the resort itself. Yes, all inclusive means strictly that – once you’ve paid when booking, that is the end of your worry.
All I really had to do was how to spend the next hour – and I was spoilt for choices! Around me, I noticed even families with kids looked so relaxed – while the kids enjoyed themselves in the pool under the watchful eye of the lifeguard, the parents grabbed a quick shut eye under the palm trees!
My belly was happiest
The one thing I really like when travelling is trying different foods – but there is only so much you can order at one time or eat on your journey, right? And how many times can you go to a buffet and indulge? Maybe once or twice during your entire travel, right?
At Club Med Palmiye, I binged. Yes, binged. I binged on breakfast, lunch and dinner and not to mention at tea – seriously I just had to have it all. From the juiciest kebabs at the live-cooking station to the paella and the huge number of desserts, (I am not ashamed to admit), I loved it all. I am sure if I had to pay per meal, it’d have run into hundreds of dollars for snacks alone. Oh, did I mention the drinks? Yes, even alcoholic beverages are included (say, how does one ever stop with one glass of raki anyway!)
(On a side note, raki, a potent, traditional Turkish drink is also called Lion’s Milk because it turns milky white when mixed with water…)
Free meals are only the beginning of food and beverage indulgences – you can even have a chilled Efes served by the pool!
Tried every activity
With so many activities to choose from, my only worry was how I could possibly enjoy all activities in the time I had – in the end, I did a bit of everything.
Considering that At Club Med Palmiye is located right on the Mediterranean sea, there were multiple options to choose from – like water-ski, kayaking, wakeboard and sailing lessons (yes, you can get free lessons here) or you could simply go on a short cruise and swim in the sea to your hearts content. Among the land activities, there is archery, table tennis, mini-football, beach volleyball, volleyball and basketball.
I didn’t do very well at archery or table tennis (and how I wished I could dribble) so I enjoyed the Hammam and indulged in a bit of cardio (in the fantastic, fully equipped gym) and swimming. Particularly enjoyable was swimming in the Adults Only pool. (Hammam is free to use between 10 am- 1pm).
So whats the big deal, you might ask – well, to me, even better than a swim was being greeted with fresh water melon and orange being handed out to every guest – whether in the pool or soaking up the sun. Service at its best.
On the property is a huge arena where live shows take place – and yes, that is included in the price. It was fun to hang around at night swaying to the music as the wind picked up from the sea. Remember this – what your resort has, it is there for you to enjoy!
Left alone and yet catered to
This is probably one of the most attractive qualities of all-inclusive resorts and especially at Club Med Palmiye which is designed to feel like paradise (see the pic with the ducks- even they have the best life, sigh) and succeeded in that quest. A combination of swaying palm trees, lush green vegetation, bright tropical decor and lively pool areas. Often, I did feel that I had stepped out of a plane and into paradise.
Everything from my room to the beach to the common areas and restaurants, was beautifully decorated. Not for a moment I felt glum or worried about the work mails I had to reply to as I sipped a stiff Turkish coffee and smiled at the sea.
Verdict
I’d definitely recommend an all-inclusive resort especially if you are looking to fully relax – whether with family or friends or just by yourself.
I am convinced that all-inclusive resorts can actually be a complete holiday in themselves – and that holidays doesn’t necessarily mean one has to run about doing or seeing a thousand things and remembering nothing of it.
Amenities
- Swimming pools, gym, spa, shopping, water sports
- Plenty of options for people with determination
- Great options for kids
- Plenty of privacy for families and adults
- Relaxed atmosphere
- Bright and beautiful common spaces and gardens
- Clean and bright rooms
