Reader's Digest

100 | July• 2018

WHAT ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS WON’T TELL YOU

3

Renovation plans aren’t usually

mentioned in resorts’ marketing

materials so conirm with your travel

agent (or risk dealing with noise and

dust).“We’llusuallygetanotiication

about construction upon booking”

says Flight Centre travel agent Megan

Vonhone.Ifyouaren’tusingan agent

contact the resort directly.

4

Beware of photo editing. Scroll-

ing through the endless images

of pristine beaches and plush rooms

online you’d be forgiven for thinking

every resort offers five-star accom-

modations at one-star prices. “Travel

agents often have personal experience

with these properties so we can give

you the lowdown” says Vonhone.

Check sites like TripAdvisor for unre-

touched photos from real guests.

5

International corporations man-

agemostresortsoferingall-inclu-

sives and this can mean they rarely

benefit the host country econom-

ically.Findresortsthathavebeen

granted Green Globe certification

whichrequiresacommitmenttoso-

cialeconomicand environmental

responsibility.

6

Whenitcomestodiscountsfor

travelling at “off-peak” times

of the year remember that there’s

a clear reason why rates are much

lower during say the tropical wet

season. While travel insurance can

coverthecostofatripcancellation

or interruption caused by a natural

disaster in cases where your holiday

is simply rained out you can forget

about getting a refund.