THE best package holiday companies have been revealed, with others not providing as much as holidaymakers would like from their all-inclusive deals.
In fact, some people are regularly having to fork out extra for food and drink, which should be included in the price of the holiday.
A study by consumer champions Which? who surveyed nearly 2,000 holidaymakers about their experiences of all-inclusive holidays in the last two years, revealed who were the best companies to book with.
At the top of the table was Jet2holidays, which took top spot with an impressive customer score of 82 per cent.
It scored four stars for value for money, transportation, organisation, how well the description matched the reality and crucially, for customer service.
Respondents' reviews were glowing, with one holidaymaker telling Which?: "The package included everything we needed and desired."
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Most travellers found everything they expected, with almost nine in ten (86%) reporting that local alcoholic drinks were included, and almost eight in 10 (78%) finding snacks available at no extra cost.
Luxury operator Kuoni came a close second, with a customer score of 81 per cent.
Though it also claimed a raft of four-star ratings, including for customer service and included benefits, while it was rated three-stars for value for money.
Nonetheless, customers were generally impressed with their holiday experiences, with multiple respondents praising the excellent customer care.
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Over-50s firm Saga came third, with an overall customer score of 80 per cent.
However, not everyone is getting good value for their all-inclusive packages, with some routinely spending hundreds of pounds extra on meals, booze and soft drinks.
Some survey respondents said they ended up paying an extra £258 a week on average for extras both inside and outside the resort.
More than one in ten people reported having to pay extra for local soft drinks on their ‘all-inclusive’ break, while almost a fifth of people reported having to pay extra for snacks.
Just 79 per cent of respondents reported having local alcohol included, while only two-thirds of holidaymakers (67%) found cocktails were included in their package.
As few as 51 per cent said they could get a bottle of wine at no extra cost on their holidays.
Among the worst offenders were Expedia, with their all-inclusive travellers spending the most on extras.
The average reported spend on their holidays was £165 per week in the hotel/resort, and £228 outside of it.
Around four in ten (44%) Expedia customers reported local alcoholic drinks were included, dropping to a quarter (25%) for branded alcohol.
Even local soft drinks were missing for many – just under three in ten (29%) reported having to pay extra for these.
Elsewhere, the worst performing company overall was Lastminute.com with a customer score of 63 per cent.
Though it scored three stars for value for money, it managed no higher than two stars in any of the remaining categories, including customer service, accommodation and included benefits.
Their customers spent an average of £128 in the resort, and a further £238 outside on extras.
Just under two in five of their customers (39%) reported local alcoholic drinks were included, and less than a third (32%) could access branded alcohol at no extra cost
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “When budgets are tight, all-inclusive holidays surge in popularity, seemingly offering people a straightforward way to keep holiday costs under control with food, accommodation and drinks all wrapped into the price.
“However, our latest research has found that some all-inclusive holidays are far from being ‘all in’, with some unfortunate guests finding that even basic items like soft drinks weren’t included.
"If you’re thinking of going all-inclusive for your next getaway, 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”
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