CONSTANCE PRINCE MAURICE, ELEGANCE TROPICALE

Half Board, Full Board, or All-Inclusive: What are the Differences?

The Essentials
  • Half Board : overnight stay + breakfast + one meal (usually dinner).
  • Full Board : overnight stay + breakfast + lunch + dinner (drinks often extra).
  • All-Inclusive : all meals + most drinks + often activities.
  • The right choice depends on your plans: exploring out (half board) or experiencing everything on-site (all-inclusive).

Half Board, Full Board, All-Inclusive: The Differences at a Glance

These three packages are distinguished by the number of included meals and whether or not drinks are part of the deal. The higher the package level, the fewer unexpected expenses you’ll have on-site, but the less encouraged you’ll be to venture out and explore local restaurants.

Luxury resort by a lagoon offering board packages
All-inclusive truly shines in beach resorts. © La Revue des Hôtels

What Does Half Board Include?

Half board includes the overnight stay, breakfast, and one other meal, almost always dinner. This is the ideal package for those who wish to have lunch freely during excursions while returning to the hotel for dinner. Drinks are generally charged extra.

What Does Full Board Include?

Full board adds lunch: you get all three meals, but most often without drinks. It is suitable for stays where you remain on-site (spa treatment, mountain retreat, seaside holiday) and want to manage your meal budget.

What Does All-Inclusive Include?

All-inclusive encompasses all meals, most drinks (sometimes alcoholic), and often snacks and activities. This is the premier package for beach resorts (Maldives, Mauritius, Caribbean) and family holidays: you’ll hardly ever need to use your bank card.

Comparative Table of Packages

PackageMeals IncludedDrinksIdeal For
Half BoardBreakfast + DinnerExtraDaytime Exploration
Full BoardBreakfast + Lunch + DinnerOften ExtraOn-site Stay
All-InclusiveAll + SnacksIncluded (partially)Resorts, Families

Also read : beyond the package, the price depends on the timing · see when to book for the best price.

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