All Inclusive & all inclusive Gold

Hi

I am looking at booking resort for my Honeymoon in september.
Whilst booking it is giving me the all inclusive option which it what we require.
However after reading some reviews I am not sure if the all inclusive offered is the same as the Gold all inclusive.

Please can any one help!!

Are they the same????

caroline.tidswell wrote:

Hi

I am looking at booking resort for my Honeymoon in september.
Whilst booking it is giving me the all inclusive option which it what we require.
However after reading some reviews I am not sure if the all inclusive offered is the same as the Gold all inclusive.

Please can any one help!!

Are they the same????

No caroline I don't think they are. The Gold all in which seems to be only offered when you go through some sites or direct with the Island includes some extras. Those being a free spa visit per person per week, free Aqua meal per person per week + one intro dive. I'm not sure if there is a difference on mini bar rules as well. Gold all you can take drinks at the room without charge, but I have a feeling on plain all in you can't

You need to pin down your tour operator exactly what you are getting.

I meant to have said on the first post that yes the Island currency is $. Why they quote in Euros is deyond me!

Richard

Hi Caroline,

Richard’s right, they’re different. It’s a very personal decision as to whether you’d prefer Gold AI to Standard as it really depends on what you’d need but we found it was well worth the extra ££.

There’s a link on the Komandoo website which details what’s included:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The (main) Falhu restaurant is great but as this is your honeymoon I think you’ll find the setting and ambiance in the Aqua restaurant quieter and much more romantic. It’s waiter service at the tables rather than buffet-style as in the Falhu which is far more relaxing. When we went there were only two other couples there so it was like having our own private restaurant! Gold AI covers one dinner per week, you just need to let them know when you’d like to go.

Gold AI also includes one spa treatment per person per week – my partner isn’t really into that kind of thing and they let me use his vouchers as well which was fab. The spa is definitely worth a visit.

It’s a bit of a trek to the bar from the WVs so having the mini-bar covered was great for us as it’s nice to chill on the deck with a cold beer or g&t (or two!) while you’re thinking of getting ready for dinner. It will be refilled once a day and everything (including soft drinks, chocolate and snacky things) except the champagne is included. On Standard AI it’s not covered and you’ll be charged for whatever you use. Cocktails at the bar are also included which was a good thing as we became addicted to ‘Seventh Heaven’ – very yummy!

We found a big difference between what the operator wanted to charge for the upgrade and paying direct. We did it direct with the Island, you can either do it in advance by email or when you get there but you have to sort it out when you’re actually checking in so they can issue the cards/vouchers etc. It only took a couple of minutes and it was a much better price than if we’d paid for it through the operator.

Hope this helps!
Jan

Hello Jan G and Caroline

Thank you for the link to the Komandoo website to view Gold all-inclusive. I am still unsure of the beach bar facility and whether this is included. Last time we were at the resort this bar was closed so we didn't get the chance to use it.

One tip for your G&T from the mini bar in your room. (my favourite tipple!) We enjoyed late afternoon cocktail hour with my brother and his wife (Richard and Janice) on the beach and I found it difficult to get ice cubes out of the ice tray in our room fridge. I am going to pack polythene ice bags to use during our next visit in February 2011.

Jenny Carthew

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for the thanks! Thanks also for the brilliant tip re the ice bags, must remember to take them too.

Re the beach bar, as far as I remember the drinks there are included on Gold AI except for bottled beers which are charged for, same as in the main bar. We're going back again in October so we'll check for you - purely in the spirit of research of course!

Regards,
Jan

carthew wrote:

Hello Jan G and Caroline

Thank you for the link to the Komandoo website to view Gold all-inclusive. I am still unsure of the beach bar facility and whether this is included. Last time we were at the resort this bar was closed so we didn't get the chance to use it.

One tip for your G&T from the mini bar in your room. (my favourite tipple!) We enjoyed late afternoon cocktail hour with my brother and his wife (Richard and Janice) on the beach and I found it difficult to get ice cubes out of the ice tray in our room fridge. I am going to pack polythene ice bags to use during our next visit in February 2011.

Jenny Carthew

Oh what my sister means is that the ice try is a bit small and she ran out of ice! Yep you all guessed I'm in trouble now!

When she came knocking for the gin from our fridge I should have stuck out for one gin = two beers, look if your in trouble just go for it.

Serious answer to the beach bar. It only opens late afternoon, it's included in Gold All In. My issue as a 'Beer Only' drinker is that they can only supply bottled beer. That's chargable, don't ask me why it's free in the mini bar but not there. So you can have a large spirt for free but a small beer not. Hmmm.

So if any of you see a nice little lady with a bag of ice running around the beach could you return her to the Dolphin Villa area. Thanks

Sorry Jen, couldn't help myself!

There seems to be total confusion re Gold All inclusive with the last two posts on trip advisor referring to being charged for wine by the glass on gold all inclusive in the main restaurant whilst it is included on all inclusive. Whilst this seems to be at odds with other peoples experiences on this site and others it would appear to be a recent change in management policy . As we are due to visit Komandoo for the third time in February and have booked on the basis of gold all inclusive I e mailed the resort to get clarification. I was hoping they would reassure me that gold all inclusive being more expensive would cover wine by the glass in the main restaurant the same as AI. They have e mailed back to confirm that it is not included and we will be charged! I replied but have received no response/
This policy seems quite bonkers to me and is off putting to say the least as it feels like a cynical ploy to make money and doesn't sit easily alongside my memories of this island and our past experiences of being there . Although it doesn't explicity state on the gold all inclusive package on the web that house wine by the glass in the restaurant is included given it is in the cheaper package it is a reasonable assumption which people will obviously make and as is demonstrated by the comments will frusrate and anger customers. It is a management decision which I suspect will end up costing them far more in the long run than any small amount of income they generate. I can only hope that their management team reads the trip advisor reviews and takes note of the comments before we arrive. It is sad to see that Komandoo which we have unreservedly recommended to friends in the past is going down in the trip advisor ratings and I can only see this continuing if this policy stays in place especially as they rely so heavily on returners who will experience this difference first hand.

Ann

I have often wondered how they sometimes get themselves into these situations. Like you we always take the 'All in' option. Then they chucked in 'Gold all in' Ok we took that. But as I only drink beer, I had to pay for it at the beach bar, as it was bottled. My wife still had her spirt based drink free

Richard

Ok...We have just returned from the Island to say how fab it really is. Stayed in JWV and it filled all exspectations and more.

All inc gold. When we arrarived it was very confusing. We sat down for our first dinner to ask for a glass of wine. We were at this point told that only water was served in the resterant. My husband and I had a discussion and decided to leave it. We then went for cocktails at the sun set bar the following day to be told again we would have to pay. After speaking to other guests on the Island whom were continuous returners were also concerned about it all so I decided to speak to the Hotel Manager (Natalie) I did not find her at all very friendly, She infact made me feel more angry with her response. Any way, it was left were she asked me for my tour operator details as see would telephone them to confirm we had booked All Inc Gold. I gave her the deatils she requested.

On the same night a guest came to our table at dinner to tell us that we could now have any drink with our meal, Natalie (mananger) had changed back the rules. We were happy to have a glass of wine with our evening meal.

It did however take Natalie 3 days to come and tell us her desicion.

In the end, All inc Gold was what we exspected it to be... All drinks free. ( apart from special coffee's/champagne/and named sprits ie Jack Daniels/Red label Whiskey/Henassey brandy ect...But who cares about that any way)

The cocktails were fab...!!

The mini bar was filled daily...

The food was some of best we have ever had, Even in top Resterants.

All I can say is if you are not Happy - COMPLAIN.
Also the Food and Beverage Manager is Natalie's (Manager) Husband!!! Make of it what you will..

Caroline

It's a shame that you had that experience, but I'm glad to hear that the overall experience was at least as good as your expectations, if not more!

For any reading this, it's always been my experience that at check-in if you are on 'Gold All In' you should be issued the following.

A card to show 'All In Option' In practice you only need to show this once in the bar and resturant and the staff remember.
A card for each week of your stay for the Aqua resturant
A card for each week of your stay for the Spa
One card for your intro dive.

There are some very odd rules on the Gold All In which do puzzle me mind. Beach bar; being a beer drinker only I would have to pay for my drink but my wife gets her bacardi and coke free If I want a nice hot cup of coffee in the afternoon, I walk up to the bar, I could drink $50 worth of booze if I like but have to pay for a cappuccino. I know you get an instant coffee free there and thats what I do, just find it strange to say the least.

Richard

Hi Caroline

Very glad you managed to get things sorted and had a fab time.
We are going in March 2011 and hope that the confusion over drinks with meals is sorted soon as at the moment we're wondering whether to cancel and look elsewhere.One of the reasons we booked the Gold AI is because we like a few glasses of wine with our meals
As a matter of interest which tour operator did you book with ?

Auds

Do not Cancel Auds.....It is a fantastic place and you will look it.
All inc Gold is excellant and you will not be dissapointed. Just be brave and complain if you are not happy, Get your tour operatour involved if you need too.
However I am sure that all this will be sorted by the time you get there.

All inc Gold also offer's a free dinner exsperiance in the Al a carte Resterant, Free intro dive with the chance to up grade if you have dived before. Also a free hours Spa treatment, Mini bar filled daily & all the coctails you can drink.

Its a great package and the managment would be foolish if they were to stop the wine at the dinner table!!

Thanks Caroline, am going to see travel agent this afternoon to ask that they sort things out with the Resort Management

Auds

Just read my reply, ensure you get the cards I mentioned at check in. Obviously check with your operator before you go, get the paperwork you need. Sit in reception until they give you them

Bloody hell, I've never had a bad experience there in my 4 trips. Now they are messing the guest around.

Richard

well it does seem that the gold option isnt really a all inculsive, we was out there last october
and are going again in two weeks for a three week stay this time.
will have to agree with richard about the coffee, you can have the pods in the room!
so why not in the bar? also i do like the odd JD& coke but was told its just local brands
but if i wanted a cocktail with JD in it, then that was fine, the way they work thing out there
is rather stange.....
as for this not having wine with your meals, its just crazy, you spend all that money on a holiday
there just to be told you cant have a glass of wine with you meal, but if you were in the bar then thats fine
but good to know you got it sorted
will have to send the other half in, even i dont mess with her

Hi y'all...

I thought I'd stick my oar in here - we're arriving for our second visit in a couple of weeks and having read of the various problems both on here and on Trip Advisor I asked our tour operator to find out what's happening. They contacted Nathalie direct and below is her reply:

"...Greetings from Komandoo Island Resort !!



I am very sorry to hear that and let me reassure you by saying that since my arrival 2 months ago NOTHING has changed in regards to the meal plans.



Not only the contracts are done on a yearly basis (hence nothing I could do to change anything), but also we give to each of the guests upon arrival the different vouchers they are entitled (in case they are All Inclusive or Gold All Inclusive) so they know all the benefits that are included in their package.



So I am not sure where this comes from but I am happy to clarify any doubt that guests might have upon their arrival.



I hope that the above is helpful and please let me know should you need any further information.



In the meantime, I wish you a wonderful end of week end !



With warm regards,



Nathalie d'Amman

Resort Manager..."


Maybe they thought they'd try the changes as an experiment, who knows. Needless to say I will be taking a copy of this email with me when we go!

All best,
Jan

Just to let you all know that I have also rec'd a reply from the Resort, Sirirat Assistant Reservations Manager has replied as follows re Gold All Inclusive:-

''Greetings from Komandoo Island Resort.

Thank you for your email, in regarding meal plan. Gold All Inclusive is still the same we do provide as below:-

During meals in the restaurant;

Mineral water, soft drinks, red and white table wine, canned or draught beers, selected fruit juices, tomato juice, tea and coffee.''

This has certainly put my mind at rest and both myself and the other half are now really looking forward to our holiday in Komandoo next March.

Hope this is useful to you guys also.

Auds