When looking for a cheap all-inclusive vacation in Mexico, I thought it was going to be too expensive. Mexico is not a destination close to the UK and I would expect to pay at least £ 6000 for a 4 to 5 star family. I was pleasantly surprised, not so much by the fact that inexpensive all-inclusive vacations are available in Mexico; but also because prices between tour operators offering the same accommodation can be up to £ 2,000 different.

The first thing I decide, even before looking at a vacation brochure, is what grade of hotel I want. I rarely go for anything less than a 3 star hotel, the price difference between a 3 and 2 star accommodation is not worth worrying about. If I feel like the family needs a little more indulgence, I tend to go for 4- or 5-star accommodations.

The next step is to decide how much to spend. For our holiday in Mexico I decided that a 3-4 star accommodation is ideal for our needs and I was expecting to pay around £ 6000 for the family. The search came along and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

I started with the 4 star accommodation. As anyone booking a vacation would do, I looked at various companies to see who offered the best price. One particular 4-star hotel I was looking at ranged from £ 4000 to £ 5000, a difference of £ 1000 is a lot of money, especially in today’s market. I was also surprised to find that a 5-star hotel was actually cheaper than a 4-star hotel offered by another travel company.