I once paid Rs 700 for a single gin and tonic at a 4-star resort (around R240), and even a simple Coca-Cola from the minibar was around Rs 200 (about R80). A couple of drinks by the pool, a soft drink from the room, a coffee here and there, and your “cheaper” board basis can very quickly become the more expensive option. So does that make an all inclusive stay worth the extra money upfront? Let’s do the maths...

What is Half Board in Mauritius?

Half board usually includes: Breakfast and Dinner in the main restaurant, Tea/coffee and juice at breakfast.

Everything else is extra: All drinks during the day (water, soft drinks, coffees, cocktails, wine, beer), lunch and snacks, minibar items, most room service, many speciality coffees and smoothies , and often, drinks at dinner unless the hotel clearly states otherwise.

The hidden cost of “just a few extras”

Imagine a fairly typical day on half board for two people:

• 2 soft drinks by the pool at lunchtime: 2 x Rs 200 = Rs 400
• 2 coffees in the afternoon: say Rs 150 each = Rs 300
• 2 cocktails before dinner: 2 x Rs 700 (like my gin &tonic) = Rs 1 400
• 2 bottles of water for the room: say 2 x Rs 120 = Rs 240

That is already Rs 2 340 per day in extras, and that is being quite conservative. Over 7 nights, you are looking at over Rs 16 000 (approx R5600)  in additional spend, on top of your package price, and that is without touching the minibar or ordering lunch or snacks.For non-drinkers, it can still add up fast: Coke at Rs 200, juices, mocktails and specialty coffees are also rarely “cheap” in resort settings.

What does Standard All Inclusive get you?

All inclusive generally includes:Breakfast, lunch and dinner, A selection of bars and restaurants (some may have supplements), A defined list of included drinks such as soft drinks and juices, local beers and house wines, selected spirits and cocktails from the AI drinks menu, Often afternoon snacks or tea-time treats. It also often includes water and soft drinks from certain bars or even the minibar, depending on the resort. The key with all inclusive is to check what exactly is included in the drinks list and minibar, and during which hours. Some resorts include drinks 10:00–23:00 for example, others 24/7.

Supplements are where you either receive a daily or stay based credit to dine at a specialty restaurant and you pay the difference in for the cost of your meal. Or you pay a set fee over and above your all inclusive package to dine at that restaurant or to order a specific dish. It's commonly used for more fine-dining or specialty restaurants (think premium steakhouse and grill or Japanese dining) where the costs of producing the meal are higher than the aggregated prices across the resort. Drinks at that venue may be covered if on your AI drinks list, or they may not be, so this is worth confirming. Premium drinks are still chargeable on top unless explicitly listed as included.

Why all inclusive can be better value, even if you do not drink alcohol

If a soft drink is Rs 200 and a coffee Rs 150, non-alcoholic drinkers can still easily reach Rs 600–1 000 per person per day in beverages alone, especially in the heat where you naturally drink more.Once you add in:Lunch every day, snacks like ice creams, cakes or toasties, bottled water around the pool and in the room, the difference in upfront cost between half board and all inclusive is very often less than what you would end up spending on extras. In other words, the all inclusive package becomes a cost control tool: you know almost everything is prepaid, your on-resort bill is minimal, and there are no nasty surprises at checkout.

So Which Should You Choose?

Half board can be sufficient if:

• You plan to spend most days out exploring the island rather than at the resort.
• You are genuinely light consumers of drinks and snacks.
• You are comfortable with (and budget for) bar and lunch bills of several thousand rupees over the stay.
• You like the flexibility of trying local restaurants outside the hotel several nights.

All inclusive tends to make the trip more affordable overall when:

• You enjoy relaxing at the resort and using the facilities.
• You will have more than one or two drinks per day (including soft drinks, mocktails and coffees).
• You have teens or children who constantly want ice creams and soft drinks.
• You want clear cost control and to avoid bill shock at checkout.
• Even for non-drinkers, the combination of lunch every day, unlimited soft drinks and water, hot drinks and snacks often makes all inclusive the more economical choice, especially at 4 and 5 star resorts where individual prices are high.

Practical Advice Before You Book

To really understand what your money buys you, I can always help you check exactly what is included in the half board vs all inclusive package at your specific resort, which restaurants and menus are included, and what attracts a supplement as well as how the supplements work. We can also check the cost of drinks, especially if a gin and tonic can be around Rs 700 or a Coca Cola Rs 200, and typical bar and snack prices, so we can estimate what you would realistically spend if you chose half board.

Once we compare the real daily costs, most clients find that upgrading to all inclusive makes the holiday significantly more affordable in the end and far more relaxing, because they are not counting every drink or snack and can afford to truly relax and enjoy themselves.