Cheap 5-Star All-Inclusive Holidays

Cheap 5 Star All Inclusive Holidays

Last updated September 2026

Cheap 5 star all inclusive holidays are genuinely possible — the trick is knowing which destinations deliver 5-star facilities at 3-star prices, and understanding that “5-star” describes a hotel’s amenities, not a guarantee of quality. Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt consistently offer the biggest gap between star rating and price, while destinations like the Maldives keep “5-star” and “cheap” mutually exclusive.

Is Cheap 5-Star All-Inclusive Actually Possible?

Yes — but “cheap” is relative to the destination, not an absolute price. A genuine 5-star all-inclusive week in Tunisia or Turkey can cost less than a 3-star half-board week in the Maldives, because the price of “5-star” tracks the cost of building and staffing a hotel in that country, not just the star rating itself.

In favour of cheap 5-star:

• Short-haul destinations (Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt) build and run 5-star resorts far more cheaply than Western Europe or long-haul luxury markets
• Off-peak and shoulder-season dates bring 5-star resorts down to 3-star peak-season prices
• Comparing multiple operators for the same hotel can save a meaningful amount — travel comparison sites report average savings of around £350 per holiday by shopping around

Worth weighing up:

• “5-star” is a facilities rating, not a quality guarantee — it varies significantly by country and by individual hotel
• The cheapest 5-star deals often exclude premium drinks, à la carte dining or 24-hour service, sold back as an upgrade
• Genuinely luxury long-haul destinations (Maldives, Seychelles) rarely get meaningfully “cheap,” whatever the season

What Does “5-Star” Actually Mean?

Star ratings describe a hotel’s facilities and services — pool count, room size, spa provision, dining options — not a guaranteed standard of quality or cleanliness. A 5-star rating in one country isn’t automatically equivalent to a 5-star rating in another, since rating bodies and criteria differ by destination.

In practice, this means a hotel’s actual review score is a better indicator of real-world quality than its star rating alone. Before booking on the strength of “5-star” alone, check recent guest reviews (ideally from the last 3–6 months) and photos, since a resort can hold a 5-star rating on paper while individual reviewers report dated rooms or inconsistent service.

All-Inclusive vs All-Inclusive Plus

Many “cheap 5-star” deals are standard all-inclusive rather than the premium tier some operators call “All-Inclusive Plus”:

The gap between these two tiers is one of the most common reasons a “5 star all-inclusive” deal feels less luxurious in person than the star rating suggests. Always check which tier a deal actually offers before comparing prices between hotels.

Our Price & Data Methodology

Every price and climate figure in this guide is sourced and built the same way, so figures are genuinely comparable.

How we price destinations: unless stated otherwise, prices assume a 7-night stay for two adults sharing a room, departing from a UK airport, shown per person, on a genuine all-inclusive board basis. Figures are drawn from published averages and live listings from Travelsupermarket, loveholidays, Thomas Cook and Destinology, checked in September 2026. They exclude baggage add-ons, transfer upgrades and travel insurance unless stated, and will move with dates, demand and exchange rates — treat every figure as a planning guide, not a live quote.

Where the other claims come from: climate figures are long-term averages from Weather2Travel and Holiday-Weather, compiled from the Met Office and the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit. The “average £350 saving from comparing operators” figure is reported by Travelsupermarket’s own research. Package protection information follows ATOL and ABTA scope as published by those organisations.

Best Cheap 5-Star All-Inclusive Destinations

Ranked from cheapest to most expensive average price for a genuine 5-star all-inclusive week, based on Travelsupermarket’s own destination-price research, cross-checked against current operator listings.

Tunisia (Sousse, Hammamet)

• Weather: Peak season (Jun–Sep) 30–33°C, 25°C sea
• Best areas: Sousse, Hammamet
• Best for: The cheapest genuine 5-star all-inclusive on this list
• Typical price: ~£614pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive)
• Flight time: ~3 hrs
• Downside: Some regions carry standing government travel advisories — check the latest guidance before booking, and some resorts are older, so recent reviews matter more than the star rating here

Dalaman, Turkey (Marmaris, Fethiye, Ölüdeniz)

• Weather: Peak season (Jul–Aug) 33–34°C, 26–27°C sea, up to 14 hrs sunshine
• Best areas: Marmaris, Fethiye, Ölüdeniz
• Best for: Beach scenery alongside a genuine price advantage over Antalya
• Typical price: ~£825pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive)
• Flight time: ~4.5 hrs
• Downside: Smaller resort scene than Antalya, so less choice of branded 5-star chains

Bodrum, Turkey

• Weather: Peak season (Jul–Aug) 32–33°C, 23–25°C sea
• Best areas: Bodrum town, Gümbet, Turgutreis
• Best for: A more upmarket, boutique feel than Antalya at a similar short-haul flight time
• Typical price: ~£910pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive)
• Flight time: ~4.5 hrs
• Downside: Pricier than Dalaman or Antalya for a broadly similar product

Egypt (Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, El Gouna)

• Weather: Reliably hot most of the year, 24–33°C depending on season, 25°C+ sea
• Best areas: Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, El Gouna
• Best for: Year-round heat rather than a single peak season, useful if your travel dates are fixed
• Typical price: ~£953pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive)
• Flight time: ~5.5–6 hrs
• Downside: Sits above the Turkish options on price for a broadly comparable resort standard

Algarve, Portugal (Albufeira, Alvor)

• Weather: Peak season (Jun–Sep) 27–29°C, cooler 20°C Atlantic sea
• Best areas: Albufeira, Alvor
• Best for: Golf-focused 5-star packages and a shorter flight than the eastern Mediterranean
• Typical price: ~£962pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive)
• Flight time: ~2.75 hrs
• Downside: Genuine all-inclusive is less common in the Algarve than in Turkey or Tunisia, and the Atlantic sea is noticeably cooler

Antalya, Turkey (Lara Beach, Belek, Side, Alanya)

• Weather: Peak season (Jul–Aug) 34°C, 27°C sea
• Best areas: Lara Beach, Belek, Side, Alanya
• Best for: The widest choice of branded 5-star waterpark resorts on this list
• Typical price: ~£969pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive)
• Flight time: ~4.5 hrs
• Downside: Extreme peak-season heat and humidity, and it’s busier than Dalaman or Bodrum

Crete, Greece (Rethymnon, Chania, Hersonissos)

• Weather: Peak season (Jul) 28°C, 25°C sea, essentially no rain
• Best areas: Rethymnon, Chania, Hersonissos
• Best for: The most boutique, adults-only 5-star stock on this list
• Typical price: ~£1,127pp average (7 nights, 2 adults sharing, all-inclusive) — the most expensive of the seven, but still well below long-haul luxury
• Flight time: ~4 hrs
• Downside: Highest average price on this list; limited natural beach shade at some resorts

Other Destinations Worth Considering

Rather than dilute the core price-ladder above, here are a few more worth a quick look:

• Montenegro (Budva) — 31°C peak season, 11 hrs sunshine; genuine 5-star all-inclusive stock is limited, but prices undercut equivalent Croatian or Spanish resorts.
• Zanzibar — 25–32°C depending on season, sea warmest (~29°C) December–April; a long-haul destination that’s noticeably cheaper than the Maldives for a comparable beach-resort standard, though flight time is longer (~10–11 hrs with a stop).
• Ras Al Khaimah, UAE — a genuinely affordable entry point to Gulf luxury, with winter (Nov–Mar) daytime temperatures around 24–25°C and 5-star packages from roughly £1,185pp — cheaper than Dubai for a similar resort standard.
• Maldives — included here as the reference point for “not cheap”: genuine 5-star overwater resorts typically start around £2,000–£3,500pp for 7 nights and rise past £4,000–£6,000pp for premium properties, illustrating how much destination alone drives the price of “5-star.”

Price at a Glance

Prices are indicative averages from Travelsupermarket, loveholidays, Thomas Cook and Destinology, checked September 2026; they will vary by exact dates, hotel and season.

The Cheap-to-Luxury 5-Star Budget Ladder

Which Destination Fits You?

How to Actually Get 5-Star for Less

• Compare multiple operators for the same hotel — Travelsupermarket’s own research puts the average saving at around £350 per holiday simply from shopping the same property across providers.
• Travel off-peak or shoulder-season — May, June, September and October bring peak-season 5-star resorts down to 3-star peak-season prices in Turkey, Tunisia and Greece.
• Check cashback sites (like Quidco) before booking, and search for a discount code before checkout.
• Sign up to operator newsletters — many release Black Friday-style or flash-sale codes to subscribers first.
• Stay flexible on dates and destination — a one-week shift either side of school holidays can materially change the price for the same hotel.
• Verify inclusions before comparing price — transfers, resort fees, and paid extras like green fees or spa credit can make a nominally cheaper deal more expensive once everything is added back in.

Fine Print to Check Before Booking

The headline “5-star all-inclusive” price rarely tells the whole story. Before booking, check:

• Free drink times — many resorts limit included drinks to set hours (for example, 10am–11pm), with a paid bar afterward
• Premium exclusions — imported spirits, branded beers and top-shelf wine are usually a paid upgrade even at 5-star level
• Snack windows — “all-day snacks” sometimes means a specific 2–3 hour window rather than genuinely all day
• Board tier — confirm whether you’re booking standard all-inclusive or All-Inclusive Plus (see above), since the difference materially affects value
• Recent reviews — a star rating reflects facilities on paper; reviews from the last 3–6 months tell you what the hotel is actually like to stay in now

Flying From the UK

• Departure airports — Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt and the Algarve fly from most major UK airports. Ras Al Khaimah, Zanzibar and the Maldives have far fewer departure points and often require a stop.
• Package vs hotel-only vs flight-only — A genuine flight-inclusive package (flights and hotel booked together through one seller) is ATOL protected; a hotel-only or flight-only booking usually isn’t, and relies instead on how you paid (for example, Section 75 on a UK credit card). ABTA membership covers the standards of the travel agent or tour operator, which is separate from ATOL’s financial protection. Always check a seller’s specific protection details before paying a deposit.
• Transfers and baggage — Included as standard in genuine package deals; check both explicitly on hotel-only or heavily discounted deals, since they’re a common place costs reappear.

When to Book

Because 5-star resorts run at close to capacity in peak season, the biggest single lever on price is timing rather than last-minute luck: booking shoulder-season dates (May–June, September–October in the Mediterranean) routinely brings 5-star resorts down to 3-star peak-season prices for the same hotel. Where you have fixed dates, booking several months ahead generally secures better room categories and availability, even if the headline price isn’t always the lowest of the year.

Find Your Best Cheap 5-Star Holiday

• Absolute cheapest → Tunisia — lowest average price on this list
• Best for families → Antalya — widest choice of branded family 5-star resorts
• Best for couples → Crete — most boutique, adults-only stock
• Best Gulf-luxury value → Ras Al Khaimah — from ~£1,185pp, cheaper than Dubai
• Genuine long-haul luxury → Maldives — the true reference point for 5-star, at a real premium

Whichever destination fits your budget, compare the same hotel across at least two or three operators before booking — that single step accounts for most of the realistic savings on a cheap 5-star all-inclusive holiday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 5-star all-inclusive actually worth it? 

Often yes for the convenience and predictable budgeting, but the star rating alone doesn’t guarantee quality — check recent reviews alongside the rating before booking.

What’s the cheapest 5-star all-inclusive destination? 

Tunisia, averaging around £614pp for 7 nights, is consistently the cheapest genuine 5-star all-inclusive option among mainstream destinations.

What’s the difference between all-inclusive and all-inclusive plus? 

Standard all-inclusive covers meals, snacks and local drinks during set hours; All-Inclusive Plus adds branded drinks, à la carte dining and 24-hour room service.

How can I tell if a “5-star” hotel is genuinely good? 

Check guest reviews from the last 3–6 months and recent photos rather than relying on the star rating alone, since rating criteria vary by country and don’t guarantee consistent quality.

Is it cheaper to book 5-star all-inclusive off-peak? 

Yes — shoulder-season dates (May–June, September–October for the Mediterranean) can bring peak-season 5-star resorts down close to 3-star peak-season prices.

What’s the best cheap 5-star destination for families? 

Antalya, Turkey has the widest choice of branded family-focused 5-star resorts with waterparks and kids’ clubs at a mid-range price point.