What is half board?

When booking a hotel, choosing a board basis can be confusing to some. Today we will be looking at half board and what you get when you book a hotel on a half board basis.

What is half board?

Half board is two meals that are included with your hotel stay. These two meals are breakfast and dinner. You can sometimes request with the hotel to swap your dinner for lunch, but the most common way of half board is breakfast and dinner time meals.

Is half board the most convenient choice?

Half board is a convenient choice as your breakfast and evening meals are taken care of. This is especially useful if you have a small family and you don’t want to have to find somewhere to eat every morning when your little ones are hungry. It also allows you the freedom to have food in your hotel while leaving you the flexibility to try local delicacies at lunchtime.

If you have anyone in your party that is a fussy eater then this could be the most convenient choice because sometimes they may not like the local cuisine and selecting a half board option assures you that there will always be something available for all party members.

Guests who select a half board holiday can still enjoy having meals cooked for them while still having flexibility so they can eat out of the hotel in local restaurants if they choose to do so. Selecting a half board option on your package holiday is also a good way of keeping your costs down too while being more convenient than a self catering option.

The only downside to half board is that the meal times can often be limiting and if you are on a boys/girls holiday then chances are you won’t make it to breakfast on time if you have been out the night before partying. For families, however, half board is a very convenient choice as the meal plan for the week will be varied so there will always be something for everyone. The meal times for an evening meal is more accommodating so there shouldn’t be any problems there.

Why would you choose half board?

The main benefit of choosing half board is that it keeps the price down on your holiday and you know that the majority of your food has already been paid for. This then allows you to budget better for the rest of the holiday as you only need to budget for drinks, a snack here and there, lunch and any activities you do while on holiday.

If you are the type of person that likes to chill out and stay within the confines of the accommodation then half board may leave a little lacking and it may be worth paying a little more and getting full board or an all inclusive deal.

If you find yourself at the hotel in the morning and evening though, half board could be the perfect choice for you.

Would full board or half board be better for you?

Full board is when your accommodation provides you with three meals, these are breakfast, lunch and your evening meal. If you don’t leave your hotel while on holiday this could be a better choice for you as you can simply go for food in your hotel and then get back to lounging on the sunbeds.

If you do like to venture out during the day, full board may not be the option for you as you won’t be eating at the hotel and you will be wasting your money. When booking half board or full board keep in mind that you will have to pay for snacks or a soft drink like you would if you were self catering. If you have a child or a few children you know how quickly this can mount up, so if you will be eating at the hotel and staying in the resort the majority of the time and want to save money on your snacks and drinks including alcoholic drinks for your self then all-inclusive may be the best option for you.

Why would you choose half board over all inclusive?

If you want a luxury meal then you often have to go outside of the resort you are staying in and for foodies this maybe a good enough reason for choosing half board over an all-inclusive board basis. On the other hand if all you need is a meal in the morning and in the evening and you want to explore the local area this could be a good enough reason to choose half board over all inclusive.

Finally, half board is usually a lot cheaper upfront than all inclusive and if you are paying for your family to go on holiday this can be a big financial hit to take. Whereas half board is cheaper and still provides you with 90% of the benefits of full board.

Conclusion

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