Quote Originally Posted by MoFromMonroe View Post
Here's an example of the difference for hubby and me and we have only done AI at Couples. We can drink their drinks all day and feel fine. I can have one margarita for $7 and hubby a martini at The Parrot and stagger back to my beach chair at Coco. Definitely cheaper for us to do NON AI. Also we eat way too much food in the AI that just isn't necessary (can't help ourselves-no self control) .
We are doing a week at couples this year, our 10th time there, and you are right about the drinks. I almost never drink... If I have a beer when we go out to dinner here at home (generally Sapporo, slightly higher alc content), I am buzzed after one 16 oz draft. I tried to keep up with my brother drinking one year at couples, and felt nothing after 5 or 6 drinks with "liquor" in them. I had one drink at Ivan's last year, and felt like I'd been drinking rum all afternoon.

On topic though... For the original poster. I did AI resorts 1998 to 2011, every year, at least once a year... Got an idea for something different 2011, tried the cliffs. It will forever be at least a part of my itinerary from now on. Cost wise for us, there is not much difference. I just spend the money I would have spent at couples getting (at least this year) an entire two bedroom, two bath cottage with kitchen and living room at tensing.