In part four of the five part series focusing on Huatulco villa rentals vs. Huatulco resort vacations we’re going to compare the costs of food and beverages for both travel options.

Huatulco Villas

There are a few typical options available to villa renters:

1. Cheapest Option: If you decide that you don’t want to spend that much on food, you can wait until you get to Huatulco to visit the local grocery store to stock your fridge and pantry for the week(s) you’re there. Your kitchen or kitchenette will provide you with all the space you need to prepare food, and there is always a dining area in each villa where you can enjoy all of your meals. The local grocery stores really do carry everything you need (even organic milk and other organic products) - so you will most definitely have access to whatever food you wish to buy.

Cost = average weekly grocery bill

2. Mid-Range Option: If you wish to have food ready for your arrival and don’t want to worry about visiting the local grocery store, you can take advantage of local services that offer pantry stocking/villa provisioning before you arrive. The process is pretty simple: you would forward a copy of your grocery list through your booking agent and when you arrive - you will be graced by a fully stocked pantry and fridge. You never have to worry and the best part is that you get to avoid grocery shopping. This option also offers a re-stock service mid-week if you wish to use it.

Cost = average weekly grocery bill + service charge

3. High-End Option: If you really want to enjoy the privacy of your beautiful Huatulco villa and still get the best in fine Mexican cuisine, you can hire a personal cook to prepare and serve all of your meals for the entire duration of your stay! Plus, you can package this service together with the mid-range option to ensure that you’ll always be adequately covered when it comes to fine dining in Huatulco! If the villa property already offers full-time staff, this service will only cost you an extra $20/day (total). If the property does not already have staff on the premises, you can arrange for someone to accommodate this service for anywhere from $30 - $80/day depending on the the cook’s individual rates.

Cost = grocery bill + service charge + weekly staff fees

As for beverages, this service isn’t included in your villa rental but you need not worry because purchasing alcohol locally is very inexpensive. You also have the option of purchasing your alcohol in the duty free store at your airport or in your connection city. This way you can purchase and enjoy the alcohol of your choice while still staying on budget.

Huatulco Resorts

One of the advantages of staying at any major resort or hotel is that they have multiple restaurants on-site for you to dine at. Some of the resorts offer “all-inclusive” meal plans, where your meals and drinks are all covered and are set - usually with a lot of buffets. For some, this is the definition of holiday travel; all the food you can eat at your convenience! However, there are a few down falls if you’re not on a meal plan as the cost of food is usually exorbitant compared to many local restaurants.

Additionally, a lot of travelers will get bored of the same few restaurants and will want to explore other destinations to really taste some fine Mexican cuisine. So if you are the type of traveler who doesn’t enjoy staying and eating at the same place all week, you can guarantee you’ll be spending some money to enjoy dining at some off-site restaurants; and in the process lose money on the meals you’re not taking advantage of on your pre-paid plan.

Also, a lot of the luxury resorts enforce reservations at all of their restaurants. Many times you’ll find that you have a limited number of meals that can actually be enjoyed in a table service setting - leaving the rest of your meals for buffet dining. As mentioned, for some this is great, but for many travelers they would prefer to sample local restaurants to really enjoy the different tastes that Huatulco, Mexico has to offer!

Conclusion

The deals on food and beverages are very different for Huatulco villa rentals compared to resort vacations. When it comes down to it, it’s really all about what you want to get out of your dining experience(s). If you prefer to eat at buffets and at the same few restaurants; then a pre-paid meal plan at a Huatulco resort would be just perfect for you! However, if you want to enjoy some of the great local restaurants throughout Huatulco, this option may not be the best fit for you.

For villa renters they really have an incredible opportunity to have their very own personal cook prepare them their meals. This service allows travelers to relish in the beauty and privacy of their private villa while still enjoying all of the different delicacies and authentic Mexican dishes that are commonly available at many of the local restaurants. Villa renters also have the option to combine this service with having their fridge/pantry pre-stocked with food in order to really get the best of both worlds!

In the next and final post of this series, we’ll examine the property amenities and concierge services offered at both Huatulco villas and Huatulco resorts.