Why have a Holiday “Cost of Enjoyment” Index?

Thinking about an All-Inclusive Resort, but unsure if the cost is worth it? 

Wondering if the Half-Board option offers better value? 

Debating between Cancun, the Dominican Republic or the Maldives? Ever wanted to rank your past holidays to pinpoint the sweet spot between what you want and what you get? 

Do you need help identifying the best options for future travels?

HindlesWorld has developed a Holiday “Cost of Enjoyment” Index to focus on the factors that directly influence your enjoyment, satisfaction and the emotional impact of a holiday. This tools helps you compare B&B’s, Full-Board and All-Inclusive Resorts against each other! With a straightforward scoring solution, you can evaluate all the places you’ve stayed or plan to visit. It shows you the factors that matter most, lets you score them, and ranks the results to reveal which resort offers the best value.

What Categories Should You Include?

What  key define the Cost of Enjoyment? We’ve identified five categories that influence your holiday experience the most:

• • Accommodation
    • Enjoy Comfort & Amenities
    • Evaluate Location & Accessibility
    • Measure the value you get from your room category

• • Activities & Experiences
    • Explore Uniqueness & Authenticity
    • Consider the Variety of Activities during the day
    • Assess Ease of Access to hassle-free in-resort bookings and nightlife

• • Cost of Doing it
    • Factor in Accommodation Costs (where higher prices lower value)
    • Include Cost of Food & Beverages (All-Inclusive or extras)
    • Add the Cost of Getting There from home

• • Food & Beverages
    • Assess main dining options and buffets
    • Rate à la carte dining for quality & booking ease
    • Weigh up drink options, including Top-Shelf inclusions

• • Relaxation & Rejuvenation
    • Appraise the Peacefulness & Atmosphere; Can you actually relax?
    • Explore Spa, Wellness or Yoga options?
    • Appreciate scenic beauty, good swimming spots, and quiet zones

How does it work?

We score each category independently based on the component parts of its respective sub-category. By weighting the Index according to what contributes most to the perfect holiday, we create a comprehensive comparison tool. 

Separating the categories, scoring their sub-categories, and applying these weights provides a clear measure to evaluate any hotel. Using this method, the Cost of Enjoyment calculation works for any vacation – whether you’re comparing hotels at a destination you’ve already chosen or potential alternatives worldwide.

 

Rationale for choosing the main categories

Below is the rationale for the categories we’ve chosen to include in the Index, why they’ve been selected and the Ranking Rationale. Our proprietary weights are used to score the sub-categories and produce and overall result.

1. Accommodation

• • Why: A comfortable, well-located, and aesthetically pleasing place to stay enhances relaxation and serves as a sanctuary after busy days. Exceptional accommodation can amplify a vacation’s luxury feel or align with its adventure theme (like an eco-lodge or boutique hotel).

• • Ranking Rationale: Good accommodation affects both the quality of rest and how you feel about the trip as a whole.

2. Activities & Experiences

• • Why: Engaging in unique activities and discovering new experiences create the most memorable aspects of a trip. Why? Whether it’s snorkelling, cultural tours, or simply enjoying local markets, these moments define the essence of a vacation.

• • Ranking Rationale: Experiences are the core of what makes a trip distinct, making them the highest-ranked factor.

3. Cost of Doing It

• • Why: Value! A trip with high enjoyment at a reasonable cost feels more rewarding than one that delivers similar enjoyment but is highly priced.

• • Ranking Rationale: Budget constraints often dictate what is feasible, especially when weighing premium experiences against affordability.

4. Food & Beverages

• • Why: Food is an integral part of immersing yourself in a destination’s culture. Great meals provide sensory delights and social connection, while poor options can disrupt enjoyment.

• • Ranking Rationale: Culinary experiences are often highlights of vacations, whether through street food, fine dining, or cultural dishes.

5. Relaxation & Rejuvenation

• • Why: A vacation is often an escape from daily stress. Relaxing atmospheres, serene surroundings, and opportunities to rejuvenate (e.g., spa treatments or tranquil beaches) help travellers feel refreshed.

• • Ranking Rationale: Emotional recovery and mental well-being are critical parts of vacation satisfaction.

Any resort or hotel can be included in the Holiday Cost of Enjoyment Index

First, the index is easy to understand. Second, you can either use a number (say out of 5) or show the result as a percentage. Third, the index can then be used to make a comparison across hotels, whether they are 3*, 4* or 5*.

The advantage of the approach is that you can include any choice of hotel or resort any where in the world, and this enables you to create an index to compare with another resort you’ve stayed in. From Sharm-El-Sheikh all the way round the world and back to Hurghada, we’ve tested the results. Sometimes, the most expensive hotels may just not provide you with the enjoyment, satisfaction and emotional impact of a holiday. And that’s before the weather comes in to play!

Check out our review of Emerald Faarufushi, Maldives here:

https://youtu.be/5ucaof4grUc

If you liked this, please take a look at my other videos on YouTube

 

Want to see it work in practice?

This Review Shows The Scores!

 

This is our detailed review of the Emerald Faarufushi Resort & Spa. As you might think, as the Accommodation Costs in The Maldives are so high, it’s difficult for any hotel there to score a perfect 5 or 100%. However, it did do so well in all the other categories. 

Was it worth it? You decide! Does the Index work for you?  

If you liked this, please take a look at my other videos on YouTube here: