BB, HB or All Inclusive: what is included in the hotel rate

Three letters in a booking determine how much extra you will pay on arrival. The hotel writes "HB", the tour operator puts "halbpension", the front desk says "half board". There is no single standard here, and the same code at two chains means different sets of services. We compiled meal plans from RO to Ultra All Inclusive and checked them against the hotel classification criteria. You will read what is included in the price, where extra charges begin, and what to ask the hotel before paying.

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How to read meal plans in a booking

💡 In short:

• Meal plans in bookings are coded with two or three Latin letters: RO, BB, HB, FB, AI, UAI.
• The code describes the meal schedule, not alcohol brands or restaurant opening hours.
• Stars describe the hotel's base level, while the meal plan is set by the rate (as of 09/2026, verified on the official Hotelstars Union website).

Meal plan codes come from hotel practice, not from a single standard. Tour operators in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland keep their own table, resort chains a second one, cruise lines a third. So "HB" at a hotel on the Baltic and "HB" at a resort in Turkey can mean different things.

For you this means a simple thing: read the code together with the rate description, not instead of it. In the description, look for three points: which meals are included, what the drink situation is and when they are served, and how many times you have access to à la carte restaurants.

What is included in each plan

The table describes the most common practice, not a universal rule. Check your own rate separately: the hotel may narrow the package, but must state this in the booking description.

Breakfast: continental, English, and buffet

Breakfast hides the most surprises in a rate. Continental (CB) is coffee or tea, juice, a roll, butter, and jam. English breakfast adds eggs, toast, and cold cuts.

American (AB) expands the continental with hot dishes. Buffet means self-service: dishes sit on trays, and everyone helps themselves. Drinks are poured at the bar or brought by a waiter.

The wording "set menu dining" stands apart. It limits the choice to a few items, while "à la carte" means a menu with a price next to each dish. Such rates are found in small hotels and old guesthouses.

If you see BB in a booking, clarify what is served in the morning. A hearty buffet and a roll with jam are sold under the same code. For people with allergies, another point matters: some hotels offer separate gluten-free and lactose-free dishes, others do not.

What the Hotelstars classification guarantees

Stars on a hotel sign do not describe your rate. They show the hotel's base level, and in Europe that is set by Hotelstars Union, a Brussels-based association that brings together hotel associations from about twenty countries (as of 09/2026, Hotelstars Union website).

The criteria are grouped into categories: services, room amenities, gastronomy, leisure and events, online activities. Meals occupy a separate block, and the minimum criteria include a continental breakfast with products for people with allergies (as of 09/2026, criteria catalog).

What this means in practice: in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, breakfast is almost always available at the hotel itself, but whether it is included in your price is decided by the rate, not the star. The criteria catalog is publicly available and can be downloaded before booking. We checked the criteria on 09/14/2026 on the Hotelstars Union website.

Half board and full board: where extra charges begin

Half board (HB) is breakfast and dinner. Free tea, coffee, and water at breakfast are usually included in the package, but drinks at dinner are not. Lunch is on you: during the day you pay at the hotel bar or go into town.

Full board (FB) covers all three meals. The extended FB+ option adds drinks with meals, at some hotels beer and wine.

Look at two lines in the description: whether dinner is served as a set menu or buffet, and whether the restaurant has a Ruhetag, meaning a day off. In resort towns, dinner at the hotel often starts early, and the kitchen closes after it.

If you arrive late, take a rate with a late dinner or plan to eat in town. Ask the hotel about water and tea outside breakfast: descriptions almost never mention this detail.

All Inclusive and Ultra All Inclusive: what the difference is

Standard All Inclusive covers the whole day. In addition to three meals, you get unlimited locally produced drinks, a second breakfast, an afternoon snack, a late dinner, and light snacks. A poolside barbecue is also part of the package.

Ultra All Inclusive (UAI) expands the list. Imported drinks, desserts, and snacks appear here, and most such hotels give guests access to dinners at restaurants serving different cuisines.

After that, marketing begins. Some chains write Soft All Inclusive or Light All Inclusive, others add words like Elegance, Royal Class, VIP, or MEGA. There is no single standard for these names: the proportions and service hours are set by the hotel itself.

If you are choosing between AI and UAI, compare three things: how many hours a day the bar operates, how many times you can visit an à la carte restaurant, and which brands are poured. The price difference between packages is noticeable, so compare what is included, not just the name.

What is almost always at extra cost

Even in extended packages, some services remain paid. In High Class All Inclusive descriptions, the exceptions are listed directly: shops, telephone, doctor, hairdresser, some water sports, and diving. Household items are almost always added to this list:

• minibar in the room and room service;
• dinners at à la carte restaurants beyond the allotted number of visits;
• spa, massage, and salon services;
• excursions and transfers outside the hotel;
• jarred baby food, unless the hotel offers a children's buffet;
• safe, parking, and deposit for beach towels.

Check the list in the rate description. The word "all" in a package name does not mean "without exceptions". Exceptions are spelled out in the booking terms section, often in fine print.

How to choose a plan for your trip

Base your choice on your daily schedule, not on the word "included". If you get up early and leave for excursions, half board is overpaid. If your days are spent by the pool and at the bars, all inclusive removes the food question entirely.

Add up your expenses from a previous trip. Dinners and drinks outside the package often eat up more than the difference between rates. For a family with two children, the math is especially clear.

What to check in the description before booking

• How many visits to à la carte restaurants are included in the package and how reservations work.
• Bar and restaurant opening hours, including Ruhetag.
• What the hotel considers local drinks: brand lists are rarely published.
• How much breakfast costs if it is not included in the RO rate, especially in Germany and Austria.
• Whether there is a children's buffet, high chairs, and jarred food.
• What deposit is charged for towels and loungers.
• What happens with meals on a late arrival.
• Who pays for drinks at dinner on half board.

Ask these questions before paying and keep the answers in writing. The booking description always takes precedence over the words "half board" and "all inclusive". If the plan is changed on arrival, ask for a recalculation at the front desk and written confirmation.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How is half board different from full board?

Half board (HB) includes breakfast and dinner, full board (FB) adds lunch. The difference is noticeable on excursion days: with half board you find food yourself, with full board lunch is already paid for.

Is alcohol included in All Inclusive?

Standard All Inclusive usually includes unlimited locally produced drinks: beer, wine, and local-brand spirits. Imported brands more often appear only in Ultra All Inclusive or High Class All Inclusive. Check the exact list in the rate description. Some hotels list brands, others limit themselves to the word local.

What is soft all inclusive?

That is what some chains call a reduced package. It usually has fewer items at the bar and shorter service hours than regular All Inclusive. Compare bar hours, the number of restaurants, and the menu if the price difference is small.

Do you have to pay extra for breakfast in Germany and Austria?

Often yes. City hotels sell the room and breakfast as separate items, and the RO rate means accommodation only. A continental breakfast with products for people with allergies is part of the minimum classification criteria (as of 09/2026, Hotelstars Union). But the criterion describes the hotel, not your booking: breakfast may already be included or sold separately.

Can you change the plan after booking?

Usually yes, but on the rate's terms and before arrival. In high season, the hotel may refuse due to occupancy, and some sellers allow changes only for the entire stay, not for individual days. Put any extra payment in writing and keep the confirmation. On arrival, ask for a recalculation at the front desk.

In short: what is worth booking

Choosing a plan starts with your trip schedule, not with the price. If your days are spent in the city, RO or BB is cheaper and more convenient. If you are heading to the sea with children, All Inclusive removes the daily food question. For food-focused trips, half board is enough.

Before paying, check the package contents against the checklist above. Hotels with the right plan are easier to find using filters: see hotels with the right meal plan on Trip.com.