The hotel is a 4 Star and simply the best hotel I have ever stayed in. As it was brand new it was very smart and the cleanliness was impeccable. It looks fantastic from the outside and inside its even better. It has green grass lawns to lie on or play games etc - which in Turkey is a bit rare. The room was nice and had air con, however, the shower had a leak and our bathroom was pretty much flooded after a long shower (the maids did a great job drying it out!). The bed was a double bed, it was a bit hard and the duvet was poor, however, it was so hot we didn't use it. The view wasn't spectacular (a road and a mosque), but we didn't spend much time in the room anyway. On the other side of the hotel the rooms overlook the pool and all rooms have a balcony, shower/bath, sink, tv, mini-fridge
(which is stocked up with water, Fanta, fizzy water and coke), mirror, bed.
Food/Drink
The food was excellent, I highly recommend the Med al la carte, the buffet had a great range of food(hot and cold) with Mediterranean salads and Turkish foods but also burgers, chips, pizza etc if you fancy something more simple. The only minor criticism is that the lunch and snacks served the same food every day and I could imagine after 2 weeks that could get a bit tedious. The Med al la carte restaurant is on the hotel grounds and run by the hotel staff. It is an open air restaurant with a water fountain and candle on the table etc. All inclusive guests get one meal there free and then you have to pay after that. It is a fantastic restaurant and definitely worth visiting. The hotel restaurant is fantastically named the 'Pinus' restaurant, but other than that is near perfect. It is buffet style, but the waiters come and get you your drinks and clean your plates away straight away.
There is mineral water and fruit juice in chilled containers you can pour yourself at the beach and next to the pool. Alcoholic drinks are half spirit/half mixer so they are very strong, even stronger if you female. Look out for the lemonade though as it seems over there they serve you clear Iron Brew!! The mini fridge in the room gets regular supplies of mineral water and also Pepsi and tonic water.
Staff/ People
I was warned about the staff before I went, however, they were so polite and nice. We asked one waiter to take a photo of me and my girlfriend and he dimmed the lights and arranged everything to make it look more romantic for us. They clear away your empty plates etc so quickly and are very helpful. Their English was a bit basic but it was never a problem and they spoke German pretty fluently (helpful if you know the basics yourself). As for the holiday makers it was a mix of English and Germans, probably slightly more English on the week we went. Lots of families were there and young couples, so a pretty relaxed mix really.
Location
The beach is not that far away and easily within walking distance (5 minute walk), there is also a bus. At the beach there is a bar and cafe which is also free and serves the same food as the hotel does. There are water sports which are pretty cheap (canoes cost us 3 euros for half hour), all sports such as banana boats, rings, pedalos, canoes, glass bottom boats, jet-skis, parasailing. The surrounding area is a bit empty, it has a few shops and a restaurant but Side and Alaya are only a short taxi/bus ride away and they are full of bars, restaurants, shops and sights to see such as the old coliseum and amphitheatre.
Pool
At the pool there are lots of sun beds and as long as your up (or put your towel out) before 9am your pretty much guaranteed to get one. There is lots of shade as well if the sun gets too much for you (trust me, it will!). The pool is massive, with a kids pool on the side of it. There are two water slides around the side of the hotel with a separate pool for them, so they are out of the way if you dont want to be splashed.
Entertainment
The animation team put on water polo, water gym, darts etc if you want to join in. These are all in, or by the pool and go on every day, all day. There is a awesome mini golf just up the road but prepare to practice your German as it is run by Germans for Germans. At 1.50 euro a game you can't complain!
In the evenings there was entertainment at the amphitheatre which was a laugh, Mr Can Garden and the Turkish Dancing are really good. Karaoke was a bit of a shambles as no-one turned up but thanks to a group of scousers it turned into a fun night. The terrace bar is a great place to chill in the evenings as the pool and surrounds are all lit up and there is a good atmosphere. If your one for a late night I probably wouldn't recommend this place as the bars close by around midnight (although there was a trip to a foam party one night - if your into that kind of thing!).
Overall
The weather was brilliant, unbelievably hot with a slight breeze on some days. All in all, a fantastic hotel, great beach, fantastic weather and a quality holiday. Would certainly recommend it to anyone and my view on Turkey has changed completely. If you want a good deal, we went with Thompson late deals and got a week all inclusive in a 4 star hotel for less than £400. Very highly recommended hotel and would certainly go there again.
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