Pine Bay Holiday Resort, Kusadasi

...we were moved to the Pine Bay at the last minute when the hotel we should have been staying in developed problems with its air-conditioning and hot water systems. We were grateful for the move from that point of view, but the Pine Bay is not the sort of place any of us would have chosen for ourselves. It is a huge resort, primarily aimed at the "all-inclusive" market, with a fair smattering of time-share visitors as well.

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Getting around Pine Bay involves negotiating steep hills and lots of steps. There is a courtesy shuttle service from anywhere to anywhere within the resort, just an internal phone call away but it is not particularly well advertised. Without it, this resort really is not suitable for the elderly or anyone with restricted mobility for whatever reason - no matter how well landscaped the site is, a 300 metre hike up a steep hill to your ... more

A group of us (aged 50 - mid-70s) were touring round western Turkey on a private tour and we were moved to the Pine Bay at the last minute when the hotel we should have been staying in developed problems with its air-conditioning and hot water systems. We were grateful for the move from that point of view, but the Pine Bay is not the sort of place any of us would have chosen for ourselves. It is a huge resort, primarily aimed at the "all-inclusive" market, with a fair smattering of time-share visitors as well.

That said, the place occupies a lovely location (about 5km outside Kusadasi town) and is beautifully landscaped. When you look back at the resort from the beach, the dozens of little bungalows are barely noticeable, so well are they set into the pine-covered hillside. The main hotel building is a very modern confection with lots of glass, polished tiles and lush greenery; very smart and in keeping with its claim of 5-star status, but the bungalows are rather more spartan - by no means inadequate, they are just not designed for you to spend much time in them. This is the sort of resort where you are meant to be outside all day!

The facilities seem very good. Both the indoor and outdoor pools are lovely - although very heavily chlorinated, which is hardly surprising considering the number of people using them - and there is a "safe swimming" area clearly marked off for those who would rather swim in the sea. Quite a range of water sports is catered for (windsurfing, jet-skis, snorkelling, diving etc) and there are plenty of life-belts, buoyancy aids etc. You get the impression safety is taken seriously. Organised activities abound and you have to listen to the tannoy announcements and keep your wits about you if you don't want to find yourself caught up in a volleyball class or pool aerobics session! Other facilities include hairdressing, massage, digital photo centre, shops and a medical centre.

Getting around Pine Bay involves negotiating steep hills and lots of steps. There is a courtesy shuttle service from anywhere to anywhere within the resort, just an internal phone call away but it is not particularly well advertised. Without it, this resort really is not suitable for the elderly or anyone with restricted mobility for whatever reason - no matter how well landscaped the site is, a 300 metre hike up a steep hill to your bungalow makes it seem unattractive in those circumstances, as some of our party found out.

There are seven bars scattered around the resort, so you are never too far from food and drink. There are also several restaurants, the main ones occupying a huge terraced area adjoining the hotel building. We stayed at Pine Bay for two nights in early September (2007) and there were somewhere in the region of 1300 (yes, thirteen hundred) other guests, from dozens of different countries. Meals are all self-service and involve a fair amount of queuing - it has to be said that not all the countries represented have grasped the concept of queuing, which can be very irritating. Waiter-service is available for drinks, at a price - ask a waiter to bring you a glass of wine and it will cost you 5YTL (just under £2), fetch it yourself from the same place and there is no charge. The quantity and variety of food on offer is amazing although the quality is variable. On our second night, it was infinitely better than our first. On the other hand, the breakfast buffet is stunning - dozens and dozens of choices, several cooked to order, which must surely cover every personal preference, dietary requirement and cultural inclination.

So, did we enjoy our stay at Pine Bay? Not really, to be honest. It wasn't the right place for us; there were too many people for comfort and the layout caused certain problems. On the other hand, it was much more attractively located than our original hotel and it had both air-conditioning that worked and lashings of hot water, for which we were grateful.

But for families wanting an all-inclusive, beach-type holiday with food, drink and activities on tap, plus plenty of opportunity to make new friends, I think Pine Bay would be ideal. 

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