A beautiful few days exploring Side & Lara on the Mediterranean Coast.
Day 1 - London to Antalya, flight time approximately 4hrs On arrival into Antalya we jumped aboard a private minibus for the 50 minute journey to Side which includes a modern resort town and an old town with the ruins of the ancient city, one of the best-known classical sites in the country.
Arriving at the Acanthus Cennet Barut Collection hotel, first impressions were great! With a spacious beautifully decorated lobby gives you a glimpse of the gorgeous pool onwards towards the beach and Mediterranean sea. The scent of the hotel was beautiful and I couldn't wait to see more.
Heading into the lift we zipped up to the 4th floor heading to the penthouse suites - Absolutely beautiful rooms with a huge bathroom - Nobody would be disappointed with these rooms, but I would be just as happy with the superior and deluxe rooms all with side sea view. The family rooms also offer a separate sleeping area with sliding door.
Penthouse suite is below..
This hotel is part of the "collection" meaning it is an ultra all inclusive hotel, with so much included, the minibar was well stocked with drinks and snacks as well as plenty of tea and coffee options. They also have a pillow menu - I went for a couple of goose down pillows and slept so well in the comfiest bed. With 260 rooms in total and 9 room types there is definitely a room for everyone!
With a few hours to relax before dinner I wanted to explore a little more of the all inclusive plus concept so headed back downstairs to check out the patisserie and coffee shop, all complimentary throughout the day. The choice was phenomenal and plenty of spots to sit and enjoy. If cakes are not your thing they also had a pancake & waffle station with a wealth of toppings to choose from!
A quick change for dinner and headed down to experience the main buffet restaurant, The Palmiye Buffet Restaurant - With its stylish decoration and spacious atmosphere, serves guests indoors and outdoors. One side of our main restaurant overlooks the Mediterranean and one side offers a view of the pool of the hotel.
After dinner we headed to the bar where evening music is always on the cards, with a great selection of premium drinks and table service its the perfect place to end your evening. You can choose to sit inside or outside.
Day 2 and off I went excitedly to view the other 2 hotels in Side that are part of the Barut chain, first up was the Barut Arum - Also part of the Ultra All Inclusive collection. The first thing I noticed about all of these hotels is the most amazing smell as you walk in, all different, but all smell incredible! So incredible I managed to get my hands on some of the scent they use to bring home!
The Arum has an amazing family feel to it, with 330 rooms, over half are family rooms. You have a huge choice of room types and if your traveling with little ones you have the option of booking the "Baby Star" Package which gives you everything you need - Cot, pram, highchair, bottle warmer, even a car seat! So you can pack light and not worry about having everything you need to make sure your holiday is a breeze with your baby.
As part of the ultra all inclusive the minibar is topped up daily, you get one day free ironing, and have 6 restaurants to choice from! Again the Arum has a patisserie & ice cream for when everyone gets peckish too! Kids are well entertained here with a kids club, 4 water slides, and baby sitting available too. Adults can find a spot to relax at the chill out bar overlooking the beach - The beautiful landscaping and well kept grounds make for a truly fantastic stay.
Up next, the Hemera!
Once again, the Barut fragrance greets you as you step into the elegant lobby, where the attentive staff welcome you. Although this 376-room hotel is not part of the "collection," meaning it is not ultra all-inclusive, it still offers an all-inclusive experience. The main distinction for the Hemera is that the à la carte restaurants are not unlimited; for stays of 3 to 7 days, one of the available restaurants can be booked per stay, and for stays over 7 days, additional reservations can be made. But don't worry! The renowned (and delicious) patisserie and coffee shop are included in the all-inclusive package, and the quality of the food in the buffet restaurant is exceptional, so you won't feel like you're missing out!
Again, family friendly shines through here, but with adult only areas too on offer there really is something for everyone. With 11 room types to pick from from swim up to 2 bedroom to jacuzzi rooms, whoever is joining you on holiday there is a room to suit them!
These hotels have an amazing repeat client base with generational families, and the facilities for children makes sure everyone enjoys their holidays, the kids club here was a fantastic set up with so much for all ages to do, the staff there were so friendly and fun too!
Phew! Hotel inspections done for the day it was back to the Cennet for lunch before the most beautiful afternoon exploring the shops and the history of Side. Side has a well-kept Old Town that is also a National Heritage site; it's great for exploring and taking in the rustic views.
One of the most famous classical sites in Turkey, Side is now a pretty resort town. Pronounced 'sea day', this former fishing village is fortified with ancient walls and set on a small cape with long, sandy beaches on either side.
In the old town you'll find a museum with Greco-Roman exhibits and you'll be transported back to the 2nd century as you walk amongst the ruins and even more so as you set foot in the massive Roman amphitheater; it has great views of the sea on one side and a stunning view of the Old Town on the other.
Last but not least is The Temple of Apollo; the most famous landmark in Side. The temple is the best place to see the sun set as you sit in between the marble arches and look out onto the sparkling sea below.
With some great shopping to be had to (picked up a few Christmas presents whilst there!) there are also some beautiful restaurants, cafes and bars to while away an afternoon, or maybe even take a boat trip - plenty are leaving from the harbour here.
Dinner in the Al a Carte restaurant at the Acanthus Cennet on our last evening, with drinks on the terrace before moving on the following morning to Lara Beach for our final hotel, Side really made me fall in love with Turkey so I was hoping the Lara would not fall short, although of what I have seen from the Barut chain - I cannot honestly could not see how it could!
Day 3 - Another stunning breakfast (quickly getting used to this ultra all inclusive life!) before hopping in the mini van for the short 45 min drive back north towards Lara Beach. A long sweeping driveway, again with the standard Barut immaculate landscaping with 548 rooms & 24 villas told me I was in for a fantastic stay! After a smooth check in and I headed to my room - The resort is set out in different blocks, the Barut Lara saw me staying in the lagoon building, which of course did not disappoint!
Back out of the room and onto a site inspection of the hotel, I couldn't wait to get a good look around! Lara Barut is part of "The collection" so is an ultra all inclusive property. Bigger than the previous 3 hotels I had seen this really does pull out all the stops when it comes to an all inclusive experience. The extensive gardens are maintained beautifully, can you believe that the grass at the Barut properties are replaces completely twice a year to keep the lawned areas in pristine condition!
Along the absolutely stunning grounds you have 9 restaurants to choose from, with plenty of the al a carte's offering the option for breakfast, lunch and dinner - Staying for a week? You never have to eat in the same place twice!
We then headed on to the absolutely stunning Bayou Villas (24 villas from 1 bedroom to 4 bedrooms). With its own check in and own restaurant/bar, the Barut Lara spa will even come to your villa as some villas have their own treatment rooms and hammams, you really wont want to leave the villa!
Lets talk about food at the Lara! With just one night here I only got to sample the main buffet restaurant and one of the al a carte restaurants, but neither disappointed! Service was top notch and the level of drink options on offer was amazing. Again the famous Barut patisserie was included which fantastic coffees (much needed after all that amazing wine the night before!)
Talking of feeling jaded! if you need a little pick me up then the Spa is the place to go, a fantastic experience from start to finish, and a hairdressers is also onsite offering nails and hair! You can be truly pampered here!
Day 4 - My Turkish trip was coming to an end today, I spent my last morning enjoying a spectacular breakfast and soaking up the morning sun by the beach with my new favourite drink - A Turkish tea! Lara beach is a hop skip and a jump back to Antalya airport and wave a sad goodbye to my little burst of sunshine in November.
So what have I learned about holidaying in Turkey? Below are the main points I have taken away with me..
Pick your hotels wisely! There are so many hotels in Turkey that are rated 5* but not all are truly 5*! I can confirm the Barut chain hit the mark, don't just take my word for it, just look at their trip advisor reviews!
Turkey are very animal and pet friendly! Like many countries they do have stray animals but many Turkish citizens view them as communally owned pets rather than traditional strays, and are well looked after. The Barut Chain have "Cat houses" at each of their hotels where the cats are fed, watered and given a place to sleep and rest. The strays are also neutered, trying to keep a lid on the population! The hotels ask guests not to feed the cats so not to encourage them to restaurants etc and it works so well!
Although the season technically runs until November many hotels stay open year round, the Barut Lara being one of them! Although the hotels were quiet during our visit the Lara was nearly fully booked for the Christmas period.
Don't rule out the shoulder months! Many people shy away from Turkey in the early summer months and for late October/Early November. When I was there at the end of November the weather was around 20 degrees, plenty warm enough to sunbathe. There is always at least one heated outdoor pool if you are a bit of a wimp like me in the water, and all had indoor pools too! The low cost airlines have extended their flight timetables too to cover the most of the winter so a great deal can be had!
Perfect for Golf lovers! Belek is the place to be if your a golfer, it has 14 fantastic golf courses, all are within 10-15 minutes of one another, including a 27-hole course designed by world-famous professional golfer and course designer Nick Faldo. You can still base yourself in Side though as it would be just a 30 min drive to get to these courses. Many of the hotels will help book Tee times etc too.
This was my first visit to Turkey and I loved the history, the beaches, the sunshine and the service we received during our stay. A huge thankyou to the Barut chain and Workham hotels for hosting me on this trip, meeting all the general managers and getting some great contacts in place will be fantastic for Stow Travel and I cant wait to start selling these amazing hotels!
Until the next trip!
Catherine
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