Acanthus and Cennet Barut Collection

One of the things that can truly make a holiday special is not always the hotel itself, but the people you meet along the way. For us, Eda was definitely one of those people. From the moment we met her, her positive energy and genuine way of communicating with guests made a noticeable difference. She was always around, smiling, talking to people and making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. We joined several activities during the day, including darts and boccia, and had a surprisingly great time. Boccia especially became one of those activities that we didn’t expect to enjoy so much, but ended up looking forward to. The pool area was also a lovely place to spend our days, with the animation team constantly bringing a fun and lively atmosphere. In the evenings, the entertainment continued with different shows and live music. The shows were well prepared, entertaining and full of energy, while the live music created a more relaxed atmosphere for enjoying the evening. The bar was another place we really enjoyed, especially sitting with a nice drink after dinner and listening to music. However, what really stood out to us was the animation team, and especially Eda. She has a very natural way of connecting with guests and somehow makes you feel involved without ever being pushy. It was clear that the team genuinely cared about creating memorable experiences rather than simply organizing activities. From daytime games and pool activities to evening shows, live music and relaxing moments at the bar, everything came together to make our holiday feel special. We left with many great memories, and Eda and the animation team were definitely a big part of that. We would be very happy to see them again on our next visit.

I don’t really know where to start with this review, the hotel (and the experience of staying there) is just perfect. The setting, the food, the staff, the efficiency with the way things are done, the cleanliness, every last detail is just spot on. I have never been on a holiday before and after two days said “we need to book this again now for next year”!

To give some context, I was a little dubious before arriving here. We hadn’t been to Turkey before and our experiences of all inclusive hotels had been hit and miss (our typical summer holidays have been AirBNB Villas in Majorca/Menorca) so we were a little unsure of what to expect. We had read all the reviews beforehand, watched the videos, but you never really know till you get to a place what its going to be like and this hotel is the epitome of that notion, you really need to stay here to realise how phenomenal it is.

• Staff. Nothing is ever too much trouble for them. They all work extremely hard. Special mentions to Oguzhan, Huseyin, Nurrettin, Veli, Hasan and Selcuk. Aside from their efficiency, they also impressed with the little things like having your favourite drink ready when you walk in somewhere or remembering where you had been for the day and asking how it went.
• Setting. Pool is amazing. I was worried about there only being one, but its huge and never felt crowded. Literally 20 seconds from getting out of the pool to being in the sea. The beach front had really comfortable loungers and you can order drinks direct to your sunbed. Sea was super warm, sometimes a bit murky, other times crystal clear waters where you can see the fish swimming.
• Other guests. A mix of nationalities. No idiots drinking and being loud, but also no pretentious types. Everyone is super pleasant.
• Atmosphere. Someone else commented on a review about this, it feels like the hotel is only half full despite it being fully booked. No queues anywhere, quiet places to have a drink and watch the sunset or a morning coffee, even the sunbeds don’t feel on top of one another. It just makes the place feel super relaxed at all times.
• Food. Probably the best thing about the hotel. Genuinely amazing every day in the main restaurant. We did go into Side one night for a meal and just felt disappointed that we had missed a night at the main restaurant because its that good! On top of that you have the a la carte restaurants. Roka (the fish restaurant on the beach) is like Michelin star dining, stunning, they do great sushi there in the day too.
• Entertainment/Sport. I am not an “entertainment person” but even I was impressed with the shows they put on at night, the team behind them all should be very proud, really good. Gym is excellent and spa facilities are great too.

Typical kind of day for us:

• Get a sunbed at 8am (you do have to do that, if you leave it past 9am you won’t get one by the pool, however there are loads on the grass area by the beach and the beach itself).
• Walk into Side along the promenade to see the ruins and the town whilst quiet.
• Breakfast 9am.
• Around the pool and in the sun 10am-1pm.
• Sushi at Roka 1pm.
• Snooze 2pm-4pm (it does get very hot midday-4pm). We went in July.
• Back out at the pool 4pm-6pm.
• Drinks 7pm-8pm watching the sunset.
• Lovely food in the main restaurant or a la carte restaurants.
• Finish the day watching the entertainment, playing cards as a family on our balcony.
• Repeat for 14 days!

We leave in 2 days time and if I am honest, I don’t have that holiday blues type thing where I feel sad to go home. I feel utterly fulfilled that we have made the most of our holiday and ultimately feel incredibly lucky to have experienced something so special. I also don’t feel sad, because I know without doubt that we will be back here again one day very soon and this hotel will be our go to for many years to come.

Thank you to the whole team for making us feel so very special and giving me and my family the best holiday.

Beautiful hotel with the most amazing food and entertainment. Enjoyed the Pilates most with Derya who was very enthusiastic and friendly and gave an amazing class. Overall have had an amazing time