"Stayed October 2025 — 10 nights, Bungalow 809
(Stayed with my two daughters, ages 9 & 11)
We had a lovely 10-night stay overall. We were in Bungalow 809, the first bungalow nearest reception — perfectly located and close to everything. Being on the top floor meant we had a lovely view of both the pool and the sea.
The bungalow was spacious and well equipped, with a king-size bed, single bed, and trundle bed. The bathroom was large with a great shower, stocked with body wash, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, cotton pads and cotton buds. I did need to call reception once to replace the hand soap and hand towels, which were quickly replenished. One night, the guests below knocked to say water was leaking into their bungalow from our shower. We reported it and maintenance fixed it — it wasn’t obvious in our room, but it seemed the drain had a blockage.
There was a free safe, large wardrobe, plenty of plug sockets, tea and coffee facilities, and a mini fridge stocked with water, Sprite, Pepsi and a beer, with water replenished daily. Disposable slippers were provided, and I later learned you could request a towelling robe from reception — I wish I’d known earlier! As a lovely touch, the hotel left a bottle of red wine and a fruit bowl with a note for our anniversary, even though my husband couldn’t make it.
Security felt reassuring with two guarded entrances — one at reception and one at the sea — both checking wristbands (children’s were a different colour to ensure no alcohol was served).
We spent most of our time at the relax pool, which truly lived up to its name. Shaded by trees, it was peaceful with no loud music or games, unlike the main pool where there was daily water polo. We never struggled to find sun loungers and often moved to follow the sun. The loungers were comfortable but could use a clean. The pool was initially cold but fine once in — no shallow end, but not too deep either. My daughters loved the water slide next to it (and I went down a few times too!).
The lifeguards were friendly and smiley, though often on their phones. Above the relax pool there’s a lovely shaded baby pool, very quiet and shallow, near the mini golf area (which we didn’t try).
The bar at the relax pool served beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee. The young man who worked there was constantly giggling into his phone and didn’t seem particularly attentive, though he did occasionally go out of his way to fetch special drinks from another bar for certain guests. Every so often, he’d bring a tray of beers around and offer them to everyone on the loungers, which was a nice touch.
We enjoyed the table tennis, though it’s in an awkward spot beside tables where people sit with drinks, so balls often bounced under their chairs. The bats were worn (one falling apart) and the net kept collapsing — it looked like a piece was missing — but it didn’t stop us having fun. There’s also an indoor pool, pool table, and tennis court (booked through reception; you collect rackets and balls from the adult jetty). The tennis court had a couple of waterlogged patches, which made play tricky, but we still enjoyed it.
The jetty was another highlight — all-day sunshine, stunning views, and easy to get loungers. The barman there was brilliant, often bringing trays of drinks and cups of fresh watermelon in the afternoon. A fun tip: get a straight rum from the main bar and add it to a jetty slushy for a DIY frozen cocktail!
Food and drink: Breakfast was similar daily but plentiful and varied. Lunch and dinner rotated themes — we loved the steak and steak pie nights, and the traditional Turkish pide was delicious. Desserts were the only disappointment — they looked different but mostly tasted the same, with identical cream toppings. Turkish delight was chewy and the baklava too samey. Across the 10 days, I was only offered a drink at the table once (on our last night), which felt disappointing, especially as I didn’t want to leave my children alone to get refills. It wasn’t busy in October, so service could definitely improve.
We ate one night at the Italian à la carte, which had delicious food and generous portions (especially the margarita pizzas!) but lacked atmosphere. Most days we grabbed lunch from the snack bar, which had a set menu that changed daily. The margarita pizzas here were fantastic and the staff were great. You could eat in or take away, but the ordering process was unclear — you just waited to be noticed — so a simple ticket system might help.
The main bar was busier but efficient, and the coffee house was my personal favourite. The baristas were lovely, remembered regulars’ orders, and served excellent coffee. My soya caramel latte was perfect, though note the milk jug was shared with dairy milk, so be careful with allergies. My girls loved the bubble tea bar and the ice cream station (vanilla, lemon, toffee, strawberry, and chocolate). The staff member’s “cone trick” act was funny the first few times but started to feel repetitive after a while! The patisserie beside the coffee house offered daily cakes and biscuits, with a nice variety that changed slightly each day.
On our first night, we spotted two cockroaches near the jetty and another in the amphitheatre (quickly dealt with by security). Thankfully, that was the only time we saw any. I did get some bites during the trip (looked like mosquito bites), but my daughters didn’t.
The evening entertainment in the amphitheatre changed nightly — fun to watch, and it was always easy to find a seat. My girls only joined the mini disco on the last night but enjoyed it when they did.
One of the biggest surprises was when the hotel hosted an Oktoberfest celebration during the day — and it was fantastic! There were giant inflatables, live entertainment, and plenty of music, food, and photo props. Bottled beers were handed out, and some guests even managed to fill up a stein. Even though I’m not really a drinker, it was such a lively, cheerful event and definitely one of the highlights of our stay.
If you’re not fond of cats, this might not be the hotel for you. They roam freely (and are clearly cared for by the hotel and local community). We love cats, so this was a highlight. We even brought Dreamies for them! A couple of kittens near our bungalow had gunky eyes, and there was occasionally a cat urine smell on our stairwell, but it didn’t bother us too much.
There are plenty of quiet nooks around the resort to relax, plus a book-swap cupboard in the lobby. The Wi-Fi was poor, but I bought an eSIM and used that to hotspot my daughters’ iPads. We didn’t use the kids’ club (seemed better suited for younger ones) or the spa, though we peeked at the indoor pool — it was extremely hot in there!
The photography team were excellent — they took lovely poolside photos of my girls on our last day and even managed to print them within an hour before we left.
Overall, we had a relaxing, family-friendly holiday with lots of positives — a beautiful setting, kind staff, plenty of food choice, and lovely pools. There were a few service and maintenance niggles, but nothing that spoiled our time. I’d happily come back — next time with my husband, so he can experience it too."
