"We returned a week ago after spending a week at the hotel as a group of five, including two teenagers. This meant we were able to stay on the Elite side, and we were really pleased that we did. In our opinion, this side of the hotel is noticeably nicer than the standard side, although it does seem slightly odd that guests aged 13+ from the standard side can also use the Elite facilities.
The Elite side has much better sunbeds and, importantly, you can use the QR codes to order drinks directly to your sunbed. On the standard side, the sunbeds are plastic and you need to go to the bar yourself for drinks, so there is quite a noticeable difference between the two areas.
Pools & sunbathing
The pools themselves are lovely, although the main pool with the slides gets extremely busy. On our first day it was honestly a bit like people soup! The water was also very warm, which some people will love but we found it a little too warm at times.
There is usually good music around the pool, although it can be quite loud if you're sitting close to the speakers. I would also avoid the sunbeds immediately around the entertainment area on the days when they have the water inflatables, as there are lots of people standing around the beds, so it can feel quite crowded.
Food
Overall, we thought the food was very good, with plenty of choice.
Breakfast was particularly impressive. There is a good selection of the usual hot and cold options, and the fried eggs were actually runny, which is something a surprising number of hotels seem to struggle with! The omelette station is also excellent and definitely worth waiting for. There are lovely waffles and pancakes, plenty of yoghurts, cold options and a really good bakery selection.
The orange juice was another pleasant surprise — it actually tasted like orange juice rather than the awful concentrated stuff you often get in hotels. Even the coffee was genuinely nice!
The restaurant staff work incredibly hard and were consistently attentive, bringing drinks to the table without giving the impression that they were only doing it for tips, which we really appreciated.
One thing I would say, however, is don't rely on the late-night dinner option. On our first night we arrived late and were greeted by an extremely limited selection of food. It was some of the worst food we saw during our stay and, at that point, I genuinely wondered whether we'd made a huge mistake booking the hotel! Thankfully, this was absolutely not representative of the food available elsewhere.
The main restaurants finish dinner at around 9pm, though, and if you arrive towards the end of service, the selection can be quite limited. This was one of the biggest frustrations for us because we like to make the most of the sunshine and stay around the pool until later in the day. It means you have to rush back, shower and get ready so you can get into the restaurant before the better food has disappeared.
The standard-side main restaurant is also very chaotic. We only used it twice because it reminded us more of a school canteen than a holiday restaurant! The Elite restaurant is much more civilised and relaxed, and we never had an issue finding a table.
Drinks
The drinks were generally very good, although the cocktails could definitely be improved.
On the Elite side you get cans of Coke and other soft drinks, whereas the drinks on the standard side are served differently but are perfectly fine. There are also iced coffees and slushies available, which the teenagers loved.
The wine was also surprisingly drinkable — always a bonus at an all-inclusive!
Ice cream
One of the unexpected highlights for us was the ice cream selection included in the all-inclusive price. You could get Magnums, Cornettos, Twisters and Feasts, which went down extremely well with the kids — and adults!
There was also ice cream available in the restaurants, which was delicious.
Staff
The staff were lovely throughout our stay and generally spoke very good English, which we really appreciated.
We had previously stayed at another hotel in Kemer where the language barrier was a real issue and, unfortunately, we felt we were sometimes ignored because we weren't Russian-speaking. We had absolutely none of that experience here. The staff were friendly, helpful and welcoming.
Entertainment
The entertainment was reasonably good. I would say it's particularly well suited to families with younger children, as there is always something happening in the early evening.
The hotel also makes a real effort with its themed nights. They don't just put on entertainment — they also add extra food and drinks stations outside to match the theme, which was a really nice touch and made the evenings feel more special.
Air conditioning
The biggest issue with the hotel itself for us was the air conditioning in the communal areas.
Some days you could walk into the main areas and feel some air conditioning, while on other days it felt as though there was none at all. The corridors in particular could be incredibly hot. Walking out of your room in the evening dressed and ready for dinner, only to be hit by a wall of heat in the corridor, wasn't particularly pleasant.
The air conditioning in the room was much better once we managed to get it switched on and working properly.
The room
Our room was lovely and had everything we needed, but there is one thing worth mentioning if you're travelling with friends, older children or as a blended family.
There isn't a huge amount of privacy around the shower. There is a blind on the large window, but you can still see into the shower area from the bedroom. This wouldn't bother everyone, but if you're travelling with a self-conscious teenager, it could be something to consider when choosing your room.
Overall
Overall, we had a really enjoyable week and would definitely consider returning. The Elite side makes a big difference to the experience, particularly when it comes to the quality of the sunbeds, drinks service and the more relaxed restaurant.
There are definitely a few things that could be improved — particularly the air conditioning in the communal areas, the late-night food and the 9pm dinner cut-off — but these didn't outweigh the positives for us.
The food during normal meal times was good, the staff were fantastic, the pools and grounds were lovely, and there were plenty of little extras that made the all-inclusive package feel worthwhile.
Our biggest tip would be: if you're booking this hotel and have the option of staying on the Elite side, we would absolutely recommend paying the extra for it."
