"We recently stayed at Sherwood Dreams Resort in Belek as a family group of 8, including four children aged 14, 6, 3 and 2. Before travelling, I was quite worried after reading some negative reviews, but I’m pleased to say our experience was really positive.
When we arrived, there was an issue with one of our rooms, but Guest Relations dealt with it quickly and efficiently, which gave us a great first impression.
The resort itself is huge and has fantastic facilities for families. There are large water slides, a separate children’s splash park with slides, a huge main swimming pool and a smaller toddler splash pool. Everything was kept very clean, and you could clearly see how hard the staff worked throughout the day to maintain the resort.
Although tipping isn’t mandatory, it definitely feels like a tipping resort. We didn’t mind at all because the staff genuinely work incredibly hard. The pool waiters, many of whom serve drinks while wearing rollerblades and carrying trays, were brilliant! A special mention goes to Abdulla, who was always friendly, helpful and seemed to be constantly on the go.
The food exceeded our expectations. The main buffet offered a great variety for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with themed evenings including sushi and Italian. It could get busy at peak times, but there was always plenty of food available. We also made good use of the snack bars and pizza restaurant by the pool, which were all really nice.
The drinks selection was excellent too, with plenty of branded spirits included in the all-inclusive package, generous measures and a great choice of cocktails.
We used our included à la carte meal at the Italian restaurant. While the setting was lovely, unfortunately the food didn’t quite live up to our expectations. We believe there’s also a Turkish à la carte restaurant, but only one visit is included as part of the all-inclusive package.
The resort has its own private beach with plenty of sunbeds, which is a lovely addition. We mostly stayed around the pools because that’s where the children wanted to be, but it was nice having the beach as an option. We also loved the Waves Bar overlooking the sea – just remember the mosquito repellent in the evenings!
Just outside the hotel is a local bazaar, only a short walk away, where you can pick up plenty of “genuine fake” designer goods! It’s especially good for football kits, sunglasses and handbags. There isn’t a great deal else within walking distance, but the hotel arranged a taxi for us into Belek town, which was worth visiting.
The only aspect we found slightly disappointing was the evening entertainment, mainly because of where it takes place. The amphitheatre is tucked away from the main bar area, so unlike other resorts where you can sit at tables with a drink while watching your children enjoy the mini disco, that wasn’t really possible here. The mini disco itself was also very short. The evening shows, including acrobatics and dance performances, were good, but we felt the location took away from the atmosphere.
The only other negative for us was the housekeeping. Our room wasn’t cleaned particularly thoroughly during our stay. It was mainly a case of the beds being made and fresh towels being left, rather than a proper clean. At one point, our request to have the bedding changed was refused, which was disappointing. We also noticed a difference compared with the other room in our party, where the housekeeper regularly left lovely towel animals and flower displays, while ours seemed far less interested. It wasn’t enough to spoil our holiday, but we’ve definitely experienced better housekeeping elsewhere.
Overall, we had a fantastic holiday and I’m really glad we didn’t let some of the negative reviews put us off. The resort is beautiful, the facilities are excellent for families, the food and drinks are very good, and the staff are friendly and welcoming.
Would we return? Probably not, but that’s purely because we personally prefer hotels in a more central location with more to do within walking distance. That said, I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Sherwood Dreams Resort to anyone looking for a relaxing family holiday in Belek"
