Ali Bey Resort

We Travelled as a family of three, two adults and 13 year old daughter – we have just returned from Ali Bey Resort (11-25 October), what can we say? It was absolutely lovely. Definitely 5 star. Arrival was early morning following 4.30pm flight from Stanstead, private taxi transfer was included in the package, welcome at the hotel was good, luggage and us taken to room by golf buggy. We had a lovely room, in block 9, which was large and airy, small balcony. Bedroom/towels etc made up every day, mini bar with wine, beer, coca cola Fanta and water, peanuts and Snickers replenished every day without fail. Turkish delight left in the room for us most evenings. There is room service but at extra cost. (sandwiches, and meals etc). Restaurant (s) – main restaurant was great, food selection was really good, hubby is vegan, but struggled with anything other than plain salad and pickles as a lot of the items have creamy/yogurt sauces etc. Vegetarian would be really easy as so many cheeses, veg etc to chose from. Isa, Yunas and Emir Can were lovely waiters. Pancake/waffle/sandwich/jacket potatoes bar (near the ‘quiet pool’) – this was lovely, really nice food, you can select from a range of fillings etc. Also Ice cream bar and patisserie were both lovely!! Beach bar really good, and food here is served to you rather than buffet style. We didn’t try the posh (reservation only) restaurant but really only because it seemed to be a bit like a goldfish bowl! Drinks – there are two types of all inclusive – which we didn’t know when we booked, ALL inc and Ultra ALL inc – we managed on the basic one, sour cherry cocktail was delicious, G&T also good. ask for nuts when you get your drinks, they are included. Pools – all lovely, the one towards the beach is heated! The others are unheated. The aquapark was good, great slides, food available at certain times and bar open all day. Lots of sunbeds, but we were there towards end of season so not sure of availability for high season. Towels – we were given towel cards at reception on arrival, you can change the towels as many times as you like, three or four times a day if you need to – but think of the planet please! (also towel station up at the Aquapark area no ned to take towels from pool/beach. Beach – lovely sandy beach! Swimming platform about 50m out for the beach for diving off of etc. Lots of loungers/parasols, but they reduced each day as number of guests reduced as we were at the end of the season. Temperature was still 24 to 32 degrees though. Fridges with water in to help yourself, fresh fruit bar open from 2pm onwards. Shower and changing rooms at the beach. Entertainment – mostly dance based, but still good. Hilarious music quiz one night which was brilliant. Daughter too old for kids club but other parents seemed pleased with the service. May be different in the high season, we were end of season so may have tailed off a bit? Karaoke evening was a laugh, Songs in all languages, not really our cup of tea but we stayed to listen and laughed and even sang along! – maybe it was the cocktails? Be prepared for a BLACK AND WHITE gala night, we hadn't taken totally appropriate clothing! Mini golf course could do with a bit of an upgrade. Archery was good. Volley ball on the beach. Spa was fantastic, prices comparable to UK if you wait for discounts! Sauna/steam room lovely, and free!! Cats – there are several cats around who are looked after and fed etc by the hotel, they seem very well catered for including a cat house. As a family, we love cats so it was fine, but if you really don’t like cats it could be a problem. My daughter had a whole day with ‘George II’ sharing her sunbed by the pool, which she thought was fantastic. The hotel asks you not to feed them in the restaurant – but most people still did! 😊 The resort is spread out, pretty much flat, but still less than five minutes stroll from reception to beach. There is also a Golf buggy shuttle service if you really cant walk that far. The resort is Very green, lots of orange/lemon/pomegranate trees and lovely Canna's. The grounds are constantly being tended and are watered overnight, very clean, WC's lovely and clean as always cleaners around the place. A visit to Side is worthwhile, lots of Roman architecture/ruins. Lovely harbour, boat tours etc. We got a taxi into the town and then walked back along a beach as its only about 35 minutes stroll. Photos – professional photos on site, but quite expensive as you would expect, only issue with the photos is that they ask for cash payment so if you have a full package be prepared to go get cash as no cash machine on site. Lovely photos though, even I looked half decent! Other guests are mostly German, Russian, some French. Not many English. Most staff speak a little English, but it give you a chance to learn Turkish! Also, we took Turkish Lira on advice from Travel agents, but actually it was all in Euros! Would we recommend the hotel? YES Would be go back? YES! Improvements - The hotel tries really hard with regard to recycling etc, but could get rid of the plastic straws in all the drinks, also maybe reusable containers for the fruit on the beach (just like the plastic beach glasses maybe??)

Well after my fourteen nights stay at the Ali bey my thoughts. Now I am well traveled, I've been around the block and all inclusive resorts are a bit of a specialty. Not just five star I have stayed at three, four, five all over the world from Turkey to Sri Lanka to the Caribbean and I think I know my stuff. One of the big misconceptions is that only the wealthy go all inclusive I like many others go all inclusive because I'm not wealthy. I need to know I won't get unexpected bills. The Ali bey resort has much to like it's five star very well looked after, most of the staff are friendly and very very helpful. The resort is spotless and well kept the gardens are a credit to the Gardner's. The rooms are kept tip top by a dedicated band of house keepers, The beds are some of the best I have slept in. The dining halls are all spotlessly clean. Most of the staff seem to go that extra mile. The food is well presented although I feel a little more choice would not go amiss as it can become vary samey on a two week stay. I have a few gripes which may or may not effect everyone. But best people know so off we go. Smoking there really needs to be some no smoking areas. As it stands the outside coffee shop, pancake house, bars, outside restaurant tables all have ashtrays on them meaning people light up constantly. All sun bed areas have ashtrays but not everyone wants someone else's smoke wafting across their food or drink. The golf carts that ferry people who are not able to walk use the path like a race track. I'm amazed no-one has been seriously hurt yet. If you have young children be aware. The paths aren't that wide and you have to move aside to let the carts pass. I'm hard of hearing and a few times I never heard the cart approach from behind they don't warn you they are coming just quitely appear. The mini bar snacks are peanuts or Snickers what about people with a nut allergy? All these gripes might seem pretty bad and as I say won't effect everyone. Also I was very surprised there are no rest area under cover where you can chill with a coffee or a drink if it's wet or you just want a sit-down this is a first for me I can't remeber any other resort I have stayed in not having a area to chill usually in reception. The reception in the resort is tiny given the size of resort. When it rains there is no place to go apart from back to your room. The only English speaking channel on the TV is BBC world News (like I need to know about Brexit). Sky sports is in German. Entertainment was both ends of the scale, Beauty and the Beast was amazing I couldn't believe a resort could put on such a professional performance. Other nights the dancers were out of this world really top notch and then you were brought down to earth with a bump with two nights being taken up by the Smurfs? Whoever thought this was 9.30pm Adult entertainment? The Gym costs €39 per 14 days too expensive. Premium drinks cost between €7 and €8 a shot. Mixers are substandard. At breakfast you have the choice of orange juice or carrot juice not a smoothy in sight. The speciality restaurants are a waste of money I didn't use the seafood one as after spending €40 for my wife and I to dine in the Turkish restaurant, and being served food available at the buffet every night, I realized it would be a waste of money. The beach. Turn right and you can walk down to Side town through the ruins into the market place. If you're a bit tender footed take beach shoes as the shoreline has a few patches of sharp gravel. Wi Fi is free but you must log in separately for you room, pool, reception, bars. After all said and done, the Ali Bey still had plenty more good than bad going for it for me to say I really enjoyed my time there and with a few tweaks I would gladly give it 5 stars. I truly believe listening to other people's gripes on the plane home of other resorts. Ali Bey have got a lot closer than most to a perfect holiday. And we made a good choice.