Xanadu Resort Hotel – Belek, Turkey

Posted by Jill Bowen on Fri 19th October 2007 at 03:28 AM, Filed in Europe

I have just returned from an all-inclusive Turkey – at the Xanadu Resort Hotel. Having stayed on other all-inclusive holidays, in the Caribbean and Turkey, and experienced the wonderful hospitality and luxury of Thailand I had high expectations; this holiday exceeded them! Incredible value for money, the ultimate in luxury, and the most relaxing and pampered 14 days I have ever had.

What made it so special?

Was it the beautifully appointed bathrooms and fluffy white dressing gowns?

Was it the 5-star service throughout the hotel?

Was it the fantastic quality of the food for each meal?….as opposed to a lot of all inclusive holidays, the maxim of the Xanadu is quality – rather than the usual vast quantities of everything tasting the same for 14 days. The breakfasts and lunches were superb.

Breakfast - if you want smoked salmon and champagne each morning it was there. Wonderful yoghurts, fresh fruits, bread and pastries, which are my staples first thing in the morning. But if you like cooked breakfasts the choice was limitless.

Lunch - a magnificent buffet, with a vast array of fresh salads, rice and pasta salads, a huge choice of hot dishes, including several imaginative hot rice dishes with herbs, spices and nuts. A selection of veal, chicken, vegetarian, and pasta dishes, all imaginative, with first class meat, good fish, al-dente vegetables, a different selection for each of our 14 days, all constantly replenished to ensure they were fresh and hot. The desserts were guaranteed to expand your waistline.

For evening dinner - choose between the again, excellent buffet, or one of the 6 speciality restaurants; Turkish, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Mexican. My husband and I opted for the speciality restaurants 12 nights out of the 14, as we prefer being ‘waited’ on in a relaxed atmosphere rather than lining up at the buffet. Excellent quality wine is served at both lunch and dinner, along with aperitifs, and brandy, or what ever your tipple is to follow.

Maybe it was the choice of the activities on offer, three swimming pools, two of which are truly spectacular. The lovely beach with its warm sea (no flinching when the water reaches you ‘nether’ regions. The excellent facilities on the beach – the bar serving fresh fruit, cooling iced coffee’s, crushed ice fruit drinks, bottles of chilled water and beer. The cleanliness of the marble toilets (yes even on the beach), changing rooms and showers. If we were feeling active we could participate in; archery, riffle shooting, tennis, boules, volleyball; plus too many other activities to mention here.

Could it have been the top quality evening entertainment in the huge amphitheatre?  This included potted versions of Mama Mia, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and a circus - different shows for each of the 14 nights. After relaxing at the show, strolling to the Xanadu bar for a nightcap or two while listening to live music.

The pleasure of having an excellent coffee of an evening in the ‘downstairs area’; complete with shops, Internet café, snooker, table tennis, tenpin bowling, and air hockey.

It could have been wandering through the extensive, peaceful grounds, watching the red squirrels in the trees, peering over the bridge on the river at the fishermen below, lazing in a hammock under a tree.

Was it visiting the luxurious Shang-Du spa; surely one of the best spa’s available, offering the opportunity to indulge in its sanctuary of relaxation and peace. A deluxe Hamam (Turkish bath), massages galore (including aromatherapy, Thai, Ayurveda massages) facials, steam therapy, the list is endless…. for the romantics, (and if you have deep pockets) there are indulgent experiences for couples.

Or was it the fact that I could put my laundry out by 10am of a morning, and have everything returned the next afternoon washed and beautifully pressed, folded in bags or hung on hangers waiting for me in the wardrobe!

What to do? There are trips you can go on including; Perge (ancient site), Apendos (huge amphitheatre, Kursunlu (beautiful waterfall), Side (ancient city), Pumukkale (2 days, the stunning cotton castles), Antalya (city), Manavgat (waterfall).  If you play golf, the Belek region has 6 excellent golf courses – with more being constructed.

When to go? the summers are extremely hot, the most pleasant months are June and late September – when the intensity of the heat is lower.  Golfers tend to go year-round.  I noticed as we were leaving there is a special package on offer through the Christmas and New Year period which looked superb.

Why might you not want to go?

• There is nowhere to walk to of an evening, or during the day.
• The hotel is on a long stretch of beach (Belek) that comprises totally of luxury 5* hotels.
• The nearest town is Belek (about 5 miles away); this is a town that has grown in recent years purely to serve the tourist industry with not very much to do.  It does have a market every Saturday, and shops selling Jewellery, clothes and Turkish delight, but little else to merit a visit.

So to sum up, if you are looking for a luxury hotel in Turkey, with nothing to do apart from relax – this could be for you.

This entry has been viewed 406 times.

READER COMMENTS:

No comments yet.