Flora Garden Beach Side

The hotel is amazing. First ; animation team amazing. Morning and afternoon activity so enjoying. Evening time the girls so energetic. The food doesn’t have many choices. And It’s not delicious. The room’s view so amazing. Thanks full.

4 Days In... My Honest Review So Far

We travelled from Leeds/Bradford as a party of four (two couples) for a one-week stay from 1st July to 8th July. We're now on day 5, so I feel I can give an honest review of our stay so far.

ArrivalOn arrival, the bellboy took all of our cases and bags to our rooms. Reception explained the hotel facilities, Wi-Fi and meal times, and gave us a map of the resort. As England were playing that day, I asked where we could watch the match and was told there were two TVs in reception.

We stayed in Garden House room 940, while our friends were in the same block, around ten doors away.

Our Room

Our room was spacious, modern and clean on arrival.

It included:

Large wardrobe with sliding doors

Safe

Complimentary slippers

Large shower room with toilet and his & hers sinks

Plenty of mirrors, including a makeup mirror

Queen-sized bed

Desk/vanity area

Small TV (which we haven't even switched on!)

Mini fridge

Armchair and vanity chair

Balcony with table, chairs and drying rail

The minibar was stocked daily with still and sparkling water, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and peach tea, all included with no extra charge.

One thing I actually liked was having a proper duvet rather than just a sheet. The only downside was only one pillow each, but after asking at reception, extra pillows were brought straight away.

Unfortunately, our minibar fridge didn't work and it took three separate reports before it was finally fixed.

The bellboy was excellent and explained how everything worked, including the air conditioning.

You receive one room key card and two towel cards on arrival.

Our Friends' Room

Although we booked together, we weren't allocated rooms together.

Their room had a different layout. The bathroom was behind large sliding doors instead of being open-plan, making it feel much smaller. They also only had one entrance through the patio doors.

Sadly, their room wasn't cleaned properly before arrival, with dark hairs left all over the shower and the bed not looking particularly clean.

Drinks

Our first stop was the pool bar...

First drink I asked for? Malibu... they'd run out.

Then I asked for a vodka and Fanta Lemon... they don't stock Fanta Lemon. It ain't a holiday without the Fanta Lemon.

Ended up with a vodka and Coke... and honestly, the vodka is awful. None of the spirits are branded and every bar uses electronic measures. Thankfully we'd bought our own alcohol from the airport.

Food

This has probably been the biggest disappointment.

The hotel has a real issue keeping hot food hot and cold food cold. Even things like chicken nuggets have been stone cold.

You definitely won't go hungry as there's always something available, but the food temperatures really let it down.

Breakfast has been fine for me as I just have a couple of boiled eggs, while my partner has enjoyed the freshly made omelettes.

Watching the England Match

After travelling since 1am, we just wanted to watch the England game before bed.

Reception only had one TV working, despite previously telling us there were two. We asked if we could have a few chairs. The bellboy started bringing them over, but the manager (the tall gentleman with the top knot) told him to take them away.

When I asked why, his response was:

"You don't come on holiday to watch football."

Normally I'd agree, but England were playing in the World Cup, we'd travelled all day and simply wanted somewhere comfortable to sit. Considering our fridge wasn't working and our friends' room wasn't clean, I really didn't think four chairs was too much to ask.

Room Upgrade

When my friend spoke to the manager about the cleanliness of her room, instead of apologising she was immediately quoted a price to change rooms.

Another couple we spoke to had exactly the same experience and were quoted £1,300 to move rooms.

The Positives

The location is absolutely stunning.

The views from the pool, restaurant and beach are beautiful and whilst the grounds are well kept, they are not immaculate.

The pool staff have all been fantastic - friendly, helpful and always smiling. Unfortunately, management have come across as quite defensive and difficult to deal with.

À La Carte Restaurants

We don't eat fish, so planned to book the Teppanyaki restaurant... only to find it was closed. I got speaking with a gent from Barnsley who likes fish, and he tried to book it too, but it was full until after his stay, so it wasn't an option anyway.

That left the steakhouse, which costs extra. Looking at the menu and reviews, we decided not to bother paying the additional charge.

Beach Bar & Snack Bar

The beach bar is gorgeous with amazing views and lovely cocktails.

The beach snack bar has actually become one of our favourite places to eat. The food is fresh, hot and really tasty. We've had pizza, chips, pasta and chicken fajitas, and have even been adding the chicken into the pasta. We've ended up eating there most evenings before it closes.

There is also an on-site market, which is a little pricey, but they do have the monopoly.

Pool Area

This is one area the hotel really gets right.

The pool is spotless with stunning views and a small amount of entertainment including aqua aerobics, darts and water volleyball, although it wasn't every day.

We've never struggled to get sunbeds and each set comes with a table and parasol. Each pair of beds also has a table and parasols.

The pool is freshwater and a lovely temperature. With the heat right now, flip-flops are definitely needed around the pool as the floor gets incredibly hot.

Smoking is allowed around the loungers and inflatables are also permitted. Floaties are accepted too, and they're not strict about drinks and such near the pool either - no pool police here, which is nice.

There are also lovely shaded seating areas with sofas if you need a break from the sun.

Ice Cream

The ice cream is absolutely gorgeous.

Some flavours are made with real fruit and it's honestly one of the nicest parts of the all-inclusive offering.

Evening Entertainment

Entertainment starts at 9.30pm in the Blue Bar with singers or live acts.

If you want a good seat, get there around 8pm, otherwise you'll struggle to see the stage.

The DJ starts at 11pm and the bar closes at midnight, which we felt was quite early.

If you're looking for nightlife, this probably isn't the hotel for you.

Also... bring mosquito repellent! We've all been bitten loads and the humidity has been incredibly high.

Overall So Far...

Would I say I'm enjoying my holiday? Yes.

The views are spectacular and most of the staff are lovely.

Is it a five-star experience? Personally, no.

Would I return? Unfortunately not.

I've stayed in much better hotels in Turkey.

If you're a couple wanting a peaceful, relaxing holiday with beautiful scenery and you're not overly bothered about food, drink or nightlife, you'll probably really enjoy it.

For me personally, I enjoy good food and decent drinks, and previous all-inclusive hotels I've stayed in have included branded spirits such as Smirnoff and Malibu. My partner also enjoys a lager, and he said the only one available is very similar to a cheap Coors.

We're only on day 5, so if anything changes before we fly home, I'll update this review.

Hopefully this helps anyone considering staying here.

Edit - The beach is pebbled but they have netted swim areas that have been cleared.

We used the late night menu last night the food as per not great but I got a fruit plate and chips...a couple next to us ordered a vodka and as it was after midnight they was charged to thier room.

With my friends room when the cleaner come round -(gead cleaner) she proceeds to argue about dark hair (she is blonde) and use Google translate to tell my friend she's insulting her for simply asking the room to be up to standards.

A Few Final Thoughts...

Since posting my original review, we've tried the pool snack bar and I have to say it was surprisingly good. We had the chicken wraps and chips, and they were really tasty. The chips were hot and even had seasoning on them, which made a nice change!

A special mention has to go to the gentleman who looks after the pool area. He works tirelessly all day, constantly keeping everything clean and tidy, moving parasols and loungers to help guests and always making sure the area looks its best. He's an absolute credit to the hotel and one of the hardest-working members of staff we've seen.

We've also spoken to quite a few other guests during our stay, and many of them have shared similar opinions. The general feeling is that this hotel simply doesn't live up to the five-star rating and is much closer to a three-star experience.

We also ventured out to Manavgat Market and Side Old Town, and both were fantastic. We used a private transfer service, which was well worth the money. The driver even stopped so we could find a shop selling the specific beers and spirits we wanted, recommended great places to eat and drink, and when we were ready to return, we simply sent him a WhatsApp message and he came to collect us. Brilliant service.

This was my friend's first visit to Turkey, and I kept telling her not to let this hotel put her off because Turkey itself is an amazing country with so much to offer.

While in Side, we ate at Antique Bar, and honestly, the food was incredible. After the hotel food, even a bowl of cereal would have tasted amazing, but this meal was on another level! They even served a full English breakfast with proper Danish bacon and pork sausages. My partner was also able to get himself some Miller beer, so it was the perfect way to spend one of our evenings. Lovely food, a beautiful setting and excellent service.

One thing that did make us feel uncomfortable was the outdoor seating area outside reception and the coffee shop. There always seemed to be groups of men who didn't appear to be guests, with cars regularly arriving, duffle bags being carried in and room cards being handed out. The manager also appeared to spend a lot of time attending to them. I can't say what was happening, but personally it made us feel uneasy. On one occasion, after my partner mentioned taking the manager's name following an issue, he removed his name badge shortly afterwards. That may have been entirely unrelated, but it certainly didn't leave us with a good impression.

Overall, while there are some genuinely lovely staff members who helped make our stay more enjoyable, particularly those working around the pool and keeping the hotel clean, I personally wouldn't recommend this hotel. In my opinion, it needs significant improvements in both customer service and overall standards before it can justify its rating.

The views are beautiful, but unfortunately beautiful views alone aren't enough to make me return.