Side Kaya Hotel

When we first arrived and were shown our room, which was on the ground floor just 2 doors from the reception, we thought it looked a bit dated.
Our room was split into 2 rooms. The main bit was ok, but smaller room with sofa bed and TV looked a little old fashioned, but it was clean. From then on the holiday just got better! Having at first thought we were going to hate it we ended up loving it.
The food was lovely. The bad thing about the restaurant was that after having guests through its doors for about an hour, the staff were very eager to clear the food away and not bother setting any more tables up. We ate about 7.45 ish and had to ask just about every night to have our table set.
One evening we managed to find a table which was set and got our drinks to the table, then went to get some soup, only to return 2 minutes later to find our drinks and cutlery had been cleared away!!! This was amazing as at breakfast time we had to pile our dirty plates at the end of the table as no one wanted to take them!!
One evening we were eating our meal when we noticed that the deserts were being taken away!!! The restaurant was supposed to be open for another hour!! We saw people who had come in late looking around for food as half of it had been tidied away.
The swimming pool was ok to start with ,but during the 2nd week there did seem to be a spate of accidents in the children’s pool which was off-putting. Adults were taking babies and toddlers in with no swimming things on, which is probably why it was happening 2 or 3 times a day during the end of the holiday.
The evening entertainment was mainly set in the amphitheatre, which was a nice setting.
One night a week dinner was outside around the pool, Turkish night, you had to wear red and white! The following week it was black and white(cant remember reason for the black and white!) This was all very nice but it was busy with people trying to get tables and as we were near the end we found it impossible to get somewhere to sit together.
There were 6 of us,3 adults, and 3 kids. In the end we had to sit at a table which seated about 15/20 but were all split up at either end of the table! The food was situated in the hotel gardens so was a 15 minute job getting food and getting back to table.
The hotel itself is quite a few miles from Side but there are a few shops a 5 minute walk from hotel and also a few bars. The hotel and shops etc are set around a big lake. Taxis are available from outside the hotel if you want to go a bit further.
The hotel and holiday were good and we enjoyed most of it. The big letdown is the restaurant and its lack of organisation. The food itself though was nice.
Think some of the rooms had been modernised as we saw a friends room which was a lot more modern than ours.(ours was a family room and was larger.)
Also if you like peacocks then there are a few here. Woke up 1 morning to find one perched on our balcony!! They also have monkeys in cages round the side of hotel.

I think overall the Kaya hotel side is very good for families. There was lots of things to do in the day activities for all ages.
The hotel was very clean & tidy, all the staff made u welcome & are very friendly. There is a wide range off food to suit everyone, the pool is a good size to have fun in with the kids. The on site shops and salons catered for all.
I really would recommend this hotel for a family holiday to remember. Well done hotel Kaya you made our holiday thanks xxxxxx

How anyone can say this is a 5* hotel is beyond belief! I had previously been to Olu Deniz in Turkey in a 3* which would have knocked spots off the Kaya Belek. When we arrived and were directed to our room I could not believe my eyes, it looked as if it had been ransacked with the bare minimum amount of furniture i.e. 3 single beds and a dressing table with a TV stuck on top. The rooms were carpeted and stained with all sorts throughout, needless to say I complained and demanded to be moved, it took me 7 hours to be given a room which had a little more furniture but not of a higher standard and just as dirty.
The staff throughout the hotel were very ignorant and nothing like we had experienced previously in Turkey, the entertainment was pathetic and every show was compeered in several languages including English, Dutch, Russian, German, Turkish which is all well and good but did go on a bit, on the entertainment side also the mini disco and children's entertainment included two English songs in a half hour stretch and nothing else, additionally the entertainment offered by Thomas Cook staff usually had a charge attached to it, we paid £10 per child one evening for a 3 hour slot.
The pool area was dirty and so was the pool, so bad in fact we learned upon our arrival home that it contained a bug (cryptosporidium).
The hotel is set in the middle of nowhere, therefore if you wish to travel to Side or Antalya as Belek has nothing there then you have to go by taxi which is quite expensive and obviously you have the detour to their relatives jewellery or leather outlet.
We booked trips with Thomas Cook reps which I recommend you stay well clear of, firstly the Jolly Roger which is boat ride where you are able to swim in the sea on 3 different occasions throughout the day however prior to going we were told by other guests that during their trip the staff on the boat emptied the contents of the toilet in the sea when they were swimming, needless to say we had a refund for this one. The Jeep Safari is fine if you want to take your life in your hands, the jeeps have varying degrees of safety from, no seatbelts, no brakes, no electrics to name but a few and also drivers who speak no English whatsoever.
By now you're probably wondering why I scored this hotel a 3, well credit where credit is due the food was lovely, (and I should know because our room was above the barbecue areas where it was cooked, therefore rendering our balcony out of use during mealtimes) plentiful and catered for all tastes but like all, all inclusive hotels does get a little repetitive towards the end.
I would never ever return to this area of Turkey and certainly not the Kaya Belek, the worst holiday I have ever had and wanted to come home after 3 days, but due to lack of available flights sung the great escape on night 14!!

Hotel was very smart and always clean, we, 2 adults 3 kids stayed in the adjoining villas, pretty basic, TV with English channels, don’t be fooled, news and euro sport was all. The pool area and grounds were fab, kids loved the slides and beach was good although steep once in the water. Food was generally of good standard, plenty of choice, so far so good.
Unfortunately the nightlife in the hotel was absolutely dismal, 1 bar was all until the disco opened, waste of time. No live music, actually there was live stuff but it was in a small outdoor arena, started about 9.30 at night but was terrible, no karaoke or like. Local town was tiny, no night life either. loads of ruskies and Germans, no real problem, if they got free and easy with the queue at the bar i just tapped them on the shoulder and told them to back off!
There was a very energetic entertainment team, who kept things going during the day but for my 14yo, nothing. The 2 younger ones were ok but we met a few parents who said their teenagers were bored. All in all we were a bit disappointed but the kids did enjoy it. One final thing, the free drinks selection is scandalous, not even house whisky no sparkling wine no house bacardi, poor show. £3500, wont be back

The hotel itself was clean and pleasant, with the maids in the hotel keeping the rooms looking perfect throughout the stay. They would fold our pjs into fancy displays which was sweet. The weather was brilliant, having the 2 pools, one with slides and one without as great! There was even an indoor pool, which was swell as my skin would start to burn i the midday sun!
The beach is right out of the arch in the back of the hotel. Despite being an all-inclusive there weren’t snacks offered throughout the day! Ice creams you had to pay for apart from around dinnertime when they became free. Constantly there was other food being offered but much of it was mealy kinds of foods! Never made it to breakfast but heard it was good.
The hotel offers restaurants, which you have to book! Would seriously recommend the bbq as it was great fun. The hotel mainly consists of Germans, and it was often difficult to speak to staff, as only one of the receptionists spoke English and he never seemed to be there.
Many children were given the pink bands, which enabled them to drink alcoholic drinks, meaning there was far less sulking, but the evening entertainment was poor, although shows were offered, teenagers had little to do! They would often be on the balcony drinking waiting for the so-called disco to begin! That in itself was not too bad, but few people danced.
On Saturday nights there is a foam party, which gets a huge turn out, with pole dancers (however ugly they were). For this night I would recommend you bring your towel downstairs, as it really does sting, and don’t wear your best clothes because they get drenched!

This hotel is amazing!! Totally superb!!
The staff are so friendly and easy to talk to, not many of them know good English but they’re still understandable. There is something for everyone, kids club, mini-night-club/disco, gorgeous young waiters for the older people, a great Animation team and great music! Do the club dance!! It’s so fun and easy to learn.
There are on-site shops and a small gather of shops just outside the hotel. And if you see the animation team can you tell them Abby from England said hi?? =D

I have just returned back from Kaya Side, staying all inclusive and was very impressed with the resort. Even though the hotel is out of season at the moment and both outside swimming pools were shut there was still plenty to do at the hotel. I was able to see that when the pools open they would be very good, one pool is the swimming pool the other the water slide pool. The hotels private beach was of a good size a quick walk from the hotel.
It is situated by a massive lake and surrounded by a beautiful pine forest. The hotel is not in a busy area, although a 2 minute walk down the road, you come to a small area filled with shops, bars, discos, restaurants, payphones and a bus station with buses running every 5-10 mins to Side a much bigger resort about 10 mins away for a very small cost.
The rooms were good, spacious with a nice bathroom, with a massive mirror, plenty of space for your clothes with a dressing room and a nice balcony.
There is horse riding down the road from the hotel (the second one) (NOT TEXAS one) which is very good you go through the pine forest and then onto the beach, you can either go at a walking pace or trot or gallop.
The hotel food was of a very good standard plenty of choices with themed nights, including Mexican, Italian and Turkish. The hotels disco is situated outside the hotel so therefore it is not noisy for the hotels guests, who want to get some sleep. Drinks are still all inclusive in the disco so once the bar closes in the hotel you can go to the disco and get you’re all inclusive drinks. The disco itself is good, plenty of dancing space and also seating and you can request music, if you want a particular tune.
The staff at the hotel were fantastic and could not do enough for you, they were always smiling and happy to see you! The new animation team, which have only been there for 3 weeks were very entertaining and friendly with all ages from very small to very old and they put on some really good shows, including members of the audience in them! The photographer was very nice, chatty, but he does not hassle you to buy the photos after he has taken them, which is good so you can just look at them.
Although not many English people were staying at the hotel at the time, the staff and animation were very pleased to see some English people and loved to chat with you.
Overall a very good holiday and a good stay at hotel Kaya Side, I will even miss many of the staff and definitely some of the animation! I hope to return later in the year, which should be even better as the pools will be open and it will be the season.
Fiona from Essex

Having been to the sister hotel in Belek this was not up to the same Very High standard, but saying that the food, drinks and staff were great. Yes the hotel has a high level of Germans but just like us British you get good and bad. Must say Hello to Fret one of the managers who is a star and our rep KELLY who could not do enough for all, she is FAB!!!!!!
The holiday was worth it just to meet them especially Kelly all the best for 2005 and hope to see you all soon. Please remember to tip staff at the beginning of your holiday as wages are very small and you will get better service if that is possible, because the service is great.