Turkey

As we didn't get abroad this summer, we took the chance on some half term sunshine in Turkey in the 3rd week in October. The weather here is definitely starting to turn autumnal, however it really is pot luck whether you get wall to wall sunshine (like they did in the first 2 weeks of Oct) or a couple of days of cloud and rain, which we did, although luckily with lovely hot sunshine in between.

Anywhere in Europe at this time of year is the same, so I chose a hotel with plenty of facilities for us, even when it was cloudy or wet. We stayed at the Barut Lara, which is only a short transfer from the airport. I was amazed at the size of Antalya airport, thinking it would be a similar size to the ones I am more used to in the Greek islands. It is a large airport with 2 terminals and welcomes more than 28 million visitors a year to the region, the Turkish Riviera. The Antalya Expo 2016 will take place over the summer months and expects 8 million visitors.

We were really impressed with the Barut Lara. Al-inclusive (but without having to wear annoying plastic wristbands), the hotel has different accommodations set in very expansive grounds, all meticulously maintained by an army of gardeners. The buffet restaurant was large enough to accommodate all the guests for breakfast and dinner. The food was always fresh, plentiful, and a great choice, with a couple of "special" evenings during our stay. We also ate at the Italian, Asian and International a la carte restaurants and enjoyed these too. Lunch was generally at the beach restaurant, with a glass of rose wine, fresh fish and chilled out music creating a lovely atmosphere. The Blue Flag beach is protected due to the nesting turtles, and the sea was lovely!

The rooms were modern, spotlessly clean, with huge showers and minibar replenished daily. Ours had a side sea view and looked over the towering Taurus mountains in the distance. There is a "strip" of hotels along Lara Beach, but because the Barut Lara is the first one, it has the best views of the mountains. There are plenty of day trips available to the many archaeological sites nearby or just to have fun canyoning or snorkelling.

There is a "water park" with slides, 3 large freshwater pools and a heated indoor pool. There are so many facilities, I was amazed at all you could do if you wanted to. Squash, tennis, jogging trails, yoga, Pilates, and a lovely spa. The other guests were mainly British or German with a good mix of ages.

Overall, I was unsure of what to expect from a Turkish 5* resort, and my expectations were exceeded in just about every way. Great value for money, friendly, helpful and professional staff, with high quality facilities. I would definitely recommend it!