The Green Flags I look for in a hotel

My 3-Night Stay at Anda Barut Collection, Didim

I’ve just returned from a three-night stay at Anda Barut Collection in Didim, Türkiye, and I have to say, I was seriously impressed.

This was a particularly interesting trip for me because Anda Barut is a hotel I had already booked for clients before I had the opportunity to visit myself.

So I was very interested to see how it actually felt once I was there — not just the rooms and the photographs, but the layout, the food, the pools, the service, the entertainment and all those little things that you only really appreciate when you're actually staying in a resort.And my first impression?

This place is huge!

But what surprised me was that it doesn't necessarily feel huge.  It feels more like a village than a hotel Anda Barut sits on the Delice Peninsula in Didim, overlooking the Aegean, and the resort is spread across a huge area rather than being one enormous hotel building.

The accommodation and facilities are divided into different zones, which I think is one of the clever things about the whole concept. There is the Family Zone, the Community Zone, the Adult Zone for guests aged 16+, as well as the Bayou Villas

Each area has its own feel, pools and facilities, but you can still make use of the wider resort. The Family Zone is exactly what you would expect — designed around families, with spacious accommodation and easy access to the pools and the Cutara Madventure Park.

The Community Zone is a little more relaxed and sits somewhere between the family and adult experiences.  Then there is the Adult Zone, which gives guests aged 16 and over their own quieter space.  And if you're looking for something really special, there are the Bayou Villas, including private pool options.

What I really liked is that the different zones allow you to choose the atmosphere you want, rather than everyone being thrown into the same space.  And because the resort is so large, there is a regular buggy service running around the property, which is particularly useful if you don't fancy walking between the different areas.

The pools – and yes, I could always find a sunbed!

The pool offering is another huge part of the resort. There are multiple outdoor pools spread across the different areas, including family pools, adult-only pools and different spaces for relaxing and having fun.

The hotel has five distinct outdoor pools across the adult, family and community zones, alongside heated indoor pools. There are also pools specifically designed with families in mind, including shallower areas. And something that I know my clients will want to know...I never had a problem getting a sunbed.Not once. And I wasn't getting up at 6am to claim one either!

The beaches –its such a  beautiful setting,  and there are several to choose from in little coves, but let's talk about the sand.  The resort sits on a peninsula, so the coastline is made up of a series of coves and beaches rather than one huge sweeping beach.

The water is beautiful and the beaches gently shelve into the sea, which makes them particularly appealing for families with younger children. The sand is darker and slightly rocky than what I expected, there are some fantastic piers extending out into the Aegean, and the views from them are sensational.

Looking out across the water towards Bodrum, with the Aegean stretching around you, is pretty special.

Food – the choice is enormous.  If food is important to you on holiday, Anda Barut has plenty to talk about.There is a huge range of dining available as part of the resort's ultra-all-inclusive concept, with the Zestful Bazaar buffet restaurant alongside a selection of à la carte and more casual dining options.

The Ala carte options are fabulous, Cibes, Mansion, Kara, No Se, Tiger, Fish Camp and Cape Beach Lounge alongside the main restaurant, children's dining and other food outlets means you absolutely wont be bored.

There are also places for those moments when you don't want a full sit-down meal — including the patisserie and grab-and-go options. And then there is the children's dining.  Pink Rabbit Kids Buffets specifically designed with younger guests in mind, which is another nice touch for families. You don't want to feel as though you're eating the same thing every day. I certainly didn't get that feeling here.

The restaurants and bars One of the advantages of having such a large resort is that you really can change the experience from one day to the next.

Want something sweet? You've got  Olivae Patisserie, Fancy a drink overlooking the sea? There are several bars and lounges around the resort, including the Ease Lobby Lounge, Soa Playhouse and the various zone-specific pool bars

The service throughout the resort was, overall, very good. The staff were friendly, welcoming and keen to help, and I found the general level of service across the restaurants, bars and pool areas to be good.

But I also want to be honest because I think that's much more useful when you're choosing a holiday.

There were a few occasions when drinks orders or food orders weren't quite right. Nothing major and certainly nothing that spoiled my stay, but there were a few little moments where things got mixed up.

 I've stayed at other ultra-all-inclusive hotels where the service has been incredibly slick and I've experienced fewer of those little mistakes — but they have also been  much smaller hotels Anda Barut is operating on a completely different scale.

What I did find was that when something wasn't right, the staff were very willing to put it right.So would I describe the service as absolutely faultless? No. Would I describe it as good? Absolutely.

The entertainment really surprised me. This was probably one of the areas where I was most impressed.

For an ultra-all-inclusive resort, the entertainment offering is exceptional And I'm not just talking about the evening shows.

There is entertainment happening throughout the day, with activities, kids' clubs, sports, live music, DJs and evening performances.

The hotel has a dedicated programme of entertainment and activities, alongside its kids and youth clubs, sports and family activities.

There is an amphitheatre for the shows, live music and plenty going on after dark. And I really liked that it wasn't all geared towards one particular age group. Families have lots to do. Teenagers have their own spaces and activities. And adults can enjoy live music, DJs, the bars, restaurants and the spa.

There is a real sense that the resort has thought about everyone

The Cutara Madventure Park

Now, if you're travelling with children, this is where I think Anda Barut really stands out. The Cutara Madventure Park  is a huge family entertainment area with pools, water slides and outdoor activities. There are also splash areas for younger children. But then comes one of the things that the kids will love  - The fairground! Yes, there is an actual fairground within the resort.There is a roller coaster, carousel and spinning rides, alongside other attractions.

The spa – and yes, I was very happy here!

Regular followers will know that I LOVE a good spa, so this was always going to be an important part of my visit.

And I wasn't disappointed.

The spa is huge and there is a really impressive range of facilities.There is a Turkish hamam, saunas, steam rooms, snow rooms, alongside treatment rooms, massage facilities and beauty treatments.

The thermal and wellness facilities make this much more than somewhere to book a massage.

You could genuinely spend a good part of the day here. And if you're somebody who enjoys keeping active on holiday, there is also a state-of-the-art fitness area and a programme of activities including yoga, Pilates, stretching, aqua fitness and other fitness and wellbeing sessions

There are also sports facilities including tennis and beach volleyball.So if you are looking for a holiday that combines luxury, relaxation and wellness, as well as all the fun of a big resort, I think this is a really interesting option.

What I loved most about Anda Barut

After three nights, there were a few things that really stood out to me.

The luxury It has that lovely feeling of being somewhere special without feeling overly formal.

The space It's is enormous, but the zoning makes it feel much more manageable.

The choice Pools, restaurants, bars, activities, entertainment, spa facilities, beach, waterpark and fairground.

You really aren't going to be sitting there wondering what to do.

The food. The quality and variety were genuinely impressive.

The family offering If you are travelling with children, the amount available to them is fantastic.

The spa I'm always going to mention this, but it really is a standout.

The views Those Aegean views from the peninsula and the piers are beautiful.

Would I recommend Anda Barut? 

Yes - definitely - but as always, we could have a consultation to talk through the details to make sure this was the hotel for you