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| Gloria Golf*****
The Gloria chain has three hotels in Belek and a 45 hole golf complex. The Gloria Golf and the Gloria Serenity are located side by side next door to the golf complex, to which the shuttles run non-stop (it is juts a little too far to walk). Gloria Golf has pretty much everything you could require during your stay - two huge buffet restaurants, plus three a la carte restaurants: Turkish, Italian and Fish. Reservations are required and there is a small supplement of a few Euros per head for the a la carte options. In the grassy grounds of the hotel (that merge gatelessly with the Serenity next door) there is a huge pool area, water slides (intended for children!), poolside snack bar and a wooden footbridge that takes you over the waterway to the Gloria's private beach: complete with pontoon and snackbar. Like most of the resort hotels in Belek there is pretty much everything your holiday might need within its walls. The distinct advantage of the Glorias is that you can stroll backwards and forward between the two for dinner or a drink as you please (although you should really reserve for dinner). 
In the palm gardens around the hotel are superb little two-bedroomed villas and larger Executive villas. Each has two bathrooms, a big sitting room, fridge and kettle, ideal for a little more privacy and a tiny bit of distance from the often quite busy hotel. Please note however that there are no self-catering facilities in the villas. |
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And as you might expect, the Gloria Golf hotel is equipped with an indoor pool and spa are too.    |
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Gloria Serenity*****
Slightly newer and slightly smaller than its sister hotel, therefore slightly more exclusive and slightly quieter as the name suggests. The Gloria Serenity is another glittering five-star hotel with everything you could wish for. There are villas too although these are grouped more around the entrance road and hotel reception, leaving the gardens between the hotel and the sea unencumbered. As well as the traditional Belek buffet, the Serenity has a la carte restaurants too, some of which are housed in separate buildings, giving the feeling that you are leaving the hotel to dine. The outdoor pool at the Serenity is quite unusual as it forms a circuit around the hotel - so you really can swim "laps". There is apparently a one-way system in operation, but it's hard to tell! A fine hotel with fine facilities, including an enormous spa, beautifully decorated and themed in a Zen style - very peaceful. |
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| Sueno Hotel*****
)The only hotel in Belek that is aimed fairly and squarely at golfers. With two courses on-site, a Pro-shop on the ground floor, an enormous grass range with full practice facilities and the biggest putting Green in classical history; the Sueno Hotel is the place to stay if you want to live, eat and sleep golf. It' is one of the smaller hotels in Belek too with just 175 rooms, which is quite cosy compared to the local norm! Unusually for Belek the Sueno hotel does not sit directly on the beach (the Calista hotel is between the Sueno and the sea). However it does have its own beach which is about a 400 yard walk along a path between two hotels, or there is a shuttle service. There is also an indoor/outdoor heated pool at the hotel and a small sun-lounging area. There are two types of bedroom at the Sueno Hotel: Standard rooms that face away from the golf course and are a good size with two Queen beds and a little balcony; or the much larger Superior rooms, which have balconies looking out over the golf courses, two Single beds plus a split-level sitting area with a sofa-bed. In either category the bathrooms are similarly sized and equipped. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served buffet style in the main restaurant with its long balcony overlooking the courses. The food is excellent and with smaller numbers to cater for more intricate than you may find elsewhere. Should you wish to have dinner served to you instead then there are two à-la-carte restaurants, however you will need to reserve your tables in advance. The reception area houses the golf Pro-shop and you walk from there straight out onto either course (or the practice ground): all very convenient. The lobby also has several quiet corners (with fireplaces for cooler evenings) ideal for sitting with a book or a laptop (wifi is available). Naturally there is also a bar with a full waiter service whether you choose to sit inside or out. |
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Rixos Premium Hotel*****
Large, vast and huge are the best words to describe the Rixos Premium resort hotel and its 750 rooms. If you are going to spend a week aboard a luxury hotel, you might as well make it the biggest one?!? More of a destination in its own right the Rixos hotel has just about everything (and two of most things) to keep you fully entertained during your stay in Belek: if you are looking for a resort style hotel, why not stay in the biggest? Covering the largest area of any of the resort hotels in Belek by some considerable margin, you will never be short of things to do in this marble and gold-plated seaside pleasuredome. More Las Vegas than Ottoman in many ways, the Rixos even has a indoor row of shops and cafes named "French Street". Here the sun comes up and goes down, the stars come out and every now and then it actually rains!
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By the pools you will find the open-air "Amphitheatre" where they make a song and dance about various topics on many evenings during the week. When it comes to dining the Rixos hotel has a buffet hall that stretches on and on. Once you have decided on what you would like to eat from the dazzling array of dishes on offer, there are various areas where you can sit and eat - blue rooms, pink rooms, a huge external deck overlooking the pool and a quiet "adults only" room. Once seated the waiters will ply you with drinks. There are also fourteen a-la-carte (i.e. waiters and a menu) restaurants in the building and around the grounds to choose from if you would like a change from the buffet. The range includes Turkish, Italian, fish, Mexican, Japanese to name but a few! You will need to book in advance for these restaurants as they do get very busy. |
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The hotel is surrounded by water in the shape of an artificial lake that curls around the centre of the hotel: beyond this is the swimming pool with its forest of parasols and undergrowth of loungers; purists might want to head for the private beach and dip their toes in the Mediterranean, the temperature of which can reach the 30's under the intense Summer sun! There is also an indoor pool, which you may prefer over the Winter months, although it never really gets properly cold in Belek. One section of the hotel has been dedicated to the memory of the ancient city of Troy. Within these Trojan walls you will find some villas plus the path that leads down to Troy Aqua park - need we mention that it's the largest in Turkey? Besides the chutes, tubes, slides and pools they also run a daily marine show displaying the antics of their dolphins, whales and sea-lion. |
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| The Turkish bath and Spa
As you might expect in a luxury hotel such as the Rixos, there is a large spa area comprising in indoor pool, saunas, hammams, jacuzzis, massage cabins et cetera. There is also a very impressive Turkish bath comprising a spacious central reception and relaxation areas from which there are separate entrances to the male and female baths. If you have never experienced the pulverising effects of a real Turkish bath, treat yourself to the works at the Rixos. |
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Calista Hotel*****
Don't judge a book by it's cover. From the outside the Calista hotel appears unusual to say the least: six pale green circular towers, reminiscent more of a cityscape than an ultra-luxurious holiday resort. However once you are inside and sitting in the ornate lobby with a glass of chilled champagne in your hand, as you complete your check-in, you'll realise that you have indeed chosen well. The Calista prides itself on quality and service: neither are in short supply (they even employ independent scrutineers to make regular spot-checks). The construction of this hotel cost an absolute fortune and it is clear that no expense has been spared on the quality of the fittings or the space allowed per guest. Also, as one of the top-end hotels in Belek, the Calista attracts fewer families so you are less likely to be disturbed here by childish antics. The location of the hotel is great too: the Sueno courses are just across the road and the superb Carya course is less than a kilometre away. The Sueno G.C. also has a huge range and practice facilities - just ask at reception if you would like to go across the road and hit a few balls, chips or putts. Bedrooms are superb, plenty of room, huge beds, full length sliding windows that open out onto sunny balconies, marble bathrooms with bath and shower cubicle, there's even room for a desk, easy chair and sideboard! Within the ring of towers the crystal clear blue waters of the pool circulate in several lagoons criss-crossed by wooden bridges to the pool bar and back. Heading South, you will come to the laned-pool (for serious swimmers), tennis courts, outdoor theatre and music stage (with its own bar), then on down to the private beach and pier with sun-loungers primed and waiting for you, as is the Beach bar. For dining there is the extensive buffet restaurant where the choice of dishes goes on and on. There are also eight à-la-carte restaurants to choose from including Turkish, Italian, French, Japanese and a dedicated fish restaurant. N.B. You will need to book tables in advance and not all of them are open every night. After dinner there are numerous bars spread around the hotel: pool bars, lounges, even a Jazz bar and a disco. Other distractions include a snooker room (try Turkish if you like) a games room and two ten-pin bowling lanes. |
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| Calista - Callos Spa
As you may expect in a luxurious hotel such as this there is also a spa area which comprises an indoor pool, with jacuzzi, saunas and hammams plus a full Turkish bath - something that has to be experienced. There is also a full range of beauty treatments, massages (European and Oriental) and relaxation therapies available for you. These need need to be booked in advance either directly at the spa or via the hotel's guest services department. |
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