Getting worried now, no reply to my request for views about this hotel. Good reviews on Holidays uncovered. Has no one been here?
Thanx
Chris

Don't worry about Turkey - we went to Bodrum last year (Aegean Holiday Village) and it was the best holiday we have ever had. Going to the Melas in July too so hopefully this will be just as good for both of us!

The Turkish people are very welcoming, the shopkeepers too! Don't worry about other nationalities, the last thing we want abroad is loads of other Brits!!!

Good luck.

HI Chirs,

I was in The Melas Resort Side September 04 for two weeks.

The hotel itself is very nice & pool area is rather impressive especially as it over looks the ocean. During the two weeks my husband and I were there the clientele was predominantly Russian. All drinks are included in the price but I would recommend you stay away from the wine as it not the best. The coctails are however very good. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Enjoy your stay!

Louise

Hiya, there are a few reviews on http://www.holidaysuncovered.co.uk It's a bit of a pain as you will have to keep scrolling down until you get to the m's as they are in alphabetical order!

Hope this helps,

Shell

Hi
My family and friends are too are due to visit the Melas Resort Hotel at the end of May and like Chris would welcome some feedback on the hotel and the resort. It is our first time back to Turkey after a bad experience in Marmaris 10 years ago - but I'm sure a lots has changed since then. We booked this hotel on the strength of the informtion obtained from the travel agent and the few (but very good) reviews on the holidays uncovered website. We are now getting a little concerned as the only other review I have managed to find was on the Tripadvisor website and is very negative! We are taking children under 10 and are particularly bothered about the German/Russian influence over the entertainment/clubs etc. Also I have e:mailed the hotel with a couple of questions and have had no reply - the main thing I would like to know is if you are are AI at the hotel can you get food/drinks and use the facilities during the day at the Holiday Village - can anyone help with this one please.
Chris - I will make sure I post some feedback to you on my return in June ready for your visit in July

Linz

Has anyone stayed at the Melas resort hotel in side? i've just booked to go there in June

My family have just returned from the Melas Hotel June 05. This was our third trip to Turkey and by far this was the best hotel we have stayed in. The staff were realy frendly (call them by there first names they appreciate this). Do the fish night resturant by the beach excellent. The food is really good and plenty of choice. Rooms are well looked after & well kept by the maids.Use the Euro as the exchange rate is better. The cash machine outside the gates will give you Euros. Must do trip is the White water Rafting book out side the hotel not with rep best day out for 13 euros lunch included. Have a great holiday we are going back in November it was so good.

HI
This is a review from Linz who has just returned, looks good guys, THANX LINZ.

Re: Melas Resort
Hi Chris
Just returned from a fantastic 2 weeks at the Melas Resort Hotel - I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
Where to start - our first impression of the hotel was that it was not the most appropriate place to bring small lively children given that it's clients are mainly older couples - the bars in the hotel were low key as were the swimming pool areas, and we initially felt as if we were intruding on peoples relaxation. Most of the entertainment takes place in the holiday village which is literally in the grounds of the hotel and a stones throw away - the official line is that hotel guests can drink at the holiday village during the times the Animation Team are working (10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.) but you have to have all of your meals at the hotel. We enquired about moving to the holiday village and the hotel manager was very accomodating and we were shown family rooms in the village. The rooms were smaller than those in the hotel and not as nice, so we decided not to rush in and have a day to think about it - we were so glad we did!
As guests of the hotel (which is 5 star as opposed to the 4 star holiday village) we ate and drank anywhere we wished without question - after breakfast in the hotel, we spent most of our days around the holiday village pool - drank at the pool bar, had lunch in the village open air restaurant or the shared beach bar, dinner in the hotel buffet restaurant, and drinks in the village on a night during and after the shows. The village guests (distinguished by a wrist band) did not however appear to be allowed to eat in the hotel.
The food was excellent - breakfast was not the tradditional full english as the food still has a slight German influence, but omlettes were cooked in front of you, as where pancakes, fried eggs, and there was a host of pastries/breads/fruit/etc. The evening dinners were very good with a wide selection of dishes, some Turkish/German but excellent quality.
There was a limited selection of local spirits but very strong! The lager was Effes, ice cream cart d'or, afternoon tea with wonderful cakes/biscuits.
The Animation Team were fantastic and made the holiday - the kids loved the mini club (say hi to DiDi for us) - it was the first holiday we've been on where the kids couldn't wait to get to the club! The staff where very committed and even took the kids to dinner three nights a week. The shows were really good, particularly the dance shows. The humour a little strange at times but we had a laugh! There's also a small aqua park on the complex which the kids loved.
The whole Melas Resort was spotless - staff work extremely hard keeping it clean and well kept. The beach is also nice and there are a range of water sports available. Because of the private beach, most guests seem to spend their days there so sun beds around the pools are always available.
Side is very nice - good for shopping! If you're interested in cheap fake designer goods you'll be in your element although you need to watch the quality of the fakes and shop around. Don't be shy to haggle - it's expected! Most goods are priced in euros but any money is good! They convert euros into lira by muliplying the euro price by anything between 1.7 to 2 so you have to be a bit careful. You get about 1.5 euros to the £ and 2.5 liras to the £. If you want more shops you can go to Kumkoy which is left out of the hotel and 5 minutes in a taxi - we bought most of our goods from there.
Hope you have a fab holiday
Lindsay

MELAS HOTEL, SIDE. Via Thomas Cook / First Choice Airways..

Just back last Monday. First timers to Turkey. Two 52 yr olds with a 16 yr old son. Here is my review:

Night flight out, no problem, bit slow at Antalya with the £10 visa, one hour transfer to the Melas, in hotel at 6am.

Great first impressions, lobby is impressive, easy check in, bell boy took luggage to room, £1 tip adequate. Room very nice, some have great sea views, ours did not but was fine & cooler looking over the gardens. Excellent air con, like a fridge after a day in the sun.

Did not go to bed, unpacked, went straight to breakfast and then sunbed.

Wow, nice freshwater pool, loungers available, nice blue mattress free too. Wonderful pool man, Memhet, works non stop all day, pool area spotless, give him a tip early and he will look after you.

The heat is fierce, 36 - 39 deg every day from breakfast time, peaked at 44 deg, cooled to 29 deg at 10pm (yes, that's right 10pm). Shade becomes a luxury and a neccessity, so grab an umbrella with sunbed. The beach is cooler, slight breeze, large shaded area, plenty of sunbeds if you miss the pool ones, again with blue matresses. The sea is fabulous, luke warm, walk straight in to cool off. Plenty of watersports on offer. Some non-powered free from Melas, others payable eg 10 euro (£7) for banana, ringos, etc. Parasailing very popular, wife & son did this for 40 euro (£28), I had a free boat trip to film them. Very fast boats, that was great itself.

Very good varied food all 2 weeks, including pool bar & beach bar. Drinks also excellent, very strong, good cocktails and local spirits. Efes beer nice too. The hotel lobby bar is cool in the evenings for post dinner drinks. Hotel guests can use Village bars, probably restaurants too, we didn't as we liked the hotel restaurant, fabulous outside balcony dining. Specialty restaurants (Fish & Turkish menus) OK for a change but not as good as the normal restaurant with a good selection of dishes. Prepare to put on a stone at least.

Entertainment at hotel is low key, aimed at Germans, basically Europop music, was a nice change from the usual all inclusive audience participation. The amphetheatre in the holiday village stages the main shows which were very professional compared to many we have seen. Grease for instance was exceptional, these guys & girls are Russian dancers and you could tell. Very hot there though, lots of sun kissed bodies close together.

Staff are exceptional, best I have ever encountered, cannot do enough for you, in a nice way, not at all patronising, seem absolutely genuinely happy to please you. Our problem was not being able to tip them all, there is a general tip box at bars and restaurants, we preferred to tip individuals and thank them personally. I am sure you will feel the same after you experience their service.

Hotel is a real 5*, spotless, well appointed, cool in public areas and the best we have ever been to, we have been to many AI's in Spain and Caribbean but I say again this is the best. I preferred the hotel to the Village, it was just less crowded and felt more luxurious. However the Village grounds were lovely, again spotless, constantly being cleaned.

Plenty of swimming pools on whole site, including the water park with 4 slides, great free bonus, but I got an ear infection from this pool I think. That happens everywhere though. Just go to pharmacy and get some antibiotics, much cheaper than the Doctor.

Trips are best arranged outside the hotel, 1 hour coast boat trip 5 euro each, can see turtles if you are lucky, all day cruise 15 euro each including lunch.

Despite concerns the Germans were fine, only one pinched my sunshade when we went to lunch. Not many Russians there, staff say the do not come after May.

Turkey is really nice. But the contrast comes with the restauranteurs and shopkeepers who are an absolute pain. Constantly stopping you, trying to entice you in. They are very good humoured and it can be fun. Some though are a bit too in your face. You soon gain experience to ignore them or say firmly no thanks. A smile and a handshake works wonders too. We found that those who did not harass us, let us browse, were the ones we bought from.

Will we return? Yes, not in July/August as it is too hot, staff said June & September are really nice. Next time we will not take a night flight, the return leg was hard being picked up at 3am for our 6am flight.

So, well done Melas, thank you exceptional staff, those that are going soon you are in for a real treat!!

Chloe the rep was OK too. Not pushing trips as usual, always there when she said she would be. A pleasant change.

Hi to Mike, Jacqui & Layla who we met out there. And Paul and family who we chatted to in this forum and actually met there too.

chrsfrm,

Great post thanks for taking the time to let us know about your hol. sounds like you had a great time. I'm not that much of a fan of AI and at this time woudn't consider it in Turkey. From your post however it might be food for thought (so to speak).

Wilson

Hi does anybody know if you can use the facilities of the melas holiday village when you are staying in the melas resort hotel, are they all one or two complete different set ups thankyou for any information. allie

We also have reviews HERE

Hi,

We are booked to go to this Hotel All Inclusive this summer. Has anyone been recently? and what did you think o it?

Hi we have now booked to go to this AI Hotel this summer. Cant wait.
Ace.

Hoping to book this hotel for aug 07. Can anyone tell me about the hotel and can you use the restaurant and bars of the sister hotel melas village. thanx allie

Can anyone tell me if the melas reort hotel and the melas hotel in side are the same place. when i booked for 2007 today the travel agent said they were both 5* and both all inc. which one did i want. i knew there was a melas village but not a melas resort hotel and a melas hotel. thanx allie [/b]

They are next door to each other.I stayed at the Hemera in March which is overlooked by the Melas hotel and it looked very posh!.The holiday village doesnt look as good but as you can use both it should be OK.

Hi Allie,

The Melas Resort Hotel is 5* and the Village is 4* in the same complex next door to each other. Both AI. However the Village guests it seems cannot use the facilities of the Resort Hotel. I am booke to go there this July can't wait.

thankyou very much for replies on melas. much appreciated. allie