Thanks Crockett, I certainly will

Well we've returned and had a fabulous holiday.

The hotel was great, we had a complimentry upgrade to a suite with big round jacuzzi bath in the middle of one room, two balconies and a beautiful view of the huge pool and sea on the 10th floor.

The hotel is very family friendly, extremely well run, immaculately clean, has wonderful food, lovely staff, a great animation team for children and adults, plenty of facilities and activities and had a great mix of Nationalities when we were there, very well balanced.

Every other week there's the Lion King show where children can take part along with the animation team. Two of my children had the parts of Simba and Nala and they absolutely loved it. They reheasred every day, but loving musical theatre they revelled in it. They also took part in a comedy sketch show on another night in the ampitheatre.

We tried the Turkish, Italian and Chinese restaurants TWICE, and loved them all. You can have 7, I think it was, courses if you like and the service in these intimate restaurants was wonderful.

Just two small things whilst I think of it for anyone who's going. In the a la carte restaurants the childrens menu is the same in each, Turkish meatballs or chicken in batter with chips and rice, they are good portions. However if your children don't fancy that you can ask for them to eat of the adult menu and that's no problem. In the Italian, you can ask for a pasta dish and they will make them penne with tomato sauce. The same with dessert, they will offer them ice-cream but if they want one of the adult desserts just ask and they are very happy to oblige. We didn't find all this out until after two visits. Also you can ask for a selection of appertisers to share rather than opting for one each for variety. A word of warning though, make sure you have a light lunch before eating in these restaurants!!

The other thing was watersports. When you enter the beach, the stand on the right is operated by the hotel and they offer free pedalos and canoes but unless you go up to the kiosk you won't be aware of this. They will give you a price list detailing all the watersports available and you can negotiate to a degree, ditto the spa treatments.

There is also free scuba diving in the hotel pool which we tried. Children can have a go too over age 6 with parents present. They arrange half day daily trips at additional cost but aren't pushy.

Any questions, fire away and I'll do a full review as soon as I've got the laundry down a little!

Hi pamplemouse

Welcome back sounds like you had a great time. I'm off to price this hotel up for 2010

Doe

Hi doepsmc, thanks.

I've already picked up the brochures for 2010 lol and \First Choice and Thomas Cook (Direct Holidays) both have it and are pushing it as an aqua
hotel.

They've also released the Royal Dragon hotel which is owned by the same company in Side and may be worth a look at.

Thanks, I meant to ask who was offering it, and who you travelled with. My first place to look would have been direct holidays.

Doe

Yes mine usually too.

I had a gander at their website earlier a there are no free kids showing. I remember the same thing happened last year but they offered them once I rung.

Incidently, I have their new brochure here which advertises free kids at the RW. TC don't offer them and still couldn't when I booked this in January saying it was a Direct Hols special!

The reps in resort said this is the best hotel in Lara for families as I was looking to see if any others would be as good. Brilliant 15-20 mins transfer!

I rang Direct Holidays yesterday and booked for October 2010 (half-term). They offered a free child place to match Thomas Cook (who were offering also) but then I realised my son would be 13, so an adult. The price for 4 adults was only £70 more because of the discount with having 4 adults in the family room! A bit cheaper than TC.

Does anyone know, are the family rooms the duplex type?

I'm not sure but they may we be. We looked into one as a family we met had one and they were very nice.

If anyone's interested, I've just completed War and Peace on my hotel review, which is now showing.

Excellent review pamplemousse thank you

Only 6 sleeps now and I can't wait!!

I really like the fact that you told us some little things like what you get in the minibar and what types of food are on offer at the different parts of the hotel - all this info is just making me even more excited!! Also from what you said about the pirate ship and under 10's, is it quite big or is it just a safety thing? Great to hear that there are plenty of sun beds for everyone!!

Thanks again - G

P.s - Royal Dragon already booked for

Glad it was of some help zoso, I'm really envious and sure you'll have a great time.

The food kiosks were fine for us during the day, you can either eat at the tables nearby or take the food back to your sunbed. The pizza is lovely, very light. Ice-cream was served in about 6 flavours, be aware though the green was is pistachi, not mint and the red sorbet cherrry and not raspberry as I thought.

The snack bar was really good, served kebabs of various sorts, cordon bleu turkey (yum) burgers, sandwiches, etc. all with chips and several pasta dishes - there was plenty of choice and it was all freshly cooked with waiter service. You then helped yourself to salad and bread. There's also a small selection of desserts, the cherry cheescake came highly recommended from the children.

The gorgonzolla steak at the Italian restaurant was to die for, I actually dreamt of it that night, lol.

The pirate ship is quite big and goes quite high, smaller kids could slip through the bars. They were quite strict and although it said smaller children couldn't go on it were happy to let them as long as there was an adult sitting with them.

Lots of sunbeds available and as the pool is so big, everybody could find a spot they preferred. We went near the kiddie pool, which was near the mini club so the children could come and go and also there were steps leading into a part of the main pool which was shaller for a part. The pool is all one depth, 1.4m I think so fairly deep for smaller kids but not deep enough for diving. There is one part, near the hotel entrance and on the left as you leave the hotel which graduates if you want it a bit shallower.

Anything else, fire away.

Thanks again!!

Can't really think of anything else - I have done that much research and read so many forums and reviews on the place I feel like I have already been

Only thing I would ask would be about the cocktails - are they like the cocktails you would get here? the reason I ask is we were in the Oul Deniz Resort Hotel last year and they had 2 cocktails (1 blue & 1 red) both had vodka and then lemonade and something to colour it! after a few nights we had went off them!! would be good to know that you could try different ones each night???

Cheers again!!

Gordon

Hi!
So glad you had a fantastic time. Thank-you for the comprehensive review, it's really helpful.
Just a couple of points, you mentioned about the toiletries, can you tell me what was supplied please? Anything I don't need to take is a bonus! Also, is there a decent hairdryer in the room?

The kids entertainers sound great! Anna will love the horse riding and being on stage! Is the club split into age groups? One review said that there was no childrens evening entertainment so I was relieved about your report, it all sounds fab!

Thanks again

Gail

There are drinks menus on the tables in the bars that list all the cocktails they do (probably 10-12) and what they contain. The Royal Wings specail was good. There are 3 non-alcoholic ones too, the kids enjoyed the 'Three colours'.

Small bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel were supplied along with soap and shower caps. There was a hair drier but to be honest I didn't use it, I let mine dry naturally and then frazzle it with the straighteners, lol.

The kids club is advertised as being under 12's, although our 12 year old happily joined in some of the activities. There weren't that many kids there when we went so Murat and his team would come around the pool shouting out what activity they were doing at that time and the children would follow them if they fancied it and join in. To be honest it was probably best for the 6 + age group, although the younger ones enjoyed the mini disco in the late mornings in the kids pool. The younger ones enjoyed the park area in the mini club. As I said some of thre activities, such as horse riding do carry an extra charge but this is clearly laid out at the entrance to the mini club so no unpleasant surprises. If the children do participate in the competitions, i.e. table tennis, boccia, etc. then they go back to the club afterwards and put their names down and all will be presented with a certificate on stage that evening at the mini disco, so no losers there. There's also a cinema, and again when it's being used Murat will go around in his odd hats or costumes alerting everyone to it and telling them what's on, it was the Lion King when we were there. You can see the kids animators as they all wear funny headwear!

In the afternoons, one of the kids animators takes them across to the aqua park. Great for the older ones, as they can be supervised and it gives them an opportunity to make friends, but I would make sure they can swim first as they do go in the big slide pool, or did when we were there.

Have a RW special for me!

Thanks again - thats me sorted now - no more questions

I'll be sure to have a RW special for you and everyone else on the board

5 days to go however it sounds less if I say 120 hours

Well off to Aberdeen to work for the next few days and when I get back it will be time to go

Hi Zoso!

Your mission, should you wish to accept, is to try all the cocktails and report back! If there is no "Long Island Iced Tea" then try to persuade them to include one! Also, to find out how good the hairdryer is.

I hope you have an amazing time and I'm looking forward to your report when you get back.

Kind regards Gail

I've calculated, that the Lion King show will be on while you're there, tSunday 19th, so if the kids want to join in it, keep an eye out or ask the animators on Tuesday, Monday will be quiet as it is their day off!!

And please say 'Hi' to Murat from Aaron and Jordan from England who were there in June, if you remind him Jordan was Simba I'm sure he'll remember, and tell him they miss the ducks!!

Have a great time

Gail - I will accept that mission

pamplemousse - I sure will say hi to Murat from your kids!! my little girl (not so little anymore) is 9 so no doubt I will be speaking to him at some point!!

3 sleeps

Im just looking for a price for the royal wings for next year but it seem really dear £1300 for 2 adults for one week end of june. All of turkey seems so dear we went to concorde last year and Alba queen ( colakli ) this year and loved it so really want to go back to turkey and try the royal wings.