Lara Garden Hotel

The one good thing is that our stay was only four nights. The room was hard to sleep in because of the extremely firm mattress, and the tiny wardrobe couldn’t hold our things, so we had to leave our suitcases open on the floor. The hotel is beside a busy street, with especially bothersome noise around the pool. Food was monotonous and mostly inedible, except for the salads. Even basics like butter and ketchup were often missing, and the machine drinks tasted awful and artificial. At the open bar, something was always unavailable, and staff put in as much ice as possible to stretch the drinks. I wouldn’t recommend it.

We picked Lara Garden Hotel for its position near the airport and beach, and it worked out perfectly. Our room was spotless and the bed comfortable. The pool area was a favorite, relaxing and well maintained. The staff were so friendly and helpful, nothing seemed like too much trouble. For the money, it’s a great deal compared with the big Antalya resorts.

The bar staff were amazingly friendly, but the toilets at the far end of the pool smelled overwhelming every day. I also had an upset stomach for the whole visit. Room 313 was filthy. The quilt had no cover, was older than me, and was badly stained. Most of the food was unrecognizable unless you were Turkish, and nothing was labeled. I paid to have laundry washed and dried, but it came back wet. When I told the reception manager, he said to bring it down and he’d dry it. A couple of hours later he handed it back, still wet and folded exactly as I’d left it. I was so angry I waited until the next day to speak to him, and he only shrugged and gave me a sly grin. He was ignorant and rude to European and British male guests, while seeming eager to help female guests. DON'T.. JUST DON'T.

The food and drinks were amazing. Every night brought a different set of delicious dishes, and the service was impeccable. Gulbanu was especially kind and helpful.