A REAL TURKISH DELIGHT
PAUL WHYATT travels to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast for an all-inclusive stay at a five-star luxury resort
M ONEY doesn’t buy happiness. But it can get you a holiday at Gloria Hotels and Resorts in Belek, which is pretty much the same thing.
Spread across three luxury hotels, a 45-hole golf course, state-of-the-art sports arena and a wonderful beach, this elegant five-star complex offers plenty for everyone – whether you’re sporty or not.
It’s perfect for a holiday. As adults enjoy a round of golf or spa treatment, children can be at the Gogi fun jungle, where activities include a giant play den and mini versions of basketball, football and golf.
Alternatively, if you want to be with the kids, there’s an Aquapark with eight water slides and a Games Centre with bowling lanes, pool tables and arcade machines.
There’s plenty to do – but the holiday can be as action-packed or relaxed as you want it.
After a four-hour flight to Antalya, we descended into 25°C heat before taking a 30-minute taxi ride to our holiday destination.
Opened in 2007, the Gloria Serenity is the newest and most luxurious of all three Gloria properties in Belek, with a wide array of high-end villas, a stunning spa, and gorgeous outdoor areas. Interiors are elegant and stylish, with a soft neutral palette throughout.
The main building is a circular structure clad in wood and featuring huge windows offering serene views of the beautiful gardens. Most restaurants and the spa are housed in this main building, and rooms are located in two wings that jut out into the gardens. Suites and villas are spread out over the grounds, and villa guests are offered private golf carts to move around the property.
There is no large main pool with loud entertainment here, but rather a huge, skinny pool winding all around the property and offering plenty of virtually private areas throughout.
We stayed in a pool-side villa, scaling two-storeys and providing direct access to the pool. Ours had two upscale bedrooms, a bathroom with a Jacuzzi, a large terrace with a sundeck and a large open air Jacuzzi.
As much as I liked the idea of spending the whole day at the villa, there was a lot to explore – as guests have access to all of Gloria’s properties and resorts, with buggies on hand to get from A to B.
A particular highlight is the resort’s private sandy beach. For €65, guests can hire a luxury pavilion overlooking the Mediterranean Sea for half-a-day. They easily cater for six people – so it can work out at just over €10 each. VIP packages are also thoroughly enjoyed thanks to the fun and expert tutoring of its coaches.
But the sporting aspect of the Gloria set-up does not start and finish with golf. A short shuttle ride away is the world-class Gloria Sports Arena with indoor, outdoor and aquatic sports facilities on 10 hectares, the largest sports arena in the country with the most modern technological developments.
Also included on the campus is a 200-room hotel. Some of Europe’s top individual sportsmen and women use the centre to train, as do national teams for squad preparation for major competitions.
With all these facilities, you are spoilt for choice at Gloria – but if you do fancy a trip out there are, again, plenty of options.
Belek is a town in the Serik district of the Antalya province and there is lots to do in the area.
The city of Antalya is a short drive away and well worth the trip. Wide boulevards and a beautiful old town with quirky little shops and courtyard cafes make it a great day out.
However, staying right where you are at Gloria is also a very good call. massages, several types of facials, and seaweed body wraps. Couples can rent a gorgeous private spa suite with two treatment beds, a daybed with muslin curtains for relaxation, huge windows, and a hot tub. Massage pavilions are also available at the beach.
As an all-inclusive resort, you’re not going to go hungry here. Guests have a choice of an array of restaurants with buffet and a la carte options. Suffice to say, the food here is magnificent and the service excellent.
At night, there are performances, shows and musicals that the whole family can enjoy. And if you’re wanting to stay up into the early hours, there are 24-7 bars and even a nightclub.
Despite all this, there is no denying the resort’s centrepiece is its luxurious golf club.
Spread over thousands of acres, it features three courses – the old 18-hole course, the new 18-hole and the nine hole Verde
All ages and abilities are catered for, thanks to the golf academy. Our group took part in a one-hour beginners’ session, which we all available and include your own butler. We spent an afternoon on ours. I’d have been happy to stay there for a week.
We were already relaxed by the time we headed for our pavilion, having enjoyed a morning at the 37,500 sq ft Serenity Spa. With its vast range of luxury treatments, this spa is one of the most stunning around.
It is decked out in wood and natural stone, and the low lights and fresh scent make it inviting and relaxing. Many of its 15 treatment rooms are located in a long, dimly lit hallway with a wooden path running over a water tank, which lends it an exotic, intimate feel.
All guests over 16 get free access to two saunas, two steam baths, and two hammams (Turkish bath).
There is a long list of treatments available, including hot stone
Antalya, the largest Turkish city on the Mediterranean coast, is considered the gateway to the Turkish Riviera