Today, based on the reviews of tourists, we will consider the Turkish hotel Alara hotels kum 5 *. We will talk about the services that guests provide, describe the territory and, most importantly, consider the advantages and disadvantages of the hotel.
Where is?
Hotel Alara kum 5 * belongs to the hotel chain Alara Hotels, which in addition to it includes five more complexes located on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The nearest airport that accepts international flights - Antalya - is 108 kilometers away. The closest city to the Alara kum 5 * hotel is Alanya (Turkey), which is in high demand among Russian tourists and is only 28 kilometers away. A few kilometers from the establishment is located the warmest village of the Mediterranean coast of Turkey - Avsallar, protected by mountains from strong winds. Hotel Alara kum hotel 5 * is located in the village of Inzekum, which is most often chosen by people who are looking for clean air, a beautiful comfortable beach and privacy. Moving from Antalya airport to the hotel takes an average of 2-3 hours.
Hotel address: D-400 Cadessi, Incekum village, Avsallar, Alanya, Turkey.
Hotel Description
Hotel Alara kum 5 * (Turkey) was built in 2005. Full reconstruction took place in 2011. The hotel is located 150 meters from the sea (on the second coastline), has an area of about 11 thousand square meters. It consists of two buildings - the main 6-story building, which includes 2 blocks, and a 5-story building with 25 rooms. All the free part of the hotel is surrounded by green gardens. The air is filled with the coniferous smells of a mountain forest and the sea breeze brought by a light breeze.
Description of rooms
The hotel has 232 rooms of various categories: 19 standard rooms (area 23 sq. M, accommodation - 2 + 1 people (extra bed - folding bed)), 2 rooms for people with disabilities (area 23 sq. M, capacity - 2 persons), 4 suites (two-room rooms without doors with a total area of 40 sq. m with individual design decoration, with a capacity of 3 + 1 people) and 27 family rooms (two-room rooms with a door between the bedroom and the hall, with a total area of 33 sq. m, with a capacity of 3 +1 people (2 beds and a sofa)).
All rooms are made in a modern design, have access to the balcony, where chairs and tables are installed. Each room has a bathroom with all necessary toiletries, central (in the main building) or individual (in the second building) air conditioning, telephone in the main and bathroom, hairdryer, TV with Russian channel, safe and minibar (use of the latter is for extra charge).
The furniture in the rooms is new, but there are complaints about old mattresses in which the springs protrude or are broken, and pillows in which the feather is knocked down. Showers in the main body in good condition, and in the second often with mold and poor waterproofing. Also, many tourists warn that slippers in this hotel do not give out.
When choosing rooms in the Alara kum hotel 5 *, reviews recommend staying on the 3-5th floor, away from the disco, where it is too noisy in the evenings. Tourists also note that this hotel may not be suitable for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, as all rooms have carpeted floors.
Nutrition
As in many hotels in Turkey, in Alara kum hotel 5 * - "all inclusive". In a relatively small area of the hotel there are 2 restaurants and 4 bars.
The main restaurant "Cleopatra" works according to the "buffet". Breakfast - until 10 in the morning, offering cereals, scrambled eggs, cereals and breakfast cereals, milk, a small assortment of cold meats, bread and greens. Late breakfast is available until 10.30. Lunch - from 12.00 to 14.00, on the tables - 2-3 types of soups, several meat dishes (beef, chicken and turkey), 2-3 types of fish, vegetables (fresh and in the form of salads), several types of side dishes (usually these are noodles, potatoes, vegetable stew and porridge), for dessert - watermelons, melons, plums, peaches or apples, sometimes bananas and oranges (depending on seasonality). Dinner - from 19.00 to 21.00, the largest assortment of dishes for the whole day: several types of side dishes, 5-6 meat and fish dishes (in addition to the lunch menu there are dishes of liver, lamb and crayfish), dairy products (yoghurts, milk, kefir, feta cheese), several types of salads, vegetables and fruits.
According to tourists, the food does not correspond to the five stars of the Alara kum hotel 5 * hotel. Reviews warn about monotonous, not always tasty food, the same thing is served for breakfast every day, salads and some cold table dishes are windy and stale, in the evening you have to take a table 20 minutes before dinner, otherwise you will need 20-25 minutes hold in line. The most delicious dishes are prepared in the grill bar near the main restaurant, but there is only one roasting pan, so you need to wait 20-30 minutes until the order is prepared. There are also many complaints of poorly washed dishes and stains on tablecloths and linen napkins. Dietary and children's dishes are practically absent.
Of the advantages - quick and polite waiters, a delicious grill menu (there are dishes of meat, fish and vegetables).
Once during your stay, by appointment, you can visit the à la carte fish or Asian restaurants (à la carte menu) for free. Most tourists write that the dishes in the Asian restaurant are all too spicy, richly seasoned with spices. The fish restaurant offers an excellent varied menu; fish and seafood dishes are always fresh, tasty, and beautifully served. The atmosphere in the restaurant leads to a leisurely pleasant dinner, accompanied by pleasant relaxing music.
Visiting Marilyn Cafe, located near the night bar of the Alara kum hotel 5 * hotel (Incekum, Turkey), will delight visitors with delicious oriental sweets, cakes, pastries, cupcakes and cookies. From 10 to 23, everyone can drink tea or real Turkish coffee and enjoy sweets, which, by the way, are always fresh and tasty.
Between the main meals, you can have a bite to eat, drink tea, juice or some of the alcoholic drinks in one of the four bars located in the hotel lobby, on the balcony, on the beach and near the pool. In the bars near the pool and on the beach from 14 to 16 you can have a snack with Turkish cakes and eat ice cream. In all bars, vacationers have at their disposal juices, water, soda, cola, beer, whiskey, cognac, martini, wine, sometimes tequila, and there is no import alcohol. After 10 pm and until 6 am, an Irish bar is located near the cafe, which has a more extensive alcohol list, bartenders make many alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails for every taste. From 10 to 24, all drinks in the bars are free, after 24 you can drink something only for a fee.
Services
Like any other hotel, Alara hotels kum 5 * provides its guests with paid and free services.
Room cleaning is free daily, bed linen and towels are changed 2 times a week, in the lobby there is free Wi-Fi at a good speed (during the day you can watch movies and chat on Skype, the speed drops significantly in the evening), they provide one bottle of drinking water upon arrival per person. Each room has a safe for storing money and documents, at the reception you can leave things in the left-luggage office. Each room also has a small refrigerator, where it is convenient to store fruits and sweets bought at the market or in the store.
Umbrellas and sunbeds are installed on the beach and near the pool; beach towels are provided free of charge once a day. At the poolside bar, enjoy delicious fruit ice cream for lunch .
For children under 3 years old free cots in rooms and chairs in restaurants are provided; children over 4 years old can attend the kids club and mini-disco.
Small nuances about the free services of the Alara kum 5 * hotel. Reviews of tourists warn that the quality of the rooms is cleaned only when you leave a $ 1 tip, hygiene items are replenished after the maid reminds about this. Drinking water is given out free of charge only upon arrival, then it can be filled into a bottle in coolers installed in bars, or bought in stores or in the market (which is cheaper). To get beach towels, you have to swear with a hammam employee (he also gives out towels), who insists on paying for the bath before he gives you what you want.
For an additional fee, you can use the minibar, give things to the laundry, invite a Russian-speaking doctor, go to the beauty salon, hairdresser, hammam or spa. On the territory of the Alara hotels kum 5 * hotel there are small shops with necessary goods for leisure and souvenir shops. Also, for a fee, parents going on a romantic dinner or on an excursion can leave the child in the care of an experienced nanny.
Tourists warn that in the laundry room, apparently, they do not always adhere to the necessary washing regimes indicated on the clothing labels, since sometimes the clothes are returned stretched, with small holes or one or two shrunken. There are also many complaints about the rudeness and rudeness of a hammam worker. On the positive side, prices at these retail outlets within the hotel are reasonable, often they are lower than in other shops in the village.
Beach
Hotel Alara kum 5 * (Alanya) is located on the 2nd coastline. The beach is about 150 meters, for the convenience and safety of guests organized an underground passage through the tunnel. The hotel has its own small beach on the territory of the public beach Incekum - one of the best on the entire Turkish coast.
A beach with a fine white sand without a single pebble. Sunset at sea is very comfortable, smooth, at the bottom - sand and small smooth pebbles. The sea is always clean and transparent in any weather (even with a slight storm). Tourists in their reviews called the hotel's beach ideal, it is suitable for families with small children.
On the shore there are sun loungers with mattresses and umbrellas, towels are provided once a day. Sunbeds can be chosen closer to the sea under the sun or a little further, but under an awning that protects from scorching rays. There is a bar with fruits, soft drinks, juices, light alcohol (beer, low alcohol cocktails), in the afternoon you can have a snack here with cakes, ice cream and fruit salads. The bar is open from 10 to 17. Lifeguards work on the beach.
Of the minuses - local residents often go to the beach, who leave behind a lot of garbage and cigarette butts, so in the evening it can be dirty and uncomfortable on the sea coast. There are still complaints about broken sunbeds, as well as the fact that deck chairs are not always enough and you have to occupy them early in the morning.
Pools
On the territory of the Alara hotels kum 5 * there are two outdoor pools for adults (one of which with a shallow area and water slides for children), one indoor pool with water heated in the cold season, and one children's pool.
Near the pools for adults there are sun loungers with mattresses and umbrellas, a minibar. Sun loungers are recommended to be occupied immediately after breakfast, as there are few of them and there is not enough for everyone.
Some parents are unhappy that there are no lifeguards or any of the staff near the pool with slides to ensure the safety of the children.
Vacation with children
One of the popular places for summer holidays with children is Turkey. Alara kum 5 * will help organize fun vacations for young guests.
For children under 3 years old they provide cots in rooms and chairs in restaurants. For babies, you can invite a professional nanny if parents need to leave.
Children from 4 to 11 years can have fun in the mini club, where with the help of animators they will sculpt, draw, do crafts and even arrange costumed performances.
Daily competitions are organized for children, various games and fun are held, and mini-disco are organized in the amphitheater.
In addition, on the territory of the Alara kum hotel 5 * (Incekum, Turkey), near the swimming pool with slides, there is a children's playground that will appeal to the youngest guests. There are swings, a carousel, a slide, fabulous children's houses and a large sandbox, which has all the necessary items for creating beautiful castles.
Adult leisure
Adults will also find something to do. In the morning, aqua aerobics is performed by the animators in the pool, and gymnastics with yoga elements is performed on the beach. After lunch, you can go to fitness or play tennis (after sunset, at the request of guests, they include court lighting here for an additional fee). In the afternoons, you can play table tennis or practice your darts accuracy. There is also a sauna, which is open from 12 to 22 hours.
On the beach you can play volleyball, a large area allows you to arrange real competitions between hotels.
After dinner, the amphitheater hosts a disco with an evening show program: fakir performances, oriental dances, comedy shows, competitions and much more.
Guests note that the animation in the hotel is unobtrusive, but there are complaints about its monotony and expressionlessness, as well as vulgarity of the gum show.
Excursions
Turkey is not only a beach holiday. Alara kum hotel 5 * has its own tour desk offering a large selection of trips. The most popular are jeep tours, a trip to the white city - Pamukkale - and to the St. Nicholas Church (with a yacht trip over the sunken city), a marine park (a representation of fur seals and dolphins, a pool filled with water from the Red Sea and its inhabitants) and shopping tours where you can profitably buy Turkish textiles and leather items.
There is an excursion bureau "Zahara" on the beach, the choice of trips is about the same as in the hotel, the prices are slightly lower. If you take several excursions at once, then they make discounts.
Useful Tips
Many tourists in their reviews leave small recommendations for those who are going to this hotel.
Firstly, a warning to those who are going to travel with children under 3 years old - think in advance what the child will eat, since there is practically no dietary food in the restaurant. Most of the dishes are too fat for such kids or are abundantly seasoned with spices.
Secondly, take the number better in the main building, away from the disco, otherwise it will be difficult to fall asleep due to loud music.
Thirdly, if you go to the hammam, then do not pay attention to the obsessive offers of employees to purchase any services for an additional payment: the quality of these services leaves much to be desired, and the amounts are called quite considerable for them.
Fourthly, it is better to take sun loungers on the beach and near the pool early (before breakfast), so that later there will be no unpleasant surprises in the form of an unsuccessful place or a broken sunbed.
Fifth, it’s better to take not two, but three vouchers with you, since the first will be picked up at the hotel, the second at Anex Tour, you can return this voucher only if you get an excursion from them, and this is more expensive than in other places.
And finally. Excursions are advised to take on the beach: prices are lower, excursions are longer. The exception is a jeep ride (the cars are old, they often break down and the program of this excursion in the Anex Tour is more interesting and rich).
Hotel Alara hotels kum 5 *, according to many tourists, does not correspond to the stars assigned to it. The main advantage of this institution is its magnificent beach and close proximity to coniferous mountains. But there are a lot of complaints about the rudeness of the staff, poor cleaning of the rooms and the monotonous menu. If you are going to Turkey for a beach holiday and excursions, this hotel is perfect for these purposes, but if you plan a first-class vacation on the ultra all-inclusive system, then you should pay attention to other hotels.