BAYOU Acanthus by Barut

This was our third visit to this hotel which says a lot. Our normal holiday practice is to try out new places each time so somewhere has to be very special for us to return. There is simply nothing wrong with this hotel and a lot of everything spot on. Stylish accommodation with beautifully maintained grounds all help to make things perfect. You will not be disappointed by the catering the food is delicious and a very memorable part of the holiday. We loved our meal times and two particular members of staff always ensured we were happy and that our wine glasses were never empty, they deserve special mention, a big thank you to Fatima and Sinai. Each evening’s entertainment was varied and very professionally delivered and presented. Thank you to the Acanthus team.

Had an amazing week here at this wonderful hotel. The atmosphere was so chilled out vibes with great music around the pool and quality singers in the main lounge bar on an evening. We picked this hotel because of the food reviews and proximity to Side old town. The food was extremely good including the a la cartes and the buffet. A highlight being the buffet on their halloween themed night it was tremendous. The staff all spoke great english and were super helpful a credit to the hotel, you were never waiting for a drink topped up or asked if you needed anything more. Great drinks with a good selection of cocktails and top branded drinks. Hotel was immaculately clean the guest courtesy room was the best I have ever used with multiple safes and safety lockers with even a sitting area with TV and sofas and books which is helpful should you be waiting for use of either the female or male shower areas. So this is the third time in Side all have been 5 star hotels but can see why this one comes under indulgent escapes it was a league above. Lovely private beach section in front of the hotel with wooden loungers and great cushions on with bar service right to where you were. There are other areas in Turkey we wish to visit and the first thing we will do is see if this hotel group is there. We will definitely re-visit this hotel also.

REVIEW Our two week stay 23 September to 7 October was excellent. Our room with a side sea and pool view was well equipped with ample storage. Beds and pillows were very comfortable. Food options and choices were very good. In addition to the main buffet for breakfast, lunch and evening dinner there are four a l carte restaurants. These can be booked with no extra charge two days in advance. Two restaurants are also open for lunch. Ample comfortable beds around huge swimming pool and in grounds. No sunbed wars ! Hotel is situated on a huge crescent shaped bay and has direct access to its own private stretch of sandy beach. There are a lot of sunbeds on the beach which are well spaced unlike other hotels where they are really cramped in. A promenade runs round the bay for long walks and jogging. To left is a 30 minute walk to the interesting old town. Didn`t use the gym, spa or indoor pool but all looked well equipped. Hotel has 150 rooms and never felt " busy". Staff were attentive and very friendly. Private transfer was about one hour. Departing the airport takes time and was a bit manic. Don`t advise buying food or drink in airport- very expensive. In summary probably the best hotel in the area. Not the cheapest but well worth the money. Food was excellent and the range of prime range drinks was amazing. Evening entertainment was good to very good.

Having visited the Lara Barut and Barut Hemera in the past we decided to try the “Acanthus” - a smaller hotel of the Barut group . We were not disappointed- we had a marvellous time. We were upgraded to a sea view room which was a lovely surprise which was spacious and clean with a fully stocked minibar plus crisps and biscuits. The staff throughout the hotel were excellent but I would like to say a big thank you to the customer relations team who helped us with our à la cartes. Nothing was too much trouble for them . We tried all of the à la carte restaurants and our favourite was the Italian , then the fish then saffron. I am not a fish eater but was able to enjoy a lovely meal as the staff catered to my requests which was really nice. Service in the Italian was superb and we loved the food. The evening entertainment was outside and whilst this may not be enjoyed by some we finished our dinner then went to the shows . They were on the whole good fun , not spectacular and bar service could not be faulted. The hotel is beach front and we enjoyed a walk along the promenade to Side which was about 25 minutes gentle stroll. The beach was sandy with plenty of sunbeds to use. The drinks were the best at the lobby bar where you get bottles of sprite and Coke Zero to go with your spirits. Unfortunately no fevertree tonic to go with gin. The alcohol is premium brands and they even had asahi beef in a bottle. The buffet restaurant wasn’t large in size but there was nothing missing in any meals. Very good choices. There weren’t many children at the hotel which for us was ideal and I would not recommend it for families wanting water parks - there aren’t any! Would we go here again, very much so. It was small and an ideal size for us, the only negative was having to be up at around 7am to get a sun bed. Mind you I was always up anyway so made little difference to me and I was able to get a couple of hours reading before breakfast.

It's rare when a hotel actually exceeds your expectations, but this was such an occasion. I won't repeat what others have said in their reviews, other than to say that I agree with all of the positive comments I have read. The Acanthus Cennet Barut collection is a beautiful hotel. We stayed in a penthouse suite and it was worth every penny. All of the staff were fantastic, from our amazing room attendant who ensured everything was spotlessly clean, through to all the staff in the bars and restaurants who were attentive and friendly. The food in all the restaurants was excellent, from the best buffet we've experienced in a hotel through to all of the a la carte restaurants which we had the pleasure of visiting. The thing we love about Barut hotels is the ability to do things on your terms. If you want a later breakfast, lunch or dinner, no problem, go to Maison Plage where they offer excellent menus at times to suit you. It just means you're not constantly clock watching and can do what you want, when you want. It's difficult to put a price on that. As I said in the title, this holiday really was flawless. We wholeheartedly recommend this hotel and would definitely return.