Trendy Lara

excellent hotel and super service Anomations at a very high level

Avoid the onsite restaurants that you have to pay for to go in. These are not included in the holiday. The chef forgot about my husband's meal and the kids meals came out 20 mins before mine atvthe world cuisine restaurant. A right shambles! We then tried the Italian restaurant, again poor service with them taking ages to clear our plates and us having to request this to be done, deserts etc, plates left on neighbouring tables from people who had left an hour before. All the swimming pools are deep and not child friendly, at least 1.35 deep, only 1 pool heated. The indoor pool also not child friendly. Gutted for such a lovely hotel generally. The food in the main restaurants was good and service there.

Had a great laugh photos were excellent photographer was brilliant capturing are 50 wedding anniversary would recommend this hotel and photographer.

Beautiful photos very professional and friendly highly recommend

We stayed at Trendy Lara, booked through TUI, travelling as a group of five with three children (8, 5, and 1) plus two adults and honestly, we had a really, really good experience. ⸻ 🌟 Yussuf (Guest Relations) Before anything else, I have to mention Yussuf from Guest Relations he genuinely made our stay. You’ll recognise him in a red coat. From the moment we met him, he was warm, welcoming, and proactive. He didn’t just point things out he personally showed us around, checked in on us regularly, and helped us discover parts of the hotel we would have completely missed otherwise. For example, the beach we didn’t even realise how to properly get there at first. He took us himself, walked us to the dock, and explained everything. There’s a free boat transfer (about 5 minutes) that runs frequently, and he actually got on with us and showed us the whole process. He also shared a bit about the hotel, how it was built, what’s coming next, and you could really tell he takes pride in where he works. Every time we saw him, he greeted us and showed us something new. Honestly, we would return partly because of him , he’s a real asset to the hotel. Also we are sorry we didn't get to say goodbye to him as we couldn't find him on the way out but hopefully whoever reads this can pass this message on to him and thank him for us. ⸻ ✈️ Journey & First Impressions Our journey from Heathrow Airport to Antalya was smooth, including transfers. When you arrive at the hotel, it’s beautiful, grand, and spotless. The reception is modern, tall, shiny everything feels fresh and well maintained. Check-in was quick and staff were pleasant. ⸻ 🏨 Room (Duplex Family Room – Block C) We stayed in a duplex room (Room 3005): * Upstairs: myself, my husband, and our 1-year-old (cot provided) * Downstairs: two kids + one adult The setup worked well for us. Downstairs was slightly compact, but it did the job. There’s also a balcony (view wasn’t great due to construction, but we didn’t hear any noise at all). With a toddler, the stairs can be a concern, but there’s a sliding door we just kept it shut and blocked it for extra safety. 👉Downside: The power cut off numerous times but for short intervals and the air-con was not cold enough for us it felt more like a fan. ⸻ 🍽️ Food & Restaurants The main restaurant has a huge variety of food honestly, sometimes almost too much choice. * Always options like pasta, pizza, chips * Rotating dishes each day * A really good kids’ corner with: * Child-friendly buffet * Small tables * TV area * Baby facilities (formula, porridge, milk station) The 24-hour restaurant is more limited (as expected), but perfectly fine for late arrivals. There are also other restaurants (Italian, Mexican, Japanese, etc.) which require a fee. We tried the Japanese restaurant (€20 each). The service was excellent and very attentive, though the food itself was just okay (possibly our choices). 👉 Only real downside for me: There are cats walking around inside the restaurant. They’re calm and don’t bother you, but if you’re not a pet person, it can feel a bit uncomfortable seeing them near dining areas. ⸻ 🏖️ Beach (Boat Access) The beach is accessed via a free boat ride (around 5 minutes) from the dock. * Clean, sandy beach * Free all-inclusive drinks and bar * Food available (not loads, but enough) * Toilets and facilities there We went twice once a bit windy, once sunny and calm both times were enjoyable. You will see stray dogs, but they keep to themselves and didn’t cause any issues. ⸻ 🏊‍♀️ Facilities & Activities There is plenty to do, especially for families: * Outdoor pools (cold in April) * Indoor pool * Playground (well maintained and freshly painted) * Kids club ( not much happening there but there is a trampoline in-front of it to tire your kids out lol ) * Arcade (paid) * Tennis court, football pitch, volleyball * Gym (opens early, good equipment) * Spa (we had a Turkish bath, massage, and facial really nice experience) shout out to Akin at the Spa, really pleasant man who sold us the spa deal. There’s also daily entertainment like darts and water activities. ⸻ ♿ Accessibility We travelled with a wheelchair user, and I have to say this hotel is very accessible. No issues getting around at all, and the bathroom had a built-in seating area which made things easier. ⸻ 🌤️ When to Go We went mid-April and it was perfect: * Not too hot * Not overcrowded As we were leaving, it was getting busier so I’d personally avoid peak summer if you prefer a calmer experience. ⸻ 💷 Tipping (Recommended) If you can, bring a bit of money to tip. The staff work very hard, and it’s nice to show appreciation especially for: * Housekeeping * Restaurant staff * Often overlooked staff (like ice cream stations, etc.) ⸻ ❗ Small Things to Note * Birthday request (fruit/champagne) wasn’t fulfilled upon arrival. ( could be due to miscommunication) * Cats in restaurant (may not suit everyone) * Pools were cold (seasonal) ⸻ ✅ Final Thoughts I’ll be honest I read some negative reviews before coming and was a bit unsure. But after staying here, I can confidently say: those reviews did not reflect our experience at all. This hotel is: * Clean * Well maintained * Family-friendly * Full of things to do And with staff like Yussuf, and some of the other lovely restaurant staff it really stands out. I would absolutely return in fact, I’m already thinking about coming back next year.