- Turkey Holidays
- Side
- Arum Barut Collection
This charming hotel is located by a beautiful long sandy beach, within wonderful green grounds. The town centre with its many shops, cafés, bars and restaurants is just 3.8 km away where Side's spectacular amphitheatre, museum and the Temple of Apollo can also be found. Manavgat Waterfalls are 10 km away. There are public transportation links and a taxi station in front of the hotel.
Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages, body treatments and facials. After dipping into one of the 2 outdoor swimming pools, you can spend some time at the private beach. This resort also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services and babysitting (surcharge).
We stayed for 10 nights from the 19th September, 2 adults age 63 and 66. As soon as we got out of the taxi till the minute we left we were treated with kindness and respect by all the staff. The hotel is beautiful and it was spotlessly clean, the grounds and gardens were all well kept. The food was lovely plenty of choice for everyone. We had an upgrade and our room was central for everything. It was cleaned to a high standard every day and our fridge was restocked. The guys and girls at the pool bar were amazing they always remember what you drink and the service was fast. Some days we were at the pool bar and again the staff were great. We were looked after by a lovely gentleman in the main restaurant every morning and lunch time. The staff are a credit to the hotel and we will definitely be booking again for next September. I would definitely recommend this hotel (we stayed at the Titanic Mardan palace last September and it was no an near as good as the Barut Arum)
Writing this review just two days into our stay but our experience so far has been disappointing compared with other Barut hotels we've visited.
We were surprised to learn the à la carte restaurants close when the main buffet is serving the same cuisine. This means only two of the three à la carte options are actually open at any one time which feels quite misleading compared to how they're presented online.
There is no booking app, you have to visit Guest Relations in person. We were told all restaurants were fully booked for the first few days of our holiday, frustrating when you're only here for a week.
We booked a queen 2-Bed suite expecting something spacious and luxurious but found it quite cramped, especially the bathroom and balcony. Communication before arrival was also poor, as emails regarding room upgrades and children's equipment went unanswered.
Some of the basics have been lacking. We arrived late in the evening after a full day of travelling with two young children and weren't even offered a glass of water. Our suite package also included an ironing service, yet this was never mentioned or offered. We probably wouldn’t have even used it but don’t offer if you’re not going to offer it. No turn down service that was included with our room.
There is no drinks service to your sunbed, meaning every drink requires a trip back to the one main pool bar servicing all three pools, very busy. It also lacks some of the little touches we enjoyed at other Barut hotels. For example, at Anda Barut there were ice cream freezers dotted around the resort with branded options such as Magnums, Cornettos and Twisters you could help yourself to throughout the day. Here, the only option is basic soft-serve ice cream. It's a small detail but one that contributed to the more premium feel elsewhere.
The hotel itself is much smaller than expected and there is a huge derelict hotel immediately next door which affects the outlook.
To end on a positive note, Amber on Reception was excellent.
Hopefully things improve as the holiday continues but based on our first couple of days, Arum Barut feels much closer to a good 4-star hotel than the luxury 5- star experience we were expecting and at this stage it is not somewhere we would choose to return to.
Currently here on our last morning at the beautiful arum barut. We have been here for a week and booked and residence room which was 2 bedrooms and a really huge area with plenty of storage space for the 5 of us. On first impressions having stayed at the acanthus 20 mins away last year I could see the service here would be top notch! And it was from all the staff in the restaurants and the pool bar and spa everyone was so friendly and helpful. We had 5 days of pretty bad weather out of the 7 and the hotel tried hard to accommodate. Food is good to, I think there could be some improvements but it’s hard when there is so many people to cater for and would highly recommend the à la carte restaurants the Turkish being my favourite however we never got to Asian which looked nice This is my second time to side and possibly My last. I wish I could pick up Barut hotels and put them in other locations! Side is beautiful and I love the walk into the town, about 45 mins leisurely along the beach and shops and restaurants on the way Side has some really good quality shops of leather bags not all are good quality but I would highly recommend Huseyin at Barut Accanthus who sells beautiful leather bags and he could be contacted via the hotel best bags I have seen! But other the. That there isn’t too many excisions and we love to get out and about However if you want beauty and sun this offers it all The entertainment is good I really enjoyed the singers at the pool bar and a massive shout out to the lady who sang last night 5th October she had a lady on the piano and a guy playing the guitar and she was fantastic her energy was brilliant! There’s also shows at the theatre too Drinks wise I would like to see more premium brands being used as this isn’t always the case but I found the house white wine lovely and easy to drink Big shout out to the amazing waiter at breakfast I wish I knew his name Thank you Hmut Kurt Furkqn Kaplan Ali and Kemal at the pool bar lovely service and friendly guys! I would if you looking for complete relaxation book this lovely hotel and it’s very family Friendly
Second time to come here as last year was amazing. Room food drinks all high standard. Staff amazing far too many to mention but all are so nice. This year we came at the end of September instead of beginning like we did last year and that proved to be a mistake. Pool is much cooler. Its supposed to be heated but it wasnt. Entertainment day time masively reduced on last year. No dancers or foam party this year. The DJ is stealing a living. He plays the same playlists every day. I heard We Are The World 5 times a day on Tuesday and Wednesday along with many others. There is so much good music on spotify why do you even need him? Additionally the evening bands this year at the pool bar were a poor comparison to last year. Every band has a different style but they all sing the same songs so its boring and a lazy cheap approach that could easily be fixed. The lazer show last year was played to specific music and was fantastic but this year only 20 minutes was coriographed the other 1hr 40 was flashing beams to an unrelated medioca band playing the usual play list." Hit the road jack, I will survive, etc etc etc yawn. The lounge bar inside is a good bar but when the live music is moved in no consideration is given to sound. From the bar area all you can hear is an unidentifiable poor quality sound. Also it could be a great bar with some lounge music. Spotify has multible play lists to choose from to give the place some atmosphere. I enjoyed the holiday but it could have been so much better if your music manager took an interest in the guests rather than himself. It felt like costs were cut on entertainment in general compared to early September 2025. If this was my first I would not return as other hotels provide much better entertainment. Finally the hotel this year was predominandly German. As a result the staff default is to speak German to everyone. I spent my week starting every interaction saying I dont speak german. I this hello is internationally recognised. Start with that and you will quickly know what language to speak. In summary great hotel and location but in need of an new entertainment approach. Its tired and cheap.
Our family has been coming to the Arum Barut Collection for 23 years, and over those years we have made so many wonderful memories that will stay with us forever. Year after year, this hotel never fails to provide us with an excellent, relaxing holiday. Every visit feels special, and coming back truly feels like coming home.
We arrived at around midnight and were given such a warm welcome. We were even invited to have a drink and something to eat while the team took care of our check-in — such a lovely touch after travelling.
The staff are exceptional and are such a huge part of what makes this hotel so special. A heartfelt thank you to Cluster Manager Serdar, Hotel Manager Emre, Bekir, the Restaurant and Bar Manager, and the wonderful Reception and Guest Relations teams — Irina, Carla and Tugge.
The reception team are always so friendly, helpful and welcoming, with a smile on their faces. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and they go above and beyond to make sure you feel looked after from the moment you arrive.
A big thank you also to the fantastic restaurant teams — Mehmet, Mustafa, Hassan, Ahmet and Arif, and all the many other staff who work so hard to make every holiday special.
And of course, our brilliant bar team! Ferhat and Mustafa, you are simply the best. Thank you also to Furkan, Ali, Umit, Garzi and Janer for always looking after us so well. The service throughout the hotel is outstanding, and the staff really cannot do enough for you.
We also want to give a special mention to the wonderful pool attendants, Ayesha and Mehmet, who work tirelessly to keep the pool areas clean and tidy and are always on hand to help whenever you need them. Their hard work makes such a difference to everyone’s holiday. Thank you both for everything you do.
The rooms are always absolutely spotless, beautifully maintained and cleaned to an exceptionally high standard. It is so reassuring to know that after a day enjoying everything the hotel has to offer, you can return to a room that is immaculate and welcoming.
The à la carte restaurants are amazing, with delicious food and portions that will definitely fill you up until you’re bursting! There is such a fantastic choice, and every meal is another opportunity to enjoy the wonderful food and service.
There are also plenty of activities to keep you busy if you can drag yourself away from the pool. A particular mention has to go to the wonderful Olga, who always keeps a smile on your face while working you hard! 😂
The pool bar party nights are fantastic, with great music, brilliant live bands and lots of dancing. They always create such a wonderful atmosphere and are a real highlight of our stays.
We would also like to say a huge thank you to every single member of staff we haven’t mentioned by name. There are so many people working throughout the hotel and behind the scenes who contribute to making our stays so enjoyable. Please know that your hard work is noticed and very much appreciated.
After 23 years of holidays, friendships, laughter and memories, the Arum really does feel like a second home to us. We see so many familiar faces, both among the staff and the guests who return year after year, and that is what makes this hotel so special.
We absolutely love this hotel and wouldn’t want to holiday anywhere else. Thank you to every single person who has helped create 23 years of wonderful memories for our family.
Here’s to making many more! ❤️
Can’t wait for our next visit!
Your beloved Curtis Family (Debbie and Tony)
