Barut GOIA

My family and I stayed at the Barut GOIA during the May half term, and we had an absolutely splendid holiday.

We travelled as a family group with my nine-year-old son and my parents, who are in their late sixties, so we had quite different requirements from a hotel. Somehow, Barut GOIA managed to cater brilliantly for all of us.

My dad has some mobility issues, which we communicated to the hotel before we arrived. It was very clear that genuine thought had gone into his room allocation. His room was positioned so that he had a very short walk from the lifts and easy access to the pool, bars, restaurants and the other hotel amenities. This might sound like a small thing, but when you’re travelling with somebody who has difficulty walking, it makes an enormous difference. We really appreciated the care that had obviously been taken.

The service throughout our stay was absolutely faultless. My parents loved it, I loved it, and my son had a fantastic time. The water slides in particular were a huge hit with him!

Unfortunately, we also got to experience the hotel’s assistance when things didn’t quite go according to plan. My son developed tonsillitis during the holiday and needed to see a doctor, and then, just to make things even better, I caught it from him! We ended up needing medical help twice. The hotel has an on site medical facility and they called a doctor in on both occasions. When you’re abroad with a poorly child, having people around who can simply help you get things sorted is incredibly reassuring.

The food was absolutely superb. There was plenty of choice, the quality was excellent, and we ate extremely well throughout our stay.

Our one slight disappointment was the à la carte restaurant. It simply wasn’t our cup of tea. For me, an à la carte restaurant at an all-inclusive hotel should add something really special and feel like a step up from the main dining experience. In this case, we actually thought the food in the buffet restaurants was better! That’s perhaps as much a compliment to the quality of the buffet as it is a criticism of the à la carte, though.

A very special mention has to go to the bar staff and the way they looked after my mum and dad.

It didn’t take them long to notice that my dad is quite unsteady on his feet. Without making a fuss about it, they started providing table service for both him and my mum whenever they went to the bar. That little bit of extra thought and kindness meant an enormous amount to us. My parents could sit down, relax and enjoy themselves without my dad having to worry about repeatedly getting up and carrying drinks.

It’s that sort of service that takes a hotel from being simply very good to somewhere you genuinely remember.

I treated myself to a visit to the spa, where I had a traditional hammam followed by a massage, and it was absolutely tremendous. The pricing was very reasonable and, importantly, everything was clearly agreed upfront when I booked, so there were no unexpected extras. The spa itself was spotlessly clean and the staff were friendly, professional and very welcoming. There was an attempt to encourage me to book some additional treatments afterwards, but it certainly wasn’t a hard sell; a smile and a polite “no thank you” was all it took, and there was absolutely no pressure. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and would definitely recommend making time for a spa treatment during your stay.

In fact, my parents were so well looked after that they have already gone back! They’re there again now, absolutely living their best lives, and once again receiving fantastic service from all of the staff.

We had such a lovely time at Barut GOIA. It worked for my nine-year-old, it worked for me, and it worked wonderfully for my parents in their late sixties, including accommodating my dad’s mobility needs.

Fantastic food, brilliant facilities, amazing water slides for the kids, and above all, genuinely exceptional staff who seemed to notice when somebody needed a little extra help and simply provided it.

Absolutely fabulous. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Barut GOIA.

Would not return. If you’ve been to the lara or hemera you’ll be hugely disappointed. Door poor, ice cream selection and drinks poor. Room was dirty upon arrival and full of mosquitos. One lady on guest services was SO rude! This is not a 5 star hotel. BEWARE my husband attacked by feral dogs on the road to the beach and the hotel did not want to know. He also suffered food poisoning from the al a carte. Much better value for money in other places in Side. Avoid.