Where to Stay in Turkey: The Complete Resort Guide for 2026

Belek is the undisputed centre of Turkey all inclusive holidays at the five-star level. Located 35 kilometres east of Antalya city, it is a purpose-built resort district set in Aleppo pine forests where internationally acclaimed hotels sit between the Taurus foothills and a long sandy beach. For the best all inclusive Turkey experience — food, facilities, service — there is nowhere else in the Mediterranean that competes.

Every major hotel in Belek operates an Antalya all inclusive ultra programme: all meals, unlimited drinks including premium imported spirits, multiple à la carte restaurants and full beach and pool access. Belek is also Turkey’s golf capital, with over 20 championship courses — including Cullinan Links, Cornelia, Gloria and Pasha — making it the world’s leading destination for Turkey golf holidays.

Thomas says: “Belek is where I take guests who want the absolute best all inclusive Turkey holiday. The food at Cullinan Belek is the finest I have eaten at any all inclusive property anywhere in the world — and I eat at a lot of them. If you have never done a proper luxury Turkey holiday in Belek, this is where you start.”

Hotels to consider: Cullinan Belek, Titanic Deluxe Golf Belek, Kaya Palazzo Golf Resort, Maxx Royal Belek.

Lara and Kundu, immediately east of Antalya city, are home to Turkey’s most extraordinary Antalya all inclusive properties — enormous themed resorts built on an ambitious scale, each with its own long sandy beach, multiple pools, waterparks and extensive dining. The transfer from Antalya airport is the shortest on the entire coast at around 15 minutes, making Lara the most convenient base for Turkey all inclusive holidays of any destination in the country.

For Turkey family resorts, Lara is one of the most consistently recommended areas: large kids’ clubs, waterparks, direct sandy beaches and the full facilities of a grand all inclusive resort. The hotels here are characterised by their scale and visual ambition — none more so than Titanic Deluxe Lara, built in the shape of a cruise liner.

Thomas says: “For first-time Turkey all inclusive holidays, Lara is the easiest recommendation I make. Fifteen minutes from the airport, directly on the beach, with everything you need in one place. Titanic Deluxe Lara is one of the five best-selling hotels in the entire UK market for Turkey — and having visited many times, I understand exactly why.”

Hotels to consider: Titanic Deluxe Lara, Delphin Be Grand, Delphin Imperial.

Side is one of Turkey’s most distinctive resort destinations — a genuine ancient city, founded in the 7th century BC, built on a peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean. The Temple of Apollo, the Roman amphitheatre and the colonnaded main street sit directly alongside the beach hotels, restaurants and beach bars. Nowhere else in Turkey quite combines 2,700 years of history with a modern all inclusive beach holiday in the same immediate setting.

The beach at Side is Turkey’s second longest — a sweeping arc of fine golden sand stretching either side of the old town. The resort is noticeably more relaxed in pace than Belek or Lara: quieter, more atmospheric and considerably more characterful. All inclusive hotels here are very well-equipped, typically four and five stars, and represent excellent value for money. Side is one of GotoBeach’s most consistently booked Turkey destinations for guests wanting more than just a beach.

Hotels to consider: Barut Hemera, Barut Acanthus & Cennet, Crystal Sunset Luxury Resort.

Kemer sits at the foot of the Taurus Mountains in one of the most naturally spectacular settings of any resort in Turkey. The town and its surrounding villages — Beldibi, Camyuva, Goynuk and Tekirova — each occupy their own bay, backed by pine-forested peaks that rise sharply from the Mediterrranean shore. The sea here is exceptionally clear, the landscape is dramatic, and the overall atmosphere is more intimate and less resort-commercial than Belek or Lara.

Kemer is home to some of Turkey’s most luxurious boutique and all inclusive hotels, including the acclaimed Maxx Royal Kemer — consistently rated among the finest all inclusive properties in the world. The resort suits couples and guests who value natural beauty and a more secluded setting over the entertainment infrastructure of a large resort. A smart marina, good restaurants and easy access to boat trips along the coast add to the appeal.

Hotels to consider: Maxx Royal Kemer, Rixos Sungate, Club Med Palmiye.

Antalya is Turkey’s Turquoise Coast capital — a city of 1.2 million people with a beautifully preserved old quarter (Kaleici), a Roman harbour, a clifftop promenade and over 300 days of sunshine per year. It functions both as a resort destination in its own right and as the gateway to all of the Antalya coast’s major resort areas. Antalya Airport (AYT) is Turkey’s busiest tourist airport and the arrival point for guests flying to Belek, Lara, Kundu, Side and Kemer alike.

Guests who base themselves in Antalya city rather than the resort strips get a genuinely different experience: the old town’s narrow streets, waterfall excursions to Düden and Kursunlu, the Antalya Museum (one of Turkey’s finest archaeological collections), and easy access to all the surrounding resort areas by taxi or hire car. Antalya combines well with a resort stay — a night or two in the city at the start or end of a Belek or Side holiday adds genuine depth to a Turkey trip.

Marmaris sits at the point where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, in a large natural bay of outstanding beauty backed by pine-forested hills. The town itself is a lively, well-established resort with one of the longest promenades in Turkey, a proper marina, a castle, excellent shopping and one of the liveliest bar streets in the country. It is a significantly more animated resort than Belek or Side — younger in demographic, busier in the evenings, and with a nightlife scene that extends well past midnight.

The surrounding area offers extraordinary variety: day trips by boat to the turquoise bays of the Bozburun peninsula, excursions to Dalyan and the famous Iztuzu Beach, Greek island day trips to Rhodes (just 45 minutes away), and white water rafting on the Dalaman River. For guests who want a beach holiday that also offers genuine evening life and excellent excursion options, Marmaris is one of Turkey’s best answers.

Hotels to consider: Marmaris Resort, Green Nature Resort & Spa.

The Bodrum peninsula is Turkey’s most distinctive and sophisticated coastal destination — a finger of land jutting into the Aegean between the Greek islands of Kos and Kalymnos, lined with whitewashed villages, turquoise coves, boutique hotels and some of Turkey’s finest restaurants. For Turkey couples holidays with a boutique, romantic feel, Bodrum is the standout answer on the entire coast.

Bodrum town is anchored by the 15th-century Castle of St Peter and a working harbour around which the social life of the town revolves. The peninsula’s villages — Gümbüt, Turgutreis, Yalikavak, Güvercinlik — each have their own character. For luxury Turkey holidays with Aegean style, the Titanic Luxury Collection Bodrum in its private bay offers one of the finest all inclusive experiences in the country.

Thomas says: “Bodrum is my personal favourite destination for Turkey couples holidays. The Titanic Luxury Collection Bodrum in Güvercinlik bay is the hotel I find hardest to describe and easiest to recommend. There is a phrase in Turkish: not something to be described, something to be experienced. That is Bodrum. If you are looking for the most romantic luxury Turkey holiday available, this is the answer.”

Hotels to consider: Titanic Luxury Collection Bodrum, Voyage Torba, Lujo Hotel.

Kusadasi sits on Turkey’s northern Aegean coast, directly opposite the Greek island of Samos. It is a lively, well-established resort town with a long sandy beach, a busy harbour, good shopping and a wide range of hotels from budget to luxury — but its greatest asset is what surrounds it. The ancient city of Ephesus — one of the finest and best-preserved Roman cities in the world — is just 20 kilometres away, and a visit is among the most impressive cultural experiences available anywhere in Turkey.

The wider area offers extraordinary variety: the thermal pools of Pamukkale, the Greek island of Samos by ferry (1 hour), the Virgin Mary’s House near Ephesus, and the nearby resort of Didim with the Temple of Apollo at Didyma. For guests who want to combine a proper beach holiday with genuine cultural excursions, Kusadasi is one of Turkey’s best-positioned destinations.

Hotels to consider: Pine Bay Holiday Resort, Aqua Fantasy Aquapark Hotel.