Club Ali Bey, Manavgat

My husband and I finally went on our honeymoon, almost one year and five months after our wedding.  His brother gave us a vacation at Club Ali Bey, just outside of Manavgat, in the Antalya region.  Club Ali Bey is perfectly situated on the Mediterranean Sea.

The resort is known for its tennis courts.  Of course, neither of us play.  Instead, my husband enjoyed its water park quite a bit.  I was more like the mom, making sure he didn’t get hurt (he only had a few bumps and scratches) and taking the pictures.  The interesting thing that is so different from the U.S. is that no one is guarding anything.  There are no lines.  There are no height limits.  People assume responsiblity for their own actions.  I liked that.  No one to sue but yourself!

I prefered to enjoy my time at the beach.  Although I am no swimmer, I do like to go in and jump the waves a little.  I mostly like to lie next to the water and relax.  The resort provided lounge chairs, umbrellas, and towels.  Every once in a while, I even saw a life guard.  The beach was not sandy like New Jersey or Florida.  It was made of smooth stones and finer tiny stones.

There were several pools at Ali Bey, including two at the aqua park.  There was a “quiet pool” which did not allow children under 15.  No offense to my friends who are parents, but when you are trying to relish a honeymoon at a family resort, a quiet pool is the way to go!  Of course, the Russians didn’t always seem to understand the rules and brought their kids anyway.  The Germans also brought older children once in a while.  There was a big difference between the two.  The Russians acted more like the American reputation — they were loud.  The German families would swim up and down the pool quietly together.  Then they would break and go have a beer.

The resort itself was lovely.  There were mosaic fountains everywhere.  Rooms were pleasant and laid out in cottage-like buildings all over the resort.  There was also a higher-end hotel, a fitness center, spa, hamam (Tukish bath), shopping centers, game rooms, and a hair salon.  I received my first Turkish bath and then had a lovely massage by a Moroccan woman.

 I can’t believe that it took me this long to mention the food.  The Ali Bey was all-inclusive, and cheaper than a week down the Shore.  (That’s Jersey-ese for those of you from other parts of the world.  In New Jersey, one does not go to the beach.  They go “down the Shore.”)  There were many restaurants, two of them on the beach.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner were included, as were all local drinks including Turkish wines and beer and a selection of fine alcoholic beverages.   Meals were served buffet-style with waiters to serve the drinks.

One evening, we were treated to dinner at the only non-included restaurant with a panoramic view.  At 10 Euro (about $13) per person, it may has well have been included.  Our dinner was on the house.  Each night they serve an 8-course meal.  We were delighted by Italian night.  I also considered it my birthday celebration – one night before the true event.

The best part of being at Club Ali Bey was the beautiful sunsets.  Oh how I miss them!  I could have filled a whole blog post with pictures of sunsets!

 We really enjoyed our stay!  Thank you Koray & Őzlem!