Lykia World Oludeniz Hotel

The resort is set in a valley at the foot of the Lycian mountains and appears immediately different from its sister resort in Antalya.  Where Antalya has huge endless horizons of flat land, Oludeniz is propped up with a pine tree forest and rocky mountain backdrop. Rather than the long eternal stretching coastline of Antalya the beaches here form a sweeping cove, the whole feeling is that of being enclosed by nature.

Whilst the resort maintains the high standards that I’d come to expect, Oludeniz, the veteran of the Lykia world resorts feels a lot more lived in. This is no bad thing though as nature seems to intertwine far more with the hotel and there seems to be a stronger balance with the surroundings. 

The rooms

The rooms, although slightly dated in comparison to the ultra stylish Antalya suits are comfortable, roomy and the sea views are breathtaking.  However if you opt for a room without a sea view the pine tree forest that the resort is set into also makes for a tranquil view.

Food and drink

The restaurants at Oludeniz are also superb, again perhaps a little older in styling but nothing that detracts from your culinary experience and with a choice of three lunch time restaurants and ten evening venues you are spoilt for choice. Whether it is Chinese, Italian, Turkish, Japanese, or something a little more English Lykia caters for them all.

The Blue Buddha Japanese restaurant is a must visit, watching the highly trained sushi chefs tossing food around and showing off their skills with a knife is something that all food lovers should experience. Even if Sushi isn’t your thing the menu has plenty of alternatives, all of exceptional standards and the prices, if you are not all-inclusive, are very reasonable.

After evening meals we were encouraged by our hosts to try out the many bars. As a responsible journalist I drank sensible quantities at each bar, sadly as there are 14 bars each with differing themes the Turkish wine took its toll.  Fortunately for me the Shisha bar is a great place to relax and pace your evening by smoking sweet flavoured tobacco/molasses from the glass-based Shisha water pipe. If like me are a newcomer to Shisha it is an odd experience.  The different flavours having varying intensity from the milder rose flavour to the more potent apple but make for an alternative and highly sociable experience.

Whilst the resort isn’t a ‘lads on holiday’ style venue there is more emphasis on having a social time in the evenings.  The more centrally located bars seem to bring everyone together and, with a dance floor, plenty of people were out of their seats dancing.  However if you want a drink in the evening somewhere a little more private there are great bars dotted throughout the resort that feel more secluded but make great use of the sea views.

Activities

Scuba diving
The most exciting of activities on offer is the scuba diving at the in house dive school, the only one in Oludeniz which makes use of 21 dive sites along the coastline and has a team of instructors like no others.

Alf, the course leader, explains as we get into our wetsuits that ‘diving is a passion for the instructors here, it’s not a job, these guys do it because they love it’, and this is quickly apparent as the light-hearted yet reassuring lesson unfolded. Making learning fun is no easy thing but after coming away from the scuba session with some incredible memories of tropical fish and other exotic sea life the thing I will remember most is how welcoming and fun it was under the instruction of Alf and his team.

Boat plane
If you’d rather be in the air than below the water you could try the resort's boat plane which looks like a rubber dingy with wings but is none-the-less impressive. At 50 Euros a pop it is not cheap and sadly I didn’t have time to have a go but the view of Oludeniz from the sky would undoubtedly be impressive.

Paragliding
If you are a real thrill seeker perhaps a go at the paragliding from the top of the mountains behind the resort.  Admittedly we saw a paraglider’s parachute fail to open fully and watched him plummet into the water at considerable pace, but the rescue crew were quick to the scene and broken bones and near death shouldn’t put you off these things.

About Lykia

As my time with Lykia was coming to a close I began to get a little reflective over the last 5 days that I had spent in the two resorts. It is not difficult to see why there is a buzz around Lykia’s newest venture in Antalya as their name is already synonymous with excellence. But to simply narrow down what the family run hoteliers do to one word is to discredit all that they have achieved. 

Oludeniz is just one example of the Lykia attitude towards bringing the ultimate holiday experience. With exceptional facilities for children of all ages it gives parents the opportunity for proper relaxation and if you choose to seek it, solitude within the 100 acre grounds.  Antalya looks set to follow in the footsteps and with a World class golf course thrown in you can’t help but feel that the resort is destined for great things.  

All holidays based on 2 adults sharing and inclusive of flights, transfers and accommodation as specified unless stated otherwise.  Optional supplements may be applicable at the time of booking.  Correct at the time of issue however subject to change.   

Prices start from £413 per person for a seven night stay at LykiaWorld Oludeniz in a standard room on a Full Board Plus basis (including all meals and selected drinks at meal times) in June. Children up to 13 years of age stay for free subject to availability. A stay in the large superior sea view room in The Village section of the resort (where you guys stayed) costs from £86 per person per night on a full board plus basis. For reservations of for further information visit www.lykiagroup.com

Read our review of Lykia World Links Golf Antalya

By Gareth Wild