Novum Garden Side - All Inclusive

“A fantastic trip”

Recently returned from a 19 day break and what a fabulous time we had. The resort is beautiful with a huge pool at the top which has different depths mainly 1.25-1.4m. A middle pool with a waterfall and a lovely bottom pool. There is a nice side pool at the top which was a bit quieter. There is als… more

Recently returned from a 19 day break and what a fabulous time we had. The resort is beautiful with a huge pool at the top which has different depths mainly 1.25-1.4m. A middle pool with a waterfall and a lovely bottom pool. There is a nice side pool at the top which was a bit quieter. There is also a really shallow pool for toddlers. The pools were lovely and warm and very clean. Most fvthe pools were lifeguarded from 10 until 5 or 6 I think. You can get in them earlier if you want a morning swim. The waterpark is a really lovely feature and is open 10-12 and 2-5 with things there for all ages. It is literally seconds walk from the main hotel grounds. There are some sunloungers there and also a basic bar. The beach is a 5 minute walk which we didn't mind as it felt like a different holiday when you were down there. The beach bar does lovely food at lunch with ice cream and also drinks. Lots of sun loungers there too and the sea is incredibly warm. The food was amazing. So much choice and it was so fresh. My partner is a vegetarian and also had plenty of choice as there is a vegan station there too. The pool bar does amazing burgers at lunch but probably avoid the first hour or so as there was always a big queue. There is also the patisserie serving some lovely cakes in the afternoon. There was a Turkish pancake area but I never managed to get one as there was always a queue and it was way too hot to wait for me. They looked nice though and were authentically made. Ice creams were available in the pool bar 12-6 and we're delicious. Choice of a cone or tub. Ice creams were also available at lunch and during some of the afternoon at the beach bar. We went to the a la carte once which is next to the patisserie and it was really lovely. The main restaurant is busy with people walking around but it never felt too busy ( apart from maybe gala night). Don't forget the outside part of the main restaurant which do lovely omelettes in the morning and also have some great food in the evening. The drinks were fabulous with a really good range in the cocktail and mocktail menu and of soft drinks. Some big brand spirits are included too. The bar staff were fabulous and you never had to wait long. The lobby bar is lovely with views over the sea. The pool bar is near the bottom pool but my favourite was the terrace bar which is surrounded by fragrant plants and is lit up beautifully at night which is perfect for evening games. It is the best resort I have been to in Turkey for sunlounger availability. Yes there are the 5am nutters still but there's so many loungers, we still found good spots at 9am. The daytime entertainments were fun and varied. We can recommend the yoga and Zumba - even for inexperienced people like me, the instructors were really kind and didn't laugh at me too much 😂. There is a children's play park which although small, was enjoyed a lot by our kids and it was next to the pool bar so you can chill with a drink whilst they play. Mini disco is at 830 every night and although mainly in other languages, it didn't cause a barrier to the kids joining in and loving it. The beach evening entertainment followed at about 915/930 and the ones we watched were really enjoyable including Michael Jackson, acrobats and a magic show. The animation teams day off is Sunday so there is a live band that night but we headed into Side. The room and balcony was a good size and was cleaned regularly. There are a number of lifts getting up to the rooms if required. I found the beds really comfy and the air conditioning worked great which was important as it hit 45 degrees during our stay. The staff were incredible. They were so friendly and incredibly hard working. They really do make your stay so special and I want to pass on my thanks to each of them. Outside the hotel if you turn left and walk for 5 minutes, there is quiet a large area for shops which I think are better value than Side. There is loads of choice there with the usual clothing, football kits, bags etc. There are also some bars down there too. We went on the green canyon excursion which I can highly recommend. It made a really nice change to do an inland boat trip and it was a bit cooler with opportunities to swim and a really lovely lunch for about £80 for 2 adults and 2 children. We went into Side old town one night and it was a really lovely place with lots of history and glass pavements with ruins beneath, although it was incredibly hot and there were a lot of people there. The largest proportion of the guests are from Germany but there are a few Brits knocking about. It wasn't a problem at all and like largely British resorts, you nice different personalities. The staff seemed genuinely enthused when they found out you were British though - which is a nice change as not every nation feels like that about us! I generally say that I'd never go back to the same resort twice as i think there are so many different resorts to explore so why go back. But for Novum, I would make the exception. Everybody looks for different things from a holiday and will have different opinions but this place really ticked a lot of boxes.

less

“Perfect Holiday”

4th time in Turkey with family. This is the best resort we've been to. Very clean, staff is polite, limited English but good enough, beach and aqua-park are very nice. Plenty of food for everyone's taste. Gala Night was Realy Good. The staff worked really hard 10 out of 10 We will definitely come … more

4th time in Turkey with family. This is the best resort we've been to. Very clean, staff is polite, limited English but good enough, beach and aqua-park are very nice. Plenty of food for everyone's taste. Gala Night was Realy Good. The staff worked really hard 10 out of 10 We will definitely come back.

less

“Amazing & beautiful place 10/10”

We had the best time here the hotel was out of this world 5 outdoor pools 1 inside pool night club bistro gym kids club activities every day entertainment every night water park garden ala carte restaurant the snack bar and restaurant food were amazing plus obviously the drinks inside and outside b… more

We had the best time here the hotel was out of this world 5 outdoor pools 1 inside pool night club bistro gym kids club activities every day entertainment every night water park garden ala carte restaurant the snack bar and restaurant food were amazing plus obviously the drinks inside and outside bars shops close to the markets beach was beautiful beach bar absolutely gorgeous foam party at the beach i honestly didn't want to come home the staff were all amazing just to name a few Sebastian simige alana Hakim (see you later aligator in a while crocodile) all made our holiday ( sorry if i got your names wrong) but you were all amazing friendly & attentive the rooms were modern and beautiful cleaned daily we will 100% be coming back i can not praise the place enough the only few and slight downfalls were once the entertainment was over there was no back ground music left on which could kill the mood of a really great night also i do think one of the pools could perhaps be an adults only pool ( like near block 4 ) also don't advertise room extensions on your last day as you wont get it we asked for a week and kept getting fobbed off until last day told no there fully booked they would of known this already its just best not to advertise it as the facilities to dress change and leave your bags in are more than good enough but a part from that i can’t praise the place enough it was amazing from start to finish and i hope to come back real soon

less

“Good Hotel, Good Experience”

Plethora of swimming pools and seating (particularly if you're not interested in lying on the sun bed). There is a sign that more sun beds can be planted across the swimming pool areas if you miss out. Aqua park is great fun but they close for 2 hours for lunch (why do life guards need 2 hours for … more

Plethora of swimming pools and seating (particularly if you're not interested in lying on the sun bed). There is a sign that more sun beds can be planted across the swimming pool areas if you miss out. Aqua park is great fun but they close for 2 hours for lunch (why do life guards need 2 hours for lunch if they're sitting around looking bored is beyond me), and they close at 5pm, which again is non-sensical. Private beach is spacious and they have a restaurant close by. All inclusive food is broadly ok, but felt repetitive at time; salads, vegetables and fruit is very fresh. Evenings they grill fresh meat and fish. There is a restaurant which you book; the starters are fine but the beef main is full of fat which I needed to send back. They offered steak fillet which was amazing. Evening entertainment every other evening is good (Michael Jackson show was by far the best) but the cocktails are hit and miss; they do not mix properly and feels each time you order the same cocktail there is inconsistency. Vast majority of staff either cannot or speak very little English but they are very attentive. A chap called Hakim was charming with the kids, he organises football and my kids loved him. Guest Relations is best placed to ask around the hotel; a sweet lady called Pakize has the best spoken English and works pretty much all week. She is very kind and helpful, she is best placed to help if you cannot speak Turkish or German. Broadly I would recommend this hotel, but manage expectations on food and lack of English across the holidaymakers and staff.

less