Gloria Serenity Resort

The aptly named Gloria Serenity Resort is a gorgeous, high-end property with peaceful grounds and an excellent beach complete with a pier and cabanas. Cobblestone paths run through lovely manicured lawns sprinkled with pine trees, palms, and colorful flowers. Large shaded decks with tables offer plenty of seating and a quiet spot for unwinding with a drink. There is no large main pool with loud entertainment here, but rather a huge, skinny pool winding all around the property and offering plenty of virtually private areas throughout. Families are welcome at the Gloria Serenity, but there are no features for children on-site and the hotel’s quiet vibe is more suitable for couples than for those traveling with young kids. (Guests with children can access a wealth of kid-friendly amenities found at adjacent sister property Gloria Golf Resort free of charge, though.) First opened in 2007, the Gloria Serenity is the newest and most luxurious of all three Gloria properties in Belek, with a wide array of high-end villas, a stunning spa, and gorgeous outdoor areas. Interiors are elegant and stylish, with a soft neutral palette throughout, stone and wood accents, and lush indoor gardens in common spaces. The main building is a circular structure clad in wood and featuring huge windows offering serene views of the beautiful gardens. Most restaurants and the spa are housed in this main building, and rooms are located in two wings that jut out into the gardens. Suites and villas are spread out over the grounds, and villa guests are offered private golf carts to move around the property.Although the Antalya region is known mostly for its large, bustling all-inclusive resorts, the Gloria Serenity is not the only property offering a quieter atmosphere. Another luxury hotel with a similar vibe is the Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, which is more expensive but also more exclusive, with high-end services, a gorgeous spa, and both adult-only and family-friendly areas. Amara Dolce Vita is another excellent option with a mix of family-friendly and more peaceful, romantic features -- but some may find its location a 75-minute drive from the airport too remote. With stunning architecture, a lovely beach, beautiful rooms, and serene grounds, the Ali Bey Resort Side is an excellent pick both for family fun and relaxation. Those seeking something cheaper may want to consider the stylish adult-only Sentido Flora Garden.

Gloria Serenity Resort is located on a two-way local road that runs parallel to the sea and connects all resorts and golf courses in the Belek area. There is nothing within walking distance other than the hotel’s three renowned golf courses and a few other beachfront properties, but there is a public bus stop right outside the main entrance of the Gloria Golf. Renting a car or taking a taxi may be a more reliable and simpler way to go places, though. Belek, located about a 10-minute drive from the hotel, is home to a few restaurants and shops. The historic city of Side, known for its impressive Hellenistic and Roman ruins and cute seaside cafes, is about a 45-minute drive away. Driving to Antalya and its many historic sites -- including Hadrian’s Gate and the Yivliminare Mosque -- also takes about 45 minutes. The hotel is a 35-minute drive from the airport. 

The hotel has 369 rooms, all with similar muted decor in neutral tones and a few dashes of navy. Parquet floors, warm lights, and wood wall paneling make rooms elegant and classic, while colorful paintings depicting street scenes and architectural elements add some color. Large windows open onto balconies furnished with a couple of chairs and a small table, and Suites have larger decks with loungers and an outdoor whirlpool. Villas have their own patios and pools. All rooms are equipped with smart TVs, air-conditioning, electronic safes, and electric kettles with free tea and instant coffee. Minibars are stocked with water, soda, juice, beer, snacks, and liquor (all replenished daily free of charge). Standard Wi-Fi is available throughout free of charge, but there are upgrades available for a fee. Bathrooms are stylish and contemporary, with separate rain shower and jetted tubs in all rooms, natural stone finishes throughout, and contemporary round sinks over wooden vanities. Hotel-brand toiletries (Bulgari in villas), scales, and wall-mounted hairdryers are provided in all rooms, as are robes and slippers. The hotel offers several types of villas, ranging from 926-square-foot Pool Villas with direct access to an ozone-treated pool shared with other units, to 13,000-square-foot Presidential Villas with six en-suite bedrooms, a fitness room, a private spa, and a large private pool. Most villas are duplex units, and have spacious living areas and serene gardens with rope hammocks or loungers. High-speed internet access is standard in villas.

Belek is mostly famous for its golf courses, but its beaches are also some of the best in the Antalya region. The hotel has its own stretch of fine sand on the other side of the serene river running parallel to the coast. A long wooden bridge connects the property to the beach, where there are plenty of loungers under straw umbrellas, and a lovely pier with a bar and additional seating. Several long rows of beautiful wooden cabanas with white curtains are available for a fee, and villas have their own private section with pavilions and waiter service. There are also several cabanas for beachside massages. The fitness center is appealing and airy, with huge windows overlooking the gardens, wooden floors, and free water and towels. Plenty of cardio and strength-training machines line the space, and there is small section with free weights and yoga mats. Personal trainers and group classes are also available. The hotel also features four clay tennis courts (two with flood lights) and a small soccer field.There is one huge, skinny pool at the Gloria Serenity, and it wraps around the property, offering plenty of space for swimming and relaxing under palm trees. Its huge size makes it easy for guests to find a quiet, virtually private spot, and there are waiters coming around often to take drink orders. There is also a large heated indoor pool lined with plants, wooden loungers, and windows offering garden views. A small kiddy area is separated from the main section by a metal gate, and there is an area with jets for back massages. The hotel is also home to a large entertainment center shared with its two sister properties, the Gloria Golf and the Gloria Verde. It houses a nightclub, a movie theater with films with English and Turkish subtitles, an arcade with bowling lanes and pool tables, and a karaoke bar. Guest can also visit the hotel’s cute zoo with ponies, hens, chickens, rabbits, and flamingos free of charge.

Dining options are varied and excellent at the Gloria Serenity Resort. The main restaurant serves a huge buffet spread for all three meals in an elegant dining room off the lobby, and a spacious terrace overlooking the gardens. This is the only spot offering breakfast, but there are many more options for lunch and dinner scattered around the property. Set in the gardens of the villa section (but not exclusive for villa guests), Route 66 offers steaks, fries, and other American specialties for lunch, along with snacks in the afternoon. Trattoria Romana serves Italian cuisine and an array of small bites for lunch and in the afternoon. For dinner, guests can choose from an array of a la cartes serving a range of world cuisines, including French, Aegean, Asian, and seafood. All-inclusive guests can dine once per week at each of the a la carte restaurants free of charge. There is also a 24-hour brasserie, a patisserie, a beach snack bar with small bites and drinks, and a 24-hour bar with snacks in the lobby. The all-inclusive package includes all food and local drinks 24 hours a day. Rooms service is available around the clock, and is free for villas; all other guests have to pay for overnight room service only. Villa guests also eat and drink free at the hotel’s two nearby sister properties. 

The hotel’s 37,500-square-foot spa is one of the most stunning around, probably rivaled only by the Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort’s. It is decked out in wood and natural stone, and the low lights and fresh scent make it inviting and relaxing. Many of its 15 treatment rooms are located in a long, dimly lit hallway with a wooden path running over a water tank, which lends it an exotic, intimate feel. All guests over 16 get free access to two saunas, two steam baths, and two hammams. An additional private hammam is available for rent. There is a long list of treatments available at Serenity Spa, including hot stone massages, several types of facials, and seaweed body wraps. Couples can rent a gorgeous private spa suite with two treatment beds, a daybed with muslin curtains for relaxation, huge windows, and a hot tub. Massage pavilions are also available at the beach.

The Gloria Hotels Group is known not only for its upscale properties but also more widely for its excellent golf courses, all of which are located right across the street from the hotel. Two of them are 18-hole championship courses, and there is a smaller nine-hole one right next door. Both the Old and New courses were designed by Michel Gayon, but are each unique in their layout. The Old Course is the most challenging of the two, with long and narrow fairways lined with pine trees, and a par-5 first hole. The New Course, however, is shorter and more open, which makes it suitable for all types of golfers. The nine-hole Verde Course is good for warming up or practicing specific techniques.All three courses share a large driving range for up to 100 golfers, an 18-hole putting green, and a gorgeous clubhouse complete with a a lovely restaurant and bar, a pro shop, and lockers for men and women. The golf academy has several professional coaches, over one hundred golf carts, and 500 trolleys.