Letoonia Golf Resort

Set on 75 acres of manicured gardens, the Letoonia Golf Resort is a lively family-friendly property with ponds, lawn seating, and sculptures on the well-kept grounds that feature vines climbing up villa-style buildings and lovely wooden balconies. A photographer is on-site to take vacation photos, and “Instagram Points" by life-size sculptures encourage guests to take selfies. Signs throughout point guests to the beach, restaurants, pools, archery area, and other amenities. 

A lovely waterfront pathway lined by a white railing offers tiled benches to watch boats passing under a wooden planked drawbridge on the Acisu River. Fun lawn seating -- hammocks and lounge chairs -- are on the grass. A grand Roman-style entrance leads into this massive resort that attracts mainly families, but also couples. Sculptures in the lobby, stone floors, and wooden accents create a luxurious and warm atmosphere. Open corridors have several floors of greenery dripping from the railings. The atmosphere is busy and geared toward families with kid-friendly entertainment, freebies for returning guests, and fireworks shows at beach parties. Belek is also a golfing destination, so the resort provides a free shuttle to the courses, free access to a driving range, and miniature golf.

The hotel is located in the tourist area of Belek on the Acisu River with a drawbridge that leads to a private beach on the Mediterranean. Woodlands surround this quiet property that has little in walking distance -- although a free shuttle service goes to the nearby golf courses with the Gloria Golf Club located behind the hotel. The National Golf Club is 15 minutes away by car. It’s a 10-minute drive to the Montgomerie Golf Complex. Driving to the sights in Antalya -- Hadrian's Gate and the Antalya Archaeological Museum -- takes about an hour. Transfers to the Antalya Airport, which is 40 minutes by car, can be arranged through the front desk. It’s an hour and a half by car to Termessos and one hour away to the Duden Waterfalls.

There’s a warm and contemporary vibe in rooms thanks to wooden accents, blue textiles, ceramic or wooden floors, and lovely wooden balconies that overlook the gardens, pools and/or sea. Rooms are in the main building and Bungalows, which are in three-story buildings, feature lovely Turkish wooden carvings on the ceilings. Two-bedroom Family Suites have dining tables beside kitchenettes in stylish living rooms, two bathrooms, and three balconies. Two-bedroom Bungalow Family Rooms offer two bathrooms. One-bedroom Suites feature kitchenettes in living rooms and two balconies. Blue tiles and wooden accents are in bathrooms that feature walk-in showers and hairdryers. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, minimally stocked minibars, AC, kettles, safes, bathrobes, and slippers. 

The best feature at this hotel -- which has a seemingly endless list of amenities -- is the beach with its sandy and pebble shore, water-sports rentals, colorful seating, lounge chairs, and hammocks under tiki huts. Nearby is a beach club that offers cabanas surrounding a dance floor. The animation team leads beachside yoga and volleyball, and on-site is every thing from a soccer field and archery lanes to ping-pong tables and four tennis courts. The kids’ club has fun colorful designs, a sandy playground, and a kiddy pool. Larger water slides are at the water park pool, which has another kiddy pool. There are hot tubs and five other pools throughout the property, including two relax pools for adults only, a rule that some families tend to ignore. A stylishly designed indoor pool is also in the spa that offers a hot tub, saunas, steam rooms, and a large fitness center with modern equipment.

Guests can choose from a beach snack bar and six restaurants that offer Turkish, Asian, and international cuisine. Throughout the property are nine bars. The hotel doesn’t appeal to business travelers, but there is a business hall that has four meeting spaces and two breakout rooms.