Garden of Sun Hotel

Housed in a large white building with an impressive entrance, the Garden of Sun Hotel sits on lovely garden grounds dotted with tall palms, topiary, and sprawling patchy lawns. Contemporary interiors are chainlike, but pleasant. The airy lobby is doused in beige and brown shades, its gleaming tile floors morph into wooden floorboards in the seating areas where rectangular velour sofas and armchairs are clustered around sleek wooden coffee tables. This rather simple contemporary style is echoed throughout, and though the look is a bit bland and tired in some areas, spaces are clean. Guests tend to spend most of their time outdoors anyway. The hotel attracts both vacationing couples and families with kids, and with large grounds and a varied array of features, the hotel does a good job at catering to both types of travelers.

The hotel is located in Didim, a seaside resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast. There are a couple of grocery stores and markets in the immediate area, while the beach is about a five-minute walk away. There are lots of dining options around the Altınkum Beach area, which is about a 20-minute walk away (or five-minute drive). Area attractions include Lunapark amusement park (12-minute walk or three-minute drive), Apollo's Temple (10-minute drive), and Didim Aquapark (15-minute drive). Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport is about an hour and 40 minutes away.

Rooms are bright and clean, if a bit dated in style. Sleek wooden floors are a nice touch and they complement the cream, beige, and brown color palette. Large wooden headboards frame beds that are topped with patterned brown bed runners, which could use an update. Wooden furniture is sleek and simple, and includes desks and luggage racks. TVs are of the old tube-style variety, while gray patterned armchairs could also use a refresh. Other standard amenities include electronic safes, minibars, telephones, and free Wi-Fi, but there are no tea- and coffee-making facilities. All rooms also have private balconies. 

Bathrooms are a bit small and feature old fixtures, but they're clean. They come equipped with shower/tub combos, wall-mounted hairdryers, and soap. Suites trade the beige hues for more sophisticated shades of gray and cream, with shiny gray and white furniture and silvery accent pillows and throws on top of white bedding. Bathrooms offer more space and have flat-screen TVs, but bathrooms are the same as in Standard Rooms (besides the Prince Royal Suite, which has a whirlpool tub).

The hotel's sprawling grounds offer plenty of features and facilities suited for relaxation and entertainment. There are both indoor and outdoor pools, including a large main pool with a poolside bar and a kids' pool with waterslides, as well as an indoor pool in the spa area. Other spa facilities include a Turkish bath and sauna, and besides a varied menu of treatments, the spa also offers thalassotherapy. The fitness center offers a decent amount and variety of (dated and slightly worn) equipment, plus there are various sports courts on-site, including tennis, soccer, volleyball, and basketball.

Dining-wise, the property offers all-inclusive plans during the summer and bed-and-breakfast rates in the winter season. Both Turkish and international fare is served at the three restaurants, plus there's a patisserie, as well as a snack bar and a lobby bar. Note that many past guests have complained about the food here, citing poor taste and quality.

Families are catered to with a kids' club and outdoor playground. Other features include a game room, TV and library room, and a shop that sells souvenirs, snacks, beach gear, and sundries. An animation team provides entertainment throughout the day and into the evening. Three meeting rooms are available for various functions, plus outdoor event space is also available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.