Xanthe Resort

We have a wonderful stay in Side, and one of the highlights was definitely the exceptional service.

The entire waiting staff is professional, attentive, and genuinely caring. We always feel very well looked after — the team is interested in making sure we are comfortable, easy to communicate with, and always ready to help with a smile.

A special thank you goes to Ali Kose and Seref, who truly made our experience even better. Their friendliness, attentiveness, and excellent contact with guests deserve particular recognition. Ali Kose is always approachable, helpful, and made us feel genuinely welcome rather than simply being hotel guests.

It is people like Ali and Seref who create the atmosphere of a place and make you remember a hotel long after your holiday is over.

Thank you for the wonderful hospitality and excellent service. We would be very happy to come back and for now - we enjoy every day of our holidays!

I don't usually write online reviews, but this time I really felt that I had to…

I have been working in the hotel industry for many years, so perhaps I naturally pay attention to things that an average guest may not even notice – organisation, service standards, how the staff work behind the scenes, cleanliness, attention to detail and the way the whole operation comes together. And after spending a full week at TUI BLUE Xanthe, I was genuinely impressed. We stayed at the hotel with our 12-year-old daughter from 16th to 23rd August 2026, and it was honestly one of the best all-inclusive holidays we have experienced so far. It was our first time in Side, and we left feeling genuinely relaxed, happy and very well looked after. What impressed us most was not just the facilities or the food, but the combination of excellent organisation, attention to detail and, above all, the people working here.

Food – variety and practically non-stop service. The food selection was fantastic. Breakfast, lunch and dinner offered a huge variety, including plenty of Turkish dishes, international options, a dedicated bread station, a large salad bar and gluten-free choices. There was always a great selection of meat, fish, vegetables and side dishes. One thing I particularly appreciated was the information displayed next to the dishes, including nutritional values and calories. As someone who pays attention to what I eat, I thought this was a fantastic idea – and something I don't often see in all-inclusive hotels. :) And the food practically never stopped. Between the main meals there were snacks at the pool or beach bar – ice cream, waffles, pizza, burgers, chicken, salmon, salads and more. Drinks were available throughout the day as well. It felt like there was practically continuous food and beverage service from breakfast at 7:00 until late in the evening. I believe there was even a late-night soup service before midnight, although we never actually used it! The themed dinners – Turkish Night, Seafood Night and Gala Dinner – were another nice touch, including suggestions for appropriate coloured dress codes. And the desserts were excellent. Our personal favourite was Cocostar – absolutely delicious for anyone who likes coconut. A small mention for Ms. Ysun at the live cooking station, who made omelettes for us every morning. I was very happy to make sure I had one for breakfast every day. :)

The staff make the difference. For us, this was probably the strongest part of the whole experience. The bartenders were friendly, cheerful and efficient, and we never experienced any problems with the service. Muhammet deserves a mention – I wasn't at the bar very often, but every visit was a positive experience. He was quick, professional and clearly enjoys his work. Yunus was another memorable character – young, energetic and always positive. Bunyamin, one of the restaurant waiters, was always cheerful and smiling, and Siddik was another very friendly face in the restaurant. I also noticed Atahan at Thea's Café – we only had one short interaction, but I managed to catch his name and wanted to mention him. And thank you, Ozkan, for recommending Rakı after dinner! A very friendly person and a nice little Turkish experience that I will remember. The restaurant service in general was excellent. The waiters were attentive and helpful, and there was even a member of staff continuously walking around during meals, making sure that any spills or messes were quickly taken care of.

Reception and all the small details. We also had a very good experience at reception. Unfortunately, I didn't catch the name of the gentleman who checked us in, but he was extremely helpful not only on arrival, but also later during our stay when we needed assistance. The porter helped us with our luggage and we were personally shown to our room. There were many other small details that showed us how well the hotel is managed. On Monday evening, 17th August, we noticed a member of the technical team working in the pool, quietly cleaning the tiles along the pool edge under the cover of the evening. Most guests would probably never notice this, but for me it was a great example of attention to detail. Bottled water was available in refrigerators practically everywhere – around the pools, on the beach and in the lobby bar. Toilets were conveniently available throughout the resort and everything was kept very clean. Wi-Fi worked surprisingly well practically everywhere, including the beach – and somehow even while I was in the sea, my phone still managed to stay connected… I know, I know, shame on me! :) We also always felt very safe throughout the whole resort. There are also a few animals around the property – cats, birds and even hedgehogs. Hopefully the hedgehogs won't scare anyone! :) I also noticed small cat houses with food just outside the hotel gate, which seems to encourage the cats to stay outside the hotel grounds. A nice little detail.

Pool, beach and entertainment. The pool was clean and very well maintained. The slides, although available only until 16:00, were great fun for both children and adults. Toldo was the "funny guy" – very entertaining and able to communicate with children in different languages. For our daughter, the kids' disco in the amphitheatre at around 20:30 was another highlight, giving the children a chance to dance, have fun and burn off some energy. During the day there were also plenty of activities. The entertainment team regularly encouraged guests to join boccia, darts, jakkolo, pool games and beach volleyball, so there was always something happening for those who wanted to be active. There were daily evening shows in the amphitheatre, followed by additional entertainment around the pool bar. The beach service was excellent. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get the name of the gentleman working there, but he was always very helpful, helping us choose a good spot and preparing the sunbeds for us. The beach itself was well organised, with sunbeds and tables, showers, foot-washing stations and a water sports centre offering jet skis, parasailing and jet cars. Isa, one of the lifeguards, was always ready to help and always smiling – a genuinely lovely person. For children, we also liked the special platform at the pool bar, allowing them to reach the counter and order their own drinks. The Ipanema, a children's drink inspired by a Virgin Mojito, was another nice touch.

Great for families. As a family with a 12-year-old daughter, we found the hotel very comfortable and there was plenty to do without having to leave the resort. There was table tennis, pool activities, sports, slides and evening entertainment. The gym was also very well equipped and seemed to be popular with guests, with a water dispenser available there as well. The hotel photographer also offers family photo sessions around the resort, on the beach and during sunset – a nice option for anyone wanting to take home some special holiday memories. And of course, the DJ understood one important thing: a Turkish holiday is not complete without Tarkan! :)

A little bit of Side. This was our first visit to Side and we really enjoyed the Old Town. The minibus stop is conveniently located right by the hotel gate at Evrenseki, and during our stay the journey to Side cost around €2 per person. We loved the walk from the bus stop towards the harbour, along the promenade and through the little shops. Having a drink while watching the sunset and then walking back through the lively streets was one of our favourite evenings outside the hotel.

Thank you, TUI BLUE Xanthe! After seven days, we left with one very clear feeling: we had made a really good choice. A hotel can have a beautiful pool, a nice beach and a huge selection of food, but what really makes the difference is the people. At TUI BLUE Xanthe, we felt comfortable, safe and genuinely well looked after throughout our entire stay. A big thank you to the management for creating such a well-organised resort, and to the entire team – restaurant staff, bartenders, entertainment team, reception, technical staff, beach team, lifeguards, housekeeping and everyone working behind the scenes. I may have misspelled some of the names mentioned above, and if so, I sincerely apologise. There were simply so many friendly people who contributed to our stay that we wanted to remember and mention as many as possible.

We came to Turkey for a relaxing family holiday with our 12-year-old daughter, and we got exactly that – plus fantastic food, great service, plenty of entertainment and a lot of very good memories. Thank you, TUI BLUE Xanthe, for a fantastic week. We would definitely consider coming back!