Liberty Fabay

We've stayed in a number of five-star all-inclusive hotels and resorts over the years, and I consider myself a fairly critical guest. It takes quite a lot to genuinely impress me.

Liberty Fabay managed exactly that.

Travelling as a family of six, we stayed in one of the hotel's ten lake houses in October, and I can confidently say this was one of the best holiday experiences we've had.

First impressions

We arrived very late at night, but rather than being faced with the usual check-in formalities, we were invited to take a seat in the lounge while staff brought us drinks and snacks. Apart from completing one form, we didn't even need to stand at reception.

A small detail perhaps, but what a fantastic way to welcome a family after a long journey. It set the tone for the entire stay.

Accommodation

Quite simply, the best family accommodation we've ever had.

Three bedrooms, four toilets, a spacious lounge and dining area, and even a separate space for storing suitcases. Six of us sharing, yet never once did we feel cramped.

Everything was modern, immaculate, fully functional and cleaned daily. The rooms were generously stocked, including two minibars with branded soft drinks and alcohol, along with champagne, whisky and vodka.

The private swim-up pool was a lovely feature, although being unheated meant we didn't really use it in October. I'm sure it would be fantastic in the height of summer.

If I'm being picky, the view from the rooms wasn't particularly inspiring, mostly overlooking the backs of other buildings. And the lighting controls were so numerous that you practically needed a degree to work out which switch did what!

First-world problems, admittedly.

Food and restaurants

Superb. Absolutely superb.

The main buffet offers an enormous selection at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food was consistently hot, beautifully presented, varied and, most importantly, delicious.

We're a family who enjoy exploring different foods, and the choice here was ideal. The themed evenings added even more variety, while there were always plenty of familiar options for fussier eaters.

We didn't really venture into the chicken nuggets and chips section, so I can't comment on that!

The only challenge was remembering where you'd spotted something earlier. I'm sure I saw rice somewhere...

We also visited the Italian à la carte restaurant, where both the food and service were impeccable. Perhaps not quite the authenticity of dining in Italy itself, but a lovely atmosphere, excellent quality and a genuinely enjoyable evening.

The daytime food court was a firm favourite with the kids, who seemed to develop an appetite every half an hour! Plenty of sweet and savoury choices, and the snack bar offered another excellent table-service option.

I particularly appreciated the policy of keeping food within designated eating areas. Nobody wants to swim alongside somebody else's discarded lunch, and it makes a real difference to the cleanliness of the resort.

Service: genuinely exceptional

This is where Liberty Fabay really sets itself apart.

Across every single touchpoint, from housekeeping and reception to restaurants, bars and poolside service, the staff were attentive, welcoming, friendly and professional.

And I mean consistently, not just the occasional standout employee.

You get the impression that real care goes into selecting the right people. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble.

By the end of our stay, restaurant staff even remembered our family's drinks orders. A classy little touch that demonstrates genuine attention to guests.

We've experienced some very good service at other five-star resorts, but the consistency here was on another level.

Pools, grounds and beach

Beautifully designed and maintained.

The entire resort feels modern, spotless and exceptionally well cared for. There's no obvious neglected corner or tired-looking area, although navigating the layout can occasionally be a little confusing.

The main pools are spacious and heated, with plenty of sunbeds and parasols. They're also surrounded by greenery and attractive planting, rather than being enormous, soulless slabs of concrete.

Different areas cater for different guests, with lively family spaces, quieter zones and adults-only sections. The waterslides were a huge hit with our children.

The indoor pool was also lovely, although seating and sunbed availability was more limited.

Another massive positive: no ridiculous early-morning sunbed reservation race. There was always somewhere suitable to relax, and the pool areas were regularly cleaned and attended by plentiful waiting staff.

The beach was equally impressive. A mixture of sand and pebbles, raked and cleaned daily, with a pebbly strip at the water's edge giving way to a lovely soft, sandy and shallow sea.

Plenty of sunbeds, parasols, beach bar service and designated areas for different needs.

I particularly loved the attention to families with younger children. There were even miniature cabana-style spaces with little sunbeds and individual sandpits. Such a thoughtful touch.

The beach cabana experience

We booked a day in one of the VIP beach cabanas, which was included with our lake house package, and I'm so pleased we did.

Beautiful views across the sea and surrounding hills, with wonderfully personal service throughout the day.

A special mention to Gabriel, who looked after us brilliantly. He quickly learnt everyone's names and arranged everything from drinks and snacks to fruit, sweets and lunch served at the cabana.

Nothing was too much trouble.

The only slight criticism was that other guests occasionally wandered through the area, which made it feel a little less private and exclusive than you might expect.

But let's be realistic, we weren't royalty!

Evenings and atmosphere

Another area where the hotel gets the balance right.

There are two shows each evening, one aimed at younger children and another at adults. We didn't attend enough to judge the entertainment properly, but there was certainly plenty on offer.

We preferred spending some evenings enjoying a drink, playing cards or board games and relaxing together.

There are livelier areas with music and atmosphere, but equally plenty of quieter spaces. Importantly, the entertainment doesn't continue noisily into the early hours.

The drinks selection was excellent too, with an extensive included menu. Premium wines from the separate wine list carried an additional charge, but we never felt short of choice.

Value for money and final thoughts

Liberty Fabay cost a little more than some of the other five-star resorts we'd considered, but what we received in return was worth considerably more than that difference.

It's rare to find a hotel that gets so many things right, particularly when accommodating a larger family with different ages, interests and expectations.

The accommodation, food, grounds and facilities were outstanding, but what really elevated the experience was the people and the attention to detail.

Could I find faults? Of course, a few minor ones, and I've mentioned them. But none came close to detracting from what was a genuinely exceptional holiday.

Would we return? Absolutely.

And that's not something I often say. We usually prefer trying somewhere new, but Liberty Fabay has set a standard that others will now have to match.

Without question, one of the finest all-inclusive resorts we've experienced.

A thoroughly deserved 5/5.

This is our 4th visit to this resort and it’s absolutely brilliant!! Kafir in the Apollon bar and Gabriel who looks after the Cabana service are fantastic people who can’t do enough for you! Do not miss out on this experience if you are visiting Turkey!!

Brilliant hotel cannot fault it. Special mention to reda and kadir and also sedat. Nothing is too much trouble for them. Hotel spotless, food great and lovely cocktails