Inside huge new Turkish hotel right by beach that has hosted Olympic athletes – with swimming pools and skating waiters
I LOVE a late night boogie when on holiday.
Normally I’m pounding my feet in a thumping nightclub, throwing back cocktails and swinging my hips until the early hours.
Not this time, though.
Now, as I practise twisting in time to the beat, the sun is radiating over the distant ocean — and rather than moving freestyle, I’m being instructed by some of the UK’s most well-known dancers.
I’m at the new 5* Anda Barut Collection Hotel on Turkey’s glorious southwest coast, where Strictly Come Dancing legends James and Ola Jordan are midway through a fast-paced dance class.
The ballroom professionals are just two of several famous faces to make up a star-studded athletic line-up for my Olympic-themed Wellness Weekend.
Outside, marathon champion Paula Radcliffe is hosting running sessions around the region’s rugged peninsula — it’s safe to say her idea of a “gentle jog” is very different to mine — while down on the beach, Welsh sprinter Colin Jackson and sports presenter Denise Lewis are hosting sweat-inducing circuit sessions.
Even Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington is here, teaching techniques for different strokes in one of the hotel’s eight pools.
It’s not every day you get to meet some of your biggest sporting heroes, so I was soaking up every moment, despite being put through my paces in every class.
If it wasn’t for Denise Lewis cheering me on, shouting, “You can do it!” as I panted across the finish line, I doubt I would have made it to the end of Paula’s “gentle jog”, even with the promise of fresh fruit and protein shakes afterwards.
That is the really great thing about this kind of break, though.
Unlike most all- inclusive holidays, where you lounge around all day gorging on unlimited beer and snacks, I returned feeling energised and as fit as a flea.
Plus, I’d developed a new-found admiration for all those competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics, which kicked off with Friday’s opening ceremony.
Even though these sporting celebs have now left the Anda Barut Collection, guests still have an abundance of fitness activities to get stuck into here.
The hotel’s sporting academy offers everything from pilates to trampolining classes, and even aerial yoga, where a hammock is used to perform poses in the air.
There’s also a jogging track, archery and volleyball, plus an on-site gym with trainers on hand for those who take their fitness very seriously.
As you can imagine, it’s easy to work up quite the appetite after exerting so much energy — and, luckily, the fantastic food selection at this sprawling resort is on par with the top-notch exercise facilities.
There are a staggering 15 bars and restaurants, many of which offer a la carte dining, all included within the all- inclusive price.
For saucy Asian grub and hand-crafted sushi, Tiger is the place to go, while those who prefer traditional Italian cuisine can head to No Se.
My personal favourite, however, was Fish Camp, where I dined on the most delicious fresh seafood, caught earlier that day.
A special mention has to go to the main buffet restaurant, Zestful, too.
Here you’ll find every type of food you could think of — meaning I had about four courses every time I went.
At breakfast, chefs were cooking up omelettes and pancakes, while at lunch, pasta was being served to hungry diners from a massive wheel of cheese.
Plus there was an overwhelming choice of pizzas, fresh salads, fruit and bread with dips.
For those with more of a sweet tooth, the hotel’s on-site patisserie has a dedicated pastry chef who whips up delicate little chocolates and Turkish delight, as well as beautifully decorated cakes.
The pastries change throughout the day, so I had no choice other than to keep returning — but I was not worried about that with all the exercise I had been doing.
You don’t have to be a medal winner to get the gold treatment here
That’s not to say it is all charge and no chill at Anda Barut Collection, though.
The sprawling resort has several pools, including a saltwater one and one with slides for the kids and adults, too.
SERENE SPA
My partner and I certainly took full advantage of the scariest of these.
There’s also an adults-only area where waiters on rollerskates weave in between holidaymakers, delivering strawberry daiquiris while sunbathers soak up the rays.
If it wasn’t for the size of the resort, I would have said the rollerskates were just a fun gimmick.
But with 558 rooms and villas spread across 150 acres, it’s no wonder staff need extra help to speed around.
In fact, the place is so vast that we got lost several times trying to find our room — some on-site signs wouldn’t go amiss here, especially after a few daiquiris.
Rooms are very big and most come with a comfortable, superking-sized bed in the middle — you’ll be grateful for this after tackling that jogging track.
Ours also had a large balcony with some comfy chairs looking out over the sea, plus a very modern dressing room and bathroom with all the mod-cons, including hair straighteners.
None of this glamour compares to that of the serene spa, though, with an epic massage menu guaranteed to soothe any aches and pain from your fitness ventures.
Just a short stint in the Turkish baths proved you don’t have to be a medal winner to get the gold treatment here.
GO: BODRUM, TURKEY
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5* Anda Barut Collection hotel is from £1,319pp, including flights from Liverpool on September 25, plus 22kg of baggage and return transfers.
Price based on two adults and one child sharing.
See jet2.com or call 0800 408 5599.
