Side Kervan

Side is a nice resort, but it is very expensive down in the town to eat and drink. Stay on the beach or away from Side town itself for good value food and service. This year was a bad one for business, and consequently everybody wants you in their shop or restaurant, and you can easily get worn down being polite, and after a few days you are ready to refuse point blank and walk past ignoring the pleading from staff. The shops are all the same; copy jeans and t shirts, copy shoes, jewellery, seaside tat and food. It becomes a pain. Try a couple of trips, and if you have time got to Pamukalle or Capidocia, and the trip up to Manavgat waterfall and river. Rafting for the adventurous or the jeep safari. Barter as always with the "travel agents" for everything.

First impression is that you have arrived at the back of beyond. Not so, to the rear of the Side Kervan hotel is shops, restaurants and the beach, along the beach are dozens of other restaurants.

A steady 15 minute walk will get you into Side centre where there are shops galore, bars, and disco.

The rooms are comfortable, carpeted so no scraping chair noises in the middle of the night!

Fridge, tv, balcony, all you would expect. The extra charge for air con is a pain, but optional and if you have a corner room you will have side windows as well as a balcony, so not always needed.

Breakfast is buffet continental style, held in the restaurant and terrace. The food is fine, but given a choice I would recommend eating out for lunch and dinner simply because of the variety of restaurants available and an evening meal is only a few pounds. Hamsycoy restaurant is highly recommended, food is excellent, the service and effort put in by the staff is amazing, very clean, English speaking owner who really believes in customer service.

If you a looking for a few days out try the white water rafing, which if done before July is great fun, the river quietens down in peak season so still good but not so thrilling. Aqua park is another good one, but if you have done one...............Culture vultures will love Aspendos Festival, opera and ballet in a 3,000 year old ampitheatre, fantastic, but comfy shoes and a cushion are required. Visit Teacher in the travel agents last office at the end of the street, before the beach, excellent English, very knowledgable and no hard sell either!

Shoe shoppers will be in heaven, cheap, stylish, 99.9% are copies but hey! There is a market on Saturday, opposite the mosque, lots of clothing, bargain hard though.... check out the local food produce, no GM modifieds here, full of taste.

Side is a lovely, Turkish resort, no English pubs, no MacDonalds, still under commercialised, a real gem.