Big, busy and better than the recent reviews had me fearing. We very nearly cancelled after a doom-scroll through the guest group, and I'm so glad we didn't. Here's the full, warts-and-all version for anyone else deciding whether to go.
How we booked
We booked a package well in advance, and I'd say that's the single best thing we did. By the time our dates came round the same holiday was going for a lot more than we paid, so book early if you can and don't be tempted to hang on for a deal that probably won't come. Ours was all-inclusive, flying from a UK regional airport, and we sorted the flights, hotel and transfer as one lot rather than piecing it together ourselves. Knowing the transfer was already arranged took the stress out of the arrivals hall. I'd book the same way again.
Getting there
We flew into Antalya, which is the airport you want for Belek. The transfer is short by holiday standards, because the hotel is only around 35km away and it took us about 40 minutes door to door. Lots of people in the group arrange a private transfer rather than the coach, especially with little ones, and I can see why; after a flight with tired kids you just want to get there. Nothing about the journey was difficult. If you're travelling with an infant or a lot of luggage, a private transfer is worth the extra.
Where we stayed
The hotel is genuinely enormous, and beautiful with it: all fountains, palm trees and that lit-up "Granada" sign you'll have seen in everyone's photos. There are two sides to stay on, the main building and the "Wonderland" side. We went for the main building because it's closest to the buffet, and honestly with kids who are permanently hungry that mattered. The trade-off is that you're then a walk from the waterpark and the evening entertainment, whereas if you stay Wonderland-side you're near the slides but about seven minutes from breakfast. There's no perfect answer; pick the thing your family will do most and stay near that. A big plus nobody tells you about: there are underground tunnels connecting things, so even though it's a huge site you can get almost anywhere in under ten minutes without frying in the sun. The room was spotless and cleaned well every day.
One lovely touch: our youngest's birthday fell during the week, and without us asking they sent up a cake, decorated the bed with towel swans and rose petals, and even left a little wine and cheese for us. All free. It's the kind of thing that turns a good holiday into one the kids won't stop talking about.
The area
Set your expectations here. This is a self-contained resort, not somewhere you wander out of for a stroll into town. The beach isn't on the doorstep. It's a shuttle ride away (the hotel runs a free one), and in truth we barely used it because the pools and waterpark kept everyone happy. There's a little shop across the road if you need bits, but otherwise you're staying put. If you want cobbled streets and local restaurants on your doorstep, this isn't that. If you want everything in one place so the kids can roam and you can relax, it's ideal. The one genuinely negative review I saw called the location "terrible". I'd just call it isolated, which for a family all-inclusive is rather the point.
What we did
This is where the resort earns its money. The main pool is huge and they run games and activities in it through the day that kept our two occupied for hours. The waterpark is brilliant, with proper slides and a lazy river, though a couple of quirks are worth flagging. The slides and lazy river shut between roughly 12 and 2pm, which caught us out on day one and left the kids at a loose end, and the lazy river queues can crawl because the lifeguards aren't exactly rushing. The lifeguards in general were a bit grumpy and short on patience with excited children, so keep an eye on your own. There's a kids' club too, which bought us the odd hour to ourselves, and for a break from the sun there's bowling and a games area. I even snuck off to the spa one afternoon for a Turkish bath, which was blissful and a proper reminder that this is a luxury resort underneath all the family chaos. The evening entertainment, though, was the highlight. Genuinely some of the best we've seen in years of Turkey holidays: shows, events, games, even exercise classes if you're that way inclined, and plenty aimed at adults as well as kids. We never once heard "I'm bored" after dinner.
Where we ate and drank
The main buffet is where you'll eat most nights, and the food itself was fresh and plentiful, with no complaints on quality and proper variety including grilled meats and seafood. The honest bit: at peak times, especially dinner, it gets very busy. On our first night we spent a good five to seven minutes just hunting for a table. Once we cracked the rhythm (go slightly before or after the rush, grab a table, then get your food) it was completely manageable, and the waiters were lovely about fetching drinks. There are other à la carte options too if you fancy a change from the buffet. Drinks were good and flowed freely as you'd hope from all-inclusive. My one real gripe across the pool, bars and buffet was the queuing free-for-all at busy times. There's a fair bit of pushing in, and the staff don't always police it, but it's the kind of thing you get at any packed resort in season.
What it cost
The all-inclusive covers the vast majority of what you'll do, from food and drinks to pools, waterpark and entertainment, so day to day we spent almost nothing. Watch out for the extras, though, because they add up and some feel cheeky for a "luxury all-inclusive". The shops inside the hotel are eye-watering: someone in the group paid the equivalent of £35 for a few packs of crisps and some chocolate that'd be a tenner at home, and I'd believe it. Bingo was €10 a head to enter, which came to €50 for a family of five, and the prizes were fairly poor. And be ready to politely bat away the in-house tattoo studio; one chap makes a point of spotting anyone with ink and pestering them daily. None of it is a dealbreaker, but bring your own snacks and set the kids' expectations on the shops.
What we'd do differently
I'd time our buffet visits to dodge the peak from the very first night instead of learning the hard way. I'd pack a stash of snacks and drinks from the UK or the shop over the road rather than paying resort-shop prices. And I'd not stress about the sunbed scramble. Some people are up at dawn reserving loungers with towels, but there are plenty of beds and plenty of pools, so unless you're desperate for a spot right at the water's edge you really don't need to bother.
Things we wish we'd known
The waterpark slides and lazy river close midday, from about 12 to 2, so plan lunch or a rest around then. The hotel is vast but the tunnels make it walkable, so don't panic about the size. The in-hotel shops are pricey; there's a cheaper one across the road. It gets crowded and a bit pushy at peak times, so go in expecting a busy, buzzy resort rather than a serene one and you'll be fine. And don't judge it by the recent reviews alone: there's clearly a handful of very unhappy voices posting again and again, and plenty of us who were there at the same time had a lovely time.
The verdict
Would we go back? Yes. It's not flawless. The crowds, the queues, the midday slide closures and the pricey extras are all real. But the facilities, the entertainment and the little touches like our daughter's birthday surprise far outweighed the niggles. It suits families who want everything on site and kids who'll live in the pool. It'd suit less well anyone after a quiet, boutique, walk-into-town sort of break, or anyone who can't let a bit of holiday chaos wash over them. For us, tired kids and busy buffets and all, it was a proper luxury family holiday and I'd happily do it again.