Cullinan Belek: This might be the best all-inclusive hotel in Antalya (if not the whole of Turkey)

‘It means “the turtle reads a newspaper”.’

Thankfully, once we checked in at Cullinan Belek the pressure to chat away in Turkish immediately began to dissipate – and we both began to wish I had spent the past 13 weeks being pestered by the little green owl to learn Russian instead. Why? For the simple reason that I could have upgraded our shameless people watching with a spot of eavesdropping.

It didn’t take long for us to realise that most of the other guests at the hotel were visiting from that part of the world – no one does glamour like the Russians. Plus the other massive clue was the huge fur coat shop (really, vom) in the lower level of the hotel.

Despite my disgust at the on-site furrier, I would say that Cullinan Belek is the best all inclusive hotel I’ve ever stayed at. Actually scrap that, it’s probably the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at, full stop.

There are gorgeous places to sit and relax around the hotel

The grounds are beautifully manicured 

From the moment we arrived until the regretful afternoon we checked out five days later, we didn’t have a single grumble about our accommodation, the hotel’s beautifully manicured grounds, its plethora of facilities, incredible food options, or its vibrant nightly entertainment (which, as it was catering to the Russian guests, was 50/50 bonkers/glam, it was amazing).

Here’s why we loved it so much – and why I’ll be doing all I can to book another stay in 2025…

Rooms you won’t want to leave

The room was more than big enough for the two of us, and lead to a private pool

There are six types of rooms available at the Cullinan Belek, ranging from the standard Superior Double Room with Sea View to the top notch Superior Duplex Swim-up, which is the room we were allocated.

It’s a two-level suite with a mezzanine sleeping level with enormous bed, and a sofa bed on the lower level. There are two bathrooms (stocked with Bulgari toiletries), one upstairs and one down, and it can sleep up to four – which could make it an option for two couples or four mates who don’t mind bunking up.

It reminded me of the set up at Brimstone in the Lake District – but with two loungers outside on its own private terrace, it offered much better conditions for sunbathing. Oh, and it had access to a private swimming pool which snaked around the perimeter of the hotel with stunning, uninterrupted views of the resort’s pristine golf course.

Our private terrace outside our (incredible) room

We could swim around the perimeter of the hotel 

As we visited towards the end of the ‘winter season’ in mid-May, the pool was heated. It made it even more enjoyable to enjoy a quick dip, and there were times that we had to give ourselves a pep-talk to get out of the room and enjoy some of the hotel’s other areas!

A WhatsApp concierge makes everything easy

The latest trend in luxury hotels is to offer a hands-off/always on service so guests have privacy and space to relax but can get any assistance they need with minimal effort (and even less human interaction).

I first experienced a WhatsApp concierge when I stayed at the METT Hotel in Estepona, and I was pleased to see that Cullinan Belek also operated like this.

It meant that any questions we had about the hotel facilities – how could we play tennis, or book a table in a speciality restaurant – were answered with just a few texts and zero human interaction.

The beach has pristine white sand

Our WhatsApp concierges Gulai and Muhabbat were genuinely so kind and helpful. They asked us at what time we preferred the sofa bed to be put away in the morning, before arranging for staff to make it up again in the evening as part of the nightly turn down service.

As we were away for our birthdays (#41inthesun) #TaureansOnTour) the concierge also went to great lengths to make our days special, leaving a platter of fruits and fizz in the room, and surprising us with birthday cakes where we were having dinner.

The food is exceptional

This brings me seamlessly to one of the most memorable things about this stay. The food.

Traditional Greek mezze at Yamas 

We adored the fresh fruit platters

As with most all-inclusive resorts, there are speciality restaurants you can visit for a surcharge. We ate at Yamas, an authentic al fresco Greek taverna (complete with traditional dancing and plate smashing), Nori Asian, a Japanese teppanyaki grill and Pascarella, a rooftop Italian, and there’s also the Beef Grill Club and Hasir Turkish restaurants.

But, for Susie and I, the best place we ate was the Mare Main Restaurant, an enormous buffet with everything you could ever fancy for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Mare Main restaurant has a gorgeous outdoor terrace

We were stunned by the huge selection of freshly baked bread and traditional Turkish pastries, its enormous salad bar, bowl upon bowl of flavoursome olives and dips, and cooking stations manned with expert chefs ready to whip up hot dishes to order – or serve up local staples you’d struggle to find back home in the UK.

The rotation was also impressive – neither of us grew bored with what was on the menu as it changed daily and had themed evenings. There was a full Indian banquet being dished up one night!

We had to make a conscious effort not to eat too much so we had space for some of the beautiful cakes served at the Cullinan Patisserie, one of the hotel’s many snack bars, or a couple of after dinner treats from the Chocolate House – every hotel needs an on-site chocolatier.

Make it a healthy holiday

The indoor pool 

The gym is huge, well kitted out and very airy 

We’ve all seen the memes about leaving an all inclusive holiday several kilos heavier, but it’s easy to avoid bringing home too much ‘extra baggage’ after a stay at the Cullinan Belek.

One of its major pulls is its huge 110 hectare golf course with 36 holes. It’s the only course in Turkey with a river on one side of it and the sea on the other.

If, like me, you are allergic to golf don’t panic. There’s an on-site, and partially open air, gym, complete with a TRX rig, plenty of machines and free weights. Plus a daily schedule which includes yoga, sound baths and stretching. You can even pay for a PT session and have a 1-1 reformer Pilates class.

We made the most of the sunny mornings with a cheeky game of tennis, picking up racquets and balls from reception, then spent the afternoon sunbathing next to one of the hotel’s pools, cooling off every now and then with a few lengths (and an icy beer).

At the L Pool, staff whizz round the pool on roller-skates, taking orders, delivering drinks, and offering free shots of healthy fruit juices (or mini cocktails). We were also amused by the sight of a small remote control SUV doing its bit and delivering beers.

There are plenty of pools for lying around – and at the L Pool (pictured) drinks are served on roller skates

If pure relaxation is on your holiday to-do list, then you’ll love the hotel’s C’espace Spa. This complex features a hamman, an indoor pool (which has a fresh juice bar), beauty centre and treatment rooms. Unsurprisingly, the pampering is pricey. I had a classic massage (50 mins €130) which was a great tonic to the aches and pains from the flight.

Hit the beach… or cabana

Inside our private cabana, which was such an incredible indulgence

The resort has an 800m long private beach, with powder soft golden white sand and plenty of loungers for a day of chilling out and listening to the waves.

But, there is a bougier way to appreciate the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Antalya. Hire a cabana and enjoy private waiter service, a bottle of fizz, fresh fruit platters and all the privacy your heart desires.

We had easy access to the beach from our loungers

We enjoyed a lazy lunch in the shade 

Each one has a shaded sofa area and loungers, so you can easily take a break from tanning, or just enjoy a snooze in the cool.

The cabana experience also made my heart soar for a different reason: the one we spent the day at was right next to a nest of turtle eggs. Finally, one of my DuoLingo words was able to be used (literally) in the wild!

Night time the resort comes alive

The shows were slick and full of genuine talent

No expense is spared for the nightly themed parties at the Galapagos Bar 

At the risk of sounding like a snob, the very idea of an ‘all-inclusive resort entertainment show’ can bring me out in hives, so I admit that I had very low expectations for the nightly entertainment schedule at Cullinan Belek.

However, any preconceptions I had about sitting with gritted teeth as I watched an hour of what could pass as the audition queue at Britain’s Got Talent were smashed to bits on the first night.

Cullinan Belek has invested millions into its outside stage, the Show Center, and here we were treated to live performances featuring dancing, magic and acrobatics. Every night the show was different, but all had high production values and fantastic talent.

As soon as the stage lights dimmed, it was off to the Galapagos Beach Club for a themed party – we loved under the sea and retro night. It was honestly like something out of a film, with the most insanely beautiful models posing in elaborate and jaw dropping costumes as a DJ played Balearic style house music.

It’s a great choice for families, with loads of options and activities for kids

Families are well catered for at Cullinan Belek. As well as a separate kids’ restaurant in the Upapa kids club area, there is a specific counter in the Main Mare buffet restaurant which serves up little ones’ favourites.

There’s also a kids’ pool compete with waterpark, and the family rooms are spacious for everyone to be able to kick back after a busy day enjoying all of what the hotel has to offer.

Know before you go

There are shops in the lower level of the hotel, but they are all Russian-owned and aimed at the Russian guests – so be extra prepared, and bring everything you might need as there is no town nearby to walk to.

Need some tampons? It’s £30 a box.

Tanning lotion? Get ready to pay three times what you would in an airport branch of Boots (I was very tempted to by a bottle of tanning accelerator which is shaped like a gold grenade, but alas I did not have a spare £70).

The Anatolian sun not hot enough for you? Nip into the onsite furrier and buy a ridiculous fur coat to keep out the chill, and a matching one for your partner and kids. Walking past a window of garishly dyed dead foxes, minks and rabbits never failed to make me heave, and was the only negative about our stay at the hotel.

Go there!

Cullinan Belek, prices start from £2,600 for five nights for two adults, all inclusive BOOK NOW

Nearest airport Antalya, fly with British Airways or search for flights on Expedia, eDreams and Skyscanner.

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