Crystal Family Resort & Spa

Composed of four five-story buildings, the Crystal Family Resort & Spa delivers a family focused vacation with direct beach access via a grass-lined pathway that leads to the shore, where there’s a pier, lounge chairs, a sandy volleyball court, and a watersports shack. This resort attracts travelers from all over the world -- mainly Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. A gold embellished porte cochere that’s tall enough for tour buses welcomes guests. Comfortable earth-tone furniture fills the lobby, where guests are offered a Turkish treat and fruit drink on arrival. Crystal lights dangle above the front desk. The atmosphere is casual, with guests in swimsuits milling about and munching on food at the popular snack bar, and there are plenty of dining and drinking options on site. The scene at the outdoor pools is particularly lively as guests clamor for lounge chairs early in the morning and the resort’s animation team keeps guests entertained throughout the day. 

This hotel is located in Belek-Bogazkent -- not to be confused with Belek, which is 15 minutes away by car. Outside the hotel is a private stretch of sand with a coarse-sand shoreline. There’s not much in the immediate area, especially not within walking distance. A large dirt lot used for parking is next to the hotel. Clothing and jewelry shops as well as a photo studio, among other stores, are on site. Magic Life Waterworld is a 15-minute drive from the property. It’s a 20-minute drive to the Montgomerie Maxx Royal Golf Club, Carya Golf Club, and the National Golf Club. Antalya -- with Hadrian’s Gate, the Antalya Bazaar, Duden Waterfalls, and Termessos Ruins, can be reached in one hour by car. Antalya Airport is a 45-minute car trip from the hotel.

Style across all rooms is modern and updated, but simple, with gold details and clean lines. Blue bed runners and a pink ottoman add splashes of color, as in the Family Room that we visited. Each room includes a balcony, the majority of which face the sea, but others have unremarkable views of the neighboring hotel, Siam Elegance. Sea-facing rooms pick up the sound of waves crashing on the shore and wall art throughout is abstract and kept to a minimum. Standard Rooms fit three people and two-bedroom Family Rooms accommodate up to four people. Two-bedroom Sultan Suites have living rooms and two bathrooms. One-bedroom Junior Suites also offer living rooms. Three accessible rooms and 78 connecting rooms are available. Tiled bathrooms have shower/tub combos or just showers. Some bathrooms have whirlpool tubs. Loofahs and hairdryers are a nice touch. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, bathrobes, slippers, sofa-beds, flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, minibars, and safes large enough for a laptop computer. 

The Crystal Family Resort & Spa is built to facilitate a sun-filled family vacation. This means the main pool -- although large -- can be hectic with kids playing with pool toys and activities led by the animation team. Next to the main pool is a water park with colorful slides dropping into two different pools. An outdoor kiddie pool and playground are at Crispy Kids' World. For adults, a relax pool offers a comparatively quieter setting with canopy beds. Sunset Spa also provides a relaxing escape with an indoor pool, a kiddie pool, hot tub, and modern gym. Past guests have complained about aggressive sales pitches from spa staff. For active types there’s also a full-size soccer field, two tennis courts with basketball hoops, and an mini-golf area. More entertainment is available in the Olympic Game Room that has a bowling lane, pool tables, and games. There are also dance parties for kids.

For private functions there’s a ballroom that fits up to 430 people, a foyer, and a meeting room for up to 60 people. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, but the signal is spotty.

This location doesn’t offer many nearby dining options, but there are numerous on-site restaurants and bars with everything from made-to-order gozleme bread, ice cream, Mexican, Italian, Turkish, and 24-hour cocktails. The buffet food can be repetitive and guests are only given one free visit to the a la carte restaurants, which then cost a fee for subsequent visits. All-inclusive options are available.