Yel Holiday Resort

Yel Holiday Resort is a family-friendly property consisting of cheerful pale-yellow villas with small wrought-iron balconies. The grounds are manicured with shrubbery and plenty of bougainvillea, lavender, and jasmine, as well as palm trees. There are paved pathways meandering through the property, and guests should be aware that there are inclines and steps throughout. Interiors aren't quite as striking, mostly outfitted with dated earth-tone furnishings. Still, with its welcoming atmosphere and reasonable pricing, guests return year after year and rate this resort highly. 

Yel Holiday Resort is located in Ovacik, which is quieter than neighboring Hisaronu or Oludeniz. Although the town still has some restaurants and bars of its own. Guests can get to Hisaronu by taxi or bus in 10 minutes or walk for 30 minutes. There, they’ll find an array of souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, and spas. Oludeniz and its beach are not within walking distance, but can be reached in 15 minutes by car. There are also buses close by that are inexpensive and run frequently. Additionally, the resort offers a free shuttle to pretty Billy’s Beach, where they can rent sunbeds and swim with sea turtles. Ovacik is only a 20-minute drive from the lovely seaside town of Fethiye, which has a castle, museum, and ruins. Dalaman Airport is an hour's drive.

The resort's 133 rooms are simple affairs featuring old-fashioned wood furniture with gold detail, beige tiles, white walls, and patterned linens. Some rooms are showing wear and tear, and there's no artwork to spruce up the spaces. All rooms have a small balcony or patio with two chairs and a table; upper-floor balconies offer stunning views of the mountains. Also standard are air conditioners, 22-inch flat-screen TVs, and mini-fridges with soda and water. Modern bathrooms underwent a renovation in 2015 and have pretty tiling, stall showers, oblong mirrors with sconces, wall-mounted hairdryers, and soap dispensers. Wi-Fi is free but the signal is spotty, and safes require a fee.

The main feature of the Yel Holiday Resort is its outdoor pool, outfitted with a bridge and waterslide. Next to the main pool is a small toddlers’ pool, which gets shade from the trees. The pool bar has a large outdoor seating area, flanked by the pool on one side and the road on the other. Alcoholic drinks have limited time frames for being inclusive and, like most resorts, are limited in scope to local beer and alcohol. 

The restaurant is furnished in a low-key traditional Turkish style, offering both indoor and outdoor seating. The buffet fare receives praise for both quality and variety, particularly the Sunday Roast. All-inclusive rates include three scheduled meals, as well as set times for snacks, ice cream, and high tea. A mini-market is also available for snacks and sundries. 

Entertainment is provided, including Turkish dancing and fire shows. There are some activities geared toward children, such as face painting, plus an outdoor playground and game room with table tennis and billiards is available.