Kamelya Aishen Club & Aqua Ultra All Inclusive Kids Concept

Honestly, when I first pulled up to Kamelya Aishen in Colakli, I wasn’t sure what to expect – the name alone is a mouthful, and with “ultra all inclusive kids concept” tacked on, it sounded like marketing speak gone wild. But you know what? This place actually delivers on the chaos that name promises, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The thing about this stretch of coastline between Side and Manavgat is that it’s where Turkish families have been coming for generations, so when a hotel gets an 8.3 rating here, locals are voting with their feet too. The property sits right on that gorgeous Mediterranean stretch where the sand is actually sand (not pebbles like some nearby spots), and the aqua park – which is honestly the main event – sprawls across what feels like half the resort. I watched kids drag their parents from slide to slide for hours, and the parents didn’t seem to mind getting soaked. The wave pool gets pretty intense around 2 PM when everyone’s done with lunch, but mornings are perfect if you want to actually swim laps instead of dodging inflatable unicorns.

What surprised me most was how they handle the all-inclusive part without it feeling like a cafeteria situation. Sure, there’s the main buffet (which gets absolutely mobbed around 7 PM – eat early or late, trust me), but they’ve got these smaller spots scattered around where you can grab proper Turkish gözleme or fresh fruit without fighting crowds. The staff switching between Turkish, Russian, and English depending on who’s walking up is pretty impressive, though check-in can be a bit of a circus during peak season when the charter flights from Moscow and Kiev all land the same day.

I’ll be honest – this isn’t the place for a quiet romantic getaway. The animation team starts their morning routine at 9 AM sharp, and you’ll hear Turkish pop music and splash sounds until sunset. But if you’ve got kids, or you’re the type who likes energy and doesn’t mind a bit of organized fun, it works. The evening shows are actually pretty decent (way better than the usual hotel entertainment), and once the little ones crash around 9 PM, the adults-only bar area near the beach gets surprisingly mellow.

The rooms are solid 5-star standard – nothing fancy, but the AC works, the shower pressure is good, and the balcony views of either the pools or the sea are exactly what you’d want. Just know that rooms facing the aqua park come with a soundtrack of happy screaming until about 6 PM. The WiFi is decent in the lobby, spotty in rooms, which honestly might be a blessing if you’re trying to disconnect. And here’s a local tip – the dolmuş (shared taxi) into Side’s old town runs every 20 minutes from the main road, costs basically nothing, and beats paying for hotel transport to see those Roman ruins everyone talks about.