Labranda Alantur

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what surprised me most about Labranda Alantur? It’s actually right there on Sahil Cad – literally the coastal road – which sounds like it could be a tourist trap nightmare, but honestly, the location works perfectly. I mean, you’re steps from Alanya’s main beach stretch, and the hotel manages to feel upscale without being stuffy about it.

The building itself has that modern Turkish resort vibe going on, but they’ve done something smart with the layout. The rooms facing the Mediterranean are obviously the winners here (I’d honestly pay extra for a sea view because those Taurus Mountain sunsets are ridiculous), but even the courtyard-facing rooms stay pretty quiet. The pools – there are multiple ones, which you don’t always expect – actually have different vibes throughout the day. Mornings are perfect for laps before the families wake up, and by afternoon it’s all kids and poolside energy. Staff seemed genuinely helpful rather than just going through the motions, which… well, you know how hit-or-miss that can be at big hotels.

Here’s the thing about this part of Alanya – Merkez Mah puts you right in the thick of things without being overwhelming. You can walk to the harbor and castle area pretty easily (maybe 15 minutes if you’re not in a rush), and there’s this whole strip of local restaurants and shops that tourists often miss because they stick to the hotel. The hotel’s restaurants are solid – I mean, really solid for a five-star place – but honestly, some of the best meals I had were at tiny spots just off the main drag. Parking can be a bit of a puzzle during peak season, but the hotel staff actually knows the area well enough to point you toward spots that aren’t obvious. The beach access is straightforward, though it gets crowded by mid-morning in summer – if you’re an early riser, you’ll have stretches of that gorgeous coastline pretty much to yourself. One small thing that impressed me: they seem to have figured out the Wi-Fi situation better than a lot of places (working reliably even by the pool), and the air conditioning actually keeps up with the heat, which… trust me, matters more than you think when it’s pushing 35 degrees in July.