Oz Hotels Side Premium

Look, I’ve stayed at my fair share of five-star places along the Turkish Riviera, but Oz Hotels Side Premium actually surprised me – and honestly, that’s rare these days. The thing is, it’s tucked away in Evrenseki, which means you’re not dealing with the absolute chaos of Side’s main tourist strip, but you’re still close enough to walk to those ancient Roman ruins everyone talks about (though let’s be real, you’ll probably take the hotel shuttle because it gets pretty warm).

What struck me first was how the staff genuinely seemed to know what they were doing – I mean, check-in was smooth, they remembered my name without constantly checking their notes, and when I mentioned I was celebrating an anniversary, they actually followed through with little touches throughout the stay rather than just nodding politely. The rooms are what you’d expect from a proper five-star setup, but here’s what the photos don’t show you: the soundproofing is actually decent. You know how hotel walls can be paper-thin? Well, I barely heard the family next door, even though their kids were clearly having the time of their lives at the pool during the day. Speaking of which, the pool area gets busy around 10 AM when families claim their spots, but if you’re an early riser like me, you can have that gorgeous infinity pool practically to yourself with your morning coffee.

The location thing is interesting – you’re on 27th Street in what’s essentially a hotel zone, so you’re surrounded by other resorts, which sounds awful but actually works in your favor. There’s this little strip of restaurants and shops about a five-minute walk away that feels more authentic than the tourist traps closer to the harbor, and the dolmuş (that’s the local minibus) stops right outside if you want to explore Manavgat’s Thursday market or hit up the real Side for dinner. I actually preferred eating at the hotel most nights though – the Turkish breakfast spread alone is worth the stay, and their fish dishes at dinner reminded me why Mediterranean cuisine has such a reputation. The only thing that bugged me, if I’m being completely honest, was the WiFi in the lobby – it’s fine in the rooms, but good luck getting a stable connection if you’re trying to video chat with family from the common areas. But then again, maybe that’s not such a bad thing when you’re supposed to be on vacation, right?