Aska Lara Resort & SPA — Hotel in Aksu

Unsure how this hotel passes for a 5 star, we have been very disappointed during our stay here for multiple reasons.

When booking our booking was meant to come with a free room upgrade, however when we arrived we were put in the basic room, when we took this up with reception and guest serviced we were offered an upgrade at the standard rate and were told to speak to our holiday provider about this, although this may not be their fault, their lack of empathy and assistance in a resolution was very disappointing.

That evening we visited the bar, we noticed that a guest had smashed 2 drinks on the floor outside the door, which we notified staff along with other guests, this was not cleaned up, and during this time, our child who had been playing nearby returned and slipped in the spillage and was lucky that he was not injured on the broken glass, once again this was reported to guest services who told us they would look into this but we have not since heard back.

Whilst shopping in the stores on site our daughter (2 years old) was approached by a member of staff from one of the stores and grabbed by the arm as he tried to take a picture with her, we grabbed her away from the situation as we found this very inappropriate. Once again this was reported to guest services who told us we were overreacting as unlike Europeans, Turkish men are very affectionate, I don’t believe that this was adequate handling of the situation and during our stay we saw him approach other young girls in similar matters, needless to say those with young girls I would steer clear.

Whilst on the subject of the stores, the prices charged are ridiculous, we were charged over £75 for 3 toothbrushes and a sun cream, found items to be cheaper outside of the hotel.

Waiter service also clearly isn’t included in the price of the hotel either, or so we found, considering if you weren’t tipping the waiters for every round you were ignored by them as they offered preferential service to those who were tipping them at every round. We pulled a waiter at the wet and wild park and asked for drinks and he told us no, and that he did it for the other table because he’s his friend and would pay. We believe that the hotel is understaffed for the level of guests however this is also hindered by staff flocking to those who would tip.

Rooms were quite dated and we found them to be unclean in areas like the shower, we found black hairs that didn’t move for the entirety of the stay. We noticed that quite a few people got sick during the stay but we were lucky in this respect. For some reason the hallways all smelled of smoke which was concerning. Also the beds, you are provided a very scratchy thin sheet for 2 to sleep under, we requested extra blankets multiple times on the phone as the maids told us to however they did not arrive until my wife went to reception and asked there.

Buffet did not change much from day to day and if you’re not a fan of fish there was not very much to choose from, we noticed that whatever was made the night before seemed to be reserved at dinner the next day, food was of poor quality and didn’t seem very fresh. Bread was found still frozen and put out for serving, back part of the restaurant is marginally better but have still not enjoyed food during the stay.

For a 5 star resort a lot of features of the hotel that they advertise are not included in the price and are upsold, for example the arcade and the cinema. The rides are only on for an hour a day and this timing coincides with the mini disco so you have to choose one or the other, which seems counter intuitive.

The kids club and the play area were fantastic in all fairness and they were very nice and played with our children and helped with their drawing and building blocks, this is one part of the hotel I was impressed with.

We have stayed at many 5 star resorts over our time and I will always leave good reviews when deserves, however I was left very disappointed with my stay here, if I had to rate the hotel and its facilities, it would be no more...

Kind of disgusting. Some photos just appeared on my timeline from our trip last August (2024) summer holidays. It states it’s a 4-5 star facility. However it is 2 -3 star maximum. On entering the premises from the airport, they’d have surely known we will have to eat dinner. We were 3 minutes away from the buffet closing and everything with regards to meals was directed by pointing us towards a map that we had to navigate ourselves therefore our children both 7 year old twins, went up to bed hungry and beyond tired to be fussed which was a great shame. I later on went down to get a drink with them both and a barrel of beer or something exploded in the bar area outside where the big veranda is almost getting someone’s head off. Super dangerous. Girls went straight up to rooms and didn’t want to come out just because the explosion sounded really fierce like a bomb went off. They don’t know what that sounds like but they’ve heard it in cartoons and earthing is life like to little people. I complained to the management and they brushed it off as human error. I asked them about the food situation and that too was met with much of the same disregard. I found it was all a bit yuck, the rooms had so much dirt trapped in all the crevices and surfaces it was no wonder we didn’t fall sick but being as I am, I carry my domestic wipes in my luggage in fear of sick children on holiday. The food selection was diabolical on most days, being vegetarian all of us, we were limited to soup, some pastas not all as most weren’t vege friendly, and lots of salad, even the tomatoes were falling off its fibres most days. The best meals to have during the day is by the pool play area where a bus ride away the action happens for little people and adults alike. Ample jacket potatoes and restaurants served far superior food than that of the buffet restaurants. The selection restaurants you have to book a meal for were barely ever open and therefore we never could make a booking. Massages we paid for were ok, girls had their first massage experiences there and they loved it, they didnt like the chocolate massages- they crumbled all over their skin making small shrapnels that became annoying when crumbling down in little crevices so to speak. Do not get kids this massage. A regular light oil massage is better for children. The towels in the rooms were not regularly changed nor were there enough left in a room with 4 people in it we were constantly only left 2 towels which was a nightmare having to wait for them to be dropped off. On our first night our AC had been switched off in our room and we waited long hours for an engineer to come and switch it back on from the electric panel! Why would they do that knowing we were allocated the room!? It should have been in optimum temperature when we reached but it took well over midnight to get it working and then most the night to cool down. Under the beds there was a mountain of dust that I witnessed cleaners literally pushing the dust under. When I asked the cleaner to not do that, she didn’t understand and carried on. Having speaking to the management, they couldn’t believe it and asked me for video evidence, none of which I could provide but only the dust that was left behind as I didn’t capture her in the act. This happened repeatedly and I was left waiting in the room most of the holiday mornings for someone to not clean like that and it never occurred once and I usually left the room before lunch time so that I didn’t leave my mother looking after the girls through the whole trip. Overall, it was a very poor trip. I paid £2800 for a cramped disgusting room through loveholidays.com and I would say it was worth half that if at all. One place we did all enjoy was the bar on second floor with a large outdoor area where it wasn’t too loud and the bar staff were very friendly. Lots of mosquitos outdoors and something should be out into place to allow guests a comfortable stay somewhere at least. However that was one of our favourite spots. It’s no surprise no effort to remove mozis...

Truly Amazing Stay & Celebration at Aska Lara Hotel & Spa.

​Our stay at Aska Lara Hotel & Spa was truly amazing! My family and I chose Aska Lara to celebrate my daughter's 30th birthday, and the hotel and its incredible staff made it a memorable occasion.

​From the start, the staff demonstrated outstanding support.

My daughter's luggage was delayed by the airline, the Aska Lara team was extremely helpful, offering comfort and practical advice.

​The hotel and its grounds are massive, offering so much to explore and keeping both adults and children occupied, making it extremely family-friendly. The rooms were always very clean, featuring a fully stocked fridge and a safe.

The dining was excellent; the food was fresh every day with a wide variety of choices. I was particularly impressed that Aska Lara caters well for guests with intolerances such as dairy.

​A Few Minor Notes

​The only minor downside was that the rooms offered as 'Side Sea View' in the main building did not really offer much of a view of the sea. I would recommend that this be made clearer on the website to manage expectations and avoid any disappointment upon guest arrival. Also the up button on the lifts is non operative, you have to press the down button from outside the lift to go up and down.

Apart from that, the hotel and its fantastic facilities more than made up for the lack of a prominent sea view and lift buttons.

​The Ultimate Birthday Treat: The Pavillion

​We absolutely loved the Pavillion we hired on the beach. It was very reasonably priced and offered great value for money, as it included waiter service, breakfast, lunch, and drinks throughout the day. The pavilion team were truly amazing - Thank you so much for the excellent service you all provided.

The events team were fantastic. I had brought a banner from the UK for my daughter's 30th, and the team ensured the pavilion was suitably decorated with both balloons and the banner. It was a lovely, pleasant surprise for her!

​Highly Recommended: The Spa Experience

​I highly recommend the Spa within Aska Lara. It's truly amazing and offers excellent value for money. My daughter and I received the 90-minute 'Stress Free' treatment, which was excellent! A huge thank you to:

​Sevgi at the Spa Reception for her warm welcome, helpful advice, and excellent customer service.

​Iluh for my massage. ​Sula for my daughter's massage. ​Shenay for doing my daughter's facial.

​And to the gentleman who advised us on the packages—we apologize for not catching his name!

​The Spa and its entire staff are truly a great asset to the hotel.

​Outstanding Staff Acknowledgements

​Honestly, Aska Lara Hotel & Spa is one of the best my family and I have visited. To that end, I want to acknowledge the outstanding support, warmth, and excellent customer service of all staff, housekeeping, and management:

​Latif from Guest Services for arranging the pavillion booking and his continuous support.

​Suat from Hotel Reception for a warm welcome and great customer service.

​Ozge from the FMB Bar for her excellent customer service, bubbly, and positive personality.

​Seyvinch - A waitress who also provided excellent customer service.

​Rahman -Thank you for assisting me with locating the soya milk and for your warm welcome and excellent customer service.

​I also had the great pleasure of meeting Daria and commending her work in responding to guest reviews in such a professional and courteous manner—keep up the great work!

​There is so much more I could write about this magnificent hotel and its lovely staff, but that would just spoil the fun, excitement, and element of surprise for anyone considering Aska Lara for their next holiday.

​We are already considering a return to Aska Lara for our vacation next year.

I highly recommend this magnificent hotel and spa resort.

Thank...