Emma Grade 4.3 out of 5 Stars
Resort Overview
Lara Barut Collection Resort is a 5-star all-inclusive resort that is located on Turkey’s southern coast in the area of Antalya. Originally opened in 2005 and recently renovated in 2018 this is a medium-sized resort with 463 rooms on offer. When you look online you can see that the resort packs a serious punch with mainly 5-star reviews across most of the main review sites. The impressive thing about it is that they have a large volume of reviews on those platforms too. We were interested to see if the reviews matched the experience.
The Barut is a chain of hotels that has a really good reputation in Turkey and International and is definitely one of our go-to options when visiting Turkey.
The resort is an all-inclusive-only resort and there are no levels to its all-inclusive offering. So, all guests had access to all of the same areas and amenities. All meals, drinks, and activities are included in all packages, which makes this a super convenient location from a vacation planning perspective.
Location
The resort is located in Antalya, in Turkey’s southern Mediterranean region. The area is known for its wonderful beaches and great weather. The resort is also conveniently located just a 15-minute drive from the airport and around a 5-minute drive from the main area of Lara beach.
The area of Lara Beach is a bustling spot set in the town of Antalya. There are loads of restaurants, bars and things to do here. Pretty much everything you can think of is located within the resort complex and most of the elements are included in the all-inclusive package, but it’s nice to have the option to hop in a taxi and explore the local area.
Top Tips
- If you’re going here on honeymoon, be sure to let the staff know this before you go. There are a number of nice touches that the Lara Barut provides for couples visiting on their honeymoon. Things like fruit baskets and sparkling wine on arrival, a priority dinner reservation at one of the alacarte restaurants and complimentary use of a gazebo (Typically costs €70 a day) on preferred day are just some of the perks you can avail of. So, be sure to mention it.
- Room location historically was very important here. As the resort experience was going to be different depending on whether you get a recently renovated room or an older one. Historically a room in the main building was the better option. In general rooms that have “deluxe or seaside” in the description are located in the main building. While rooms with “superior or garden” are in the other less desirable building. The Annex building was actually updated in the last 12 months. It’s now known as the Lagoon and Garden area and all rooms are modern and luxurious.
- Getting a table at the alacarte restaurants requires a reservation. To do this you can book through the resorts app. Lets just say it’s not a very smooth process securing a table. Realistically you need to book a few days in advance and you need to be on the app at 9am to make sure you get a table. Honestly we recommend booking the restaurants before you even get to the resort, so you won’t be disappointed. The app only lets you book a reservation a few days in advance, but if you contact the resort before traveling they should be able to make reservations for you, for the first few days.
- The resort offers a courtesy room for guests that arrive early on their first day or are leaving late on their last day. This courtesy room has changing and shower facilities so you can get ready for the day ahead. A lot of resorts have this, but it is an integral offering for any decent all-inclusives.
- The bars have a great selection of branded alcohol in all of the bars throughout the resort. If there is a specific brand that you like, be sure to specifically ask for that brand of drink when you are ordering. If you dont they will serve you the local brands.
Check-In
When you arrive at the resort the lobby is a spacious atrium style area with two check-in desks to the left. Unlike all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, there are no glasses of champagne on arrival and the experience does lack that level of luxury that some of their competitors offer.
Is the Lara Barut Collection Resort a child friendly resort?
Yes, this is definitely a family-friendly offering with a host of benefits and add ons for guests visiting with kids. There are two kids’ clubs at the Lara Barut. The Baby star concept and the kids club concept. These clubs combined cater for kids aged between 0 all the up to 13 years old.
Both of these clubs are supervised and run from 10 am-12.30 pm and 2 pm-5.30 pm. There are also no reservations required for the clubs. The staff has a full schedule of activities to keep them entertained, with pizza-making classes, face painting, mini discos, magic shows to name a few of the activities.
There is a teens club that is run in the summer season only. This area has table tennis tables, pool tables, table football, and video game consoles. It is located in a shaded area and is supervised.
This is a year-round resort so if you’re visiting with teens any other time of year than the summer it still shouldn’t be too difficult to keep the teens entertained. As there is a wealth of amenities and things to do at the Lara Barut.
Amenities
There is a huge range of amenities at the Lara Barut, but for us, it was the small touches that made this resort a really impressive option. Things like small libraries that are dotted throughout the resort and a small cinema that has daily viewings make this resort that extra bit special.
It has a super long list of amenities. From every sports court, you could imagine to a mini-golf course, a great kids playground, water slides, and even a Boccia area. This resort is probably the most complete resort for amenities.
The pool offering here is also good with 7 main pools throughout the resort. There is a great mix of outdoor and indoor pools. Fresh water and saltwater pools. Heated and non-heated pools. Whatever you like they have. There are a number of kids pools too, we didn’t include them in the overall pool count and most of them are adjoining to the main pools. There is also a decent waterpark with some pretty impressive slides.
Most importantly there is a drinks service by the pool, so there’s no need to get up from your sun lounger if you’re that way inclined.
Things to do during the day
You can have a jam-packed schedule if you want with the number of things going on throughout the day. The schedule for the day is posted on notice boards throughout the resort as well as being available on the Lara Barut app. The staff makes a concerted effort to make sure you have as much fun as possible. The schedule is mixed up throughout the week, but some of our favorites were the archery and the table tennis tournaments that the staff organized.
Each morning there are Yoga classes that take place outdoors. The Yoga instructor Atiye is really good and she really knows her stuff. Those classes with a mixture of Yogi experiences can make them difficult classes to teach and to partake in if you’re more experienced Yogi, but Atiye is great and caters the classes for all experience levels. She also teaches Zumba classes and has great energy.
Things to do during the night
Each evening there is a show or themed night on offer and the entertainment is actually really good. It takes place in the outdoor amphitheater and there is a really nice vibe here. There are larger-scale musical productions that take place every second night. These range from Musical style shows to acrobatic and dance shows. They actually have quite a high production value and are impressive for a resort of this size.
For the themed nights, it’s the likes of an Oktoberfest and Turkish night that they put on. In the main lobby and throughout the resort there is live music each evening too. From DJs, Piano players, and Jazz music there is always somewhere to soak up the atmosphere.
Gym
The Gym at the Lara Barut is well equipped and sized for the capacity of the resort. All of the equipment is relatively new and there is lots of it. There are a good few types of cardio machines, machine weights, and a small enough free weights area. It’s definitely big enough that you can get a solid workout in.
There is actually a nice outdoor gym here too in a shaded area, this area has both weights and climbing frames and it’s a nice space to get a workout in nature done.
Beach
The beach here is really nice. It’s more than large enough for the size of the resort. There are more than enough gazebos and pavilions too. There’s a really nice pier on the beach where there are also sun loungers and gazebos. The beach here is also private which accentuates the luxury vibe of the resort.
There is live music on the beach in the afternoon too, so it creates a beach club-style atmosphere to it. The waters on this beach are very swimmable, so if you’re into sea swimming this is a perfect spot.
The one negative to the beach is that there is no drinks or food service. You can get this, but you need to be in gazebos and pavilions (additional cost).
There is a surcharge for the gazebos and pavilions. What is the difference between the two? Well, the Gazebos are a little bit smaller with a capacity for 2 people while the Pavilions are bigger with a capacity for 5 people, but if you have more people the staff are usually ok with that.
The Pavilions cost around €70 to rent for the day. For that price, you get access to the private cabana-style area. Food and drink service throughout the day to your pavilion. There is also a plug-in in them, which is super handy. For the Gazebo, these cost you €20 for two people and you can avail of the same drinks and food service here too.
Spa
If you’re into treating yourself to some rest and relaxation when you are on vacation, then Lara Barut will be able to provide it. There is a really nice spa here with a full spa and beauty menu available. The cost of the treatments is actually pretty decent and there are a number of packages available if you fancy doing a couple of treatments. The Turkish Hammam treatment is such a relaxing experience and we highly recommend it.
The Service
This is one of the standout areas of the Lara Barut. You can see when you visit that the staff has been trained extremely well and that there is a focus on the 5-star level of customer service. No request is too much and everything is done with a smile. We have to give a specific shout-out to a few members of staff who have been super welcoming. Atiye the Yoga instructor was really welcoming and knowledgeable. Bilal and the rest of the staff at Turunc were super attentive and helpful. Tugba from the concierge team was great too.
Cleanliness
The resort is kept impeccably clean. There is a good ratio of staff to guests and there is a focus on keeping the resort in a presentable manner. The housekeeping team is consistent and if you require anything for the room like extra pillows, hangers, etc. you can request these via the app.
Booking during Covid
Traveling during Covid can be a daunting task and while we at InspoVacay urge you to follow your countries and Turkey’s travel guidance we are also here to arm you with the information needed to make sure you are maximizing the resort’s Covid protocols and protections.
Rooms
All of the main buildings have recently been refurbished and the standard of rooms here is really good. The decor is modern and luxurious. They aren’t the biggest rooms we have seen at an all-inclusive resort, but they are comparable to normal hotel room sizes. For example, the Deluxe room comes in at around 410ft².
There is also a wide selection of grades of rooms. Interestingly, even though there is such a wide selection there is no differentiation with any sort of a premium club that you usually get at all-inclusive resorts. We liked that all guests had the same access to everything.
The Lara Barut also introduced a new slate of rooms with the refurbishment of the Annex building and it is now transformed into the Lagoon and garden rooms. We recommend trying these out as they are brand spanking new.
Deluxe Room (Main Building)
As we mentioned these rooms come in at 410ft², which is on the smaller side, but the rooms in the main building are really well designed. With occupancy for two adults and one child. It’s a solid option if you don’t plan on spending a huge amount of time in the room. If you are someone that does spend a lot of time in your room while on holiday then we suggest looking at the Junior Suite.
Corner Suite (Main Building)
These suites are well-sized coming in at 550ft². There is a large bedroom area and a small living area too where there is a fold-out couch. Just off the bedroom, there is a lovely balcony with a seating area and a jacuzzi. The one downside to these suites is that it is a very open plan, so there is not a huge amount of privacy. The bathroom area is completely open to the main bedroom area. There is a private toilet and shower area, but we prefer a higher level of separation between the areas.
Room for two adults and two children or three adults is a solid option if you’re traveling as a family or with an older teenager.
Designer Suites (Main Building)
There are three standards of the designer suites. The Designer Suite, The Grand Designer Suite, and the Designer Suite 360. All of these suites are located in the main building.
Designer Suite 360
The aesthetic of these rooms is gorgeous. They have a modern, minimalistic design to them with soft furnishings and warm woods. All of these rooms have stunning sea views and rooms open out to a large balcony with a lovely seating area and jacuzzi. This room is pure luxury. These rooms have a capacity of two people and are aimed at honeymooners and couples.
The Grand Designer
This suite is huge coming in at 1150ft². If you’re looking for a suite with separate areas then this should be a strong option. This is basically like an apartment with a large bedroom, a separate living room dining room, and a huge bathroom. There is also a big balcony with a daybed and jacuzzi with some stunning ocean views. These suites aren’t cheaper though and are one of the most expensive at the resort.
Superior room (Lagoon Building)
Although these rooms sound like they would be bigger, these are actually the second smallest offerings at the resort. Coming in at 450ft². This is a pretty dynamic room with the option of having a super king bed + sofa or 2 Queen size beds makes this a solid spot for two friends or a small family. The capacity of this room is 2 adults and one child. This suite has the option to have a garden view or a partial pool view. The type of room also has an accessible suite, which is great to see.
Family room (Lagoon Building)
This room comes in the form of a 4 person or 5 person room. It is the perfect option for a family looking for a solid level of space to enjoy their vacation. These are rooms that were upgraded in the most recent renovations in 2022. They are basically two rooms that aren’t actually connected but are located right next to each other. Each of the rooms has its own bathrooms and balconies. This room type will probably only work for families with teenagers where you don’t mind leaving them to their own devices, but for younger kids, it’s not really an option.
Designer Junior Suite (Lagoon Building)
Averaging 560ft², this is a really well-sized room. Perfect if you’re traveling with small kids or spend a lot of time relaxing in your room. These suites are probably the best laid in the resort. With a large bedroom area and desk, a separate living room, and a spacious bathroom. There are two massive TVs in the room and the aesthetic of the room is stunning. Its very instagramable.
Penthouse Suite (Lagoon Building)
Coming in at 770ft² this is probably the most opulent suite in the resort. Having the capacity for 2 adults and one child this suite is beautifully decorated. It is one of the new room types on the resort and is definitely a pricey option, so if you are looking to treat yourself. This is the suite for you. In the room, there is a bar area with bottles of liquor included in your package. There is a lovely lounge area with an L-shaped couch and a super luxurious bathroom with his and hers sinks. The balcony is super spacious with a daybed and jacuzzi. There are panoramic views of the ocean too.
Price Range + Packages
The Lara Barut is a premium all-inclusive resort, so you are paying top dollar to stay here. Now, this price is in relation to other resorts in the area. The price range is pretty comparable to that of the Ikos chain of resorts throughout Greece and Spain. These resorts are our top-rated resort chain in Europe.
What’s included in the all-inclusive package
The all-inclusive package at the Lara Barut is known as Ultra All-inclusive. You’re probably asking yourself what is the difference between Ultra and your bog-standard all-inclusive resort. The honest answer is not much. Ultra all-inclusive is really just a marketing term that is used to make it seem like you’re getting more, but honestly, the features rarely differ between the two.
Included in the package at the Lara Barut is all meals/snacks throughout your stay, unlimited drinks (inclusive of premium spirit offerings), use of amenities, the kids club, and a fantastic level of service are all part of the package.
Food + Restaurant Options
The word we would use to describe the food here is consistent, which is exactly what we want to see for resorts of this size. In total there are 12 food offerings on the resort. This includes one buffet restaurant. 9 a la carte options, a patisserie, and a fast service food option.
There are drawbacks to the food offering. The variety of options available for breakfast is limited. For lunch and dinner, it can be difficult to get a table at the alacarte restaurants, so at times you may have to eat in the buffet. The other element that we would like to see is a room service offering. There is currently no option at the Lara Barut. With the buffet being available 24/7 it’s not the end of the world that there’s no room service.
One of the elements we did really appreciate about the food offerings is that there are always Vegan and Veggie options at the majority of the restaurants and all of the menu comes with detailed allergy and ingredient information.
Restaurants
Akdeniz
This is labeled as a fine dining restaurant and the food here is very good. The Sea bass sashimi is top-notch and literally melts in your mouth. The Akdeniz is known for the Chateaubriand and it’s a really impressive dish for an all-inclusive resort. The quality of the meat is really good. This is the most popular restaurant on the resort, so make sure to book this spot early, as it doesn’t disappoint.
Tirmis
Serving up local Antalya cuisine this restaurant offers some fantastically authentic local dishes. Only guests over 12 years old are able to go to this restaurant, so there is a pretty relaxed atmosphere at Tirmis.
Mangal -BBQ
A fan favorite, the Mangal BBQ restaurant is a casual spot that is located right by the beach. With seating on the grass and wonderful views of the ocean, this is a great spot to grab some food. This is a really unique offering as you cook your own food. You choose from a selection of meats and cook it yourself on a BBQ located right next to your table. It’s a great experience and the food is top quality.
Kuyu – Turkish Cuisine
This is another fine dining style experience. The food here is legitimately local too. There’s nothing worse than going to a resort and they don’t deliver on their local cuisine, but this is definitely not the case at the Lara Barut. This restaurant does require reservations. The Adana Kebab is top notch and we highly recommend trying it if you like eggplant.
Pizzeria Di Laura
This was one of the few restaurants that were quite disappointing. The pizzas here were pretty inconsistent. Although visually the pizza looked good. The dough was undercooked and the pizza lacked structure. They do serve a range of pasta dishes here too.
Sandal Seafood
This spot is located right next to the beach and it is the perfect place to grab some lunch during the day or for a romantic beachside dinner in the evening. The menu is diverse and is focused on Seafood. The tuna taktiki is really good and their most popular dish is the butter swordfish which melts in your mouth. Like all of the alacarte restaurants, reservations are required at this spot.
Turunc International
This is the only alacarte restaurant that is open for breakfast. The other breakfast option is the main buffet area. The breakfast menu here is really nice with all your typical brunch-style options. Eggs Benedict, bagels with salmon, some local Turkish breakfast dishes, and a healthy food section (egg whites, sugar-free granola) there is a great amount of choice. For lunch and dinner, the theme of this restaurant shifted from more of an international vibe back to a Turkish menu.
İro Sushi Bar
A sushi bar with an authentically Japanese feel to it. It’s got a conveyor belt grab-and-eat sushi offering which is quite cool. The fish is fresh and the sushi overall is one of the better sushi offerings of any all-inclusive resort we have experienced. The tuna nigiri melts in your mouth and the Gyozas are quite good too. They do have a few Chinese options with Chinese noodles with vegetables and a spicy sauce and spring rolls. We like that they kept predominantly Japanese. Sometimes resorts can go for a Pan-Asian and end up not delivering on any of the cuisines. Iro sushi knocks it out of the park.
Zestful Bazaar
This is the main buffet of the resort and it is massive. Serving up a mix of international cuisines it focuses on Turkish, Far Eastern, Italian, and seafood dishes. It’s hard to get across how big this restaurant is, but to put it in perspective it has seating for 1000 people in the indoor and terrace area. Obviously, the worry with a food offering of this size is the consistency, but we were pleasantly surprised what was on offer and how consistent it was. The buffet is open for all meals throughout the day as well as late-night snacks between 11.30 pm and 6.00 am, so it really is a 24/7 food offering at the Lara Barut. This restaurant has a really nice Vegan and Vegetarian section which we love to see.
Hungry Gorilla
This is located directly above the main pool bar and is your typical poolside grill. Serving up burgers, pizzas, wraps, sandwiches, and salads. The pizzas here are really good. The Carne pizza is delicious. This is a quick-service restaurant, so it’s a great spot to grab some lunch in between sunning yourself.
Patisserie
This is the perfect place to pick up some sweet treats and coffee in the morning or after dinner. The crepes here are really nice and this place is hopping in the mornings. The selection of desserts, pastries, and local Turkish delights is really impressive. It’s not just sweet treats though, so if you’re looking for a savory snack on the go, you can get them here too.
Bars and Drinks Offering
There are tons of bars to choose from throughout the resort with 6 in total. More than enough that you will never need to wait too long for a fresh tipple. The selection of drinks offerings is also really strong. Some resorts only offer cheaper drinks brands that you won’t necessarily be familiar with, but at the Lara Barut the likes of Hendricks Gin, Johnny Walker Red and Black, Campari, Barcadi and Absolut, etc. are all included in the package.
The Çay Room lobby bar is probably the most impressive. It’s got an underground cocktail lounge-type vibe with tea-based cocktails, live music with a piano, and a quaint library.
Tipping
Although tipping in Turkey, in general, isn’t as prevalent as in other countries, we still recommend that you tip at the Lara Barut resort. For meals, we recommend tipping €5 – 10 per meal. For drinks, we also tip at the start of around. We typically try to tip around €1 per round. So if we camping up by the pool for the day we would give a €5 note. It usually ensures decent service as well as thanking the staff for their great service at the Lara Barut.
Conclusion
This is our top-ranked resort in Turkey and we were really impressed with the quality of the overall offering at the Lara Barut. Although the resort is on the more expensive side, the consistency of the food, service, and quality of the amenities make this resort hard to pass upon. There are times the feeling of luxury doesn’t quite meet the 5-star billing, but they are few and far between. If they had things like room service and better beachside food and drinks service this resort would be up there competing for the best resort we have visited, but it fell a little short.
Needless to say, this is a top-quality offering and if you are thinking of going to Turkey this should be your go-to option for your next vacation.
FAQ’s
Q. Does the Lara Barut Collection Resort offer a shuttle service from the Airport
A. Yes, the Lara Barut does offer a shuttle service to and from the airport. You can book this directly through the website and there is an option to add transportation when checking out. The service ranges from €31 – €61 for a round trip depending on if you want a private transfer or not. If you are staying in one of the more premium suites airport transfers are included in your package.
Q. Is parking available at the resort
A. Yes, parking is available for guests and it is complimentary.
Q. Is Wi-Fi included
A. Yes, Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort and is included as part of all packages. The signal is really strong throughout and you shouldn’t have any issues streaming content or making video calls. The Wi-Fi signal at the beach is even pretty decent, so you could comfortably work from the beach if that is your vibe.
Q. What local attractions are there?
A. There are a huge amount of things to do and see in this region of Turkey. The region of Antalya is steeped in history with the ancient Roman city of Pamukkale, the Greco-Roman city of Aspendos. All of which are within driving distance of Antalya. There is also a lot of natural beauty in the area with the Düden Waterfalls just a 12-minute drive from the resort.
