Turkey's aquapark coast, wrapped around a Roman town
🌊Side
Turkey
Updated 1 July 2026
Side is the family engine room of the Turkish Riviera: a long belt of big all-inclusive resorts strung along sandy bays east and west of an old Roman town, each with its own aqua park, free kids club and proper family rooms. The formula is everything paid up front, slides and pools all day, buffets built around children and a warm, gently shelving sea through the summer. Unlike Belek, you also get a genuine town to walk into, with the ancient theatre, the Temple of Apollo at sunset and a harbour full of ice cream and gozleme. Transfers from Antalya airport run around 60 to 75 minutes depending on which bay you pick. If you want one gated resort to entertain every age for a week, plus a real place to explore on the quieter evenings, Side is hard to beat on value.
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Stays near Side, Turkey
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Why it works with kids
- Almost every resort has its own aqua park with multi-age slides, not just a token pool
- Free supervised kids clubs are standard, usually from age 4, often with teen clubs on top
- Big genuine family rooms and connecting layouts make travelling with several children easy
- Ultra all-inclusive fixes the daily cost, with children's buffets, ice cream and snacks included
- The old town, the Roman theatre and boat trips give you a real day out beyond the resort gates
Best areas to stay
- 1Kumkoy (Ilica): the busiest strip just west of Side, walkable to the old town, packed with big family resorts
- 2Colakli and Titreyengol: pine-backed bays east of Side, calmer and green, with lots of aqua-park resorts
- 3Sorgun and Kizilagac: further east toward Alanya, spacious resorts and quieter beaches, best if you want space
Our KidProof picks
Hand-picked and scored on the eight things that matter to families.
in Side
Calyptus Kirman Premium
As a resort that opened in 2021, the rooms are modern and well kept, with spacious family categories and kid-friendly touches throughout. Cots and bed rails are free on request, and the larger family rooms give parents a bit of separation from an early bedtime, which matters over a full week.
in Side
Acanthus & Cennet Barut Collection
Rooms are the most refined on this list, calm and well designed, with proper family categories and a pleasant sense of space. Cots are free on request, and the location means you can actually walk out of the resort, which is rare in Side and a genuine relief for restless older kids.
in Side
Vonresort Golden Beach & Aqua
Rooms are practical and family-sized rather than designer, with plenty of connecting and family categories that keep everyone in one booking without being on top of each other. Cots are free on request, and the larger family rooms give you the space and storage a week with young children actually needs.
in Side
Sunis Kumkoy Beach Resort & Spa
Rooms are bright and comfortable, many with balconies over the pools or sea, with family categories that take four without a squeeze. Cots are free on request, and the beachfront position means short walks back for naps rather than a trek across sprawling grounds.
in Side
Melas Resort Hotel
Rooms are comfortable and family-friendly, set in green, pine-shaded grounds, with family categories that suit four. Cots are available on request, and the beachfront setting keeps the walk to sand and pools short for tired little legs.
in Side
Sunmelia Beach Resort & Spa
Rooms are comfortable and family-oriented, with categories that fit four and a private-beach position that keeps things simple. Cots are available on request, and the generous pool complex means you rarely need to go far from your room for a swim.
in Side
Trendy Aspendos Beach
Rooms are straightforward and comfortable rather than stylish, with family options that fit four and connecting choices for bigger groups. Cots are available on request, and the value here is in the water and the buffet rather than designer interiors.
in Side
Water Side Resort & Spa
Rooms are simple and comfortable, family-sized rather than plush, set among the greenery of Titreyengol. Cots are available on request, and with an indoor pool and indoor kids pool this is one of the better value picks for a cooler shoulder-season week.
Compare our picks in Side
| Hotel | Score | Kids club | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calyptus Kirman Premium | 86 | ✅ Free kids club | 250€ |
| Acanthus & Cennet Barut Collection | 86 | ✅ Free kids club | 270€ |
| Vonresort Golden Beach & Aqua | 84 | ✅ Free kids club | 230€ |
| Sunis Kumkoy Beach Resort & Spa | 84 | ✅ Free kids club | 200€ |
| Melas Resort Hotel | 80 | ✅ Free kids club | 165€ |
| Sunmelia Beach Resort & Spa | 80 | ✅ Free kids club | 150€ |
| Trendy Aspendos Beach | 79 | ✅ Free kids club | 175€ |
| Water Side Resort & Spa | 78 | ✅ Free kids club | 135€ |
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