Hello everyone. After Alanya we visited the Kumköy area and Side. I had been here before and after exactly five years, I came back again. We decided to stay at the Castival Hotel. As soon as we arrived, we checked in. The location is excellent. There are supermarkets right across the street: BIM, Migros, A101. The shopping centers Kumköy Mall and Mall of Side are also nearby. There's even a McDonald's, but since there's plenty of food at the hotel, we didn't need it. We got into our room within 5 to 10 minutes. They gave us our wristbands and we went straight upstairs.
The minibar was free and included water, soda and juice. The balcony was quite large and had a view of the hotel’s pools. The bathroom had bathrobes, slippers, a large mirror, a hairdryer and all basic amenities. The shower featured both a tropical rain head and a standard showerhead. It was clean and spacious. The balcony had a table and chairs and felt very roomy. The hotel had four pools. We could walk to the beach in about 5 to 7 minutes, but there were also golf carts available.
We explored the hotel grounds and then went to lunch. During our previous visit, there was no night soup, but this time food service was available 24/7. The lunch buffet was rich with options like salads, flatbreads, pizza, grilled vegetables, turkey skewers, chicken, meatballs, rice, pasta, desserts and fruits. Ice cream was also free. There were even snacks in a mini market-style setup with fries, burgers and pizza. We could spend the whole day at the beach without needing to return for meals.
The hotel bar was great too. The cocktail menu was extensive with drinks like Pina Colada, Mojito, Bloody Mary, Aperol, Cosmopolitan and some special house cocktails. Some were made with local alcohol, others with imported brands.
The spa area included a Turkish bath, sauna, steam room, massages and towel service. There was also a hair salon and a small convenience store. Activities were organized throughout the day such as animations, evening shows and water aerobics. One night there was a disco and the next evening featured live music. At the beach bar, there were lots of food options including gözleme (Turkish stuffed flatbread), drinks, pizza and salads. The gözleme was freshly made and served warm. They also offered fruits and ice cream. After enjoying our gözleme, we went down to the beach. The sea water was warm and the beach sand was soft and clean. The water got deeper gradually, not suddenly.
The greenery, flowers and pools were all very impressive. That evening, it was seafood night at the restaurant with dishes like red fish, mussels, shrimp, tuna, anchovies and crab sticks.
The next morning, breakfast included the usual favorites: omelet, cheese, olives, cold cuts, jams and vegetables. It was a light but filling breakfast. After eating, we headed to the pool and later decided to go to the aquapark. We had a blast going down the waterslides.
Finally, let me tell you about the CH Café located on the lower floor of the hotel. It's part of the all-inclusive package and completely free. It’s like a mini Starbucks offering tea, coffee, cakes, desserts, sandwiches and cheesecake. The seating area has a classical style with chandeliers, paintings and a peaceful atmosphere with classical music playing in the background.
To sum it up, this hotel stands out with its service quality, food variety, location and facilities. It’s an ideal place for a holiday. We checked out the next day after breakfast.
