An X-ray of the Corinthia Tekirova

For anyone intending to spend their beach holidays on the coast of Antalya in Turkey, combining idleness also with pleasant visits of historical and scenic interest, here's my experience of two weeks spent at the Hotel Corinthia Tekirova, sold in Italy at a great price by Teorema. Before leaving I had looked for a review of the place without finding one. The hotel is about 60 km from Antalya and 75 from the airport.

- Location: rating 9. Enviable, immersed in the greenery of the meticulously kept gardens, among palms, flowers and maritime pines, directly on the sea and surrounded by mountains over 2500 metres, where in June you can still swim in the sea and still see snow on the peaks.

- Climate: rating 10 (June). 14 days of sunshine, highs between 28 and 35, low humidity, pleasantly breezy. Lows between 18 and 22, as soon as the sun sets the temperature is delightful. Sea water not cold.

Facility: rating 9.5. The central building fits harmoniously into the environment, houses the elegant lobby, the main restaurant that opens onto a pleasant outdoor terrace. In the garden the bungalows built in Ottoman style are positioned, surrounded by characteristic little squares.

Rooms: rating 8. They're divided into central building and bungalows. The bungalow rooms are spacious with a sofa convertible into a 3rd bed, furnished simply but completely, satellite TV and minibar. The entrance includes a small equipped terrace. The bathroom is also very spacious.

Cleanliness: rating 8. The spaces are well kept. Good cleanliness in the common areas, sufficient in the rooms. The staff are very courteous.

Dining: rating 8. Four restaurants available. The main one buffet-style, with excellent fish and meat grills and pleasant show cooking preparing dishes on the spot. Many and tasty local dishes, spiced and with abundant use of chilli. The Turkish evening lets you get to know some typical specialities up close, with the women preparing bread and the classic Turkish pizza with meat and cheese, the pilav, rice with raisins and pine nuts, while on the barbecues doner kebap is cooked, lamb roasted on a spit, and the sis kebap, similar but with mutton (this doesn't mean you shouldn't try real Turkish cuisine in one of the many typical little restaurants in Antalya). The desserts are excellent, the fish evening is also very particular and tasty. Pasta lovers will have to accept it, cooked always the same way.

No surprises, we're in Turkey! The Italian restaurant is also present (rating 5.5), the Turkish one (rating 8), and the oriental one in a fantastic position on the sea (rating 7). These latter ones by reservation but without surcharge. At lunch, in the main restaurant the choice is more limited.

Beach and sea: rating 8. The beach is very wide, partly coarse sand and partly pebbles, which become small stones at the water's edge. The water is often clear and transparent, although sometimes it tends to get murky in the afternoon with wave motion. The beach is equipped with free umbrellas and sunbeds.

Pools: rating 9. A beautiful enormous pool always perfectly clean with sunbeds and umbrellas and an Aqua Park with three slides immersed in the greenery.

Water sports: rating 9. Canoes, pedal boats and wind surfing available free of charge. All others for a fee, from jet skis to parasailing. There's also a diving centre.

Land sports: rating 8. Tennis, archery, beach volleyball, basketball, ping pong, etc.

Entertainment: rating 6. It's not what we were looking for and we didn't go into it in depth, the rating is just a general impression of the little we saw.

Children: rating 9.5. A paradise for children, ample and safe spaces to play, excellent facilities available. There's also the Mini Club for those who want it (I hate mini-clubs).

Other services: massage centre, Turkish bath, Jacuzzi and car rental for a fee (Hyundai Accent for 24 hours €30.00 insurance included). Free: Internet Point, indoor pool, fitness centre, currency exchange office more favourable than at the airport!!

Value for money: 9.5. Price paid for two weeks from 10 June in all inclusive with flight from Milan, two adults + one child: €1,850 (Teorema Super Hard Discount offer that requires full payment at the time of booking, + 10% agency discount Blu Vacanze.)