Bayou Villas at Lara Barut International, Antalya, Turkey

Recently I was invited to be a guest at the new Bayou Villas situated in the Lara Barut Resort in Antalya, Turkey.  Opening for the first time this year, the resort has built a selection of 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom & 4-bedroom luxury villas for guests and their families to be able to enjoy and experience a 5-star holiday within the existing Lara Barut resort.

We were picked up at the airport and drove 15 minutes to the resort where we received an extremely warm welcome at the dedicated reception, specifically for villa guests.  Once we had checked in we were taken to our villa in a golf buggy which was at our disposal for the entire stay.  (The grounds of the resort are quite extensive so you can request the golf buggy at any time to take you anywhere you want to go).

This leads me to my favourite part about the 5-star service at Bayou Villas which was the 24-hour Personal Assistant.  When you arrive you are connected to the concierge team via whats app and you can text them any time of the day or night and they will do their best to appease your every whim.  You can call the golf buggy, order room service, request in-villa yoga or massages, hire a butler and so much more.

The Villas

I’m not even sure where to start … luxurious doesn’t even begin to describe these villas.  Every tiny detail has been thought about, from the opportunity to choose your favourite room scent from a supplied selection to mini bars in every room to the personalised toilet flush – yes you read that right – you can create your own personal criteria for the ultimate toilet experience (heated seat, jet wash, air dry, etc).

We walked into our villa (we were staying in one of the 3-beds) and were so impressed with our welcome, a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a bottle of champagne on ice, and delicious snacks to revitalise us after the long journey.  We took a look around to see our surroundings for the next few days.

On the top floor – the master suite has to be seen to be believed!  Everything is supersized, from the bed to the TV and the dressing room is enormous too!  My favourite feature was the retractable blackout blinds that operate at the push of a button meaning you can sit in bed and open them to the most beautiful view of your balcony and pool.

The bathroom has all the amenities you would expect, from fluffy robes and slippers to beautiful Bulgari toiletries to use during your stay and I have to say the shower is actually the best I think I’ve ever had.  The spray from the shower head is so fine it’s almost like a mist but it completely envelops you for the most relaxing experience!

If you stay in a 4-bed villa, it even has 2 master bedroom suites so if you’re staying as two families, there’s no fighting over who gets the best room!

The second bedroom was a twin but with two double beds!  The dressing area was also large and the bathroom was beautiful too.  The third bedroom on the ground floor was exactly the same with the twin double beds again so there is plenty of sleeping space which guarantees that no one ends up with a disappointing room.

Continuing on downstairs, the living room was so elegant and spacious with comfy sofas and a dining table (just in case the weather isn’t up to eating outside).  If you’re staying in one of the 4-bed villas there is even a baby grand piano in the living room!  The bar was well stocked with bottles of premium alcohol and mixers for a delicious aperitif or nightcap and the TV and sound system would impress even serious techies!  There’s also Apple TV available and of course, resort-wide Wifi.

There is also a small kitchen (you won’t be needing to cook anything on this holiday!) stocked with delicious teas and coffee and some soft drinks and snacks in the fridge.  There are also mini bars in every room which get restocked every day with fruit juices, water, beer, etc (you can even request fresh juices to be brought to the villa).  A washing machine is also supplied in case you need to do any laundry while you’re away.

And then you head downstairs….this is where it gets even more special.  The whole basement is a dedicated workout/relaxation space with a gym, spa room, jacuzzi, sauna, hammam, pool table, and yoga equipment.

You can hang out with friends and play pool, or work off your dinner on the treadmill.  You can hire beauticians and masseuses to come to the villa and provide you with beauty treatments, or a yoga teacher who can give you your own private class or just spend a relaxing evening in the jacuzzi, hammam, and sauna.

Outside, there is a large seating area and plenty of sun loungers to relax on.  There is a freshwater lagoon pool to swim in which is not heated or, as the weather wasn’t great during our stay, we opted for the heated seawater pool to do some swimming in.  There is space for outdoor dining so we had breakfast on the terrace more than once!

The Food

Food at Bayou Villas needs its own category as it was so spectacular.  You can order room service any time you like from any of the restaurants or you can head out and eat in any of the 9 restaurants.  Your personal assistant can make any reservations for you and you can enjoy priority restaurant bookings so you know you will always have somewhere delicious to eat.  There really is something for every taste, from relaxed eating to fine dining.

Whilst there, we ate at the delicious Weik Restaurant which is reserved for villa guests.

The food was International in style and very elegant and they even offer their own signature cocktail for you to try.  We also got room service from here in the mornings so we had delicious, restaurant-quality breakfasts on our own terrace.

We also ate at the Akdeniz Restaurant which is fine dining and served the most delicious Mediterranean food. I ordered the tomatoes 3 ways with local cheese to start and then the amazing slow-cooked salmon which just fell apart – truly a gastronomic experience.

For lunch, we ate at Kuyu Restaurant which offered a selection of Turkish food but there really is no limit to the variety of food on offer.  From sushi to seafood, to grilled meats to pizza, there is sure to be something to satisfy every taste.  You can also visit the Zestful Bazaar for breakfast, lunch, and dinner where the selection is so extensive it’s nearly impossible to choose what to eat.  There is a dedicated gluten-free section and a vegan section and in fact, all the restaurants advertise all of the allergens in their dishes on each menu so you can eat in confidence.

There is also the dedicated Bayou Villa Lounge which is only for villa guests where you can get drinks and snacks throughout the day in a beautiful setting.

In addition to the restaurants, there are a further 7 bars and snack outlets to grab a quick bite from.

The Resort 

If you download the Lara Barut Collection app, you will be able to see all the Lara Barut Resort Facilities and the program of activities during your stay.  There is always something going on from aqua-zumba classes, to water aerobics, to archery, to Turkish lessons to keep you occupied.

Within the hotel complex itself (recently renovated) there are shops, should you need to purchase any snacks, or toiletries or just want to browse.  They have an on-site hairdresser, dry cleaning services, and a large car park, so everything has been thought of.

There are various pools around the resort to swim in and the spa is situated near the main building if you are after a beauty treatment (although you can request this in your own villa too).  There is an adults-only pool if you want a quieter swim or various indoor and outdoor pools to take your pick from – and of course, the ocean is on your doorstep too!  If you head to the beach you can take advantage of your own pavilion which all villa guests are entitled to and there is a lovely beach bar there to order drinks and snacks from.

For entertainment in the evenings there is always something going on.  We watched a magic show one night with Nellie, but there is often live music, cabaret, and even a nightclub too.

Kids are really looked after here and there are three kids clubs offered, depending on the ages of your children, from babies all the way up to teenagers.  There are playgrounds all over the resort, dedicated kiddie pools, mini golf available, and even a playroom where they can head to watch movies, play with toys or jump on the trampoline.  Face painting is offered, along with a mini disco in the evenings and cinema showings so there is always something to keep them entertained.  There is even an on-site Aquapark to keep the kids happy all day long!

Bayou Villas at the Lara Barut Resort is truly an exquisite experience that is not to be missed and I can’t wait to go back!  Book your own stay now!

I was recently invited to experience Bayou Villas in Antalya Turkey and received a free stay in one of their Brand New 3-bedroom villas. All opinions in this review are my own and I was not offered any monetary compensation to write this post.

PIN BAYOU VILLAS, ANTALYA, TURKEY FOR LATER