What does all inclusive actually include in Turkey?
In Turkey, all inclusive normally means all meals, snacks through the day, and unlimited local-brand drinks — alcoholic and soft — plus most non-motorised watersports and the hotel's own entertainment. What it usually does not include: imported spirits, à-la-carte restaurants without booking, spa treatments, motorised watersports and excursions.
Turkey runs one of the most generous all-inclusive markets in the Mediterranean, which is a large part of why a week there undercuts Spain, Greece or Italy for a comparable hotel. But "all inclusive" is not a regulated term. It means whatever each hotel says it means, and the gap between a mid-range board and a top-end one is wide.
Here is how to read it before you book.
What is almost always included
| Included | Detail |
|---|---|
| Breakfast, lunch and dinner | Buffet, usually with themed nights |
| Snacks between meals | Late breakfast, afternoon patisserie, often a midnight snack |
| Local-brand alcoholic drinks | Turkish beer, wine, raki and local spirits |
| Soft drinks, tea, coffee | Typically from dispensers; barista coffee often extra |
| Ice cream | Usually within set hours |
| Non-motorised watersports | Pedalos, kayaks, sometimes windsurfing |
| Pools, kids' club, evening entertainment | Standard across the board |
| Sunbeds and parasols | At the pool and usually the beach |
What usually costs extra
| Not included | Typical position |
|---|---|
| Imported spirits and branded alcohol | Almost always a supplement |
| Fresh fruit juice, bottled/branded soft drinks | Often extra even where dispensers are free |
| À-la-carte restaurants | Often one free visit per stay, then charged; always needs booking |
| Spa, massage, hammam | Extra — the hammam experience is worth budgeting for |
| Motorised watersports | Jet ski, parasailing, banana boat — extra |
| Excursions | Extra |
| Minibar restocking, room service, safe, Wi-Fi in some rooms | Varies — check |
| Tips | Not included; modest tipping is customary |
The four things that actually differ between hotels
1. Ultra all inclusive. Many Turkish resorts sell an "ultra" tier. There is no fixed definition, but it usually widens the drinks list to some imported brands, extends serving hours, includes more of the à-la-carte restaurants and adds extras like a free minibar. If two hotels look similarly priced and one is ultra, that is often the better value.
2. Serving hours. This is the most common cause of disappointment and the least examined at booking. Some resorts serve drinks 24 hours; others stop at 11pm. Some run snacks continuously; others close the kitchen between meals. If you have late flights or teenagers, check the hours.
3. À-la-carte access. Big resorts advertise five or six restaurants. It is worth knowing how many are actually included, how many visits you get, and whether they need booking on arrival — the popular ones fill up on day one of the week, not day four.
4. Beach versus pool service. Some resorts serve drinks at the beach; some only at the pool bar. If the beach is a few minutes' walk down through the grounds, that turns out to matter.
Questions worth asking before you book
- Is it all inclusive or ultra all inclusive, and what specifically is the difference at this hotel?
- What hours are food and drink served?
- Which à-la-carte restaurants are included, how many visits, and do they need booking?
- Are drinks served at the beach as well as the pool?
- Is the kids' club included, and what ages does it cover?
- Are sunbeds and parasols included at the beach as well as the pool?
We check these on your behalf before quoting, because the answers change what a hotel is actually worth.
Is all inclusive the right choice at all?
For the Antalya coast — Lara, Belek, Side, Alanya — usually yes, and for a specific reason: these resorts are largely self-contained, often with limited walkable dining outside the grounds. Paying separately in that setting tends to cost more, not less.
The exceptions are worth naming honestly:
- In Side, where there is a genuine old town of restaurants a walk away, a half-board booking can make sense if you actively want to eat out.
- For couples on a short break who plan to explore, full all inclusive can go unused.
- For fussy eaters, a buffet-centred board is either a blessing or a problem, depending on the person.
For families on a seven- or ten-night stay, all inclusive in Turkey is close to unbeatable on cost certainty. You know the total before you fly, which is the real product being sold.
What Travel Orbit currently has
Our Turkish properties are all inclusive and spread across the four main resort areas:
- Aska Lara Resort & Spa — Lara Beach
- Granada Luxury Belek — Belek
- Side Moon Palace Hotel — Side
- Eftalia Aqua Resort — Türkler, near Alanya
Not sure which area suits you? See Antalya, Belek or Side — which resort area.
Sold with flights, these are ATOL protected — see what ATOL protected actually means.
Inclusions vary by hotel and by season, and hotels change their boards. Everything here describes the general Turkish market; we confirm the specific inclusions for your hotel and dates in writing before you pay.