Waking up at the Maxx Royal Kemer, my three-year-old daughter still snoozing beside me in the king-sized bed, I am surprised at how well-rested I feel. I never sleep well the first night anywhere, so it’s testament to the comfort of the bed, the efficiency of the curtains and the coolness of the room that I was able to get some much needed shut-eye — especially after a four-hour flight solo with a toddler.
Travelling with a child solo for the first time can be wrought with anxieties. Will they behave on the aeroplane? Will you get any time to enjoy yourself? Will the hotel be safe? Will they eat the food? Which is why it’s so important to choose your destination and resort wisely.
That’s why glamorous, five-star all-inclusives are such a hit with young families, and especially for those travelling without an additional pair of hands. Turkey’s premier brand in this respect is Maxx Royal, which has three outposts, with an additional one coming soon in the Maldives. The Maxx Royal Kemer is ideally located just over an hour’s drive from Antalya Airport, which is served by all the major airlines. Once you arrive, you’re whisked to the hotel in an air-conditioned car, with Wifi and water on hand. All big ticks when you’re struggling with a grumpy and tired tot plus a suitcase and pushchair in a country where you don’t speak the language.
Incredibly vast, the resort is carved into the mountain side on the coast, and occupies an area of protected land, which means its trees cannot be cut down. Guests also share their space with a herd of mountain goats, again a protected species who can’t be moved on. All of this adds to the hotel’s charm and appeal, with a real focus on sustainability and a sense that you’re at one with nature.
Prior to our arrival, I was contacted by my Maxx Assistant on WhatsApp who ran through our needs for the trip, and helped me to pre-order breakfast in bed for the next day after our late arrival. Throughout our stay, they helped me by running our (vast) jacuzzi-style bath for us when we left the swimming pool area, as well as bringing my daughter a bottle of milk every night for bedtime. You can also ask them to organise activities, laundry, room service and transfers, as well as pool toys.
Our room was in the main hotel building, which is ideal for small family groups so that they are at the heart of the action. My daughter loved the huge sofas, mini dressing gown and the terrace, where she could spy on bigger kids shooting down the huge waterslide at the waterpark. I loved the generous in-room wine offering, Acqua di Parma toiletries and fresh fruit platter.
There are also Laguna Villas which have steps down to the communal pool, and Beach Villas that offer sea-views and direct access to the beach, plus a guaranteed cabana for your entire stay complete with sofas, dining table, fridge, ice bucket and loungers, plus food and drink on tap. All of which would be great for multi-generational trips or bigger family groups.
We made our base at the Aztec Jungle swimming pool area, which is ideal for pre-schoolers with its ankle-deep water, slides and sprinklers. It’s also ideal for me, because it meant I could sit right on the edge and watch my wild child running amok without ever worrying she’d drown or get abducted. You can even order wine here.
After using up all my toddler playing energy, I decided to introduce her to Maxxiland — aka the best kid’s club I’ve ever seen — so that I could get a massage. Inside, the sweet staff immediately started to engage my daughter, showing her the toy room, soft play, playground, trampolines and snack room (there’s a nap room too for littler babies). She barely even glanced at me as I announced I was going for a little while.
Content that she was fine with me leaving her for an hour, I headed to the spa, where I enjoyed a heavenly massage with vanilla-scented oil. When I was finished, I checked my phone to see I’d been sent lots of pictures and videos of my daughter enjoying herself, including doing a very cute yoga session. It’s incredibly rare to get any time to yourself as a solo parent, especially on a holiday, so the fact that I could do this felt like a real treat, knowing she was happy and well-looked after. Maxxiland is even open until 2am, so if I’d have wanted, I could have hit the on-site nightclub – but alas, my drinking and dancing days are well and truly behind me.
Instead, we spent our evenings as follows: after a little rest in the room, we’d have a drink on our balcony (pre-ordered via our Maxx Assistant), before heading down to an early dinner (the majority of the eight on site restaurants open at 6:30pm). Our favourite place to eat was Safraan, which specialises in Turkish food, and from where we could nab prime seats to watch the daily evening show. We also loved having pide with lamb and cheese at Sunlit Beach, as well as ice cream and baklava. The kids menu is full of variety, and includes not just the usual suspects.
One incredibly useful thing about Maxx Royal Kemer is that you can order off any restaurant menu and eat it anywhere, and room service is speedy and comprehensive. It’s touches like this that make visiting here with a little one on your own so much easier: you don’t need to worry about a menu-induced breakdown when their favourite macaroni and cheese isn’t in that restaurant’s offering. Also a hit with kids: the chocolatier, both for watching and sampling.
As if reading my mind, the return trip to the airport was also as seamless as possible, as Maxx Royal Kemer guests are taken to a special VIP entrance, where there’s no queue to do security, bag check or passport control. You are also whisked to a lounge for any refreshments and a much needed Wifi code (there’s none for free at the airport).
As we sat down on our flight home, I couldn’t believe quite how easy it had all felt — and was convinced that the price I’d pay might be a tantrum on the aeroplane. Happily, no such thing transpired.
From £920 for two people sharing a land view room on a Maxx inclusive basis with access to the Maxxi Land Kid’s Club complimentary for children aged 1-11 years old maxxroyal.com
