Paloma Finesse Side: All-Inclusive Family Dream with Aquapark in Turkey

The Paloma Finesse sits on the Turkish Riviera near Side, around an hour's drive from Antalya Airport. On a family holiday, the all-inclusive concept takes away exactly the kind of stress that can otherwise ruin a day: nothing to organise, no adding up the bill, no arguing over the third ice cream.

Paloma Finesse Side at a glance

Location	Side, Turkish Riviera, approx. 1 hr from Antalya Airport
Board	All-inclusive with buffet and à la carte restaurants
Highlight for kids	Aquapark with slides, kids' disco every evening
Highlight for parents	Yoga by the sea, spa, excellent food
Beach	Private stretch of beach, gentle entry into the water
Water sports	Jet ski & parasailing on site (extra charge)
Best age range	approx. 4–14 years
When we travelled	Autumn half-term – sea still warm, resort more relaxed than in high summer
Room tip	Family room with separate sleeping area

The aquapark – the absolute highlight

When I ask our kids what the best part was, the answer comes without a second's thought: the aquapark. There isn't just one big slide for the older ones and a paddling pool for the little ones – there are several levels in between:

• The fast slides – kamikaze-style straight drops and tube slides that go dark inside the tunnel. Our eldest went down them what felt like forty times a day.
• The medium runs – wide wave slides that are fun even for more cautious kids.
• The children's area – shallow water, little kid-sized slides, water mushrooms and sprinklers.

Handy for parents: the loungers around the aquapark look out over the pools. The slides don't run all day – there are fixed opening times, usually morning and afternoon with a lunch break. It's worth asking on the day you arrive, so you're spared any disappointed little faces.

Pools and beach

Besides the aquapark there's the main pool, spacious and with plenty of loungers, plus a children's pool with a very shallow entry. The pool area is laid out so that as a family you can find a regular base without having to put towels down at seven in the morning.

The beach is the real reason we headed out again every evening. During the autumn break the sea was still properly warm – even warmer than the air after sunset. Our evening routine: down to the water after dinner, half an hour of splashing about, and the kids were completely worn out. 

Water sports for adrenaline junkies

On the beach there are operators offering motorised water sports, and this is where the hotel gets really interesting for families with older kids too. Our children went with their dad:

• Jet skiing – as a passenger behind the adult, with a life vest and a briefing.
• Parasailing over the sea – from a boat, strapped into the parachute, with a view along the entire coast. For the kids, that was the big adventure of the holiday.

In Turkey, motorised water sports are usually not included in all-inclusive and are paid for separately on site. Ask beforehand about minimum ages, weight limits and whether a parent has to fly or ride along – this varies from operator to operator.

Non-motorised water sports such as canoeing, pedal boats or stand-up paddleboarding are often included at Paloma Hotels.

The food – honestly the reason we'd come back

The main restaurant runs a buffet concept with live cooking stations. What makes the difference: food really is prepared fresh in front of you rather than sitting in a warming tray for three hours. Turkish cuisine shines here – mezze, grilled vegetables, fresh flatbread.

Important for families:

• Kids' buffet at grabbing height with the classics that even sceptical eaters will take
• Breakfast with a great selection – from a Turkish breakfast with cheese, olives and simit to scrambled eggs and pancakes
• Snack bar and ice cream station during the day, which makes afternoons much more relaxed

On top of that there are à la carte restaurants serving different international cuisines. They're usually included in the all-inclusive package but have to be booked – it's best to secure a slot right after check-in, as they fill up fast, especially during school holidays.

Yoga by the sea

My personal highlight. In the morning before breakfast, mat on the beach, the sea right in front of you. The hotel offers yoga as part of its activity programme; times and location are posted on the noticeboard or in the hotel app.

Kids' club and kids' disco

The kids' club is organised by age group, with supervision, face painting, arts and crafts, games and activities spread across the day. 

The real fixture, though, was the evening kids' disco. Every evening, straight after dinner, with the entertainment team. The lovely thing was that the show took place in a kind of amphitheatre right next to the pool bar, so as parents you could grab a drink and still keep a good eye on the kids.

Rooms

The Paloma Finesse offers various room categories, typically:

• Standard/Superior rooms – fine for families with one child
• Family rooms – with a separate area or connecting door, much more relaxed with two kids
• Sea-view rooms – extra charge, but worth considering at a beach hotel
• Suites with more space and, in some cases, a private area

With two children I'd clearly recommend the family room. The separate sleeping area means you don't have to lie in the dark yourself at 8:30 pm.

Who the hotel is worth it for

Well suited to:

• Families with kids aged roughly 4 to 14 – the aquapark and the action-packed activities on the beach definitely make the hotel appealing for older kids too
• Parents who want to get something out of the holiday themselves (yoga, spa, good food)
• Families with adventurous kids who want to try water sports
• Autumn half-term travellers – the sea is still warm in October and prices are more moderate than in high summer

Less suited to:

• Anyone looking for absolute peace and quiet – it's a family hotel
• Families with only toddlers under three, who won't get much out of the aquapark yet

Our verdict

If you fancy a week of all-inclusive, sun, beach and sea – and at an upscale level – this is the place for you! The Paloma Finesse worked for us because it gets the balance right: the kids had a packed programme with the aquapark, kids' disco, jet ski and parasailing. We parents had yoga by the sea and good food.

And those evening swims in the still-warm sea as it slowly got dark – that's a memory I'll never forget!

Practical tips for your booking:

• Reserve the à la carte restaurants on the day you arrive (or just ask spontaneously whether something is free after all – it worked for us!)
• Ask about the water slide opening times and plan your day around them. We found the water in the aquapark rather chilly. A thin wetsuit might be a good idea!
• Family room rather than standard room if you're travelling with two kids
• Budget separately for motorised water sports – check prices and age limits beforehand
• The autumn break is the underrated time to visit Side: warm sea, mild air temperatures

FAQs about the Paloma Finesse in Side

Is the aquapark at the Paloma Finesse included in all-inclusive? Yes, use of the water slides and pools is included in all-inclusive. The slides don't run non-stop, though, but at set times – usually morning and afternoon with a lunch break. Ask about the current opening times right at check-in.

From what age can children use the slides? The big slides usually have minimum height or age requirements, which are signposted at the stairs. The separate children's area with shallow water and small slides works for toddlers too.

How far is the hotel from Antalya Airport? Around an hour's drive. For families, one of the more pleasant transfer routes on the Turkish Riviera.

Are jet skiing and parasailing included in all-inclusive? No. In Turkey, motorised water sports are usually paid for separately on site. Non-motorised options such as canoeing or pedal boats are often included at Paloma hotels. 

Which room suits a family with two children? A family room with a separate sleeping area or connecting door. It makes a big difference day to day: you don't have to lie in the dark yourselves at half past eight.

Do you need to reserve the à la carte restaurants? Yes, and early. Ideally book on the day you arrive – during school holidays the slots go quickly.

Is the autumn break worth it for Side? In our view, yes. The sea was still properly warm in the evenings, air temperatures were much more pleasant than in high summer, and the resort was noticeably more relaxed.

Is there childcare? Yes, an age-grouped kids' club with a daytime programme plus the evening kids' disco.

Is there anything for parents who want to switch off themselves? Yes – among other things, yoga on the beach as part of the activity programme and a spa area. 

Who is the hotel less suited to? Couples or travellers looking for absolute peace and quiet, and families with only toddlers under three, who won't get much out of the aquapark yet.

Visit Paloma Finesse