The TUI BLUE Pascha Bay and I did not get off to a good start. But there was a happy ending. I tested the hotel near Alanya on the Turkish Riviera at the beginning of June 2023. Read on to find out what awaits you at the family hotel with all-inclusive. One thing in advance: it is much nicer than the photos I had seen before!
Table of contents
Pros and cons
What I liked
- Large selection of dishes for all tastes at the buffet
- A la carte restaurant with beautiful views and excellent food
- Rooms with swim-up pool
- All day entertainment for young and old
- Short distances in the compact, well maintained resort
- Own splash park and water slides
- Wide beach in a bay
- Present and competent BLUE guides as contact persons
What I did not like so much
- The long transfer from Antalya airport
- Unpersonal atmosphere in the main restaurant
- You can hear the traffic in the rooms depending on the location
Where is TUI BLUE Pasha Bay located?
The hotel is located a few kilometres from Alanya on the south coast of Türkiye, right on the beach. If you can get a flight to Alanya’s Gazipasa airport, the transfer time is quite short. However, most holidaymakers arrive in Antalya, which is why I was in a bad mood when I arrived. The transfer bus took more than 3 hours. Other travellers complain about this in the reviews, but there’s really nothing the hotel can do about it. Once you get there, everything will be fine, I promise! Note, in some countries the TUI BLUE Pascha Bay is named TUI BLUE Village Pascha Bay.
What does the hotel resort of TUI BLUE Pascha Bay look like?
Roughly speaking, the 7 residential buildings and restaurants are grouped around the large pool. The walkways are short and adjacent to the pool is a wide pebbly sandy beach with free sun loungers for hotel guests. Sea turtles nest on the beach at night, as indicated by signs.
From the very stylish Welcome Lounge, a walkway leads past a kiosk, clothing and bag shop to the main restaurant, which also has a small stage. So you can enjoy the entertainment while you eat in comfort. Very handy for parents who want to eat in peace. When the children have eaten, they can run up to the stage and marvel, puzzle or dance along. And you can always keep an eye on your child. The BLUE spa and fitness centre are located between the restaurant and the beach, while the water park is a little out of the way.
Who is TUI BLUE Pascha Bay suitable for?
TUI BLUE Pascha Bay is a family hotel. Accordingly, they have thought of the smallest guests, from the entertainment to the buffet. I was there alone and saw other guests without children, but I would recommend it to families with (small) children. They have thought of everything: children’s buffet, children’s pool, water park, dancing with the mascot, children’s disco and much more.
What facilities are there for children at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay?
You can easily register for the child care at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay in the BLUE App. The Kids’ Club is divided into different age groups: 0 to 2 years, 3 to 5 years, 6 to 11 years, 12 to 15 years. The children are looked after 6 days a week.
- One of the main attractions is undoubtedly the waterslide park. There is a splash area for younger children with water games and slides, and large, fast water slides for children aged 10 and over.
- Swimming lessons (for a fee and by appointment) are also very popular!
- A play station with slot machines on the beach (for a fee) is just the thing for kids (and grown-ups) who want to play games. Alternatively, there’s an Xbox in each room. There’s also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, so teenagers and other smartphone junkies won’t get bored.
- The kids’ buffet (lowered so they can help themselves) has all the usual suspects: chips, chicken nuggets, spaghetti, but also vegetables. Get your kids one of the Healthy Eating Cards. This is a bonus points collecting card where the child gets a point every time they eat something healthy. I think it should be available for adults too, especially in all-inclusive hotels 😉 The kids are always very proud when they have a full “points card”.
- In the afternoon, the mascot Bamse comes and dances with the kids. They freak out like a world star is standing before them!
All activities can be found in the BLUE App under “Programme”.
What do parents do when the kids are at the Kids Club?
You are free to organise your free time as you wish. Here are some suggestions:
- BLUEf!t fitness classes, from interval training to yoga, bookable via the BLUE app.
- Work out in the gym next to the spa
- Sweat it out in the hammam (Turkish bath), couple’s massage, beauty treatment
- Romantic day on the beach daybed (chargeable)
- When the kids are in bed, there’s evening entertainment, disco and drinks.
What can families do together at TUI BLUE Pascha Bay?
TUI BLUE Pascha Bay is particularly suitable for outdoor sports activities such as football, beach volleyball and table tennis. There are also family-friendly games of skill such as mini golf, kubb and spikeball. For the more competitive, there are regular family challenges. For everything else, check out the BLUE app!
For the little ones, there is Parent & Baby Time, where they can play together, sing, splash around or listen to fairy tales.
Overall, guests seemed relaxed and happy – despite the unusually bad weather for early June. The same goes for the hotel staff, by the way.
What does the all-inclusive package at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay include?
All-inclusive packages are very popular with families and are well worth the money. At TUI BLUE Pasha Bay, the three main meals at “The Restaurant” are included as a buffet, as well as a weekly visit to the à la carte restaurant “Taverna” and a 30% discount at the restaurant “Green & Grill”. Most local soft and alcoholic drinks are included.
- In the main restaurant, the buffet offers everything to satisfy even the most fastidious eaters. From English breakfast to waffles and Turkish pastries, the breakfast buffet offers a huge selection. For lunch and dinner, there is a huge choice of salads, meat and fish dishes, vegetables, vegan options, Turkish specialities and international classics such as pizza and pasta. Large selection of desserts and fruit. There is a separate children’s buffet at eye level.
- The “Green & Grill” overlooking the beach and sea offers not only freshly grilled fine steaks and fish, but also burgers and pizza, which are popular with children (for a fee).
- My favourite was the “Taverna” with a multi-course Turkish-Levantine menu. Very tasty Turkish meze (starters), a lulling atmosphere and excellent service. It was really a great deal. Be smarter than me and skip the dessert if you want to be able to move after 😀 One visit per week is included. Sign up using the BLUE App.
- “Thea’s Coffee Shop is a juice and coffee bar serving freshly squeezed juices, smoothies and speciality coffees. Beverages cost extra.
- TUI BLUE’s own cocktails, many of which are included, with or without alcohol. My favourites were the “Blue Wave” and the “Elderflower Collins”. The full drinks menu is available on the BLUE App.
- Afternoon snacks and cakes by the pool bar, including soft ice cream. Ice cream at the Ice Cream Bar for a fee.
- Turkish village breakfast several times a week (chargeable). Anyone who has ever had a real Turkish village breakfast will know that the Turkish breakfast is the best in the world!
- Gluten free and other allergy friendly meals available. Please inform the hotel in advance if you have any allergies/intolerances. They will then make arrangements. Lactose-free and vegan meals are always available. Food is labelled with allergen symbols.
It’s never far to one of the bars around the outdoor pool! The only criticism I can make about the food at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay is the slightly cold atmosphere in the main restaurant. However, as you sit outside (under a roof), this is not tragic. The whole family will be happy with this all-inclusive offer.
Which is the best room at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay?
Without a doubt, the rooms with private access to the pool are the most spectacular! What child wouldn’t love to jump into the pool from the terrace? The swim-up rooms are well worth the extra cost! tui blue pasha bay swim-up
In general, all rooms/apartments have a kitchenette with fridge, capsule coffee machine and microwave, bathroom with shower, bedroom with double bed and additional sofa bed or separate extra room, so from 3 to 7 people, even larger families can stay together. All rooms have a balcony or terrace.
Tip for the best view: Room 5308 or 5309
I had a double room with a beautiful view over the pool to the sea. I read in the reviews that you can hear the traffic. This is true in some rooms, but rather next to the door than in the bed. If the air conditioning is on at night, you won’t hear it at all.
Note: There are no lifts. If you can’t climb stairs, book a room on the ground floor.
Spa & Fitness at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay
Every decent hotel in Türkiye has a hammam, including the TUI BLUE Pascha Bay. I was given a short tour of the BLUE Spa. From the classic hammam to treatment rooms for couples massages or facials, there’s everything you deserve as a parent. My favourite is the hamam treatment. Your skin is so soft afterwards, you could compete with your baby for a cuddle!
The gym is in the same building on the beach. BLUEf!t classes are held outdoors on a fitness platform. Popular classes include Yoga and Legs, Bums & Tums.
What do the BLUE Guides do at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay?
Tiia and Carlo, the BLUE Guides at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay, are your contacts for all your needs. You want to take the bus to Alanya and don’t know how to get there? Looking for a pharmacy? Want to know more about sustainability in the hotel? Ask them! I got some tips for Alanya from them. You can recognise them by their lanyard with the BLUE Guide tag or you can stop by the “office” next to the restaurant terrace.
What can I see and do around TUI BLUE Pascha Bay?
If you want to leave your oasis, it’s just a short taxi ride to Alanya or an authentic trip by dolmus (Turkish minibus), which stops right next to the hotel on the main road. Even better and more convenient is to book an organised excursion to see the highlights of Alanya in one day.
I went on such an excursion, and even though I’m not a fan of organised bus tours, I couldn’t have seen as much in one day on my own: The Dim cave, lunch on a river, a visit to the Alanya fortress and a boat trip around Alanya. It is worth leaving the hotel and just walking along the promenade in Alanya and eating a typical Turkish ice cream. Your children will be amazed at the “show” the ice-cream seller puts on! The Turks are generally very child-friendly.
You can book the excursions with the TUI representative at the hotel or via the TUI website.
Click here for more information about excursions on the Turkish Riviera.
The best all-inclusive hotels on the Turkish Riviera
Conclusion of the TUI BLUE Pascha Bay
Even though the weather wasn’t cooperating, the families present clearly had a great time. Lots of smiling faces, happy children, contented parents, relaxed atmosphere. The BLUE guides, Carlo and Tiia, are always approachable and everyone in the hotel is generally very accommodating. In my opinion, great value for money for a family hotel on the Turkish Riviera with a travellers’ choice award 2023 from TripAdvisor! So book fast and you’ll soon be dancing with Bamse 😉!
Book your stay at TUI BLUE Pascha Bay now!
Questions & Answers about TUI BLUE Pascha Bay
What is TUI BLUE Pascha Bay doing for sustainability?
Here are a few examples of what TUI BLUE Pascha Bay does for the environment and society: – Disposable plastic is avoided as much as possible at TUI BLUE Pascha Bay. The straws are made of paper and there is a station where you can tap drinking water, drastically reducing the use of disposable PET bottles. The all-inclusive wristbands are made of fabric. – Solar panels on the roof – Towels are changed when guests request them and signal this by placing them on the floor. This saves a lot of water and energy. – Instead of air conditioning, you can use the ceiling fan in the room. This is better for the environment and not everyone likes to be “blown” cold. – Like many TUI BLUE hotels in Türkiye, the TUI BLUE Pasha Bay has a “cat house” as a shelter for former strays, who are fed and given medical care here. – the Pascha Bay is certified by Travelife, a classification for sustainable hotels
Where do the guests at TUI BLUE Pasha Bay come from?
The vast majority of guests at TUI BLUE Pascha Bay come from Scandinavia. The Kids’ Club staff speak English, Finnish and Swedish. Most of the evening entertainment is in English. The children don’t seem to mind, dancing wildly to Swedish children’s songs and singing along to English choruses after a few days. The international mix of guests also means that the food is very varied. You can get by very well with English here.
Can I smoke at TUI BLUE Pascha Bay?
Smoking is only permitted in designated smoking areas. Even on the terrace of the restaurant, smoking is only allowed at certain tables at the very edge. I think this is a very sensible solution in a hotel with many children! Smoking is generally not allowed in enclosed rooms, but on the balconies of the rooms.
Is TUI BLUE Pascha Bay barrier-free?
Yes, it’s wheelchair accessible, if you take a room on the ground floor. 10 of the accommodation units are barrier-free. The hotel grounds are accessible throughout by wheelchair (and pushchair). This includes the beach and the jetty in the sea. On the beach there is a wheelchair that can be taken into the water.
Can I get to TUI BLUE Pascha Bay by public transport?
There is a bus stop right next to the hotel on the main road. There are buses to Alanya or Konakli every 15 minutes. The fare is a few liras.