ANDA GOLD MEDAL GOES TO…

Olympians and Strictly stars assemble at the spectacular Anda Barut Collection resort in Turkey

By Richard Jones

The sweat was slowly starting to seep into my eyes, my heart was going ten to the dozen and the lactic acid was burning in my thighs. But not everyone was struggling with the pace on the 5km morning run in Turkey. Floating along in front of me, one runner in particular was making it look rather easy. 

Former world marathon champion and record holder Paula Radcliffe was leading the way, and while my steps were getting heavier on the undulating trail route, her feet didn’t seem to be touching the gravel as she laughed and chatted with the other athletes.  Admittedly, at the time, it didn’t feel like I was on a relaxing holiday or ‘lap of luxury’, but it’s not every day you get to go jogging with one of Britain’s all-time great distance athletes.

And that wasn’t all – during the weekend, I also did circuits, swimming and rowing sessions with Olympic legends, and attended dance classes led by former Strictly Come Dancing professionals.

The impressive roster of athletes and stars was attending a special Wellness Weekend to celebrate the opening of Barut Hotels’ new resort, Anda Barut Collection, in east Turkey. 

I began the break by joining Strictly legend Ian Waite for a step fit class in the hotel’s outdoor fitness area. Immediately, I noticed a few famous faces had the same idea, with Dame Denise Lewis, Colin Jackson and Rebecca Adlington, as well as reality stars and influencers AJ and Curtis Pritchard, all putting my rigid dance moves to shame.

Throughout the day, there was the opportunity to take part in Ian’s fellow Strictly stars Ola and James Jordan’s patented Dance Shred class, while Olympic silver medal-winning diver-turned-commentator and wellness champion Leon Taylor was on yoga and stretching duty, and super-fit duo Jordan Florenville and Ellie Wraight were guiding guests through aqua fit and boxercise.

The next morning, I joined Paula and around 40 other guests at Seçkin Pirim's bright yellow Gate Of Sun artwork ahead of the 5km run around the sprawling resort. Then, after post-workout ‘NGX’ Protein Shakes and Energy Balls at the adjacent Fish Camp restaurant, I joined two more Olympic legends, ‘drill instructor’ Daley Thompson and ‘expert drone pilot’ Jamie Baulch, along with Colin and Denise, for a rigorous sea-front circuits session.

In the afternoons, Rebecca ran swimming clinics in the indoor and outdoor pools, while Vicky Thornley and Rick Edgington accompanied groups on rowing trips. Alongside the Team GB athletes, there were also several Turkish Olympians taking part in the activities, including gymnast Tutya Yılmaz, archer Yasemin Ecem Anagöz, sprinter Çiçek Solon Şensoy and 85-year-old athlete Oktay Şensoy.

Although it was great interacting with such a stellar line-up of fellow holidaymakers, what made my first-ever trip to Turkey special was the resort itself.

With a spectacular beachfront location and serene views of Lake Bafa, Anda Barut Collection is a relatively short transfer from İzmir and Bodrum airports and handy for visits to nearby temples and ancient cities.

The hotel is split into three unique zones. The Community Zone is where you’ll find the main restaurant and main pool area, while the Adult Zone includes an over-18s bar, bistro and pool, which was hosting a boozy Greek toga party on the Saturday afternoon. The Family Zone, with its adventure park, waterslides, games arcade, zipline, climbing wall and mini club is a holiday paradise for little ones and teenagers.

In between the expansive landscaped gardens, Anda Barut Collection also has a large variety of luxurious rooms and suites. I stayed in one of their pristine Deluxe Sea View Rooms, which was stacked with ultra all-inclusive privileges, including a complimentary mini-bar, and a large sun-soaked balcony looking out over the rich-blue Aegean Sea. For those looking to splash out further, there are suites with private pools, including the impressive Bayou Villas which feature their own terrace and beachfront area.

As exercise seemed the order of the weekend, we all built up a sizeable appetite. Thankfully, the hotel’s delicious all-inclusive culinary offerings are nothing short of spectacular.  There are 10 restaurants, serving a range of Turkish, Italian, Chinese and Indian cuisine, to choose from. The breakfast buffet in the Zestful Bazaar Main Restaurant was the largest I have seen in a hotel, with everything from fruit, omelettes and salads, to pastries, meats and Turkish delight.

Up the corridor, Olivae Patisserie has all manner of tasty artisan cakes and pastries – perfect for a post-workout treat with tea or coffee. For lunch, if you can be dragged away from the main restaurant, the lamb koftas at Mansion in the Adult Zone are well worth trying out.  In the evening, you are spoilt for choice at No Se and Kara a la carte restaurants, while the chili prawns and sea bass at Fish Camp are both lip-smackingly good.

Although the hotel had only just opened when I visited, the staff were already on point, buzzing around in their beige uniforms and taking care of the guests’ every need. The servers by the pool bars even skate around on rollerblades to make sure your fruity cocktails ice-cold Efe’s beers arrive in double quick time.  Plus, as the resort is ‘all-inclusive plus’, you can get a drink or bite to eat at any time – handy if you’re a night owl, early riser, or your flight in from the UK arrives late and you fancy a libation or two in the Ease Lobby Lounge Bar. 

On our final night, we enjoyed a Turkish meze Champions Dinner at Kara with the Olympians, athletes, dancers and influencers. During the meal, there was an inspirational Q&A session, and we got to know each of them a little better while sharing stories from our weekend.  After all the running, dancing, swimming and rowing, it felt like a holiday now – although I was going home slightly fitter and a lot more refreshed than when I’d arrived. 

At a cost of €150million, Anda Barut Collection was a massive and expensive undertaking by the group, but it is already gaining a reputation as one of Turkey’s most desirable hotels for people who want to get fit, detox, or just take it easy by the pool or in the bar and restaurant. 

Any shiny new hotel needs a spectacular launch – and this star-studded Wellness Weekend on the Delice Peninsula was worthy of a gold medal.