No need to go cold Turkey

Holiday specialist Chelsea Dickenson road-tests a luxe Turkish holiday for winter value.

- BY MILO BOYD

Jetting away during the winter can save you a lot of cash, but it has its drawbacks. Holiday Expert author Chelsea Dickenson decided to put a premium Turkish resort to the test using TravelSupermarket to book seven nights at the 5* AKKA Antedon in Antalya for £489 per person in January, bearing in mind the same stay would cost £1,729 per person in August ~ a 72% saving.

"I wanted to see what you're actually getting for that huge saving," explained Chelsea, resident travel expert for ITV's This Morning. "January holidays can be incredibly cheap, but I think a lot of people worry about what they're giving up. So I spent a week testing everything from the pools to the entertainment to see if it's genuinely worth booking."

The main outdoor pool was closed and out of use, which Chelsea notes “did look a little grubby and would make me think twice about booking a pool-view room in winter”.

However, another large outdoor pool remained open next to the kids’ pool, with both heated to a comfortable temperature. There was also an indoor heated pool.

The aqua park ran daily between 10am and 4pm. “I've stayed at even fancier five-star hotels in Antalya that close theirs over winter, so this was good to see,” she said.