Bridge in Turkey, The Raga Side Hotel

5, 6, 12, 13 November 2022 - 8 or 15 days available

8 days from £669pp

Enjoy a touch of luxury at the five-star Raga Side Hotel. With fantastic facilities, exceptional cuisine, 24-hour all-inclusive package and excursion to Antalya, this holiday is fantastic value and a firm favourite with First for Bridge guests.

Bridge directed by Colin Simcox and hosted by James & Jane Tullett
7 or 14 nights at the 5* Raga Side hotel
24-hour Ultra-all-inclusive board
A First for Bridge favourite
Complimentary umbrellas and sunbeds on beach
Included excursions to Antalya, the eastern gateway to the Turquoise Coast

Bridge in Turkey, The Raga Side Hotel

With its cobbled winding streets and pretty harbour, the Old Town of Side is delightful. The ancient site is perfect for leisurely exploration with its Temples of Apollo and Athena, and the remains of the Roman Baths that house an impressive collection of artefacts.

From the Old Town of Side, it is a short walk along the seafront promenade to the 5-star Raga Side Hotel, which, with just under 200 deluxe bedrooms, lends to a lovely group ambience for our bridge guests to meet up. You can relax on the private beach or on the terraces around the outdoor pool. Swim in the indoor pool, take a Turkish Hamam or steam bath, or treat yourself to a massage or treatment in the Spa (charge).

The hotel prides itself on its exceptional cuisine. There is an excellent choice of a la carte dishes available so you can enjoy freshly cooked food direct to your table. During the day snacks or light lunches are available from the poolside bar or beach café and you can enjoy delicacies from the Patisserie. All this is included in your 24-hour ultra-all-inclusive package along with cocktails and drinks, served on the terraces and in the hotel’s bars.

You can expect the weather to be generally very good in November on the south coast of Turkey, our previous group enjoyed endless sunny days and temperatures mainly over 30 degrees!

Included in our package is a half day excursion to Antalya, the eastern gateway to the Turquoise Coast. We enjoy a guided walking tour of this beautiful old town, as well as visiting the Duden Waterfall and enjoying a boat trip around the harbour and visit to the leather centre.

What to expect from this Bridge holiday:
Make your own way to Antalya airport, where transfers will be included on our specific arrival and departure dates. On arrival, your included transfer will take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

At the start of your Bridge holiday you’ll be invited to join our Bridge director and host for a welcome meeting in the hotel. Any single travellers will have the opportunity to find a partner for the Bridge room.

Our Bridge programmes will vary according to the length of your break, and, in addition to playing Bridge, we try to include interesting Bridge seminars, hosted by your Bridge Director.

Your duplicate Bridge will be available every evening between 7.45pm and 11.15pm and we endeavour to vary these evening sessions, balancing between teams and pairs, with at least one Swiss style event during a two-week Bridge break.

Bridge will also be offered some afternoons between 2.30pm and 4.45pm. These sessions are normally given over to open pairs/teams.

During your Bridge holiday nothing is obligatory and you can play in as many, or as few, Bridge sessions as you wish. We don’t forget you are on holiday and our Bridge programmes also allow time to relax and the opportunity for you to explore the surrounding area.

Included in our package:

Full bridge programme directed by Colin Simcox and hosted by James & Jane Tullett, with seminars and varied bridge sessions
Masterpoints and prizes awarded
Airport transfers from Antalya airport on our arrival and departure dates
7 or 14 nights in 5* accommodation on an ultra-all-inclusive board
Mini bar in room replenished daily with beer and soft drinks
Free weekly laundry service
Complimentary umbrellas and sunbeds on beach
Welcome cocktail
Porterage

Plus the following excursion:

Half day excursion to Antalya including boat trip

Colin Simcox

Colin Simcox is an EBU Panel Director who can be seen at many events, especially across the West Country and Wales.

Colin was fortunate to learn bridge whilst at school, now some 40 years ago. He has been playing regularly ever since and has represented Somerset in the Tollemache Cup on many occasions, as well as the Corwen Trophy and Pachabo. A former Space Planning manager, Colin is now retired and enjoys travelling to warmer climates with his wife Marilyn in their trusty motorhome.

James & Jane Tullett

James has been playing bridge for over 30 years and is regularly picked for his county. He also enjoys playing in congresses around the country (when his less competitive wife Jane lets him!)

James has run his own furnishing business for over 30 years from his base in Norfolk and recently, with his good friend and fellow First for Bridge host, John Barker, has established the Norfolk Bridge Academy. Between them, they have over 100 pupils learning to play and enjoying the wonderful game of bridge.

Jane has worked as a manager for over 12 years at her local university and then the NHS. She brings her organisational and interpersonal skills to the forefront to make an excellent hosting team with her husband James.

Jane and James have travelled extensively in recent years to explore exotic parts of the world, such as Peru, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. They both enjoy meeting new people, with the emphasis on fun and laughter, which may possibly include a drink or two.

Meet us at the airport overseas

Picture of - Meet us at the airport overseas

Our 'meet us at the airport' option allows you to book your own transport independently and choose one of the many flights available from several UK airports.

Transfers will be included on our specific arrival and departure dates. If you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Include flights from the UK

Picture of - Include flights from the UK

If you would prefer to book your holiday with flights included from the UK, our friendly Holiday Advisors would be happy to check availability from your preferred departure airport. Adding travel from the UK to your holiday package will be subject to an administration fee plus the cost of travel.

Overview

The Raga Side Hotel is a very well run, adult only, A la carte dining hotel that offers an excellent 24-hour ultra-all-inclusive package. Opening its doors in June 2018, this small hotel has just under 200 bedrooms and boasts a range of excellent facilities throughout. It is ideally located - one of the closest hotels to Side with just a 20-minute walk to the harbour and historic temples.

*Please note*
We are aware of some building works at a neighbouring property to The Raga Hotel. The works are not taking place at the hotel directly and are not expected to impact any guests at The Raga Hotel. The works are planned for the interior areas of the neighbouring building and actions to mitigate any noise are being implemented. These include a dedicated ‘silent room’ in the centre of the property where all cutting machinery will operate. The management of The Raga Hotel are working with the buildings developer to ensure the guests of The Raga Hotel are not inconvenienced during their stay in Side.

Hotel Facilities & Amenities

The Raga Side is all about quality dining. The elegant restaurants offer delicious A la carte meals served to the table and freshly cooked from its menu selection. There are also two additional a la carte restaurants focusing on International cuisine and Fish dishes. The patisserie offers delicacies between 11.00 - 16.00, and you can enjoy imported drinks and cocktails at the Lobby Bar until 02.00 am or in the poolside bar until midnight. In fact, you can watch competitions on TV all night long until in the Sports Bar!

Heated indoor pool
Outdoor pool
Spa - Hamman, sauna, Turkish bath
Hairdressers
Table tennis
Daytime activities and music in the evening
Sports bar
Doctors on site (charge)
Minimarket and gift shop

Room Facilities & Amenities

Standard room
These rooms are the perfect place to relax and are designed for your comfort with air-conditioning and wood parquet flooring. Available as a twin/double to share or for sole use, these lovely rooms are spacious and comfortable, and are equipped with the following facilities: