How good is the all-inclusive buffet food quality at Turkish hotels?

One guest notes that queues form because sides and meat are placed together on the same line, so even people who only want a side dish end up waiting in the same queue as those getting meat.

Over 10 days, grilled pink salmon steaks were served only once, and whole pink salmon once — but arriving not at the very start of the meal, guests found only bones and skin left with no refill. Chicken legs were not offered at all, and lula kebab appeared only once. They weren't left hungry, but fruit was unripe even at the peak of the season.

A review of the paid à la carte restaurant: it's hot inside and the floor AC barely helps. Appetizers are the same as at the main buffet. Grilled mains include beef, chicken, and lula kebab skewers — beef was decent, the rest not tasty. Dessert was the same triangular piece of baklava as at the buffet, plus melted ice cream on one plate, with only melon and watermelon for fruit. The guests left early and had dessert at the regular buffet instead, which that evening featured red fish and cherries. Their advice: check what's on the regular dinner menu before choosing à la carte.

Regarding buffet queues, one guest says there wasn't really a shortage of food — queues mostly form because guests crowd around the meat station, while less popular items like fries or rice can be taken without any wait. The one spot where a long wait is genuinely needed is the ice cream station; the suggestion is to add another staff member there or install freezers with portioned ice cream for self-service.

Meat options are limited to mostly cutlets and chicken wings, with beef heart stew appearing once as an offal dish. Fruit available includes watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, nectarines, and apples, but pears are hard and cherries appeared only once.

Breaded chicken fillet and cutlets are made from soy-based semi-finished products and aren't very tasty. Regarding alcohol: the beer is decent, rosé wine wasn't liked, but white wine paired well with olives and cheese. Breakfast includes toast, honey, halva or urbech, and jam. Lobby desserts brownie and fresh baklava were praised.

The hotel has almost no food suitable for infants: no baby porridges, yogurts, or purees were available, forcing a trip to a store. By comparison, Crystal Paraiso offered 3 types of milk porridge, yogurts, juices, and a separate kids' menu.

One review says that even if the choice at a single meal feels limited, the menu changes well from day to day: over a week the dishes did not become repetitive, and the food was considered tasty.

Dinner may include themed extras beyond the standard buffet: one report mentions a taco night as well as mussels. Evening fruit selection was described as extensive, including strawberries, watermelon, and melon; the melon at dinner was said to be juicier than at lunch.

Compared with the World and Resort hotels, the food selection was described as slightly smaller but still tasty; fruit was specifically considered better here. It was also noted that pancakes are made at Vesta.

According to one review, beef on the main buffet is rarely served as whole cuts and appears mostly as mince-based dishes and patties. For a proper cut of beef, guests are directed to the à la carte restaurant, but it is paid and the meat was described as more like stewed beef than a steak; service there is also slow.

There is also a recent positive report about food safety and range: the guests had no stomach issues, including one person with a sensitive stomach. They specifically mention a day with crayfish and fried red-fish steaks, plus daytime extras such as ice cream and waffles with strawberries, banana, and various toppings.

The dinner meat selection can be more varied than expected: on different days lamb, beef liver, thin beef steaks, lula kebab, salmon steaks, and shrimp stew were served. Grilled turkey, despite being thinly sliced, turned out juicy and tender. Trout is also sometimes available in the evening.

A case of spoiled food was reported: canned corn at the buffet had gone sour. The overall selection is described as very limited, with ingredients appearing to be the cheapest available. At most, two types of fried meat were offered at the same time.

Guest opinions on buffet variety are sharply divided: some consider it one of the best selections they have encountered across hotels and say it is impossible to try everything in 10 days, while others staying at the same time describe the food as nearly absent and extremely limited.

During peak hours, very long queues form at the buffet — such crowding may not occur at other times of day.