Mark Warner took a brave step in opening an adults-only
resort this year, but how did it fare?
Of all the things I don’t want to hear on holiday, other
people’s children register only a few places down the list
from the sound of having my own legs sawn off. This may seem a bit
harsh, but at least I’m not alone. Not according to Mark
Warner, that is.
Responding to an increase in demand, the activity specialist
strengthened its presence in the adults-only market this year by
making its Palm Beach resort, near Bodrum, child-free all season.
According to the operator, nearly 30% of bookings now come from
holidaymakers demanding such an environment.
Moving away from the family market is a risk for any tour
operator, but on my visit, Palm Beach was bustling with a mix of 20
to 50-year-old singles, couples and groups, all clearly relishing
the chance to improve their sporting prowess or learn a new skill
without the inconvenience of other people’s children.
It was a sentiment I shared when, having signed up for a PADI
Open Water diving course, my companion and I struggled into our wet
suits by the pool, trying not to attract any sniggering glances
(children can be quite cruel in this respect).
Our training kicked off with the obligatory stamina test: a
200-metre swim followed by 10 minutes of treading water. The idea,
presumably, being that if you get lost at sea, you’ll at
least be able to swim for 200 metres and tread water for 10 minutes
before you drown.
With the next three days split between theory tests in the bar
and practical sessions under water, all scrutinised by our
instructor Becky, the holiday took on a bit of a training camp
atmosphere. However, it was enjoyable and the novelty of being able
to breathe under water really grabbed us, as did the desire to
explore. As soon as we qualified, the first thing we did was sign
up for the dive excursion from Bodrum.
As a novice diver, nothing can prepare you for the sheer
excitement of diving off a boat and over a living reef for the
first time. Towering walls of rock and coral loom above, while half
the cast of Finding Nemo goes about its daily business around
you.
The Mediterranean may not have the variety of the Great Barrier
Reef, or even the Red Sea, but we saw beautiful parrot fish,
octopus, eels, grouper, barracuda… in fact, during our first
four days we had more interaction with sea life than people.
Had we signed up for one of Mark Warner’s core activities,
such as sailing or tennis, that might not have been the case, but
having spent the best part of four days under water, we’d so
far missed out on the group dynamic on which activity holidays
thrive. And, of course, the gossip. Fortunately, meal times are a
sociable affair, otherwise we’d never have spoken to
anyone.
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Not surprisingly, it’s at the dinner table that the
adults-only focus comes to the fore. The no-kids atmosphere may not
mark this out as a Club 18-30 style orgy, but we’re not
talking about a bunch of teetotal prudes here either.
By the fourth evening, the drinks were flowing and the clandestine
hand-holding had turned to full-blown smooching for a few of the
guests, and those without romantic aspirations were enjoying the
chance to get to know a new crowd.
As 40-something Jill from Oxford – a veteran of 15 Mark
Warner holidays – put it: “I can come here knowing that
I’m going to be mixing with a like-minded crowd of people,
not a bunch of lager louts.”
They were a good bunch and the only time I felt out of step with
everyone was when the music came on by the pool.
Having come to escape the noise of other people’s
children, the sound of the Spice Girls blasting out while
you’re trying to take it easy is a bit of an ordeal.
Eric Clapton followed and then Toploader, three times in a row,
while the Baywatch theme tune cropped up with alarming regularity
throughout the week. And when the afternoon aerobics class started,
dreadful music was piped in from both sides, with added
shrieking.
But, freed from the tyranny of kids, this was my only Victor
Meldrew moment.
Ultimately, a club holiday such as this is great fun, and a
satisfying springboard for a new hobby – far better to learn
the core skills in the warm before heading back to chillier shores
to practise in earnest.
If they could sort out the music and relocate that aerobics
class to, say, Crete, I’d go back for the advanced PADI
course next year.
