jojoboxall
April 16, 2025
I have a very mixed review of this hotel. Some aspects are absolutely amazing, while others are definitely not five-star quality. I’m not a fussy person at all, and we’ve stayed in many places—from B&Bs to five-star hotels—but this hotel is quite confusing. It was our first time in Turkey, and it certainly won’t be our last, but next time we’ll be a bit more selective. Pros The outdoor areas and views are absolutely stunning! The location of this hotel is incredibly beautiful. The pictures in all the brochures are exactly how it looks in real life. The rooms are lovely, and the shower is amazing. Rooms were cleaned every day, and the corridors were spotless. The staff are friendly. We had the opportunity to enjoy the Hammam bath experience with a massage, which was amazing—definitely do this if you visit! The Bistro and Beach Bar were a godsend for the kids—very tasty food, and the staff there were very attentive. Now the Cons The first thing you notice when you walk into reception is the strong smell of smoke. It’s really overpowering. We’re not generally bothered by this—each to their own—but it leaves a terrible first impression. Also, there’s a lot of seating in the reception area, making it very loud and not relaxing at all. You can smell smoke throughout the hotel. We put it down to just not being used to it anymore. Even though we loved every minute of the spa experience, it didn’t feel five-star. The staff were great, but the facilities were not. The entrance to the indoor pool goes through the spa, and it’s very noisy, which takes away from the relaxing atmosphere. At the end, we were told to wash off the mud mask in the changing room—my husband had kids in there, and I had a staff member eating lunch with no mirror to clean off properly. Not ideal. The outdoor pool is not heated and was absolutely freezing! If you’re into cold water swimming, great—but otherwise, it’s too cold to enjoy. Now for the food and restaurants: I usually eat everything, but even though there’s a lot of choice, the quality isn’t great. The main dining area is extremely noisy—so much so that my ears hurt. There were no waiters, just staff clearing tables. In a five-star hotel, I’d expect drink service and a smile at the very least. Also, many guests were incredibly rude. I know us Brits love our manners (well, most of us), but other nationalities seemed to lack basic courtesy. I know that’s not the hotel’s fault, but it made the experience less enjoyable. There are several à la carte restaurants: the open ones were Far East, Italian, and Mexican. You get to try one for free, and the rest can be booked at Guest Relations in reception, though they tend to be fully booked two days in advance. We managed to get into the Far East restaurant—lovely ambience, but absolutely freezing since it’s outdoors and they provided no blankets, which are a must in April. The food wasn’t great, but the service was fabulous—thank you to the waiter working last Friday! Not full