Eftalia Downtown Hotel

We’ve stayed here for years, and by now the staff feel like family. Esref, the bar manager, went out of his way to make our month enjoyable, along with Ramazon, Dilek, Ismail and Yucel. They were all so friendly and helpful. The location is great for the beach, bars and shops. There’s a lovely atmosphere at the bar, and plenty to choose from at meals. If the main dishes aren’t to your taste, breakfast has cereals, yogurt and fruit, while dinner includes things like soup and chips. There’s also plenty of nice food at the outside bar on the half-board plan. Our room was cleaned daily, with fresh towels and bedding arranged into swans and hearts. The cleaning lady did an excellent job. We had a brilliant stay and will see you all next year. Brenda and Larry.

The location is a strong point, across from the beach and close to the harbour, bars and shops. The bar is okay and stays open until around 1 a.m. But I can’t see how this is a four-star hotel. I’d give it two stars at most. You pay extra for the safe and fridge, there’s no minibar, water or coffee-making setup in the room, and WiFi is only available downstairs. Nearly all of the reception staff were unhelpful, except one gentleman. My room looked over the hotel pool, a disused pool at a run-down old hotel, and the kitchen. It seemed like they were throwing fat out of the kitchen window. The food selection was poor and didn’t feel four-star either. I paid a budget price, but still don’t think the holiday was worth the money.

We got a bug halfway through the holiday. It only lasted about 24 hours and didn’t spoil the trip too much, but several other families we spoke to had also caught it. It made me wonder if the food hygiene or cleaning needs attention. The pool area is a little cramped, and the sunbeds filled up quickly. The beach across the road was a lovely alternative, with a beach bar and two sunbeds for the day costing just €6. The hotel itself was good, and it’s a short walk into the centre of Alanya.

The kids’ facilities were a nice bonus, with an outdoor play area and a small swimming area for children. There’s a sauna and spa inside too. It was a lovely budget option for a winter holiday, especially with a family. The staff were really friendly and spoke English, and the stay met my expectations.