Eftalia Village Hotel - All Inclusive

Devran made our dining experience memorable again on my second visit this year. During our 14-day holiday, he took care of me and my friends so well. He remembered the drinks we usually ordered when we visited in June, and as soon as he spotted us entering the restaurant, he showed us to our table and went off to prepare them. Even when it was really busy, he kept checking that we had everything we needed and greeted us with a big smile. Nothing seemed like too much trouble for him. I’m already looking forward to coming back next year!

For our first holiday together, this was an extremely disappointing choice. My partner and I paid £1,700 for ten nights all inclusive, but we spent most evenings eating out because the food was horrendous. That meant extra costs on top of an all-inclusive price. The alcohol selection was poor too. It only covered bottom-shelf vodka, brandy, gin, raki and beer. I drink Malibu, and one Malibu and Coke cost €8. The included drinks barely had any effect on me. I only felt a bit tipsy after paying 800 lira for two cocktails. The pools were freezing, and the tiles and floor around them were dangerously slippery. In ten days I saw more than 12 people fall and seriously hurt themselves. An older man fell backward and smashed his elbow, a woman slipped on her way to the food and snack area, and a boy fell soon after getting out of the pool. The worst was a man who fell and knocked himself unconscious. The lifeguard, who was sitting with curled hair, walked over and started prodding him. Even seeing little kids walking on the slabs or coming out of the pool made me anxious. The best parts were the sun, the adults’ pool and the beach. I won’t return and can’t recommend the place. All inclusive doesn’t seem worth paying for when the food is disgusting and you have to pay for most of the alcohol.

We’ve just returned from a ten-night stay as a family of eight, and we all loved it. It had what we needed for a relaxing break, with fun for the kids too. Mealtimes could get hectic, but Yunus made them enjoyable. He helped us find a table and was fantastic with the children, playing and joking with them. I’d highly recommend it to families with young kids.

The resort area is lovely during the day, and it might be decent if you’re mainly there for the experience. But the rooms were pretty awful. On arrival we found hair and dirt in the bed, plus bloodlike and white stains on the headboards. The lady did a good job with the towel swans, at least. Our family room didn’t match the advertised setup. We were told to expect two doubles and three singles, but got one double and five singles instead. The area outside the resort is limited for things to do and looks rough. The all-inclusive deal feels very limited too: it covers beer and wine, while cocktails cost €10 or more. You can walk five minutes down the road and get one for half the price. Even fresh orange juice isn’t free.