Monte Carlo Hotel - All Inclusive

We complained about our first room and, after a long wait, were moved to one that was a little nicer. It had an actual balcony, though the view was of the back of another rundown building. There were bugs and insects in the room, so relaxing there wasn’t possible. The first room had a massive shared terrace instead of a private balcony, no privacy, and a door that didn’t lock properly. We’d booked a double, but were put in an adjoining twin room. The food was all over-seasoned and unlabeled, so we couldn’t tell what it was. It seemed like the seasoning might be covering up poor ingredients. The entertainment was appalling, just adults acting like toddlers. The pool was freezing, and we didn’t use it at all during our week. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel. I’ve learned a valuable lesson about budget holidays being almost guaranteed to be awful. Don’t fall for the advertising or cheap price.

The food was inedible, basically overcooked mush, so we had to go elsewhere for lunch and dinner to avoid feeling like we’d starve. There were hardly any labels to show what was on offer. For a supposed 4-star hotel, it wasn’t up to standard. We also had room problems, and when we raised them, staff were quite rude and questioned whether we’d even looked for solutions ourselves. We checked in without towels, then got patronised when asking for some. The entertainment wasn’t on every night, and when it was, we couldn’t follow it because it was mostly in Russian or Turkish. We were appalled by the food, rooms, and entertainment.

We spent seven days at Monte Carlo Hotel at the end of July, paying for all inclusive. We chose it because of the good reviews, which turned out to be a big mistake. The rooms were fairly clean, but the one we got on arrival looked nothing like the photos on the hotel or agency website. It was tiny and cramped, more like a 2-star room. Reception called it a “standard room.” After we complained, they agreed to move us to another standard room that was slightly better. The room Wi-Fi was nonexistent, though the air conditioning worked properly. The food was edible, but the choices were limited and repetitive. Turkish coffee and ice cream cost extra. The beach bar isn’t run by the hotel, so all alcohol there is paid; only water, coffee, and juice are free on the beach. The beach itself is nice and the sunbeds are free. Every day at 6 pm, though, an employee removes the cushions, even when guests’ belongings are still on the beds. If you’re not there, your things end up on the wooden frames. On his days off nobody touches the beds, so when he’s working, beach time ends at 6 whether you like it or not. Beach towels required a €10 deposit per person and cost €1 per towel per day. You could exchange them for clean ones only every other day. One evening at the hotel bar, after about an hour and a half of beers with three friends, I went for our third round. The bartender said he could only give me one beer, then explained management watched the cameras and called him. He gave it to me after I insisted. I felt sorry for him, since it seemed he was another victim of stingy management that thinks guests are there for them, rather than the other way around. The manager, I assume, yelled at waiters in front of guests several times, which was very unprofessional. The waiters were polite, though their English was weak. Reception staff weren’t as good, especially the dark-haired girl who gave us a hard time when we said her colleague had promised a room change. We finally had to ask her to call him and check. We checked out in the middle of the night and asked for a lunch box. It was a mess, with everything stuffed together in one container: sliced ham pressed against a juice box, bread, and spread, with no wrapping or cutlery. I suppose they expected us to eat with our hands. I’d never return to Monte Carlo Hotel. Two stars at most is fair. If you want Turkish hospitality, look elsewhere. The hotel’s attitude seemed to be that you’re there for them, not the other way around.

The beach was dirty, and the hotel didn’t provide lunch service there. Not all the TV channels in the room worked. The hotel is too old to be 4-star, 2 stars at most. Service was okay and the employees were nice, but I’d never go back to Alanya or Monte Carlo Hotel.