Vikingen Infinity Resort & Spa All Inclusive

The things we enjoyed were the sea view, the many pools, and time with our family. The rest of our stay at Vikingen Infinity Resort was a major disappointment, and we wouldn’t return or recommend it. I’d give it two stars at most, not five. We’ve travelled to Turkey many times and usually been very happy, but this trip fell short. The room was too small for four, barely suitable for three, and hadn’t been set up for four guests. There were only two glasses, cups, and towels. Reception brought a folding bed after we complained, but the space was still cramped and our suitcases had to stay on the floor. The sea view was lovely, though from the sides we saw a dump site and busy road, so we couldn’t enjoy the balcony, which had just two chairs and clearly wasn’t meant for three, let alone four. The hotel grounds look attractive at first, but there was constant traffic noise even around the pools. The room was not properly cleaned. An unused tampon was on the floor when we arrived, and it was still there on day ten after I reported it. Elevator banging continued all night, and cleaners were noisy early in the morning. There were no Do Not Disturb signs, and staff knocked and came in even when we clearly said no. One morning, while our daughter was on the balcony, a cleaner leaned her head over from the neighboring room. That was completely unacceptable. There was litter, cups, and used diapers around the pool, with too few bins and staff who seemed indifferent. Bartenders were slow and unfriendly. A few Indonesian employees were kind and helpful, but it was uncomfortable to see Turkish colleagues treating them poorly. The food selection was wide but bland and tasteless, so we ate out several times. At the hotel shop, a short red-haired woman shouted at our children, aged 8 and 11, when they asked about prices that weren’t displayed. She shouted at me too when I asked what had happened. It was extremely unprofessional, so we shopped elsewhere. Our children liked the mini disco, but the other shows felt repetitive, with the same dances in different costumes.

I’m here for my second visit and still loving it. The pools are a bit cold, though that’s not the hotel’s fault. The staff work hard and are very respectful, and the entertainment is amazing. The shows are incredible, the talent is unbelievable. There’s fresh food and plenty of choice every day and night, so you shouldn’t go hungry. The beach is beautiful and the sea is lovely and warm.

Smoking is everywhere, and the smell makes it impossible to open the balcony doors or windows. It was a horrible, ruined holiday, and I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. This isn’t a five-star hotel, it deserves minus zero stars. The room had blankets and shower gel when we checked in, but the carpet was old, stained, and dirty. The food was disgusting. I took grilled fish that was rotten and smelled terrible. The children ate only fast food because the other food was the same every day. There were no cakes, just plastic-tasting, tasteless ones. No watermelons, melons, strawberries, or other fruit, only apples, oranges, tangerines, and bananas. The main restaurant was constantly short of plates and forks, and the dishes were greasy and dirty. You had to wait for plates and pick through a pile to find a clean plate and fork. The beach restaurant also had dirty, greasy dishes and often no cutlery, so people stood around waiting for a fork and ate with their hands. Coffee machines were out of order all the time. The bars smelled of cheap alcohol, and the counters were always sticky and dirty. There were mice running near the chicken corner at the beach bar, and mice on the roof too. The sauna was in a very poor state. Only two of the three units worked, and they kept switching off one after another. There were many impolite Russian guests who pushed, shouted, and swore as though they’d never seen food or alcohol before. In restaurants they rushed at the food and pushed everyone, even children. Staff were rude and couldn’t understand English. They seemed to expect everyone to speak Russian. Women weren’t safe from insults, and security didn’t care. The entertainment was awful. The children’s disco was the same thing over and over, and the shows weren’t interesting. It was impossible to sleep because the cleaner shouted early in the morning and staff entered the room.

The hotel was a health and safety hazard, nowhere near five-star, and this was the worst holiday we’ve ever had. For context, we’ve travelled abroad four times in the last 12 months, as well as taking UK holidays. Since getting home, I filed a formal complaint with easyJet, and they offered a partial refund because of the multiple problems. The description didn’t say the hotel was right beside a motorway or that reaching the beach meant crossing a motorway bridge. The traffic noise was constant, and I’d never have booked somewhere beside a motorway. The disco also went on until 2am and could be heard all over the hotel. At that volume it wasn’t relaxing, and seemed suited only to an 18 to 30s holiday. We didn’t sleep during the 7nights we were there. Every morning at sunrise there was a call for prayer, then a phone in the hallway outside our room rang around 7am. Our room had several problems. Most worrying was a roof leak, with water dripping constantly down the wall, onto the skirting board and then the carpet, keeping us awake. We reported it to reception immediately. They said someone would come straight away and move us if it couldn’t be fixed, but nobody ever came to look. The next day the hotel’s electricity kept cutting out, and fire alarms were hanging off the wall. If the leak had caused a problem, it could have cost lives. The shower stayed warm for about 2minutes before turning cold. There were no blankets, so we had to ask for them after I spent the first night cold under only a small sheet. The drinks choice was poor. You could order the same drink all evening and get it made differently each time, depending on which alcohol they had left. Turkish guests could push to the front of the queue and be served right away, which may explain why Turkish reviews are all five stars. We’ve just returned from this terrible family holiday, and I feel the hotel was misrepresented. If you want a nice family break, this isn’t the place.