Giges King Hotel

The building looked beautiful and historic, and the location tempted us, but the stay was a nightmare. Check-in dragged on. The manager didn't speak English and couldn't manage the computer, so I entered our passport details myself to speed things up. At 6:30 pm, after all that, he told us the room still wasn't ready. He offered juice while we waited, and we thought it was to make up for the delay. It wasn't, and we were asked to pay. We said we'd settle it at checkout, which is normal practice where we live. The room was dirty, with dust and stains everywhere. The lavatory still had obvious traces from the previous guest, so I asked a woman to clean it again. She looked at me and insulted me in Turkish. The safe and light didn't work, and there was no WiFi for the entire stay. After dinner, the manager showed no concern about the missing WiFi or light, but chased after us to collect payment for the juice. There was no blanket either. After I insisted, they gave me one without a cover. I didn't feel it was hygienic, so I wouldn't sleep under it and spent the night covered with a towel. The place was very noisy, every step and creak came through, and I counted the minutes until morning. Worst hotel I've ever stayed in. Avoid it. The manager understands nothing about running this business.

I felt very uncomfortable, uneasy and frankly unsafe here. In all my years of travel, this was the first hotel where I'd felt that way. I chose Giges Hotel for its central spot in Old City, knowing it was budget accommodation but expecting basic amenities. At check-in, the toilet seat was broken, the coffee machine was dirty, there were no tea or coffee packets or bath soap, and the room needed cleaning. No one was around to ask, so I had to get soap from other rooms. I thought perhaps the early check-in explained the problems and they'd be fixed while I was out. Nothing was done. The next day, after a day of touring, I was furious. The check-in itself had felt like a bother, and by then I felt I was being treated differently. I raised concerns with management about racial treatment and said service should be excellent for everyone, whatever their race. They apologized, but the damage was done. The owner of the adjoining coffee shop was welcoming and fantastic, even though I didn't buy anything there. Old City is still a must-visit, with so much to see and enjoy, and I didn't let this spoil my visit. There are many hotels closer by, though, and I can't recommend this one, especially for people of color. Expedia, you need to review the properties you sign up for on racial discrimination policies and practices. Insist on basic service and hold hotels to a standard. Giges Hotel needs to treat everyone with respect and meet basic standards. Don't advertise if you can't clean rooms or provide basic hospitality.

The room and garden are lovely, with a small pool, and breakfast is a cute, simple meal served outside in the garden. As other reviews say, there's practically no soundproofing. You can hear people talking and walking in the stairway as though they're in your room.

Our first-floor room was a favorite, with its huge bed, high ceilings, stone walls, wooden window shutters and lovely design. The hotel is new, right in Antalya's historic center, and only four minutes from a very beautiful beach. Breakfast was the best Turkish breakfast, the WiFi was fast, and the staff were kind and helpful. Hope to return soon!