The Marilis Hill Resort Hotel & SPA

This really isn’t a 5-star hotel, maybe 3 at most. The room was clean and had a modern look, but we could hear the neighbours, even when they flushed the toilet. The front desk manager was miserable and rude, which made me wonder how she got that position. The rest of the staff were genuinely nice. Halil at the outdoor bar was lovely and helpful, Ayisha looked after everyone and organized lots of activities, and Mr DJ was brilliant at cheering people up. Those three were great with the kids. That was about the only good part. The food was shocking. If you want to diet for a week, this is the place. My kids ate only chips or pasta with tomato sauce all week because the food was the same every day. They reused old feta and other food from the previous day, just warmed up, I think in a microwave. All the sauces were watery. Butter packs were left out for days in the heat and smelled bad. The kitchen chef couldn’t make scrambled eggs, even after we showed her a photo and video. The juice machine didn’t work, so there was only water, salted yogurt, or coffee. The snack bar was open for just two hours and served precooked burgers. The pool was too shallow at the same depth everywhere. There was only one lifeguard between 2 and 4 when the water slide was open. Loose tiles around the pool were dangerous for kids, and the ladder moved when you tried to use it, so it didn’t feel secure. There was no entertainment, the Irish pub was closed, and the children’s area was closed or only available for an extra fee. The bar had only one beer and one cocktail left because they ran out of stock. At night, bar staff mixed a big punch from random things and called it sex on the beach. Staff were working long shifts, seven days a week, and some had no day off for weeks. The beach section available to guests was all pebbles and sharp rocks. The beach bar was all inclusive and sun loungers were free, which was the one positive. WiFi was free, but kept disconnecting, especially once you went to the pool.

The thing that made our stay stand out was the staff. Everyone was welcoming and friendly, and Alisa deserves a special mention for being so kind, caring, and helpful. She went out of her way to make sure we had a good time, even when we went to a nightclub! It’s a smaller hotel, which suited us. It never felt crowded, and we always found sunbeds during the day. Our room was a good size, clean, and comfortable. The food was fairly basic, but it was fine and we could always find something to eat. We had a really nice stay at Marilis Hill Resort, and I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxed, smaller place with lovely staff.

We came to celebrate my birthday, but the first impression at check-in was awful. We landed in Antalya around 9:30 p.m. and reached the hotel by transfer at 11:30. Our room was ready, but when we asked about food, the rude, arrogant receptionist said only soup was available. By the time we checked in, after 11:45, there was nothing at all. The reception bartender seemed too lazy to serve us a drink. We were told there was nowhere nearby to eat, but my friend and I walked across the road to Alara Bazaar and found plenty of restaurants open until 4 a.m. The reception staff, including the manager, were very rude. Since we shared a room, we asked for a second key card so we could come and go separately. They demanded 10 EUROS for it. We were disgusted that a 5-star hotel would charge for an extra card, and it felt like staff were trying to pocket the money. We complained to our travel agent, but still ended up paying. The location and two people are why I’m giving 4 stars: Alisa from the animation team and Halil at the pool bar. Both were welcoming, always smiling, and easy to talk to. Alisa is lovely inside and out, and Halil was a sweetheart who made me his special drink. Thank you both for everything. The full animation team was friendly, and the evening shows were more entertaining than most I’ve seen at hotels in Turkey. Alisa and the team did a great job, and without them this place would be boring. Our room was decent, with a great balcony view of the sea and pool, and the shower was good. The air conditioning kept switching off and wasn’t powerful enough, so the heat was hard to manage day and night. Food was hit and miss, with very few vegetarian choices. My friend was told there were vegetarian dishes, but they had meat in them, which was inconsiderate. Breakfast was the same every day and the omelettes weren’t always fully cooked. Lunch was okay, dinner was much better, and the barbecue in the evenings was great, especially the chicken wings. The beach is about a 20-minute walk away, or there’s a shuttle bus every hour until 5:30 p.m. Avoid the reception bar, where the drinks were horribly watered down and the lobby smelled bad, like puke. The outdoor pool bar had better drinks and cocktails, and Halil served with a smile. I enjoyed my stay and would come back for the location, sea views, sunsets, Alara Bazaar, and, of course, if Alisa and Halil are still working here.

The rooms are comfortable and the view is great, but I’d give the hotel a miss. It’s about 20 km from Alanya, and the nearby town is disappointing. The beach is a poor mix of sand, grit, and pebbles. Food is bland and repetitive, and few staff speak English. The illustration team are frankly embarrassing. I’ve had better entertainment at small UK campsites. Why do they have the same dozen songs blaring out and spoiling the peace? Alcohol is served in the lobby until 2 a.m., which inevitably leads to Brits getting passed up and causing problems. There are some good facilities, though the best one is the fast road 10 metres away for getting back to the airport. There’s no way this is a 5-star hotel, 3 stars maybe.