The Marmara Antalya

On our first stay, we were in the revolving building. The room layout was a bit odd, but everything else was perfect, including the comfortable bed, quiet, and views. We returned because the location is great, the breakfast is good, and there are beautiful gardens and a little spot by the sea at the foot of the cliff. This time we stayed in the main building, and it was horrible. The rooms aren’t finished. The ceilings are bare concrete, with no plasterboard or proper lights, just a light in the entrance hall and bedside lamps, so the room was dark in the evening. The mattresses were incredibly firm and uncomfortable. Worst of all was the noise from the club across the road, which kept us awake until it closed at 3 a.m., followed by the morning prayer at 6. We didn’t get a good night’s sleep all week and were constantly tired, which ruined the holiday. We think the noise gets in because the rooms are so poorly finished. The walls look like a big rectangle of painted wood screwed into place, really cheaply done. I’d only consider staying here if I could be in the revolving building.

We had an amazing experience. The hotel and rooms were spotlessly clean, the service was impeccable, and the food was really good. Mr. Kemal and Mr. Yelmez at reception were especially helpful and accommodating throughout our stay.

This hotel has a rotating section, so some rooms, like ours, have panoramic windows and views that shift from the pool to the restaurant, apartments, and sea. We stayed in room 823. There’s a private beach where you can relax or dive in, and the large restaurant serves a great range at the breakfast buffet. The rooms do need some updating.

There’s a lot to like about the setting. The hotel sits on the cliffs, with gardens outside and easy access down to sea level by an external elevator. The dining hall is also a nice place to spend time. The rooms are spacious, but could be better, especially the lighting, which is all below knee level. WiFi goes through some kind of app that’s finicky. I couldn’t connect one of my devices at all, even though I’ve never had this problem anywhere else.