Smart City Suites Bodrum

The location is the one thing this place has going for it. There are other hotels nearby at the same price or less, as we found when we considered leaving to find somewhere else. It feels like very little effort goes into maintaining the property, which has been allowed to deteriorate. We stayed in one of its priciest rooms, and it was in poor shape: the door was broken, curtains had come off their rails, the shower hose leaked, and broken stair lights meant walking back in the dark at night. The shower screen covered only one side, so water splashed out everywhere. The reception area looked decent, though nobody seemed to use it; the rest felt run-down. Maybe the positive reviews describe how it used to be, but by late August 2024 that wasn't our experience. Service was absent, and the included breakfast looked so sad and skimpy that we skipped it. We've had much better breakfasts at Turkish accommodation costing half as much.

I booked this place for the sea view and breakfast, but the view from my room was limited and didn't match the photos. On arrival, the receptionist showed me two rooms, on the first and third floors, neither with a sea view. He said I could switch the next day, and I was then given a second-floor room. After I changed rooms, he forgot to update the system. In the middle of the night, a man opened my door with a key card, saying he'd seen the room listed as free. I was frightened and had a panic attack, but managed to block the door and loudly call out what was happening. He said staff could open it with a card, the same type the cleaners use. I know key cards exist, but having someone open and shut my door at night was frightening. I happened to be awake. Breakfast was a letdown too. The terrace was dirty and disorganized, with a neglected feel. There wasn't much beyond vegetables, cheese, bread, and jelly, and food safety didn't seem proper. Mosquitoes were a problem and staff seemed indifferent. My room was cleaned only once, after I asked for it. There was also a hole in the floor. At checkout nobody was at reception, so I had to arrange my own taxi. I was glad I had a Turkish SIM card. They also used a lot of plastic for shampoo, soap bars, and shower gel; dispensers would be a more sustainable option.

The staff were nice and the location is good, but the room quality and cleanliness were both poor, especially for the price. Maybe when I was 16 and had nowhere else to sleep, I might have accepted a place this run-down. It's not somewhere I'd choose for a vacation. I don't recommend it.

The water stopped completely when we got back from the beach around 6 pm. We were told it'd be back in five minutes, but waited an hour and a half, and ended up leaving the room late because of it. Breakfast was very poor and there wasn't enough for everyone. By 9:30, it was all gone, even the milk for coffee. They said room cleaning happens every three days, and nobody came unless we asked. The terrace also closed after breakfast, so we couldn't enjoy it at night. For what we paid, we could have stayed somewhere better. I don't know why I picked this hotel.