Sun Beach Resort Hotel

My wife, our two children, and I stayed here during the Ramadan holiday, June 2-9, 2019. I’ve taken summer vacations for years and never had an experience this bad. I saw a few positive reviews, but they don’t match what we experienced at all. I suspect the hotel management wrote them. The room, service, and food were all poor. The furniture was falling apart, and although the air conditioning worked, it leaked a lot of water. The TV had only one or two channels, buried in static. The supposed double bed was only about one and a half people wide. Nobody came to clean the room during our week there. The bathroom foot towel was covered in mud, apparently from beach sand. They supplied soap and shampoo once and never replaced them. The food was the same cheap, rubbery, spongy meatballs and nuggets at every meal, so I wouldn’t eat there. The drink machines were broken, and we waited in line for half an hour. The plates, glasses, and dishes were filthy, and it was unpleasant to see how they were washed. On the beach there were no showers or places to rinse your feet, and there was no entertainment or anything like that. There’s no parking, so be careful where you leave your car. I had to pay the tow truck and a parking fine to get mine back, and the parking lot police mafia was very active. There were men with yellow necklaces around, and the pool was only available in the early hours while they were asleep. Don’t waste your money and end up humiliated.

The biggest plus for us was the staff, who were genuinely polite and kind. The rooms were spacious, with sturdy windows that blocked a lot of noise, and the shower and toilet were clean and nice. The furniture looked a little old, but that didn’t bother us much. There was air conditioning, and room cleaning was available on request. We were three guests and all very pleased. There was a good spread of food, including meat and vegetable dishes, soups, salads, appetizers, and enough desserts, plus plenty of watermelon. Beer, juice, soda, and water were always available at the bar. There’s also an à la carte restaurant for an extra charge. The pool is very large, with music and a great sound system that gives it a beach club feel. It’s right by the beach, with its own private area. In the evenings, we could even go to clubs with the hotel staff member, Mr. Özgür. For a mid-range, reasonably priced all-inclusive hotel, we felt it was worth the money. I don’t understand all the negative reviews. Where else can you find this quality at this price? The hotel welcomes everyone, including families, groups of women, and groups of men. People should respect each other and enjoy their holidays. If you’re bothered by noise, why choose a hotel near a street full of bars? If groups of men make you uncomfortable, choose a family-only hotel. Even the most luxurious places have flaws. What matters is the number of advantages and whether the staff are attentive. We were happy, and so was everyone we talked to. We’ll return next year, and I recommend it to everyone.

Vals Tour found us another place, Costa Luvi Hotel, which was very nice, so we weren’t left stranded. Our holiday had taken a disastrous turn after we arrived as two families. We got there at noon and waited until 2, expecting a room to open up. At check-in time I had to make a fuss, and even though we were only two people, they gave us a room for two. The other family arrived half an hour after check-in time, but there was still no room for them, despite me telling the staff when we checked in that we were two families and asking them to prepare both rooms. We waited until 8 PM for our friends’ room. During that time, staff told us to enjoy ourselves. Before the trip, I’d asked several times whether outsiders could use the pool and beach. They said no, hotel guests only, but there were lots of people in both areas. They close the beach at 7 PM to set out tables and chairs anyway. By 8, our nerves were shot, and staff told us they planned to give us a staff room. When we objected, they kicked us out. This was a holiday we’d waited patiently a whole year for. We went last August and complained on Facebook and şikayet.com, the Turkish complaint website, but got no answer. Don’t stay here or encourage others to go. Vals Tour sent us to Costa Luvi Hotel instead.

We paid 700₺ for two people with breakfast, and it didn’t feel worth the price. The renovation seemed carelessly done, and the elevators smelled of paint. We’d booked a sea view, but columns blocked the view, which was disappointing. Breakfast was decent and both the room and bathroom were clean. The shower, though, was really old. I’ve got a better one at home :) I’d give it three stars.