Villamar Hotel

We had a lovely two weeks at the Villamar, and hope to come back next year to see our friends there. The staff were welcoming and attentive, and nothing we asked for seemed too much. We liked the relaxed feel, the roughly ten-metre pool, and the plenty of sunbeds. It never felt too busy, and we had some nice chats with other guests. We booked bed and breakfast and enjoyed a traditional Turkish breakfast each morning. A few times we asked for a light poolside lunch, and the staff arranged pizza. The lift stops between floors, so there’s still one flight of stairs up or down. The location worked perfectly for us, in a little square with a park in front and by the canal. It’s around 300 metres, or a six-minute walk, to the beach past Broadway and Majestic. Florida restaurant is close, with Oscars bar and Rush bar behind the hotel. There’s a small bar on site, and staff are keen to serve you any time of day or evening. You can hear music at night through the double glazing, but it wasn’t too loud and stopped by midnight. That didn’t bother us, as we were usually up anyway.

Our holiday was ruined by the second day. We asked to use the lobby fridge to keep ham for breakfast because our son wouldn’t eat anything included in the Turkish breakfast, and getting permission was a struggle. Then we were told we couldn’t bring fruit into our room, and warned we’d be removed if it happened again. After contacting the booking company, we were threatened with removal for taking fruit to the room. The manager and two friends seemed to watch us all day; they were there drinking their own beer from the lobby fridge. The manager also expected guests to buy drinks at his bar, where more than half the alcohol bottles were completely empty and four or five were half-empty, with no way to know how long they’d sat in the sun. The price only covers the bed. Air conditioning, a fridge, boiling water, and part of breakfast all cost extra, payable in cash without proof of payment.

The kids had a great time, and two of them learned to swim. Staff were friendly, the rooms were clean, and towels were changed every day. Breakfast could be better, especially the tea, which matters to some people.

This was my first time in Turkey and at this hotel. It’s a great base for getting around, centrally located, safe, clean, and quiet at night. The rooms may be small, but the manager and staff were pleasant, and ours was kept clean with fresh towels. Other guests seemed happy too. The food was fine for me, and for the price I thought it was good value. We paid for AC, as we’ve done at budget hotels in Greece too. Some people seem to expect a five-star stay from a two-star place. We’ve booked again for September, see you then!