Grand Hotel Gulsoy

The rooftop restaurant has an amazing view, and the food is delicious. Reception staff speak English and are friendly, and the cleaning staff were exceptional, honestly worth 10 stars. They let us check out late, at 2pm. But the rooms are small, the mattress and pillow weren't very comfortable, and breakfast had few choices. It wasn't a Turkish breakfast, and the same food was served for all three days. The towels were dusty, stored right under the bathroom vent. They advertise unlimited water, yet refused to bring a second delivery the same day, saying, “we already sent you.” We couldn't get an electrical extension for the plugs or an iron. There's no sound insulation in the doors, and staff will open your door almost immediately if you don't answer, which felt like a real privacy issue. When we asked for a room with a view, they said it wasn't what we'd booked on booking, even though there was no option to choose one.

The room was clean, and the housekeeping staff were great. We arrived late with two children and needed to get them food. I couldn't get an order to work on an app, so I went to reception. The lovely chap there ordered it on his own phone. My card wouldn't work when the food arrived, and I didn't have enough cash, so he lent me the 400 I was short and said I could pay him back after I exchanged money in the morning. He really went out of his way for us. Amazing, helpful staff so far.

We felt safe in the area, especially as women, and could walk to many restaurants, sights, and public transport. The lobby staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast was delicious, and when our room's hairdryer and water had problems, reception sorted them out quickly. But the spa was a very negative experience. The rules aren't explained clearly beforehand. There's no obvious sign that swim caps are required, but staff suddenly enforce it and tell people to get out of the pool if they're not wearing one. There's a separate spa reception, yet almost nobody was there to welcome guests or explain anything. Meanwhile, several employees sat around the pool without giving information. The way they handled nudity was the worst part. My friend and I each booked the most expensive massage treatment, which included a fully naked massage and hammam. Afterwards, we wore bikinis in the pool and went naked in the sauna, and nobody said anything, so we thought that was fine. We did the same the next day, and at first everything seemed okay again. Later, when I was alone in a sauna, the same employee who'd given me the massage confronted me. She said there were Muslim guests at the hotel and I had to respect their religion by not being naked. She also warned that if I stayed naked, Turkish men would take pictures of me. I'm willing to follow rules, but they should be explained clearly and respectfully in advance, not suddenly imposed in a way that feels threatening and shaming. It left me feeling very uncomfortable and unsafe and ruined our last evening. The hotel itself is nice, but as a young woman, I wouldn't recommend using the spa. Some employees there behaved in a way that felt unprofessional and inappropriate.

The sound insulation was the one real complaint. You could hear noise between the rooms, from the hallway, and from the road. The hotel's in a very good spot, with many tourist attractions within walking distance, and the breakfast was decent, with something for everyone. The rooms were clean and tidy, thanks to the women who did a good job cleaning them. The staff met the high standard you'd expect, and the pool and sauna were ideal for relaxing.