Swissotel Buyuk Efes Izmir

The harbor is close by, with an easy, lovely walk along the port to see the waterfront and nearby restaurants. The location was a real plus. At Café Swiss, Sude greeted us warmly each morning, and the traditional Turkish breakfast buffet was a feast of fresh breads, cheeses, olives, fruits, and local specialties. On our last morning I wasn’t feeling well and asked a chef whether I could have a simple bowl of cooked oatmeal. They kindly offered almond, oat, or coconut milk. Alara brought it to my table promptly, and Erhan, the manager, checked that all was well and brought me more tea. That care made for a comforting start to the day. I’d recommend the hotel for both its location and the genuine hospitality that made us feel looked after while traveling.

The staff were great, and Nehir deserves a special thanks for the excellent breakfast service. The experience was very good overall, with rooms that are spacious and well maintained, though a bit dated. The minibar is ridiculously expensive, and since there’s a machine, they could include a couple of complimentary Nescafé pods. The hairdryer needs an upgrade, and the shower water pressure could be better.

I’ve been here seven nights and I’m honestly loving it. The breakfast spread is good, and the friendly staff are super efficient at making sure I’m well fed. I travel a lot, and this hotel is on par with or better than other 5* places I stay at. Top stars to swissotel. Love Turkiya. It’s a nice hotel with really friendly staff and worth staying at. My only small observations: the bathroom toothbrushes were missing at first and arrived two days later, and you have to ask for teaspoons at breakfast. These little things are about all I can complain about.

My room had very comfortable beds, the one clear positive. The bathroom scale was broken, the tub plug was rusty, and a beeping sound from the bathroom went on constantly, day and night. The indoor pool was average, though the housekeeping staff were genuinely kind and helpful. I chose the hotel because of its high ratings and attractive photos, expecting good quality and no surprise charges. At check-in, I was shocked by a deposit demand I hadn’t clearly seen in the terms. It was buried in a long paragraph, while the price appeared to include all fees. The receptionist said the rate was “too low for two people” and kept pushing breakfast after I’d clearly refused. We settled on me paying only half the requested deposit. I asked several times whether paying by contactless phone, with Apple Pay, would mean an instant refund at checkout. Each time I was told, “No problem, come 15 min early, we check minibar and return it immediately.” That turned out not to be true. At 3 a.m., when I checked out for an early flight, they said refunds only start at 9 a.m., with no physical card there could be no immediate return, and a transfer would take 3 business days. Mr. Ismail Balaban (shift manager?) and the receptionist showed no empathy or willingness to help. The deposit still hasn’t been returned, and nobody has contacted me. The hotel created the problem, but took no responsibility to resolve it. I’ve had to chase them by email and fight to get my money back. For a 5-star hotel, the unprofessionalism, dishonesty, and lack of accountability are unacceptable. The price and quality are nowhere near a match. Never again. Avoid it if you value your time, nerves, and money.