Ephesia Holiday Beach Club

The location made it easy to get around, with a bazaar, promenade, and open-air shopping area nearby. There’s also a taxi stand and bus stop right outside for trips into town. If the beach matters to you, I’d pick the beach club over the other Ephesia site. We walked past that hotel and its beach was packed tightly with people, while this beach was smaller but didn’t feel cramped. I’d recommend the hotel to families, though it’s not really a couples retreat. We’d read some negative reviews before our two-week stay and were a bit nervous, but ended up pleasantly surprised. The staff seemed cheerful and friendly, and housekeeping was frequent and thorough. Shows seemed to be run by enthusiastic people from what we saw at a distance, although we didn’t attend any or speak with the entertainment team. Our four-person family room was roomy enough for two. Four people, especially with pre-teens, might find it a squeeze. The food was good, if somewhat repetitive, but there was usually something different at the main meals. Labels were provided, though looking at the food was sometimes a better guide. There was a separate gluten-free station and a kids’ area with small tables, chairs, and child-friendly food. Vegetarians and vegans may have trouble finding protein options. I’m a fussy eater and never went hungry, or needed any “emergency pasta.” A little maintenance and cosmetic work would help. Nothing we noticed seemed beyond what a capable DIYer could handle.

The only change I’d ask for is longer hours at the ice cream stall. Small ice lollies were available from 14:30-17:00, which was a letdown. Everything else made this feel like heaven and somewhere we’d love to return to. We stayed in a swim-up room, which I’d definitely choose again, though we also tried the other pools and found them all spotless. Our room was comfortable and immaculate, and the service was quick and friendly. We ate at La Veranda, where Ibrahim made sure everything was just right. The clean, lovely beach was only a couple of minutes’ walk away.

The illness was the part of this holiday that really spoiled it. A sickness bug took three days out of our seven-day stay. We saw children being sick every day, right up to the time we took our cases to check out. From what we could tell, the bug had been around for at least a week before we arrived. Staff we spoke with knew many guests were getting ill, but we saw no deep clean or hand-sanitising stations. The only change we noticed came on our last day, when paper mats replaced the usual placemats. Jet2 also didn’t warn people to be vigilant, which was disappointing. We’ll be complaining to them, as half the holiday was ruined despite costing a lot of money. There were some good things: the slides, splash parks for little ones, and pools were impressive, though parts need maintenance. Missing tiles badly scratched my daughter’s thigh. There were plenty of sunbeds, and the small beach was nice despite being rocky in places. The sunsets were incredible. Evening entertainment was good, but the amphitheatre didn’t have enough seats, so we missed a couple of nights. The food had a reasonable range for a three-star hotel, especially the cold dishes. But the buildings rely on air-conditioning units rather than built-in systems outside the rooms. There weren’t nearly enough in the main restaurant, making meals unpleasant, and it got very crowded because the restaurant was open for only two hours at each meal.

I rarely post negative reviews, but I feel I should share this for the safety of other families. Someone was able to jump the gate and reach the children’s area, getting close to our kids before we could step in. It’s frightening to think they might have been armed. We called for help, but security took almost 15 minutes to arrive, and by then the person had disappeared. Families should be able to feel safe at a hotel, and children shouldn’t be exposed to this kind of risk. How easily someone got onto the property raises serious concerns about security. I urge management to address these gaps immediately. Until then, I can’t recommend the place, especially for anyone travelling with children. The food was also extremely disappointing: poor quality, bland, and far below what I expected from a hotel of this level.