Çenger Beach Resort Spa - All Inclusive

The reception staff were rude and spoke little or no English. The whole stay left us underwhelmed, despite the beautiful exterior and well-maintained lobby. I don't know how this is rated five stars. It should be three. It's far from malls, parks, and most local attractions, which is inconvenient if you want to explore or find nearby activities. Free Wi-Fi is only available in the lobby, and it lagged much of the time. Reliable internet in your room costs extra: €13 for a week or €5 for three days.

We did find two positives: there was a fish restaurant you could book for an evening, and a free 15-minute massage was included in the stay. The hotel also had shops and services, including a hairdresser and an arcade. The beach was sandy and pebbly, and I wouldn't recommend walking into the water over the rocks without shoes. There was only one show worth seeing during the week. The biggest problem is how isolated the hotel is. Side is 25 km from the main sightseeing spots, and nearby there's only a pharmacy and a supermarket, with three supermarkets in the same building. The rooms need renovation and are nowhere near five-star standard, more like three-star. Power cuts happened often, and noisy generators were especially annoying at night. They woke us in the middle of the night, and everything was completely dark. The hotel is heavily geared toward Russian guests. Half the hotel was Polish, but none of the staff spoke any Polish. Apart from a few exceptions, communicating in English was very difficult too, since everything was in Russian, including the entertainment staff. Most staff were unfriendly and seemed to be there as a punishment. The entertainment woman was rude too, and her appearance and demeanor were off-putting. The exceptions were the luggage carrier, dining room manager, and guest relations lady.

Our kids had a great time with the animation team, and Ahmet and the others were especially kind and helpful. They kept our young son and daughter entertained, and the children even picked up a few phrases in different languages. This was our first all-inclusive holiday, and we felt well looked after. We’d originally asked for one room for our family of five but were assigned two when booking; once we arrived, they gave us a room that fit all of us.

The animation team brought plenty of energy to the stay. They ran activities in the morning and shows in the evening, kept things lively without being pushy, and made sure guests felt included. Cenger Beach Hotel itself was clean and well kept, with a large pool area, a spa, and easy access to a lovely private beach. There’s room to relax or keep busy. I had a wonderful stay and would happily come back. I recommend it for a fun, relaxing holiday.