Selenium Hotel

The hotel is handy for the old Greek and Roman ruins in Side, and the hotel bus goes to the farther beach, about 2 km away. That beach was bigger, airier, and not crowded in June when I visited. The closer beach is a downside: around a 15-minute walk, or 700-800 meters, and it’s squeezed between two other beaches, with facilities that leave a lot to be desired. The location overall is fairly central, though nothing special. I had a pleasant stay at this three-star hotel. My single room was quite spacious, with a double bed, shower, mini balcony, mini fridge, and TV. It was cleaned daily, and the towels were usually changed every two days. Half-board meals were varied and satisfying. There was room for improvement, but given the price and the hotel’s rating, I didn’t expect too much more. The staff were helpful, and the stay was pleasant overall.

I was really happy with our week here. The staff were very friendly, and the hotel was economical and well managed. The food was fresh, with a fairly wide selection that was fine for meals. The rooms and premises felt fresh and renovated, and everything was clean and looked after. There are two swimming pools, both small but clean and good, and the hotel also has spots at the beach. The beach isn’t far, and neither is the old city. Public transport is active and convenient to use. The Spa was a real highlight, especially Ali, the Spa Manager, and Mira, the Physical Therapist. If you want a real massage, she’s the best, and we recommend her. This hotel is a good economical option if you mainly need somewhere to sleep at night.

The local bars are amazing, which makes it a shame that I’d never stay at this hotel again. The owners’ attitude was, in their words, that it mainly caters to Germans and Russians and the English complain. At 9pm we were told off for being too noisy in the hotel bar by the pool, with rooms all around it, so it’s not a place for anyone wanting a good night. We went all inclusive but ate out every meal. Breakfast was cheese, salami, salad, and boiled egg. Dinner was just handed to you, whatever they’d put on the plate, and the tea was awful. I had to complain a few times because there was nothing to eat. Only two staff spoke English; everyone else spoke only German, Russian, or Turkish, so you’ll struggle unless you speak one of those languages.

We went in May 2022, and the hotel didn’t meet our expectations. We booked all inclusive, but were told bottled drinking water wasn’t included, so we had to buy it every day, which seemed funny. The food wasn’t very good and the selection was small. Both the room and pool were small, and the room wasn’t big enough for us with two kids. The location was good, with the beach within walking distance. There were lots of cats around the hotel, and they didn’t listen to us. They would jump onto your body at any time, which I hated most. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel or spend money on it. It didn’t feel suitable for families or young couples, and most of the guests seemed to be older German and Russian people.