Golden Rock Beach Hotel - All Inclusive

The food was amazing, with something different each day. It’s an excellent hotel in a very good location, with easy access to the private beach and its sunbeds. Highly recommend 👌

Marmaris was a lovely surprise. People had warned me about shop workers harassing visitors, but I didn’t find that. They may invite you in to look around, but I found that saying “no” worked well. My husband fell in love with the place, and we recommend Taj Mahal restaurant, about half an hour’s walk from the hotel. As a Bengali, English, multicultural couple, we felt safe, happy and respected in the area. The hotel was the best holiday we’ve had so far, and we’re already talking about coming back for 10 days because a week wasn’t enough. Check-in was easy and the welcome was friendly, though I was told to come back in the morning with questions about the safe, a second key card and late checkout. Our suitcases were taken to the room and we were looked after straight away. The room was cosy, large, clean, well equipped and had plenty of bottled water in the fridge. It also had a single bed. I’d read reviews calling it dirty and outdated, but that wasn’t our experience. The view was stunning. I paid for a sea view and asked my holiday organiser to request a high floor with a pool view, which is what we got. The same cleaner came each day, always cheerful, and left notes and decorations. The pool is big. It can seem smaller because there’s so much space around it, but they use the area well, with plenty of sunbeds. People reserve beds, and we enjoyed watching the men walk down from 1 am onwards, but there were still beds available. You can also ask staff to bring one down from the stack, and they’re happy to help. The private beach is very close and has plenty of beds too. The slides are for everyone, and the supervisor is there each day in the sun, ready for a laugh. The entertainment was much better than I expected, not cheesy, and we got hooked both day and night. The team were funny, and the evening shows were a pleasant surprise, with singers who got everyone dancing, a circus act and a Michael Jackson act that was actually great. It starts at 9:30 pm. My one complaint was the late checkout. I asked for details when we arrived and was told to come by 10 am on our departure day to extend it. Two days before leaving, I checked again and was reassured that I could come in that morning and pay. I went down at 9 am and was asked to return an hour later because reception was busy. When I came back, a young woman said it wasn’t possible because they needed the room. I explained that I’d asked three times and had been told to arrange it on the last day. Of course the hotel needs the room, but it seems a silly system. At other hotels I’ve been told to ask the day before, when they know whether the room is needed. I usually avoid complaining, but I explained what I’d been told. After speaking with someone in the office, she let me pay. It would help if they could tell guests the day before whether the room is available. I hadn’t been told “maybe” all week, I’d been reassured I could pay on the day. Late checkout is until 4 pm and costs €60. A couple of practical things: the transfer from Dalaman Airport takes two hours, though it was smooth. Please pay for the safe. It’s cheap and a better way to keep valuables locked away. People who complain about that fee are looking for issues, it’s no big deal.

The private beach was usually quieter than the often busy pool, where towels were on sunbeds by 7 am. The all-inclusive drinks were fine, with generous cocktail pours, though the cocktail choice was limited. Food had plenty of options for everyone, but the mix of dishes was sometimes strange and it got repetitive by the end of the week. Staff were friendly and attentive throughout. The room was a little dated, but very clean and well stocked. Having to pay extra for the in-room safe felt sleazy. In my opinion, it should come as standard. Entertainment got repetitive fast, and they could do with rotating a few playlists instead of playing the same songs every day. It was a great-value stay, more like a solid four stars than five, and I’d recommend it to budget-conscious travellers.

Food was a real highlight. Everything tasted fresh, with lots to choose from at every meal, including casserole, grilled meat and fish, plenty of salads, fresh bread, eggs, omelettes, melon and other fruit, desserts, pizza, pasta, baked potatoes, kebab, chips and the best crispy fried chicken we’ve had in ages. We were spoiled for choice every day. We’d just come back from 12 days at this brilliant hotel and had to share our experience. The place was exceptionally well kept and clean. Our spacious, comfortable room was spotless, and housekeeping came daily. Everyone greeted us warmly, from reception and the bars to housekeeping and the restaurant. The pool area was immaculate and well managed, and we never had trouble finding a sunbed, which made relaxing by the pool even better. The entertainment was the highlight of the holiday, without exaggeration. The team worked hard to involve guests, stopped for chats and made everyone feel welcome. Boris, Lera, Zarina and Mete were great fun. Rose, Debbie and especially Niko made our son’s holiday, and ours, extra special. Saying goodbye was genuinely hard. The evening performances were the best we’ve seen at any hotel, with something spectacular every night. We had a fantastic holiday and are already looking forward to returning. We couldn’t fault anything, from the clean rooms and grounds to the staff, shows and food. Thank you for making the stay so memorable.