Koçer Club Family Apartments

We had a wonderful family stay in this calm hotel. The pool area was lovely, and the staff were just what you hope for in Turkey. The rooms have no TV, and the kitchen is very basic, so self-catering options are limited.

The location was a real plus, just a short walk to the beach, and the pool is enormous, possibly one of the biggest around. There are good foundations here, but our stay was a mixed bag. We arrived at 4am after a private transfer, yet were told our family apartment had been given away because we were late. We were put in a small twin room that wasn't suitable for four, and unfolding the sofa bed sent up a cloud of dust. After about an hour of discussion, we spent the night split between two twin rooms. Both had cleanliness problems, including hairs in a bathroom and unexplained stains on sheets. We were told to come back at 10am for the booked room. That room was better, though having its only bathroom inside the main bedroom made family logistics awkward. Our room looked onto a busy road, and the thin windows let in enough traffic noise to make sleeping difficult. A pool-facing room might be a better choice if quiet matters to you. The air conditioning cost us £12 a day, but we heard other guests were paying different rates. In the heat, it felt necessary, so pricing should be consistent. The owner, who goes by “The Captain,” was around a lot and seemed keen to be the hotel's lively host. He could be friendly, but staff, including him, were often napping or seemed very relaxed, sometimes drinking or asleep near reception. Some casual remarks to younger guests also made us uncomfortable. We initially laughed at local talk that alcohol was being brewed at the hotel, then wondered if there might be something to it. The pool is spacious, but its filters looked clogged, and parasols blew into the water when the wind came up. We also saw a minor handling pool chemicals and working behind the bar, which didn't seem appropriate. Cocktails varied a lot: the same order could come out quite differently, with some good and some rather unusual. A prime spot, a huge pool and an owner who appears to want the place to succeed are all there. Better management, cleanliness and a more professional approach to safety and service would make a big difference.

The room wasn't cleaned for seven days, and one cleaner unlocked our door without asking. There was no real customer service, we were told food wasn't served, and cockroaches were everywhere. The pool area was dirty, the shower and toilets were disgusting, and we had no clean towels. We had to get our own toilet paper because nothing was provided. Air conditioning cost £80 for six days. Never again. Avoid this place and pay a little more for somewhere clean enough for children.

The pool is the main thing going for this hotel. It's huge and has plenty of sunbeds, though not enough parasols, and the bases are too light. They get blown around and sometimes land in the water, so keep a close watch on little ones. The water looked cloudy, the vents were covered in dirt and hair, and from what we heard, a young boy, maybe 16, cleaned the pool and also worked at the bar. Our first night was awful. We had booked a family room but were given a twin with a red sofa bed, marked with greyish white stains. Flattening it raised a big cloud of dust, and there was hair in the toilet. After we complained that it wouldn't work for four people, we were moved into two rooms. One had a leaking bathroom. We were told the booked room had gone because we'd arrived too late, even though we'd come straight from our transfer. All three rooms we saw had dirty floors and bedding, and none were cleaned during our stay. The location is convenient, near the beach, bars, restaurants and good shops. The beach is a couple of minutes away, and a Migros supermarket is right across the road, handy for self-catering. But the hotel sits over the main road, so it can be noisy unless your room faces the pool. There are a lot of extra costs. The safe boxes are at reception, and the hotel says it isn't responsible for lost items. The pool bar won't take cards, so without cash you have to go to reception to pay while your drinks get warm. WiFi is unavailable in much of the hotel, and they charge for a portable box; they even warned us on arrival that the WiFi was poor. We paid £12 daily for air conditioning, while other guests said their rates ranged from £9 to £15. Staff were okay, but we repeatedly saw the owner, who is also described as the first aider and lifeguard, drinking with friends by the pool and sleeping on a bench near reception. He spent a lot of time talking only to female guests. He jokingly called himself the boyfriend of a 12-year-old in our group, and guests from another group described similar behavior toward their 14-year-old daughter. The place has potential, and I hope they address these problems before next season. It needs care and investment to become one of the area's best.