Karya Family Resort – All inclusive

Within a few hours of leaving, my young son became very ill and has now been sick for almost five days. We took him to the hospital, where they confirmed and treated a waterborne illness from the pool. Please be careful around the dirty pools. The kids' water park was one of the main reasons we booked, and my son loved it. The water on the beach to the left of the property is beautiful, though the hotel should clean the beach better. By the sports court, the beach is muddy and murky. The food is pretty good, but after two days I was already tired of the same options, and I'm glad our stay is short. The kitchen and cleaning staff work hard, but the place still feels dirty. Maybe they need more staff. I've stayed at many resorts across Turkiye, including cheaper ones, and never had cleanliness problems like this. It's not the hospitality standard Turkiye is known for. Our room floors were filthy and basic maintenance seemed lacking. Oceanfront buildings with salt water deteriorate faster and need more upkeep. The rooms are spacious, but they're old and crusty, and the hotel overall needs better maintenance and renovation. Housekeepers try hard to make the rooms presentable, but there's only so much they can do. We swam in the main pool on our first day and it was disgusting, slimy with hair everywhere. We haven't gone back, and I wouldn't let my child put his head underwater. They advertised late breakfast until 11am, but food was being put away before 10:30. Staff chased my son and me out of two indoor seating areas, saying those sections were closed. It was embarrassing when there were no clean tables outside. A kind staff woman eventually found us a table and asked the busser to clean it. They need more bussing staff for this many guests. People were also wild at the buffet, piling food on their plates and wasting it. That's not the hotel's fault, but I felt sorry for the chefs. The 30th August program was nice, but the dancers' twerking and provocative stripper songs weren't appropriate for children. The hotel needs to improve how it operates and its cleanliness, or its reputation will keep suffering. It's shocking how much they charge for such poor quality. I hope they make the changes the place needs.

We stayed four nights and five days, and hygiene was poor across the food, plates, cutlery, pool maintenance, and beach. Staff seemed careless and just wanted to get through the day. There were quite a lot of animators, though they weren't the best, and some were good. One worker threw up in the pool, and they only added a bit of chlorine before opening it again a day later. We also got sick because of the poor hygiene. Save your money.

The pool and entertainment team were the best parts of our seven-night stay. Everything else was deplorable, and we wouldn't return. The hotel doesn't deserve four stars: rooms were narrow, with very old, poorly maintained furniture, and hygiene was terribly low. The food was tasteless and exactly the same every day, with no real choice. We didn't like it at all. The desserts were awful, there were only apples and oranges for fruit, and Turkish baklava was nowhere to be found. The beef was very rare, while the chicken was just a tough, dry steak. The location is great, and the grounds are large, with room for quite good improvements. The beach was deserted and neglected, and the hotel needs a complete renovation. Staff ignored almost every complaint and seemed completely uninterested in guests' comfort. We repeatedly asked for umbrellas and help from reception and maintenance, but no one paid attention.

We finally arrived at 9am, three hours late because of a flight delay, only to be told our room wasn't ready. The room we eventually got was unhygienic and really not fit for use. At reception, I asked to move, but was told we'd have to wait about two hours for the manager to arrive. The hotel shouldn't be open. The picture in the sales pitch must be from when it first opened. The beach is poorly kept, with broken umbrellas and sunbeds. The pool bar looks like it hasn't been cleaned in ages, and I'd avoid the food and eat out instead. You'll need a taxi, though, as the hotel is remote. Reception staff were rude and smirked when we asked questions. The barman and entertainer were nice, the best people there. We tried to shower at 8pm and there was no hot water. If you've booked this hotel, I'd suggest changing your booking. It barely rates three stars. If you haven't booked, don't.