"This was our fourth visit to the hotel, so we came back with fond memories of our previous stays. Unfortunately, this time there were a number of noticeable changes and disappointments.
Positives
Lovely location with beautiful surroundings.
The staff who were working were very friendly and clearly working extremely hard, which I can only assume is due to staff shortages. In particular, Erdem and Ali on reception, the young blonde lady at the Dolphin Bar, and the young gentleman at the main restaurant bar were all fantastic.
The pancake lady was always cheerful and happy to see guests. The shuttle driver was also always very cheerful and welcoming.
Our room was clean and well maintained.
Ken, the photographer, is a real asset to the hotel. He is excellent at what he does and was a pleasure to deal with.
Negatives
Unfortunately, the food was poor and very repetitive. At times, it felt as though food from lunch was being reheated and served again with a different sauce.
At lunchtime in the main restaurant there were some lovely-looking salads, but very little to actually accompany them on most days. Perhaps the hotel could consider offering some cold meats, similar to those available at breakfast, to give guests more choice.
My partner was ill four times during our 10-day stay, which has never happened to him before. The main difference between us was that he ate the fish and chicken, whereas I didn't,We spoke to other guests who also said they had been unwell,although obviously I can't say for certain what caused the illness.
There are no longer fresh omelettes made at breakfast, which was disappointing.
Evening desserts were often not replenished. We noticed guests taking several portions back to their tables with their main meals. If you arrived after around 8pm, you were often left with whatever was still available.
Entertainment was virtually non-existent during the first week and not much better during the second. We saw only one daytime activity during our 10-day stay. There was more entertainment in the evenings, but it mainly consisted of the same quiz, which I have now seen four times over the last year, and karaoke. If you're looking for varied entertainment, be prepared to go elsewhere.
The pool towels are extremely threadbare, and being able to change them only once every four days doesn't feel particularly hygienic.
I completely understand why the Sunset Bar is currently closed, but I'm not sure why the previous wooden furniture has been replaced with cheap plastic chairs. It makes the area feel rather unwelcoming, despite the lovely views.
I love cats, but unfortunately they seem to be somewhat out of control around the hotel. Perhaps the hotel could consider a neutering/spaying programme. This would benefit both guests and the cats themselves. A donation box could perhaps be introduced to help cover the costs.
Mustafa on reception would benefit from some additional customer-service training. I personally found him rude and abrupt, and I also witnessed similar interactions with other guests.
Would we stay again?
No, unfortunately not, unless significant changes are made.
This is particularly disappointing to say after four visits, as we obviously liked the hotel enough to return three times previously. There are some genuinely lovely staff members who work incredibly hard, and the location remains beautiful, but overall this stay was a noticeable step down from our previous experiences.
Hopefully the hotel will take the comments from returning guests seriously, as there are clearly areas where improvements could make a significant difference."
