"HORROR STAY – Club Privé by Rixos Belek is nothing like what is promised online
This was by far one of the most disappointing hotel stays we have ever had in Antalya. We arrived at Club Privé by Rixos Belek yesterday, and since then it has been one disappointment after another. Considering the price of this hotel, we never expected to find it in such a condition.
Before our arrival, I had already asked about an upgrade. Our Club Villa was upgraded to a Villa Privé, which we are grateful for. Unfortunately, this does not change the fact that the villa itself is in a condition that is completely unacceptable for a luxury resort of this category.
The villa is old, worn out and does not look like the pictures
The villa looks very different from the pictures and description shown online. The furnishings are old and, in some places, heavily worn. Many of the wooden elements outside are damaged, weathered and in such poor condition that you genuinely have to wonder why guests are still being accommodated there.
The wooden terrace around the pool is also heavily damaged in several areas. The wood looks old, worn and broken. For a villa being sold at these prices, this is simply not acceptable.
Cleanliness? Nowhere to be found.
The villa was not properly cleaned when we arrived.
The sink was covered in limescale, there were fingerprints all over the refrigerator, and the bathrooms were not properly clean either.
It simply did not feel like a freshly prepared luxury villa, but rather like a room that urgently needs renovation and a complete refurbishment.
And then there is the bed: hard as a rock. For us, it was practically impossible to sleep comfortably.
We complained about this and were actually told that this was normal and that the villas would supposedly be renovated in about a month for the winter season.
That is not an acceptable explanation for me. If a room needs renovation, it should not be sold at a luxury price and then explained to the guest that it will be renovated in a month.
The hotel description is also inaccurate in our experience
What is particularly frustrating is that we obviously researched the hotel and its services carefully before booking.
Much of what is described online does not match what we actually found on site.
For example, a private spa area is described online. There is no such private spa area with our villa in the way it is presented online.
The same applies to the butler service. When we asked about it, we were told that the assistants are also the butlers. For me, a butler service is something completely different from a villa assistant. If a hotel advertises an exclusive butler service, I expect exactly that.
The pool can be heated – for €100 per day
Since the weather is currently a little colder, we asked whether our private pool could be heated.
Yes – for an additional €100 per day.
Considering the already extremely high price of the villa, this is simply difficult for me to understand.
À la carte restaurants – not everything is included despite the prices
We were also shocked when it came to the food.
You already pay an extremely high price for the villa, yet not all dishes in the à la carte restaurants are included.
Even tempura prawns cost extra.
At a hotel in this price category, I expect a completely different overall concept. If you are paying this much for a villa, you should not have to constantly wonder whether you will be charged extra for individual dishes.
And then there was the incident with a hotel cat
This was ultimately the absolute low point of this horror stay.
I was attacked and scratched by one of the hotel cats yesterday.
The scratches were clearly visible and I had to go to the hospital the same day to have the injuries examined and treated.
Having cats on hotel grounds is not a problem in itself. But when a guest is injured by an animal on the hotel premises and subsequently needs medical treatment, it is obviously anything but a pleasant experience – especially on our very first day.
We know other luxury hotels in Antalya – and that is exactly why the disappointment is so great
We have stayed at many high-end villa hotels in Antalya and the surrounding area, including Regnum Carya, Cullinan Belek, Bayou Lara and Maxx Royal.
Therefore, we know exactly what we expect in this price category.
And that is precisely why we cannot understand this experience at all.
In our experience, Club Privé by Rixos Belek is currently nowhere near the same level.
The price suggests the highest level of luxury. The reality we have experienced so far is: an old and worn-out villa, inadequate cleaning, an extremely hard bed, damaged outdoor areas, additional charges for pool heating, paid à la carte dishes, no butler service as expected, no private spa area as described, and on top of that, a cat attack followed by a hospital visit.
All of this within the first 24 hours.
Just think about that.
Our conclusion
HORROR STAY.
We paid a very high price for this stay and therefore had very high expectations. Instead of luxury and relaxation, we had problems, disappointment and even a hospital visit on the very first day.
The online description and the reality on site simply do not match our experience.
For us, this hotel in its current condition is nowhere near worth the price we paid. Even the upgrade to the Villa Privé could not change our impression.
If you are considering booking this hotel, look very carefully at the pictures and description – and above all, do not assume that what is presented online as luxury and exclusivity actually reflects the condition you will find on site.
For us so far: an absolute horror stay."
