"We have stayed at this hotel three times now, and we also visited Barut Hemera and Barut Kemer, so we know the brand well. This year, the standards dropped significantly, and we left feeling disappointed and sad about what this hotel has become.
Check-in & Reception
We arrived as returning guests with two small children, one of whom is autistic. I sent a note through the agency a month in advance requesting a quiet room on the quiet side. At check-in, the receptionist (the red-haired girl with the curly hair) did not acknowledge us as returning guests and seemed cold and indifferent. I had to remind her about our request, and she told us to come back after 14:00 because no rooms were ready. No welcome drink, no gesture for the kids, nothing. The only friendly person during check-in was a new bellboy who was kind to our children. The receptionist, however, was grumpy and unhelpful. We weren't redirected anywhere, or welcomed in any way.
Room & Housekeeping
The room itself was comfortable and the beds were fine, but the air conditioning is extremely noisy and makes strange water-gurgling sounds. It works, but not peacefully.
The cleanliness, however, was a disaster. When we arrived, the room still had crumbs and dirt from the previous guests. I thought maybe the cleaning lady was rushed, but it never got better. The terrace was never cleaned — it was full of dust and hair, and when I specifically asked for it to be wiped, she only did half of it and said she "didn't have time." The countertops, sink, and shower were never properly cleaned. Vacuuming never happened — only a quick mop, towel changes twice, and sheet changes twice. Shampoos were half-empty when we arrived and were never refilled. I took pictures of the dust and hair on the terrace. When I raised the issue, the cleaning lady told me she was alone on the floor and couldn't manage deep cleaning. That may be true, but as a guest paying for a 5-star hotel, it is not my problem. Last years, our room was always deep cleaned, smelled of Domestos, was vacuumed, everything was detailed. This year it was just wiping with a mop and a towel... which is seriously unnacceptable.
*THE PHOTOS THAT I ATTACHED ARE THE SITUATION OF THE ROOM AFTER CLEANING HAPPENED.
Food & Beverage
The food quality itself was good — similar to previous years. However, the selection is small and repetitive. The kids' section is just fried foods and boiled vegetables, with only the type of fries changing.
Service in the main restaurant was inconsistent. If you sat outside, the male waiters were great. Inside, however, we were often ignored. On busy days, we were served 2–3 times maximum and then forgotten. The restaurant was always overcrowded and uncomfortable.
The worst part was being rushed. Breakfast is served until 11:00, but the staff seemed irritated when we arrived at 10:45 with our autistic son, who needs time to settle and eat. At 11:10, we were asked to leave because they needed to clean. That felt deeply disrespectful, especially for a family with a child who needs extra time.
We ate lunch daily at the Olea à la carte restaurant, and the food there was excellent. However, the service is consistently clueless — forgotten orders, long waits, and inattentive staff. The staff often didn't know if our table was served or not - multiple staff would come to take our orders and mix it up. This has been the same issue for three years now.
Pools & Grounds
Sunbeds and umbrellas were never a problem, which was a positive. However, the pool area was never cleaned during the day — no staff visible, no sweeping, no tidying. The kids' pool in the quiet area has chipped tiles and always had sand and dirt in it. I never once saw anyone measure water temperature or check chlorine levels. The beach itself is nice, but we only visited twice.
The hotel grounds were also neglected. No one cleaned around the pools during the day — only a quick spray with a hose at 19:00. For a 5-star resort, this is unacceptable.
I spilled a drink for example, and no one came to wipe the tiles. It dried and the cleaning staff with the hose eventually got to clean it, hours later.
Kids' Activities & Entertainment
We didn't use the kids' club, but I noticed that some of the animation staff (women) were dressed in extremely short skirts, which felt inappropriate for a family hotel. The playground has been removed entirely, which is a shame for families with small children.
Shuttle Service
The hotel shuttle runs every 30 minutes, and for a hotel of this size and category, that is simply not good enough. Other lower-budget hotels nearby have golf carts running constantly throughout the day. This has been a problem for years, and the hotel refuses to address it. With small children, planning your day around a 30-minute shuttle is frustrating and not a 5-star experience.
Staff
Not everything was bad. Some staff genuinely made an effort and deserve recognition:
Okan and Nisa at the bars were excellent. They have always been high professionals, always positive, always attentive. I think they deserve a high praise for doing their jobs extremely professionally.
The male waitstaff working the outdoor section of the main restaurant worked very hard.
The kitchen staff and chefs remembered us from previous years and greeted us warmly, which was lovely.
Unfortunately, they cannot compensate for the overall decline in service and maintenance.
Returning Guests
Despite being returning guests for three years, there was no recognition — no welcome gift, no upgrade, no special gesture. Only some of the staff remembered us, and they genuinely were happy to see us again (I mentioned them above). Special thanks to Okan for even remembering my exact favorite drinks for all the years. The reception did not acknowledge us at all.
Final Verdict
We have loved this hotel in the past, but this year was a massive disappointment. The building itself is beautiful, but understaffing is clearly a serious issue. Cleanliness is poor, service in some areas is inconsistent, and the overall standard has dropped significantly.
I think that we will not be returning next year. It is sad to say goodbye to a place we once loved, but the value is no longer there."
