Jennie K
November 22, 2024
Disappointing Experience DO NOT RECOMMEND Environment: My partner and I— people of colour —were really looking forward to our stay. We expected luxury, relaxation, and a warm, welcoming environment at such an advertised international hotel. Unfortunately, what we experienced instead was deeply disappointing and, at times, outright uncomfortable. From the start, we noticed the constant stares. It felt as though we were under scrutiny simply for being who we are. Initially, we brushed it off, thinking we might be overreacting, but as the days went on the hostility from both staff and other guests completely ruined the whole experience. The uncomfortable stares whilst we were just walking along the vicinity of the hotels made the experience completely disheartening. The worst part of the experience was the outright hostility from a few individuals. On a couple of occasions, we were spat at in public areas of the hotel. We hope the management takes this feedback seriously and works to create an environment where all guests feel valued and respected, regardless of their background. We personally wouldnt want to go back and we want to raise awareness where if you are anyone who is of any other than Turkish Background to be aware of the treatment that you will have. Food: I’d rate the food a disappointing 3/10. While there was a variety of options available, the dishes were consistently bland and lacked any real flavor. For a 5-star hotel, we expected much better quality and attention to taste. It also made me have food poisoning a couple of days in a row Room: The room walls were incredibly thin, to the point where we could clearly hear conversations from the neighboring rooms and even their TVs. This lack of soundproofing made it nearly impossible to get a good night’s sleep, as we were kept awake throughout the night and woken up early in the morning. It was extremely frustrating and far from the level of comfort we expected from a 5-star hotel. Facilities: I understand that we visited during the off-season, between the end of summer and the peak of winter, but it should have been made clear that nearly all, if not all, facilities would be closed. As a result, it felt like we weren’t getting the value we paid for. While I understand this might be typical for the season, there should have been more transparency about what would be unavailable. A detailed update about closed facilities prior to our arrival would have helped us set realistic expectations.