Radisson Collection Hotel, Bodrum

Absolutely loved this hotel - sadly only spent one night here at the end of our road trip - wished we’d spent longer. Lovely staff - got upgraded to a beautiful suite and they couldn’t do enough. The room was beautiful with an amazing view. I’ve read some previous reviews which quite frankly seem bizarre and completely at odds with our experience. Some guests complained the the staff didn’t speak English- why should they, you’re in Turkey! Breakfast was something else - I’ve never seen such choice - pretty much everything hot and cold you could want.

Unfortunately the location is 5star but the hotel is NOT. Pros: • The Cove area, stunning views, shops & resturants. • Good size room and balcony Cons: • Inexperienced staff • Poor house keeping • Tiny pool • Non hotel guests are allowed to access the hotel, including screaming children. • Pool unattended, no staff around • Public beach • No selected area for hotel guests • Outrageous prices at Heaven cafe the beach resturant (86Euro for 2 burgers and 3 beers) • Not a 5 star concierge service • Breakfast is average Bodrum is stunning but unfortunately I won't recommend this hotel or be back.

The price you pay is far from the service that one would expect form a 5-star hotel. 1. Rooms: Rooms are large and decently furnished but cleanliness is quite disappointing. Housekeeping was random at best, and they only cleaned on demand (for example, the bathroom or balcony were never cleaned unless we requested it explicitly). Rooms on the ground floor can be visited by stray cats if one leaves the door open. This is what happened to us. With my wife being allergic, we asked for an alternative arrangement which was promptly found. We were given a new room at an upper floor and with a better view. 2. Service: a. Beach service was horrible. First, like rooms’, beach cleanliness is a mirage. Stray dogs are around all the time and the beach is always dirty (see pictures of what the beach looks like at 9am on a typical day). The beach is also adjacent to a drain with stagnant water, which on a typical windy day sometimes smells. Second, almost none of the staff speak a decent English. Finally, the beach is open to outsiders. While nowhere was this written when I made the reservation, the end result is that, particularly during weekends, you may find yourself without an umbrella and beds. That is exactly what happened to us when we checked in on a Sunday afternoon. Moreover, barely are there controls at entry, so in theory anyone can (and in fact does) use the beach. b. Dining was also quite poor. The hotel has four restaurants but only two are open for dinner. This leaves us with fewer options. Yes, the nearby village offers alternatives, but it is not clear why a 5-star hotel should only have two restaurants open for dinner (note: one is a beach restaurant). c. On a positive note, staff were very helpful, especially Elena, the guest relations manager, who was very kind with us and tried her best to improve the service, yet there are structural problems that only the general management can and should try to solve. Speaking of which, we lodged a complaint with central Radisson and no one bothered to reply, not even an automatic reply acknowledging receipt of the message. As the saying goes: “the fish rots from the head”. 3. Location: This is definitely a plus. The hotel is located in a beautiful bay, with crystalline waters. However, the place is a bit self-containing, with very limited options to walk and dine around, and explore adjacent places. There is a no-frills village at walking distance but you can only reach it by taxi, as it is not advisable to walk on the margins of the road. In sum, if you are looking for a truly 5-star hotel experience look elsewhere.

My experience with the room service “in-room amenities” has been consistently disappointing. Not only are they persistently late, but their attitude leaves much to be desired. Every time they arrived, there was no apology for the delay, and their demeanor was far from welcoming – not a single smile in sight. It's evident that guest satisfaction is not a priority for them. I expected more from a reputed hotel chain like Radisson Collection, but sadly, my expectations were not met. Future guests beware: don't count on prompt service or a friendly face here.