Sultan Sipahi Resort

The location of this hotel is ideal for beach lovers, but unfortunately that was about the only positive aspect of my stay.

I arrived at around 2 a.m. and was welcomed by the manager and a bellboy, who carried my luggage to my room on the fourth floor. The room contained two single beds and an additional bed base, leaving very little space. When I asked for it to be removed, I was told, "Tomorrow." I also asked about the fridge and was told, "Maybe tomorrow."

After trying to get some sleep, I was shocked when, approximately 45 minutes later, the same bellboy entered my room despite the door being locked. I screamed for him to get out and immediately went to reception. The manager simply said, "He's sorry, he didn't know the room was occupied." This was unbelievable, considering the bellboy had personally shown me to the room less than an hour earlier.

In daylight, I was appalled by the condition of the room. The photos I have attached tell the story far better than words and are certainly not what anyone would expect from a four-star hotel. There was a rusty shower hose, mould and dirt around the bath, stained floors, and marks inside the drawers. Both balcony chairs were cracked and uncomfortable. I eventually had to drag the spare bed base out of the room myself, where it remained outside my door for the entire week. After waiting 36 hours for a fridge, the one eventually provided looked as though it had been rescued from a skip.

Wi-Fi cost an additional €3 per day and only covered one device. The safe was also charged at €3 per day.

The so-called four-star bar offered very little choice, essentially just beer or wine. The dining room itself looked grubby, with salt and pepper kept in plastic cups and broken napkin dispensers. While the food was generally acceptable, it was best to arrive early. Dinner was served from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m., but by 8:15 p.m. many dishes had already been cleared away.

Throughout the week, chairs remained abandoned on the landing beside the lift, along with trays of leftover food. Housekeeping was extremely poor; my bed linen was not changed once during my stay, and the floors were neither swept nor cleaned.

I have stayed in far superior two-star accommodation. Whoever awarded this establishment a four-star rating should seriously reconsider the standards being applied.

I certainly expected much better and would not return.

Typical experience of the female public toilets during our stay at Sultan Sipahi Hotel, Alanya. Everyday the toilets were dirty, bins were overflowing, and three cubicles had no toilet paper. Bins also not emptied for 7 hours.

This holiday was sold to us by Loveholidays as a 4-star hotel. In our opinion, the standard of cleanliness and maintenance we experienced did not reflect that rating or the expectations created by the holiday description.

I'm sharing our experience so that others can make an informed decision before booking.

Disappointing stay – great location, but serious issues with hygiene, food, and staff.

I unfortunately had one of the worst hotel experiences of my life at Sultan Sipahi Resort, and feel compelled to warn other travelers.

The food: The quality was genuinely poor and unappetizing to look at. The same dishes were served every single day – typically chicken and rice – with no variation. Some of the cakes in the dessert buffet were so old they could barely be cut. On one of the days, I became ill after eating there, and the hotel restaurant was the only place I had eaten.

Cleanliness and hygiene: The carpets in the hallways were stained everywhere, and there was a bad smell in several areas of the hotel. Rooms were not cleaned daily – you had to actively request it yourself.

The sauna and "free" spa offers: The hotel advertises a free sauna, but in practice I was met with intense pressure to buy extra services like massages, hammam, and mud treatments. Staff would not let up even after repeated refusals, and it became genuinely unpleasant to be approached so many times after I had already said no. I was told outright that I wasn't a "real" customer, and that paying guests came first – so I often had to wait several hours to use the supposedly free sauna. One female staff member behaved outright disrespectfully: after I had waited, as arranged with her manager, she still refused to let me into the sauna. When I objected, she pointed her finger right in my face and declared that she was the boss there. I had to go get her manager to be left in peace – and even then, the sauna had been partially turned off, despite it having been arranged in advance. On a later visit, the same woman blocked my way in a mocking manner, and when I turned around in shock to leave, the manager stood there laughing and brushed it off with "she's just joking." I did not find it funny.

General service: The staff clearing tables in the restaurant seemed understaffed, and old plates were often left sitting out for a long time. The evening "entertainment" consisted solely of music – nothing else.

Overall atmosphere: The atmosphere at the hotel was not pleasant.

The positives: The bar staff were a bright spot, especially one of the women, who was always smiling and friendly. The location close to the beach was also good.

Downside at the beach: The private beach the hotel advertises requires extra payment for sunbeds, and as a hotel guest you're not even allowed to enjoy your own drinks there.

Overall, the hotel does definetely not live up to its 4-star rating -at all. I cannot recommend this place.