Riolavitas Resort and Spa

I spent a holiday at Riolavitas Resort & Spa in Side, Turkey, and overall, the experience was decent, with aspects I liked but also quite a few things that, in my opinion, need improvement. The hotel has potential, but certain details regarding cleanliness, maintenance, and service left much to be desired.

✅ Pros

1. The beach and access to the sea

The beach is wide, with plenty of sunbeds, so we were always able to find available spots. The sea is clean, but the seabed drops off very steeply, and the water gets deep extremely quickly. This can be a significant disadvantage for people who cannot swim or families with young children. There are also a few pebbles at the water's edge, so water shoes may come in handy.

The beach is approximately a 5–6-minute walk away along a pleasant path, or a maximum of 2 minutes by the golf buggy provided by the hotel. Mr. Huseyin, the driver who took us to the beach, was very kind, friendly, and helpful.

2. The beach restaurant

One of the hotel's strongest points! We had lunch there on most days and appreciated the fairly wide variety of dishes available. However, service is slow, which is something that could be improved.

3. The beach bar

There is a generous supply of soft drinks, beer, and water. The drinks were fine, ice cream was also available, and the area where gozleme is prepared is another advantage, especially because of its relatively long opening hours.

4. The food

The food is good, with options to suit different tastes. I would not say it is extraordinary or stands out for exceptional quality, but there was enough choice. In the evenings, an additional section serving extra dishes was opened, which added more variety to the selection.

5. The animation team and shows

The animation team was present, active, and friendly. The shows in the amphitheatre were very enjoyable and were one of the positive aspects of our stay.

6. The room and quietness

The room was very well soundproofed, and the peaceful atmosphere allowed us to rest very well. This was an important advantage for us.

7. Drinks and internet

The drinks served at the other bars were acceptable, with a few imported alcoholic beverages also available. Internet speed was good, although the connection was not always stable.

8. The hotel's atmosphere

There was a very pleasant scent in the lobby area, and its overall appearance created a good first impression.

❌ Cons

1. Room cleanliness and maintenance

Unfortunately, this was one of the biggest drawbacks of our stay. Room cleaning was superficial: toiletries were not consistently replenished, we found an opened shampoo bottle that appeared to have been used previously, and cotton pads and other items were not properly replaced.

The bed linen was not changed at all during our stay, and, from what I observed, the towels were changed no more than twice.

The condition of the room was not particularly impressive either. Some parts of the bed were damaged, the finish on the door was peeling in certain areas, and the bathroom needed more attention and maintenance.

2. Maintenance issues throughout the hotel

I noticed water leaks, ceilings with obvious signs of water damage, and areas where the ceilings were cracked. These details affect the hotel's overall appearance and, in my opinion, should be repaired as soon as possible.

3. Cleanliness and hygiene in the restaurant

I noticed cats in various areas of the hotel, including inside the restaurant. I love animals and have no problem with them being present in outdoor areas, but I saw a cat jump directly onto a table without any intervention from the staff.

I believe that much greater attention should be paid to hygiene standards in an area where food is served.

4. Main restaurant – crowding and appearance

The main restaurant looks more like a canteen than a resort restaurant. On one evening, when it rained and the terrace could not be used, we had difficulty finding an available table. The hotel can become quite crowded when occupancy approaches full capacity, and the lack of available seating becomes a problem.

Furthermore, many of the dishes, including the soups, were quite spicy. This can be inconvenient for people who cannot tolerate spicy food.

5. Service at the bars

At the bars, staff did not always serve customers in the order they arrived. Sometimes, you had the impression that you were simply being ignored, even when you had been waiting for a while. Service could be better organized and more attentive.

6. Reservations at the à la carte restaurants

We tried to make a reservation four days in advance, but all the available spots were already taken. I understand that availability may be limited, but it was disappointing that we could not find a single available slot.

7. Attitude of the reception and Guest Relations staff

Upon arrival, the receptionist asked us whether we had requested an upgrade, even though we had not asked for one. My only request had been for a quiet room with a pleasant view. We were told that we would receive an upgrade, but the room we were given had a very unpleasant view, and the situation was handled in a way that I found rather strange.

My interaction with the Guest Relations representative was not particularly friendly either. At departure, I noticed a reaction and a sigh that left me with the impression that our presence was more of an inconvenience than a normal interaction with guests.

8. The minibar

The minibar contained two bottles of Coca-Cola, two bottles of Fanta, two bottles of mineral water, and two orange juices. The selection was fine, but there was no bottle opener available in the room for the Coca-Cola and Fanta bottles. We requested one, and it was brought to us later, so the issue was resolved. Still, this was something that could have been checked beforehand.

9. Wi-Fi connection

Although internet speed was good, the connection frequently dropped. Every time we turned our phones off and on again, we had to enter the password once more. It is not a major issue, but it becomes annoying when it happens repeatedly.

10. Entertainment programme and nightclub

The shows in the amphitheater were enjoyable. However, one evening, while a show was still in progress, the screen showing the Turkey–Belgium football match was switched on behind the stage. I felt this was disrespectful towards both the performers and the audience who had come to watch the show.

The nightclub did not impress us either. The DJ played the same songs night after night, changed tracks after very short intervals, sometimes without even letting 30 seconds of a song play, and the mixes were rather strange. At certain moments, the volume was turned down in a way that gave the impression that the evening was being brought to an end as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

Riolavitas Resort & Spa has several clear strengths: a wide beach, clean sea, plenty of sunbeds, a beach restaurant and bar, a pleasant animation team, and rooms with excellent soundproofing. The food is good, and access to the beach is convenient.

However, our experience was affected by superficial room cleaning, maintenance issues, questionable hygiene in the restaurant, overcrowding, and some interactions with staff that could have been much more pleasant.

Personally, I believe there is a difference between what a resort promises and what it actually delivers in terms of certain details. It was not a disastrous holiday, but neither was it an experience that would make me say everything met my expectations. The hotel has potential, but I believe it needs to pay more attention to cleanliness, maintenance, and service quality in order to provide guests with a better overall experience.

The hotel is small, compact, and everything is close by. There are plenty of bars where you can order decent cocktails. The waiters and bartenders really put in a great effort. I especially liked a waiter/bartender named Ercan. He is an open, bright guy who always smiles, handles any order with ease, and brings the cocktails quickly. He is a truly open, bright person, and I really liked him—he lifted our spirits every single day.

As for the rooms, I would love to see them slightly renovated and brought into better condition. Visually, when you first walk in, it looks very nice, but there is some rust in places, mildew, broken glass, and damaged beds. This puts a bit of a minus on the stay, but everything else largely makes up for it.

As people often mention, the hotel lacked some animation, but perhaps not so much animation as background music playing softly inside the hotel, in the lobby, or by the pool while you are having breakfast or lunch. Everything else was great, but a little light, live music in the lobby would have been a nice touch.

really loved the beach entertainment concept, the stage, and the shows. It created a very atmospheric vibe. We also loved the Oktoberfest celebration since we happened to stay during that period in September–October.

The food on the beach is exceptionally good—a special thank you for the grill and the gozleme flatbreads. It was all so delicious. We specifically walked down to the beach for lunch, looked forward to the woman making them, and the guys prepared amazing shawarma and grilled fish. The food is extremely tasty, thank you so much!"