Marti Resort Hotel

This was our third family trip to Turkey in October, but our first stay at this hotel. We chose it mainly because we were impressed by the photos of the mountains and the surrounding nature. And the scenery really was beautiful! The hotel is located in a stunning, peaceful bay surrounded by mountains, which creates a very special atmosphere. The natural surroundings were definitely one of the highlights of our stay. However, despite the beautiful location, we felt that the hotel fell short in several important areas, especially for families with children.

The hotel grounds were quite small, and there was very little entertainment or evening activity. We did not see any shows, concerts, or evening entertainment, and there was almost nothing organised for children. There was no kids’ disco, no proper children’s animation programme, and no water slides or playground areas around the pool.

One of the few activities we really enjoyed was the sports programme. The female fitness instructor was absolutely lovely, professional, and enthusiastic. She organised activities for both children and adults, and we really appreciated her energy and positive attitude.

Unfortunately, the children’s playroom was another disappointment. It was very small and looked as though it was either under renovation or not properly maintained. We tried to visit several times, but there was no staff member available. As a result, it was practically impossible to use the facility. This was especially frustrating on rainy days, when the indoor swimming pool was almost the only activity available for children. We expected a little more variety and family-friendly entertainment from a resort of this kind.

Unfortunately, the food was another area where we felt disappointed. The selection was limited, and the menu felt repetitive, with almost the same dishes served day after day. We were hoping for more variety, especially when it came to seafood, but there were very few options. During our entire week-long stay, there was only one evening when seabass was served on the grill. Trout was available more regularly, but it was small and, in our opinion, not particularly tasty. We also missed having a proper barista coffee station where guests could order a freshly prepared cappuccino with oat or soy milk. This is something we have found in other hotels and would have really appreciated here. Even the ice cream selection felt limited compared with other resorts we have visited. At some hotels, there are several individually packaged ice cream options available throughout the day, which is particularly convenient when travelling with children.

The staff were friendly, polite, and helpful, which we appreciated. However, the rooms were quite small, and the furniture felt old and dated. When we first checked in, we were given a room where the sofa bed intended for our children was broken. Fortunately, the hotel staff helped us change rooms, and we appreciated their response. However, the overall condition and comfort of the accommodation still left something to be desired.

The hotel is lovely, in a beautiful spot on the beach, with a stunning view of the islands in the bay. The standard room we had was functional. It could do with the furniture updating and just the finishing touches to bring it up to the standard of the rest of the hotel. The food is excellent in quality but lacks variety after a few days. There is always something worth eating though. The staff are lovely. The tv doesn’t cater to brits, which was probably the only real complaint we had, and this was not worth mentioning to the staff as you’re probably not going to be in the room much. If you get bad weather (we had 36 hours of solid rain and impressive thunderstorms) you might want something to pass the time. The spa is lovely and well worth a go early on in your stay. All in all, we had a great time in a lovely hotel.