Susesi Luxury Resort

Great family holiday, but the peak-season crowds let the 5-star experience down

We had a great holiday overall at Susesi and there are lots of things the hotel does extremely well. However, there were also a few issues that, for us, stopped it from feeling like a true luxury 5-star experience — particularly during busy periods.

The positives

The food was of a really good quality with plenty of choice. Even with different tastes in our family, there was always something to find. We particularly liked the variety in the buffet and the themed evenings, which helped switch things up throughout the week.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a reservation at any of the complimentary à la carte restaurants, so can’t comment on those. We did pay extra for the Asian restaurant and thought it was definitely worth the money.

The snack bars were excellent, again with lots of choice, and the kids loved all the ice cream options. The patisserie and juice bar were also lovely additions. Drinks were very good, with a huge selection and plenty of branded options available.

The hotel itself has some lovely facilities. The pools are large and there were plenty of sunbeds. We’re not the type of family who needs a particular spot or gets up at 6am to reserve beds, and we always managed to find somewhere.

The beach is lovely and our children really enjoyed being able to go between the beach, pools and waterpark throughout the day.

We can’t really comment on the kids’ club as ours didn’t attend, although from what we saw it looked very good. I would say it appeared to be geared slightly more towards younger children.

Our room was kept very clean and the minibar was restocked every day. Changing pool towels was also really straightforward.

Most of the staff were friendly and worked incredibly hard, and there was some great evening entertainment. One night there was a brilliant children’s festival and there was also a beach party for the adults, which we really enjoyed.

It’s also easy to get out of the resort, with a bus stop and taxi rank directly outside the hotel for trips into town.

Where it fell short

We travelled during peak season and the hotel was extremely busy in certain areas. Unfortunately, this really affected the experience and at times made what should have felt luxurious feel quite stressful and frustrating instead.

The biggest issue by far was the main buffet restaurant.

Breakfast and dinner could feel like a battle just to find a table. I’ve never stayed at a 5-star resort where guests aren’t welcomed and shown to a table, so I found this particularly disappointing.

Instead, we regularly spent around 10 minutes walking around trying to find somewhere to sit. Often, the only option was to sit at a dirty table and then try to flag down a member of staff to have it cleared and cleaned. It felt awkward and isn’t something I would expect at a hotel of this standard.

You could really see the pressure the staff were under during the busiest periods and unfortunately the service suffered as a result. Once we eventually found a table, we could then wait a long time for drinks. On several occasions orders arrived incorrectly or some drinks didn’t arrive at all.

Interestingly, during quieter periods the service was completely different and much more in keeping with what we expected. The problem was that you needed to arrive very early for breakfast or dinner to experience it.

Unfortunately, because breakfast and dinner are such a big part of an all-inclusive holiday, the repeated frustration of the buffet restaurant did dampen our overall experience.

Some of the behaviour from other guests didn’t help either. Obviously this isn’t directly the hotel’s fault, but we encountered quite a few people who were rude or inconsiderate and seemed to think their needs came before everyone else’s. Manners cost nothing, but unfortunately we found one too many people seemed to have forgotten theirs!

The staff worked extremely hard to keep the resort clean, but at peak capacity they sometimes simply couldn’t keep on top of it. We walked down to the beach on several evenings and found abandoned towels, cups and food left behind. Again, much of this comes down to lazy guests, but I do think the hotel could introduce stricter rules around towels and clearing up after yourself.

I also found the environmental side of things a little contradictory. There are signs around the resort encouraging guests to look after nature and the environment, yet huge numbers of drinks are served in disposable plastic cups with plastic straws. There must be better alternatives available, which would also potentially help reduce the amount of rubbish left around the resort.

The room

This was another area that didn’t quite live up to expectations.

On arrival, our room was one bed short and we were also missing a towel. Once the additional bed was brought in, the room felt very cramped and, in our opinion, wasn’t really suitable for four people.

The sofa bed was also extremely hard and uncomfortable. Our daughter struggled sleeping on it and during the last few nights ended up sharing our bed instead. Again, for a resort marketed at this level, it wasn’t the luxury sleeping arrangement we expected.

Overall

Despite the negatives, we genuinely had a great family holiday and the positives outweighed the negatives. The food, pools, beach, waterpark, drinks, snack options and entertainment gave us plenty to enjoy.

The biggest disappointment was simply how the hotel coped with the number of guests during peak season. With better organisation in the buffet restaurant, particularly proper table management and increased staffing during busy periods, our experience would have been considerably better.

Would we return? Probably not. That’s partly because of the issues above, but also because we’re generally not the type of family to visit the same resort twice anyway.

I wouldn’t tell people not to book Susesi — there is a lot to like about it — but if you’re travelling during peak season expecting a calm, polished 5-star luxury experience, I think it’s worth being aware that the crowds and service levels at busy times can take away from that.

A very enjoyable family holiday with some excellent facilities, but for us, not quite the seamless 5-star experience we expected.

We really love this hotel and have been coming back for several years now. It has always been a place where we feel very comfortable and well taken care of, which is why we continue to choose it year after year.

A few years ago, we started staying in the villas, and our first experience was with Kemal as our butler. He was extremely respectful, attentive, professional, and always made sure that everything was perfect for us. His kindness and dedication made our stay even more enjoyable, and we still remember him very fondly.

This year, we reserved both villas, and now, with only one day left before our departure, we can say that we have once again had a wonderful experience. Both of our butlers, Batuhan and Muhammed, have been incredibly kind, respectful, helpful, and attentive throughout our stay. They have always been available whenever we needed something and have done their best to make sure we were comfortable and happy.

We truly appreciate the way we have been treated over the years. It is not only the beautiful hotel and villas that make us want to return, but also the people who make every stay feel special.

A big thank you to Kemal, Batuhan, Muhammed, and the entire team for your hospitality and for making us feel so welcome every time we come here. We are leaving with beautiful memories once again, and we hope to see you all again soon!

Excellent hotel and a wonderful place for a holiday! 🌴☀️

The sea is very close to the hotel, which is a big advantage. The staff is very kind, friendly, and always ready to help with any request. The rooms are cleaned every day and are kept nice and tidy.

The pools are clean and well-maintained, and there is enough space to relax and enjoy the sun. Every evening, there are different entertainment programs and shows for both children and adults, so there is always something interesting to do.

We really enjoyed the atmosphere, the service, and the entertainment. It was a lovely stay, and we would be happy to come back again. Highly recommended! ❤️