Eftalia Ocean Resort and Spa

Second time coming to this hotel. Hotel is spotless and staff are super friendly. The food this time around was so much better and really enjoyed it. During our stay we decided to upgrade to a swim up room which was AMAZING. Hilmi on the front desk was fantastic and gave 1st class service he really went out his way to help me. Also Ugur who I met on my previous trip was also amazing he always checked I was ok and to see if there was anything I needed. Definitely booking again as had such an amazing time THANK U eftalia ocean

Eftalia Ocean Hotel Review — 2/5 The lobby is genuinely nice — always clean and spacious, and first impressions are good. That’s where the positives mostly end, unfortunately.

Not truly all-inclusive: Despite being marketed as all-inclusive, only local beer and wine are included as alcoholic drinks (soft drinks are included). Cocktails are extra and priced the same as the UK, and certain spirits are restricted to specific bars, so getting what you want isn’t straightforward.

Room problems: We upgraded on the first night and got a huge room, but it was extremely noisy with insufficient curtains to block the windows. After complaining, curtains were added — but then noise from the neighbouring hotel kept us up until midnight. We switched rooms the next night and had the same curtain issue, this time only fixed in one bedroom. Staff said they’d sort the second the next day; nobody came, so my husband ended up rearranging curtains himself. The bedding was another letdown — thin, like a towel, and not big enough for the bed, so if one person rolls over they end up taking all the covers with them. Not what you’d expect at any hotel, let alone one claiming 5-star status.

Constantly upselling: The whole trip had an undercurrent of the hotel trying to squeeze extra money out of you at every turn. Staff regularly approach you at the pool trying to sell massages and cocktails, on top of everything else you already have to pay extra for.

Spa experience: We went to the spa and agreed on what we were getting upfront, but didn’t get it. My husband’s massage was booked for an hour and only lasted 30 minutes. When I went to pay, I was charged an extra £5 on top of the agreed price. I queried it and she “corrected” it, calling it a mistake — but I’m honestly not convinced it was. Between the short massage and the inflated bill, it felt less like an error and more like something they might try on with anyone who doesn’t check closely. It left me suspicious of the hotel generally.

Eftalia Island access: Good in principle, but again not truly inclusive — you pay for play areas, ice cream, and any drink beyond beer or wine. Fair enough for things like the zip wire, but smaller inclusions you’d expect at this level just aren’t there.

Beach and pool: The beach is lovely but noticeably dirty, with plastic floating in the sea (not the hotel’s fault, but it affects the experience). The pool area is chaotic — sunbeds crammed in with no space to navigate between them.

Food: Repetitive day to day. The “à la carte” restaurant is really just a set menu using food from the main restaurant, not a genuine upgrade.

Overall: This hotel presents itself as 5-star but delivers more like a 3-4 star experience, with a constant sense that they’re looking for ways to charge you more. If you want genuine 5-star luxury in Turkey, there are far better options. We wouldn’t stay again or recommend it.