Garcia Resort and Spa

We have returned home on 19th July after a week at the Garcia Resort & Spa as a family of five with three teenagers. We had two rooms, both spacious with balconies and enough room for cases/ storage. They do feel dated, and the bathrooms need a deep clean rather than a quick disinfect. The hotel did send a cleaner when asked, but some areas (toilet brushes, mirrors, safes) need replacing. Air con worked well but only operates when the single room key is inserted. Beds were comfortable.

Some parts of the site are run down, including a staircase without a balustrade and furnishings/ window cleaning, needing attention.

The pools were lovely and clean, and staff worked constantly to keep the grounds tidy.

Food was a real positive, even with picky teenagers, we always found something. Breakfast was mainly eggs and continental options; lunch offered salads, rice, chips and meat, plus great moussaka. The pool bar served burgers, pizza, pasta and chicken and ice creams between 2–4, which the kids preferred. Dinner was consistently fresh and tasty, with good desserts.

Staff were helpful and worked hard, including keeping wasps away.

Daytime entertainment was great (darts, water polo, aqua aerobics, foam party), and evenings had bingo, shows and a mini disco. Pool tables near the 24‑hour bar were ideal for teens. WiFi was free and worked well. On‑site shop was expensive but convenient.

The spa was outstanding — genuinely 10/10. Book this, I wish I had booked twice.

Location was excellent: 5 minutes to Olu Deniz and 4 minutes to Hisaronu (300–400 TL each way). Olu Deniz is lovely for waterfront walks and food; Hisaronu is livelier with great spots like Peppediz Steak House and the Lycian Lounge (great for fun family entertainment and a nice pint).

Towels are available daily from the spa. Hairdryers are fixed to the wall and not strong for long hair. Kettles are also provided.

The hotel offers a free shuttle to the beach, though traffic can make a taxi easier if you leave earlier in the morning. Green Pine Beach (free to enter) was lovely, with good food and coffee (payable) . Paradise Beach Club is around £10 per person for entry but I was told by others it was nice.

Bring plenty of sun cream and mosquito bands/spray, as it’s expensive locally. Pharmacies and doctors are easy to access in Hisaronu or Olu Deniz via taxi.

I would suggest stocking up on snacks before flying home: Dalaman Airport is very expensive (£18 for a Big Mac meal, £6–8 for crisps/chocolate). Airport WiFi is paid, and liquids must be under 100ml.

Overall, we had a lovely holiday. The hotel has many positives, especially location, food, pools and staff. With deeper cleaning and a few more staff, it could return to a 5‑star standard. At present, I’d rate it around 3‑star, but they genuinely try hard and we made the most of a lovely week in Turkey.

We arrived on the 4th of July and from the moment we checked in, this was the worst holiday experience we’ve ever had. The first room we were given was absolutely disgusting. It was filthy, covered in mould, the walls were damaged, tiles were broken, the beds were broken and uncomfortable, and the bathroom smelled strongly of sewage, urine and damp. It was clear the room hadn’t been cleaned or maintained properly for a long time. We immediately complained to reception, but instead of taking our concerns seriously, we felt like we were constantly fobbed off. The guest relations manager kept telling us everything would be sorted and even claimed he owned multiple businesses, yet he couldn’t provide even the most basic level of customer service. We left every conversation feeling ignored, dismissed and frustrated, with little or no action ever being taken. The massage staff member, Memet, was incredibly pushy and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He repeatedly pressured us into booking massages and tried to charge us over £210. We later found exactly the same service elsewhere for just £60, which showed just how much they were trying to overcharge hotel guests. The food was another huge disappointment. There was very little variety, much of it looked and smelled unpleasant, and nothing ever seemed fresh. We ended up eating out for almost our entire two-week holiday because we simply couldn’t face eating at the hotel. After eating there, several members of our family suffered upset stomachs and felt unwell, which completely ruined what should have been a relaxing family holiday. The cleanliness throughout the hotel was shocking. The rooms, bathrooms and communal areas all felt dirty and poorly maintained. There was mould, unpleasant smells and obvious signs that repairs and maintenance had been ignored for a long time. This is not what anyone expects from a hotel charging these prices. Halfway through our stay, things became so unbearable that we packed our bags, took them to reception and told the staff we were leaving to move to the Orka Hotel at our own expense. We had completely lost confidence in the hotel and simply wanted to salvage what was left of our holiday. The staff persuaded us to stay, promising us a different room and assuring us everything would be much better. Unfortunately, those promises meant nothing. The second room was no improvement whatsoever. It had the same awful smell, the beds were still broken and uncomfortable, and it was just as dirty and disappointing as the first room. The most heartbreaking part of this entire experience was seeing the effect it had on our three children. They had been so excited for this holiday, but instead of making happy memories, they spent much of the holiday upset, distressed and in tears. They repeatedly told us that this holiday was “a nightmare” and kept asking why we were staying somewhere so horrible. Every single day they said they wanted to go home because they hated being at the hotel. They cried on several occasions and repeatedly said, “This isn’t a holiday.” As parents, it was absolutely heartbreaking to watch. We had worked hard, saved our money and looked forward to spending quality family time together, only to spend almost every day dealing with complaints, searching for restaurants because we couldn’t eat at the hotel, worrying about getting ill, and trying to comfort and reassure our children that things would improve. Sadly, they never did. Instead of returning home with wonderful family memories, our children left remembering what they described as “the worst holiday ever” and “a nightmare.” The hotel is massively overpriced for the standard it offers. The photographs and description bear no resemblance to the reality. Instead of enjoying a relaxing family holiday, we spent two weeks complaining, eating outside the hotel, worrying about hygiene and illness, and constantly trying to make the best of an awful situation. This has genuinely been the worst hotel experience we have ever had. We would never return and would certainly never recommend this hotel to anyone. If you’re expecting a clean, comfortable hotel with decent food, honest service and staff who genuinely care about their guests, look elsewhere. Save your money and book somewhere else because this hotel completely ruined what should have been a special family holiday and left our children heartbroken.

I just come home as a family of 3 Food was Nice we did eat out most nights but breakfast/Dinner was nice. Hotel is up in mountains need a taxi to go out & about 5 minutes in a Taxi to Hisaronu. Staff all ok. We always sat by pool with slides which wasn’t cleaned cups left all day & the smell of sewerage was disgusting. Slides was on twice a day for 2 hours at a time. Now the rooms are absolutely filthy never cleaned bathroom never cleaned whole time we stayed there we had to go get our own towels out of laundry room most nights. The corridors have never seen a mop cups/ plates lefts in corridors not sure what cleaners was doin but defo was cleaning rooms. Wouldn’t stay here again also there are a lot of steps if you are on block by kids pool.