Eftalia Aqua Spa

Hotel is huge.. meal times a nightmare everyone scrambling for a table, queues for dinner (30mins at least) lots of kids running around, tables and chairs banging and cutlery clattering. Food was awful and the same everyday, first holiday I’ve actually lost weight! Weather was awful lighting & thunderstorms and torrential rain, I know we have no control over weather but nothing was laid on for the children in the daytime we were stuck in reception when finally got somewhere to sit, playing games which we had taken with us. It’s put us off going to turkey ever again. One positive thing was the staff were lovely but that’s all I can say.

Worst holiday ever! 1. Miserable staff 2. Not all inclusive 3. Whole 13 of us ended up sick. ( apparently a lot of people in the hotel sick ) 4. Slides closed due to a bit of rain 5. Entertainment cancelled due to a bit of rain 6 one of the rooms bugs in the bed, customer service said oh sorry we forgot to fumigate that room.. 7. Holiday rep calls and pesters you to book trips disguised with him having info about holiday and hotel takes you’re money and then disappears only interested in you’re money completely disappears after that., 8. They give you crap room on purpose then charge you £70 to upgrade and apparently this is common practise. 9, NOT ALL INCLUSIVE, drinks includes soft drinks, Beer, they pester you to buy cocktails at £10 euro each..,! 10. Buffet opens for two hours at a time, breakfast finished by 10. Lunch 12 till 2 then nothing until 6.30.. DO NOT WASTE YOURE HARD EARNED MONEY ON THIS HOTEL.. ! Go somewhere else!

Amazing holiday so much to do the entertainment team especially Rita was just amazing always made time for us and made it so special engaging with us playing with us all when it rained hotel was clean and food was good always find something to eat staff all polite island was good addition and plenty to do their for all would definitely recommend this hotel

This hotel is amazing, the staff go above and beyond. Kids had a wonderful time and didn't want to go home. Food was lovely - something different every night. Entertainment was so good!! Rita from the entertainment team was absolutely lovely - spoke to us every single day - she made our holiday extra special!! X

Eftalia Aqua Resort Review: October 2026 Dates of Stay: 22nd to 29th October 2026 Party: Travelled with my wife and youngest daughter (14) 1. Room and Accommodation Upon arrival, we were upsold to a sea view room. In hindsight, we really wish we had kept our original booking. The busy dual carriageway situated right in front of the beach significantly spoils the view, and you are left listening to the constant traffic noise. If anything, they should have knocked €50 off the price, as the room layouts are identical. The housekeepers cleaned the room daily. However, for four days of our stay, we only requested fresh towels and toilet rolls because we were sick in the room, which I will elaborate on later. The beds provided an average level of comfort, while the pillows were extremely firm, though comfort is subjective. 2. Food, Drinks and Dining The food in the main buffet restaurant was disappointing. Whilst it was acceptable for a budget all inclusive resort, it simply failed to cater to our tastes as a family. The desserts looked spectacular, yet they tasted entirely bland. Unless you arrive right as the doors open, you end up wandering around trying to find a free table. When you do find one, it is frequently uncleaned or lacking cutlery. The 24 hour burger bar is a helpful option if you happen to miss scheduled meal times, though the selection is minimal. I have seen other guests criticize the inclusive drink options, but I disagree. The resort provides plenty of fresh bottled water, local beer, house wine, a good selection of soft drinks and juices, alongside standard spirits. Cocktails require an additional payment. With multiple bars scattered across the resort, you are never far from a drink. The free ice cream served at the pool bar was another pleasant addition. 3. Eftalia Island and Pools The pool complex is undoubtedly the strongest aspect of Eftalia Aqua. There are numerous pools across the grounds, featuring a dedicated water slide section alongside separate pools for adults and younger children. The main pool is massive, with plenty of sunbeds available. Renting a private gazebo for €25 a day is great value if you want extra comfort and shade. Both the pool bar and cocktail bar sit right next to the water, and additional food and drink stalls are available at the aqua park. The pool water was freezing, though given it was late October, that is understandable. However, the poolside surrounds are extremely slippery. Although rubber walking mats surround the pool, children do not always stick to them. Walking barefoot is very uncomfortable, so keep your sliders or flip flops close by. My daughter slipped and grazed her knee, though the staff in the medical office patched her up nicely. Eftalia Island sits right on the coastline and is accessed via underpasses beneath the main road. For younger children, there is an endless list of things to do, ranging from a beachfront water park to zip lines, dodgems, and various shops and food outlets. Unfortunately, the beach itself was terrible. It is arguably the worst beach I have ever seen. It looks picturesque from a distance, but up close it was filthy and covered in rubbish. 4. Entertainment and Staff With the exception of a single night of Bingo, the entertainment was poor. The kids club seemed poorly organized. On the night we played Bingo, the evening entertainment consisted mostly of children on stage copying the reps' dance moves, though to their credit, the kids seemed to enjoy it. There is a small arcade that offers good value for money, as well as neon electric ride on vehicles for children to drive around the resort. The staff were generally friendly, although a few of the male employees behaved unprofessionally towards women, making uncomfortable eye contact. Furthermore, after a long flight when you are exhausted, being aggressively upsold a room upgrade by reception leaves a bad impression. 5. Highs and Lows Highs: The first few days were thoroughly enjoyable. We relaxed by the pool and made the most of four days of warm sunshine. Two of us went scuba diving, two of us went quad biking, and two of us dined at the hotel's Italian a la carte restaurant, which was very good. Lows: Three days into the holiday, my wife caught Norovirus. By day four, I had caught it as well. I spoke to a Scottish family on the day I fell ill, and every member of their group had suffered from the same bug. To make matters worse, the weather turned terrible for our final three days. The rain forced the cancellation of our booked dolphin show excursion, and we were refused a refund. The combination of illness and lost trips completely ruined our experience and has put us off returning to Turkey altogether. My wife missed out on her scuba diving trip, and I missed out on the quad biking. Additionally, the local shopkeepers outside the resort grounds are extremely pushy the moment you look around. 6. Final Verdict and Advice for Future Guests This trip fell well below our expectations. The resort is strictly geared towards families with very young children, and it likely offers a far better experience during the peak summer months. * Do not waste money upgrading your room: It is an unnecessary upsell. * Excursions: Avoid booking all your trips in advance in case the weather turns. * Dining: Arrive early for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to secure a clean table with cutlery. * Alternative options: Eftalia Ocean is the newest property in the complex and appears to offer better quality. Having travelled all over the world, I have never fallen ill on holiday before this stay.