Sunis Efes Royal Palace

Sunis Efes Royal Palace Resort, Ozdere, Turkey Overall, we had a pleasant holiday at this Resort. While we would personally rate it closer to a 4-star hotel rather than the advertised 5-star standard, there were many positives; we had a lovely time & enjoyed our stay. The hotel is exceptionally clean, offers a wide range of facilities, and the staff were genuinely excellent. There are some areas where improvements could be made, but overall we left having had a lovely relaxing family holiday. The overview below points out the good and some of these minor areas for improvement. Rooms & Housekeeping We stayed in Rooms 2214 (car park view) and 2224 (partial sea view). The rooms were modern, comfortable and a good size, with comfortable beds and adequate balconies. The sea view is worth paying extra for if available. The housekeeping team deserves special mention. The rooms and hotel throughout were maintained to an excellent standard, and the cleaners were attentive and hardworking. A few minor negatives were the limited soundproofing between rooms and corridors, slightly lumpy pillows, and very limited English-language TV channels, although this wasn't particularly important for us. Hotel Facilities One of the resort's strengths is the range of facilities available onsite. There is very little reason to leave the hotel if relaxation is your priority. Facilities include: • Multiple pools and beach access • Water slides • Spa and wellness centre • Sports bar • Irish bar • Cinema • Nightclub • Games room • Various sports and activities • Shops selling clothing, jewellery, leather goods, footwear, sun cream and essentials • Onsite photographer We particularly appreciated that the shop owners were friendly without being overly pushy. The jewellery store staff were especially pleasant and helpful. The hotel is also well designed with plenty of seating areas and communal spaces, so it never felt overcrowded. Entertainment & Activities The entertainment team were one of the highlights of our stay. They were energetic, friendly and especially good at encouraging our shy teenagers to get involved in activities. We enjoyed: • Darts • Air rifle shooting • Poolside activities • Evening entertainment • Bingo The team were always approachable and a real credit to the hotel. The water slides were great fun (open approximately four hours per day). Evening shows were professionally performed, but after a week they became somewhat repetitive, largely consisting of dance performances. We stayed for two weeks and felt that one week would probably be the ideal duration before entertainment and food begin to feel repetitive. Food & Dining The buffet restaurant offered a large selection of food and overall the quality was good. Breakfast was probably the strongest meal of the day, with the omelette station being consistently excellent. There were some interesting and unusual flavour combinations throughout the week, and most guests should find plenty of choice. That said, after two weeks the menu became quite repetitive. We also occasionally found: • Some dishes not being kept sufficiently warm • Certain popular items running out • Orange juice unavailable on some mornings • Reheated bagels on a few occasions We personally avoided seafood after one day when prawns did not seem particularly fresh and a family member experienced a stomach upset. Also, Check out the traditional metre long pizzas at the other food station behind the slides, very tasty and well worth a visit! Lovely staff too. À La Carte Restaurants Italian Restaurant Service was friendly and attentive, but the food was average rather than exceptional. While perfectly acceptable, it didn't feel particularly authentic Italian cuisine. Turkish Restaurant Again, service was pleasant, but the menu felt limited and quite similar to options already available in the main buffet. Some dishes were overly salty and the meal felt somewhat rushed despite the restaurant being relatively quiet. In both cases, we generally preferred the main buffet restaurant. Beach & Pools One pleasant surprise was the availability of sunbeds. During our stay in early June there was no need for the usual early-morning rush, and we always found somewhere to sit, even if not always in our preferred location. The beach was our favourite area, particularly for swimming in the sea. The water was refreshing and generally enjoyable, although some days brought larger waves, seaweed and a stony entrance. The cabanas looked nice but at €125 per day felt unnecessary and overpriced. We also witnessed two separate incidents where children got into difficulty in the water. On both occasions the lifeguards reacted immediately and handled the situations professionally, which was reassuring to see. Bars & Drinks The absolute standout feature of the hotel was the Irish Bar. The bartender there was genuinely one of the most talented cocktail makers we have ever encountered. Presentation, quality, flavour, service and friendliness were all exceptional. Once we discovered it, it became our regular evening destination. The standard cocktails elsewhere around the resort were less impressive, which made the Irish Bar stand out even more. Spa The spa staff were friendly and welcoming. However, the sales approach was quite persistent, which unfortunately discouraged us from booking treatments. Prices also seemed relatively high compared to similar facilities elsewhere. The steam room was out of service during our stay. Location The resort itself is located in a fairly isolated area. While this makes it peaceful, it also means that taxis or organised excursions are needed to visit nearby attractions. During our stay we visited: • Ephesus & St Mary's House • Pamukkale (including a hot air balloon experience) • Kusadasi • Izmir • Şirince • Jeep safari excursions These trips helped add variety during a two-week stay. **Biggest Negative – Kusadasi Taxi Experience** Our only genuinely disappointing experience involved a taxi arranged through the excursion/car rental desk beside reception (Ozdere Car Rental). We paid €100 for a return taxi journey to Kusadasi. Upon arrival, the driver dropped us in a residential area where a man -'arranged by the driver' approached us under the pretence of helping with directions. Instead, he immediately brought us to a clothing shop called X Cross and repeatedly attempted to sell us merchandise. When it was time to return to the hotel, we were directed back to the same shop to organise our return taxi, resulting in further uncomfortable and persistent sales pressure. As a family, we felt misled and placed in an awkward situation simply to access our transport back to the resort. This experience was completely at odds with the otherwise positive holiday and should not happen to hotel guests. To be fair, the lady from Ozdere Car Rental was extremely pleasant and appeared genuinely concerned when we raised the issue. She escalated the complaint and ensured that different drivers were arranged for two later excursions we booked. Unfortunately, we never received any follow-up from management regarding the original incident. Anyone booking transport should ensure collection and drop-off arrangements are clearly agreed beforehand and should not accept being routed through commercial premises. Minor Observations & advice • Poolside toilets could occasionally smell unpleasant, with some sewage odours noticeable nearby. • The sports bar pool table was unavailable due to broken cues that did not appear to be replaced. • Wi-Fi was generally good but occasionally patchy. • We could not find the sushi restaurant open during our 2week stay. • The nightclub appeared largely unused whenever we visited. • Mosquitoes were plentiful, particularly in the evenings, so insect repellent is strongly recommended. • Music around the pool could be repetitive and quite boomy/loud. • The hotel does not provide packed breakfasts or lunches for excursions, which surprised us as most resorts we've visited offer this service. Airport Experience The airport was extremely busy both arriving and departing. On departure we arrived three hours before our flight and still spent approximately 90 minutes progressing through baggage drop, security and passport control. We would strongly recommend allowing at least 2-3 hours, preferably more, when travelling during busy periods. Value for Money One thing that surprised us was how expensive Turkey has become compared to a previous visit. Prices in many shops, attractions and airport were very similar to Ireland, and often higher (unexpected with the Lira exchange rate). Being from a very expensive country already with high living costs, we definitely felt everything was grossly overpriced. Final Verdict Despite a number of smaller issues, we had a good holiday overall. The hotel's greatest strengths are its cleanliness, facilities, entertainment team, beach access and the excellent Irish Bar. The staff in many departments were friendly and hardworking, and there is plenty to keep families occupied. There are areas where the resort could improve, particularly food variety, some maintenance issues, packed lunches for excursions and certain aspects of service. However, none of these significantly impacted our enjoyment of the holiday. For us, the most serious concern was the Kusadasi taxi experience arranged through the onsite rental desk, which we feel should be investigated to prevent other guests having a similar experience. Overall, a nice family resort and a pleasant holiday, particularly for a one-week stay.

We are very happy to be staying at this hotel, and we have been very well taken care of during both breakfast and dinner, especially by Sinan Çelik.

In short, the hotel is fabulous, best quality/price I have seen for long time, and to go into details... Check-in took very little time, the rooms were quite large, bright and clean, as was the bathroom. The location looks great considering that it has been a few years since it opened. Large spaces at the bars and on the terraces, everything very airy and well thought out so as to please the customers. The staff was very kind and helpful, they were everywhere, at the bar, at the restaurant, on the terrace, at the beach, wherever you looked you were sure to find someone to help you. The entertainment team was at its best, daily activities at the pool or on the beach and in the evening they animated the entire terrace and amphitheater. Energy night have very good quality shows and also minidisco for kids. The food was very good and varied, I don't understand those who complain about the repetitiveness, there was food for all tastes. When you have everything it's hard to find something new 😁. Good quality drinks and very kind and good professional bartenders. The location of the bars was very good and you could easily find a bar near you and the bar on the pontoon was top. Personally, I didn't find anything that bothered me at this hotel during the entire time I stayed there, except for my wife who was unpleasantly surprised that she didn't find ear buds and fluffy towels. 😂 And yes, they have espresso coffee from beans but also instant Nespresso. 😜 To conclude, I don't like going to the same place twice but I think in the case of this hotel I can make 2 or 3 exceptions! 😉

I wanted to write this review to let others know that this hotel is not just a hotel it is a very very special place the kindness and attentiveness from all staff was just the start of making our holiday just wonderful they go above and beyond the cabana experience both pool and vip beach are memories that will stay with my family and me forever it was just a special touch to your holiday waited on beautiful with what ever you need, I have travelled all over the world but I have never been to a hotel so clean and pristine the pools are also a credit to the staff. Every morning I was greeted with a big smile from Fatima who made me a fresh omelette absolutely scrumptious thank you Fatima you are also a credit to the hotel. I lost my dad unexpectedly a few days before travelling as I have two young little girls I made the decision to still carry on and take my girls for there holiday the guest relations staff are truly amazing human beings the gorgeous lady Ilke made me the kindest Gesture of a heartfelt letter regarding my dad which I will treasure forever with a fruit platter and my dads fave red wine it blew me away and I will never ever forget that it made me feel cared for and supported in my terrible time but still having a wonderful experience in this hotel, we went to Al a carte two times Mexican and Italian we loved the experience and the food was a delicious. Both restaurants outside was beautiful also and my daughter made sure she was first for her waffles and crepes everyday I also want to mention the ladies who run the Patisserie there so gentle and kind and we loved sitting on the balcony with a latte cake and some Turkish delight as an extra treat there the Irish bar is also the best for cocktails they are simply amazing the girls who run the kids club are also gentle and kind and my daughter enjoyed going doing the baking and cooking activities aswell as the face paint the entertainment staff are positive happy people always a big smile and big welcome thank you team . The lifeguard formed a lovely friendship with my daughter and her friend he made the slides even more fun and ensured our children was safe at all Times thank you it was a pleasure to meet you and lazy but not least Paparazzi your photos patience and kindness was special your photos speak for themselves beautiful memories I can keep forever thank you so much you are also a credit to the hotel and work very hard. My good friend who I travelled with it is her second time at the hotel and I’m so glad I joined her for my First experience we are already booking for us all to return next June and we will Be counting down the days for our Return. Thank you allllllll so very very much my girls really did have the best holiday and you are all credit to the hotel see you all soon with lots of love Emma Felicity and Primrose xxxxxx

Suni Efes Palace & Spa Resort is visually breathtaking. The grounds are immaculate, the rooms are exceptional, and the layout is one of the best we’ve seen in Turkey. Many staff members, especially reception and guest services were genuinely excellent. Unfortunately, the beauty of the resort is completely overshadowed by fundamental issues with food, service, and organisation. The food was the worst dining experience we’ve had in 15+ years of visiting Turkey. Every member of our group became unwell at different points due to food issues. Key problems: • Very basic, bland, repetitive food • Lukewarm, overcooked, or undercooked dishes (including bloody chicken) • Essentials like chips and rice took ages to be replenished • Chaotic queues and poor organisation • Multiple food stations and two à la cartes closed • Restaurant service was the poorest we’ve experienced in Turkey - dirty tables, missing cutlery, and staff ignoring guests for drink replenishment There was also a noticeable divide between German/Turkish guests and English guests, creating a grab‑and‑go atmosphere and inconsistent service. My daughter was repeatedly ignored when politely asking for a drink. A huge bugbear was the antisocial tolerance to smoking everywhere. Smoking was constant around dining areas, even from guests who weren’t eating. It regularly ruined meals and was never addressed by staff, and people thought nothing about standing an inch from you puffing away as you try to eat! Talking of smoke between 10–12 each morning, the pool area filled with thick black smoke from the BBQ setup. It was overwhelming rather than atmospheric, and the BBQ food itself was inconsistent and often undercooked. Entertainment was unreliable & often poorly managed • Start times changed daily • Some acts didn’t appear as advertised • Activities were repetitive • Poolside music was loud and full of explicit language, including repeated F‑words and racial slurs The animation team worked hard, but equipment was poor (e.g. the airgun activity was pointless due to misaligned gear). The resorts stand out features are their rooms. They were outstanding, modern, spacious, and extremely comfortable. The cleaning light system was brilliant, and reception/guest services were exceptional. Other positives: • Beautiful daily sweet display in the foyer • Fantastic waterslides (though not open often enough) • Lifeguards were excellent and great with children * Irish bar and its staff were amazing * ice cream area lovely * the ability to find somewhere quiet to sit with the family was amazing, there is so much space for tranquil time and relaxation Most on‑site shops were closed for a lot of the time, but the market shop was open and run by a genuinely kind and fair gentleman. The resort’s layout and pier setting were superb everything close by and visually stunning and really had a huge wow factor. I defy you find a more stunning resort as there won’t be many at this price point A La Carte was a major miss • Menu didn’t match what was advertised • Ordering via QR code was awkward due to poor Wi‑Fi • Food was below average • Service was slow and drinks weren’t replenished • Smoking throughout the meal from other guests ruined the experience, and indoor seating was refused Several guests walked out, and we understood why. Overall This resort has enormous potential. The rooms, grounds, and some staff are fantastic. But the basics - food safety, service, organisation, and guest comfort are nowhere near the standard expected of a five‑star Turkish resort. We know as we have had the lucky luxury of having amazing experiences for 15 years Until these issues are addressed, we wouldn’t return. I cannot ignore the fact the food made us all very unwell at various points, and the other guests smoking everywhere and staff clearly favouring other guests against the English became draining. I will miss the stunning setting but would only consider again in the future If the issues are sorted. That being said I note the issues I mentioned were near identical to those reviewed by a guest named Gary in May 25. He summed it up perfectly and mirrored our experience entirely, alas it seems the promised address of them by management has not occurred. .