Olu Deniz, Mavi Belce

Just back yesterday from Mavi Belce. Where to start with this place ! It was awful, an absolute dump. The rooms were disgusting with sockets hanging off the walls, shower curtains held on with clothes hangers!! Lights in the hallways at night times never came on. The main gripe with this place it that it is basically run by a bunch of 17 year olds. The manager is never around and does not seem to give a damn. The staff are ignorant and on the last day, money was demanded in a very aggressive way from one of the "kids" on reception from my mother. My wife (who is Turkish) demanded that the manager be called. She arrived and after fumbling through paperwork admitted they were at fault. I pointed out the following problems with the hotel to her:

1. These "kids" who essentially multi tasked between reception, cleaning the pool, serving food and working at the bar, spent most of their time sitting at the front of the hotel smoking. When asked for something off the menu, they would put out their cigarette, dust off their hands and head in to prepare the food. On many occasions the guy who was cleaning the pool went from cleaning to food preparation without any gloves or cleaning of hands. MANAGERS RESPONSE WAS: "I know this happens, sorry"

2. Breakfast was a disgrace. Want your bread toasted. It will cost you GBP2.50. Walked by one night when they were serving evening dinner to some unlucky punters and the waited was wearing a tshirt, shorts and a pair of flip flops serving their food.

3. Reception is manned again by these multitasking kids who have no clue how to operate the computer system or check people in properly. MANAGERS RESPONSE: "Our reception lady is on sick leave, sorry"

This hotel is an absolute disgrace and should be shut down. The manager is incompetent and hasn`t got a clue. You are treated very badly and aggressively unless one of you is turkish and can speak the language as they (including the manager) hadly can speak english, despite the fact that even the street traders outside the hotel have perfect english.

A much more professional hotel is the Karbel Hotel (2 mins away) which i stayed at last year.

Food on half board basis was awful! So bad that we lost weight the first week we were there, ate out after that. Very little choice and always melon for sweet, never anything else. No fruit juice or water unless it was paid for. One of the young waiters was very surly, no manners, very smelly and always making a nuisance of himself around guests. One morning at breakfast he was clearing the tables and had a large piece of string hanging from his mouth, which he was chewing, so disgusting! Chipped/dirty cups, plates etc.

The hotel dog was very sweet but had a terrible habit of 'humping' people' s legs, I got caught within 10 minutes of being in the hotel. Also the dog had a habit of jumping in the children's pool, fleas and all. Children's pool had a very large chunk of concrete missing, which was lying to the side, very unsafe for small children.

Toilets were not very clean, I went to use the toilet brush and it was slimy! No hot water in the mornings.

Noise from the bar at night/morning was very loud due to young staff having music full blast even with no guests in the bar, also had to keep asking them to turn the music down at meal times as we could not hear ourselves speak. Bar opposite very loud late into night and morning.

'Friendly Family Run Hotel' it was not! Only saw the owner a couple of times but he never spoke or even smiled at the guests.Although it was near the end of the season (Sept 08) a bit more effort could have been made to ensure guests had a reasonable stay in the hotel. I know the staff were getting tired and fed up, but we had all saved hard for a break from work and expected a better service and to not feel we were a burden. This was my 4th time in Turkey and I have had a lot better . Hotel needs a complete overhaul ASAP.

I think this hotel needs to be refurbished ASAP. I can't understand the people who rave about this hotel either they have not stayed anywhere better or I think they had been affected by the Turkish sun.

Just returned from a week's holiday at Mavi Belce. Fantastic place, fabolous location just 5 minutes from main beach, shops and restaurants but still peaceful by the pool.

First time to Turkey, heard about basic accommodation but better than Greece where we've gone past few years. Rooms cleaned every day, and bathroom even has a shower curtain! Main reasons to stay are location and friendliness of staff. Much has been said of the Barman and his work ethic is fantastic, but everyone else very helpful too. Fun hotel, organize water polo games, push people into pool (and you are allowed to get them back!) and go out of their way to make sure you enjoy holiday.

Main beach is sandy but busy, 10 min walk to Blue Lagoon pay 5.50 YTL for 2 people to enter and you do have to pay 5YTl for each sunbed and parasol on beach (not free as previously stated.)

Booked with Right Holidays found through teletext website. Bit nervous as not heard of them before and when I went to book another hotel, they suggested Mavi Belce as same standard but cheaper. Checked out websites and all looked OK. Only booked on the Weds before Sunday departure so only short confirmation email to confirm flight numbers and accommodation. If you want more info (as I did), phone and ask as they don't reply to emails.

Flew with Onur Air, no frills Turkish airline. No TV or music available so take own books/mags for flight as it's 4 1/2 hours to Dalaman (from Cardiff.)

Not overly impressed with Right Holidays rep. Holiday cost more than I wanted and hardly Thomas Cook service, felt a bit pushed into buying excursions and witnessed him telling another holiday maker to use common sense when she said she had not been told she had to pay extra for air con. Not a negative review of RH just used them solely for transfers. Booked our own excursions from beach for same price and more choice.