Swissotel Resort Bodrum Beach

Swissotel Resort Bodrum: A Mixed Bag

My recent stay at the Swissotel Resort Bodrum was a mixed experience. While the hotel's beachfront location and spacious rooms were certainly appealing, several significant drawbacks overshadowed the positives. The price point is far, far too high for what you get in exchange and does not at all feel like a luxury or five star hotel. In terms of amenities (mainly because of the beach and pool), I would say this is a four star hotel at best and in terms of service, closer to a 3 star.

Room Comfort and Maintenance: Despite the spacious rooms, a persistent bathroom odor, which filled the room, was a nuisance. The lack of attention to basic amenities like replacing coffee pods, used cups and towels was frustrating. Additionally, the bed was uncomfortably hard, leading to restless nights.

Noise and Inconvenience: The hotel's family-friendly atmosphere turned into a noise nightmare. Despite complaints to the hotel staff on several occasions, a large group of children running in the halls and all over the hotel screaming, playing in the elevators, and riding scooters indoors around the lobby well into the early hours continued to disturb the peace. Said children would also leave their scooters and bikes lying on the floors and in walkways in front of entrances causing a safety hazard. The late-night honking of golf carts by the children was an added annoyance making sleeping very difficult.

Staff and Service: The reception staff and doormen were very friendly but the language barrier proved to be a challenge when communicating with some members of the team. The beach staff, in particular, lacked attentiveness and were rarely to be seen on the beach, resulting in slow service. The QR code by the beach chairs was convenient but you seemed to have to constantly order items using it just to be able to get the attention of a member of the team. The absence of a hotel shop was inconvenient, especially for those who forgot essentials.

Location and Amenities: The hotel's location necessitated frequent and expensive taxi rides to reach attractions. The hotel is approximately 35-40 minutes away by car from any major attraction meaning each trip back and forth was 2000 Turkish Lira on average. There is little to do at the resort itself in terms of water activities or dining meaning you need to go into town more often than not. The pool also closes relatively early (6 pm) and the service issue applies there as well where I was forced to enter the hotel cafe from the pool just to order a drink. The main Italian restaurant was underwhelming at best.

Positives: While the cons outweighed the pros, the hotel did have some redeeming qualities. The beachfront restaurant offered delicious food despite closing early as well, the beach was well-maintained, and the rooms were clean and spacious. The pool was enjoyable, and the hotel's location provided beautiful views. Merve, the guest relations manager, was brilliant, professional and accommodating and the reception staff were friendly and approachable.

Overall, the Swissotel Resort Bodrum falls short of its potential. The combination of noise, poor service, and limited amenities makes it difficult to justify the price. Unless significant improvements are made, I would hesitate to recommend this hotel to others