We booked this hotel from the recommendation of a travel agent who assured us that this hotel was one of the best. It could not be further from the truth, we were very apprehensive from the start, as our transfer traveled though the Bodrum hills into a residential area, we seem to go deeper and deeper before the driver got lost. It took him a while to locate the hotel (shows how remote this was) but we eventually arrived.
Upon entering the hotel at 5am, we could smell this awful pong in the air as we checked in. After checking in the receptionist now turned porter, took me and my wife to our room. While we walked towards our room past the pool, I noticed the pool was dirty with broken tiles and over grown greenery. I said to my wife this doesn't look good.
We arrived at the room and the porter opened the door to the craziest smell I have ever experienced. Its smelt like a sewer literally and I felt physically sick. I said to the porter, we cannot stay in this room with this smell and he said I cant move you now as the hotel is fully booked?
We left the door open hoping that the lesser disgusting smell outside would improve the smell inside the room but that wasn't to be. The rooms had damp patches on the walls and ceiling with mold growing, the furniture was rotting and in pieces, the TV was looked from the early 90's and finally the bathroom, what can I say.... the toilet, sinks and shower had stains which looked like they have been there for many months if not years.
It was now 5.30am, I went to reception and explained that we could not stay in that room, but reception insisted that they had no other rooms available, but would try to move us later on that day, he advised me to get some sleep and we can sort thing out when we wake up. I went back to the room and wanted to take my contact lenses out, but I would not touch that sink to wash my hands, instead I used my solution to wash my hands/fingers before taking out my lenses.
We didn't want to stay at this hotel anymore, I was prepared to get a taxi to another hotel and getaway from this place. I informed reception of my intentions after being here an hour, that we do not want to stay there anymore. He called his boss and then explained to me if we could bare with it for another hour, then his boss would take me to their sister hotel.
We sat in our room for an hour with the door open before grabbing our bags and making our way to reception at 7am. At reception we were advised that it would be another 30 minutes before their boss would be here to take us to the other hotel. He pointed us to the restaurant and said we can have breakfast. We walked around for 30 seconds and decided not to get any food or drink, the plates and glasses needed to be washed again as they were sticky, the food looked like it had been reused for days, we just wanted the nightmare to end.
When the boss arrived he didn't look very happy with us but he had no choice, we refused to stay here and could not understand how this hotel was full and how people could actually enjoy themselves in such an environment.
We were transfered to their sister Hotel called Club Aqua Gumbet, which wasn't too much better but we ended up with one of the best/modern rooms at that hotel which made our weeks stay bearable. I will right a separate review for Aqua Club Gumbet.
In summary, not worth the headache, simple, just stay away from all the Aqua Club hotels.
- Magic Route Bodrum Hotel
