Hotel Ece Saray Marina Reviews

we were taking our first holiday in Turkey and on arrival found the airport at dalaman to be very small and hardly able to cater for the incoming plane loads of passengers .A ten pound levy was payable for a visa to enter the country,a ten pound G B note each was needed ,no change is given ,we struggled to get out of the airport through the crowds but were given a warm welcome from reps of anatolian sky our travel company ,we were soon on our way to Fethiye aboard a mini bus ,one and a half hours later we arrive at the impressive Ece Saray hotel ,situated on the marina promenade .

the staff met us and looked after the luggage .on checking in we were told our room would not be ready for at least twenty minutes , we sat down in the lounge and a free drink was bought to us and we were given a warm welcome .we were not dissapointed with the room which gave us a lovely view to wake up to the sun every day .in the hotel grounds was a very good swimming pool with a bar and restaurant ,a wellness centre ,which I had an experience never to be forgotten ,the Turkish bath and body massage was brilliant and I felt as if I could have ran a mile afterwards,for a short time i might add .breakfast was very good with ommelettes cooked to your liking ,also eggs served in various ways ,the staff were friendly and very polite.

the resort was very good and at night became lively and a great atmosphere added without any larger louts to be seen ,we took a boat trip and I really enjoyed swimming in glorious clear blue waters in various coves ,lunch was provided on a barbecue, all this for £15 each,the dolmush buses and a water taxi to Callis beach was very good and cheap too.we loved the place ,the people and the holiday so much ,we are returning next May and have already booked .one of the best ever holidays we have ever enjoyed .

we are 73 year olds and this was our first holiday in Turkey ,we stayed in the superb Ece Saray hotel on BandB terms ,plenty of food for breakfast includings eggs ,done to your taste or enen an omolette ,the staff were very friendly and the service excellent ,in the evening we walked down to the Park Cafe and were welcomed by Ali and his band of waiters ,the food was well cooked and the turkish staff wonderful people ,
excursions were value for money ,we went on a day at sea ,which included a very good barbecue lunch ,cooked on board the boat and well presented ,the only downside was we had to pay for drinks at the end of the trip and the prices were a shock to all ,even so I enjoyed every minute and swam in the gorgeous blue sea
every time we anchored in a cove .

the night life is in the old town area which comes to life every evening including Sunday, It is a maze of streets ,full of bars and shops ,selling all kinds of ware fropm jewellry to turkish delight ,one could sit and have a drink and smoke from a hookah pipe ,tobbaco not hasheesh lol. the atmosphere was wonderful and again the friendliness of the Turks brilliant ,so much so I didnt want to come home .if we are fit enough we will go again next year .we flew by Excell airways and both flights were on time and very comfortable .

roll on next september .

once a gain we decided to go to the Ece Saray for our third visit ,we arrived at 12.30 am and the male receptionist welcomed us and we were shown a room which was at the back of the hotel and I refused to go in as we had paid for a sea view,we were told the hotel was full and no other rooms were available,after a prolonged discussion we were put in a suite which was unnocupied and it was the size of two normal rooms,this going to be great ,so we thought ,.
next morning were approached by two girls from the reception saying that the room had an electrical fault and we were to be moved.after another rather heated discussion we agreed to move but under protest and lost some time while the room was made ready for us,I complained about this but nothing more was said ,.
we went out for the day and on our return we found a huge tray of fresh fruit and a bottle of red wine in the way of an apology.

after this we settled in and enjoyed our holiday in this lovely hotel .most of the staff from last september had gone ,disapointedly I might add as we had got very friendly with them .It was not long though before we made new friends throughout the hotel and in the resort .
we would recommend the resort and Ece Saray for a holiday on bed and breakfast terms .a better place would be hard to find and food at breakfast is as good also dont miss the or better than anywhere i have been .the eggs ,bacon and mushrooms are delicious.

weather wise we have had better as a remnant from an iraqi hurricane hit us one evening and we also had a thunderstorm with a lot of rain ,this wasnt allowed to spoil things for us we had a great holiday once more ,I would recommend the sunset cruise with Carole and Tayfun ,a lot of fun and a great steak meal ,all for £12.

we will definitly be going back for the fourth time if we keep fit enough!

A Turkish Delight!

Have recently returned from our first trip to Turkey - we stayed at the Ece Saray Marina Hotel in Fethiye (4* Special Boutique) and had a fabulous time. The hotel is in a picturesque setting - all rooms have a view of the marina, mountains in the background - visually great.

Don't be put off by some bad reviews, be optimistic - bear in mind that some people are natural moaners (even if, on occasions, they have good reason). We had no cause to moan about anything. We found all the staff we dealt with to be polite, helpful and very friendly. We asked for a room swap as on check-in we were given a ground floor room and they moved us to 3rd floor - great view!

Turkish people - with the odd exception, are fantastic. They really made our holiday great as they genuinely want you to enjoy yourself. We made friends with several waiters in different restaurants and every time we walked past they would wave and ask us if we were having a good time.

Our room was very comfortable - high quality furnishings and housekeeping good. Bed-linen changed every day. The French balcony is sweet. One minor point, there is not much drawer space, but there is a large wardrobe with plenty of hanging space/shelves, somehow it all fits in!

Breakfast is taken on the roof terrace with a huge selection and all freshly prepared. Fresh fruit, mixed nuts, every type of cereal, yoghurts, cheeses, tomatoes, breads, pastries etc. and chef will cook your eggs how you like - fried, omelette, poached or scrambled. Delicious.

The swimming pool area is adjacent to the hotel - up a few steps - and from there you also have a view of Fethiye Bay - its lovely. Sunbeds are solid and the most comfortable we have encountered at any hotel and plenty of them - with soft white towels courtesy of the hotel! Snacks/drinks are of course available from the pool bar and quite reasonable.

A short walk through the marina and you reach the shops - which are numerous. Lots of bars/restaurants - a few to try - The Car Cemetery a bar which plays good music, the Megri and the Duck Pond both very good food and waiter-friendly.

Also try the Carpe Diem café in the Marina (near to the supermarket) - huge portions (I couldn't finish my meal), reasonably priced and spotlessly clean - its great.

Dalaman airport

Airport is overcrowded - when flying home the queues are horrendous outside the airport, mainly due to the x-ray machine being located just inside the terminal. Tempers are frayed especially when coaches stop outside and the embarking passengers try to jump the queue!! Be prepared to stand for about 40 minutes outside and take your own food/drink with you as prices are sky high. For example, 1 Twix and 1 Snickers chocolate bar - price GBP 2 each! A complete rip-off.

Lets hope they keep to the schedule and the new terminal will be open for summer 2006 which will hopefully ease the horrendous queues.

So to sum up, we had a wonderful holiday the weather was gorgeous, people so warm and genuinely friendly. We were very sad to leave and can't wait to go back next summer!

Enjoy