“Absolutely Wonderful”

As a family of 3 going to Turkey for the first time we thought this hotel was absolutely wonderful. The setting is amazing, after arriving in the dark we were overwhelmed with the view that we had from our room when we woke up in the morning. The room itself was clean and spacious, with the added t… more

As a family of 3 going to Turkey for the first time we thought this hotel was absolutely wonderful. The setting is amazing, after arriving in the dark we were overwhelmed with the view that we had from our room when we woke up in the morning. The room itself was clean and spacious, with the added touch of having a mini bar stocked up every day it was perfect, what more do you want. The food was great, lots of selection from the buffet, especially enjoyed the freshly made omelets for breakfast. The Mexican snack bar and Italian pizza bar down by the beach were really lovely as a change from sitting in a "normal" all inclusive style restaurant. The highlight of the holiday for us was definitely Vira fish restaurant on the Pier. The food was amazing during the day and also we selected this as our al la carte choice for one night which was some of the best food I've ever had. The setting is amazing and we are literally looking to book up again for next year just so we can jump off the pier and swim in the beautiful sea down there again. Drinks were great wherever we went, the guy at the pool bar was great, constantly making cocktails for everyone on his own all day. Wherever we went the staff always remembered our drinks which was a nice touch. I must say this hotel has some of the nicest staff I've ever come across on holiday, everyone was lovely and friendly and made an effort to talk to you and say hello, but no one was pushy or annoying when trying to sell you things around the pool which I don't generally like on holiday, it can get annoying but never once did I feel that I was being pestered. We weren't planning on leaving the hotel but after meeting Tom around the pool we decided to go on the trip to Shanghi in Gumbet, which was a lovely, great value for money and nice to get a change of scenery. Andy was also really lovely and gave us a great deal to go into the Turkish foam bath and have a full body massage, it was so good we even booked up again on the last day to go in again, would highly recommend. I really don't have anything bad to say about La Blanche Island, it was amazing and we'll see you again next year!

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“Stunning island views and pleasant family stay”

We paid for a room with a view of the sea and we weren't disappointed. The room was very clean but basic, we didn't need any more than that. The hotel isn't 5* in comparison to other places I've visited around the world however, we really enjoyed La Blanche and some of the staff go above and beyond… more

We paid for a room with a view of the sea and we weren't disappointed. The room was very clean but basic, we didn't need any more than that. The hotel isn't 5* in comparison to other places I've visited around the world however, we really enjoyed La Blanche and some of the staff go above and beyond. Kamer in the bottom pool bar is amazing and Sofia was also very interested in people/families, they are both very good staff. Andy (Hotel Spa), Tom (Gumbet trip to the Chinese restaurant were great) and Jimmy (Jimmy's boat - watersports) were the friendliest sales men and not pushy at all. Room Although basic, our towels in the room were changed daily and the fridge was re stocked to our satisfaction. Beds were made and we saw cleaning staff everyday on floor we stayed. Location Once you arrive you get the feeling you aren't going far, which for us was what we wanted. I managed to run around the island 4/7 days we were there. There were things to do at the hotel and it was good to have a spa facility, massages are amazing with the Turkish bath and deep tissue massage. Service My girlfriend did need to use a wheelchair during our stay and it was sometimes difficult for us to get around because certain areas aren't particularly accessible. Some areas of the hotel could be improved to make them more accessible for wheelchairs. Bar staff on the whole were very friendly and welcoming and the alcoholic drinks were strong but generally really good. Food & drink We found the snack bars very good food, tasty but not very hot. Mostly luke warm especially in the buffet restaurant. Service. There was a lot of choice for food and the Omlettes (we never queued more than 5-10 mins like another review said) outside Pina restaurant were great. Turkish pancakes with sugar were also a favourite snack of ours. I've never been anywhere with a free Starbucks on site either which I took advantage of the hot chocolate for. Pools / poolside Agreed with others here, the pools were good size and the slides were good but only 2/4 were available and they were like plunge pools we get in the UK which means they were freezing. Having warm water to swim in would have been amazing. One boy who played with our son literally shivered for almost an hour after being in the pool. We didn't use the indoor pool but it looked basic, as well as this there were plenty of sun loungers and beds with shades and a shaded area. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would go back to La Blanche. If you don't mind hills and steps to get from each level from the beach, which was clean and the sea which was lovely and warmer than the hotel pools. You won't be disappointed and some of the staff make it entertaining as well as being very friendly with all the family.

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“Not fully as advertised”

We recently stayed at this resort for 2 weeks and, while there were some wonderful aspects, there were also a few disappointments that I think are worth mentioning. The Pros: First and foremost, the location is absolutely stunning. The views from the resort are breathtaking, especially around sun… more

We recently stayed at this resort for 2 weeks and, while there were some wonderful aspects, there were also a few disappointments that I think are worth mentioning. The Pros: First and foremost, the location is absolutely stunning. The views from the resort are breathtaking, especially around sunset. If you’re looking for a spot with natural beauty, this place definitely has it. The food was generally tasty, and the drinks were quite nice as well, with some great cocktails on the menu. The highlight of my stay, however, was the staff especially to the following, the two girls from the bar Basak Yuksek, Ergi Yavas (pardon :) ), the lad from the turkish a la carte restaurant Yusuf Olmez and young lad from the snack restaurant Hamdullah. They were friendly, attentive, and always went out of their way to make us feel welcome. A massive thank you to them The Cons: Unfortunately, the hotel itself is showing some wear and tear. You can tell it’s in need of an update, which takes away from the overall experience. The biggest issue I had was with the cleanliness – I’ve traveled to Turkey multiple times, and this was by far the lowest standard of cleaning I’ve encountered. This was a real letdown, especially in a place that otherwise looks so beautiful. Another drawback was the food variety. While what was available was tasty, there wasn't much selection, and after a few days, it started feeling repetitive. For those who like a lot of options, this could be disappointing. Finally, the lack of entertainment and overall atmosphere around the resort was noticeable. It felt a bit too quiet and lacked that lively holiday vibe, which made evenings a little dull. Overall Impression: In summary, while there are beautiful views, tasty food, and wonderful staff, the resort falls short on cleanliness, food variety, and entertainment. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for a relaxed holiday and are willing to overlook a few rough edges, but if you’re after a more vibrant, spotless experience, it may not quite hit the mark.

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“Value for money - if it was a 3.5-4* hotel”

Just returned from a 10night stay at La Blanche Island and enjoyed lazing by the pool in the sun, we were very lucky with the weather averaging 26degrees daily! We had originally booked elsewhere but easyJet cancelled the hotel and picked this one for us. After reading the reviews I was a little sc… more

Just returned from a 10night stay at La Blanche Island and enjoyed lazing by the pool in the sun, we were very lucky with the weather averaging 26degrees daily! We had originally booked elsewhere but easyJet cancelled the hotel and picked this one for us. After reading the reviews I was a little sceptical but decided to stick with it. The hotel is unfortunately not worthy of its 5* rating and after staying in other hotels between 3-5*, we feel this sits comfortably in the 3.5-4* range. General upkeep - the hotel is a little dated, but mostly the room blocks. The lobby and bars etc were all fine. Everywhere needs a good lick of paint and tiles replacing around the pool areas. Rooms - They are in need of a good lick of paint, tidy up and overhaul. They are a good size (we had a standard for 2 adults and 10yo), but the carpets are old, the walls are marked and the bathrooms aren’t kept well, again with marked walls and dirty skirting. Our minibar was restocked daily though with water, beer and soft drinks, which is a great touch. We stayed in Block A, 5th floor and overlooked a building site at the Lujo and had some noise late from one of the clubs. This didn’t bother us as hardly spent time there but I know some other guests asked to be moved and this was accomodated. The balcony doors are mostly soundproofed though so that does help. Cleanliness - couldn’t fault the cleanliness around the restaurants, snack bars and bars; these were all kept very clean and I had no concerns. The pool areas are not kept well. They aren’t hosed down every morning (like every hotel we’ve ever been at), and the beds were cleaned once in our stay. There were spilt drinks that had dried and gone sticky, the little bins they put by your bed weren’t emptied daily, and one day someone cut their foot and left a trail of blood from the bottom pool, all up the stairs and across the bridge - which was still there 4 days later! Food - the buffet is what you’d expect with plenty of choice. They have a fresh grill area outside that serves all three meal times and whilst a lot of people commented on there not being enough for kids, we had no problems with our child. All tasty, some of it not very warm. Could do with labelling everything though as we were guessing what half the food was! Snack bars - excellent. All the food we had from them was great. Easy and quick, plenty of choice and tasty. Pulcinella - best pizza’s! Mexican - excellent, nice and spicy - best cheeseburgers too! Sunrise - great doner kebabs! Vira - incredible views! A la Carte - we had one a la carte visit included so went for the Elegance restaurant. We wanted Sakura (Asian) but it was fully booked so I’d recommend booking when you arrive. Food at Elegance was ok, but no better than the buffet, only plus was that it is hotter when it arrives. We wouldn’t pay the €10pp to eat here again. Drinks - pretty much what you like. Great mocktails for kids! Our pool bar guy, Carmel, was excellent. Very friendly, happy to make you whatever you ask for and polite. Exceptional service and definitely worthy of a shout out - thank you, Carmel! Pools - 2 big pools, and plenty of sunbeds and cabana beds (on the lower pool). The music is ridiculously loud at the top pool during the day, so we stayed at the bottom one. Slides are great, and lots of fun! Our child can swim and is tall, but only downside is that the pools are the same depth all the way around at 1.4m. There is a small kids pool but more of a splash park area, so those with smaller kids may struggle playing in the pools - which is a shame. Even the indoor pool is 1.4m all around. Entertainment - the day activities are plentiful, and popular. We watched a couple of shows, what you’d expect of holiday entertainment. Music is loud outside and played late, til around 11:30pm. Shop - avoid!! Bring everything with you, including kids toys/floaties. Absolute rip off. Wanted €30 for a blow up ring, and that was ‘haggled’ down from €45. We didn’t pay that and people tend to leave them around by the pool or their rooms. Trips - We did the dinner trip to Shanghai which was booked via Tom who comes around the pool. Great prices and food with extra time for shopping. Always haggle in the shops and you’ll get it cheaper - excellent replica gear; footy kits, handbags, trainers! Tom is excellent - highly recommend. Boat Trip via OzzLife (recommended and found on Facebook). Out from 9-5, picked up in comfort, great boat trip out with food and soft drinks included - an excellent day! Contact him via Facebook either before you go or whilst there. There is also a daily shuttle that runs several times into Bodrum which is much cheaper than a taxi! Beaches - great! Clean, plenty of beds and the sea is warm. Plenty of water sport options but expensive! Bring a snorkel. Staff - all great. Polite and friendly. As a side note, we came at the very end of the season, and whilst it was lovely and quiet, with no queue for anything, they started to clear down and close up the hotel 3 days before we left. Started by closing the pool bar, running out of drinks at every snack bar/lobby bar and not replenishing, the buffet was made smaller and they were packing away sunbeds too! Considering the hotel was still fairly busy, we feel this shouldn’t impact our experience and stay and they definitely could have waited a few more days to do all of this. Kind of makes you feel like you’re outstaying your welcome a bit - especially as they literally turned the hotel lights off as soon as we were picked up! All in all, a lovely holiday and we’ll definitely return to Turkey, just not this hotel.

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