Отель в деталях Hotel in detail

Brief information (there were a lot of letters, so I highlighted it in two lines - who is too lazy to read):
Travel dates: 02.09. 2011-16.09. 2011.
Location: Kusadasi
Hotel: Sea Light Resort 5*
Tour operator: Tez
Airline: Transaero
Composition: Two adults (28 and 48 years old - me and my mother).
Ticket price: 9.840 rubles.
The result of the trip: I did not like the hotel, we looked at the region, we liked it, but we remain faithful to the Mediterranean. Rest was a success. Details below.

First, a few words about choosing a place to stay. It so happened that all my 4 vacations in Turkey were spent on the Antalya coast. I really wanted to see Pamukkale, Ephesus, but to go on an excursion for 5-8 hours one way did not smile at all, even in a super-comfortable bus. An individual tour does not reduce travel time much, so it was also rejected. After rummaging through the Internet, I dug up information about Kusadasi - it’s quite acceptable to go everywhere, even from the airport.

In addition, there are no huge sandy beaches here, so it is reasonable to expect a decrease in the number of mothers with children (well, I don’t like it when they constantly shout above my ear). There are many rocky coves here, and I really like to snorkel. We decided to take a vacation in September (at the very beginning). There were two reasons for this - in August prices bite, and from the first of September it is always a little cheaper, in addition, from the beginning of September, as a rule, there are fewer people in the resorts. There were no concerns about the weather - it seems that the season is until October, therefore - vacation from 02.09.
The hotel was chosen for a long time. Of the criteria - necessarily 5 *, only the first line, the presence of ALL, or rather UAL as a concept, a good beach, a large territory or where to go for a walk in the evening (we like to take a walk after dinner). Of the optional, but very desirable: slides and not very active animation (we don’t like it). I read a lot of reviews, in the end we decided to stay at SeaLight Resort.
The main factor, after which it sounded “That's it, let's go here” was the review of Tourist Romka
The voucher was bought on 03.05 in the "Recreation Store". I always buy there, and I already have a regular customer card there (3% discount, a little, but nice). The cost for two for 14 nights at TezTour, taking into account all fees and our discount, was 95.840 rubles. (it was possible to find cheaper, but I was already used to working according to this scheme - it suited me). In addition, I like the manager with whom we always work (everything is fast, clear and without reminders). On August 31, we received all the documents for the trip by e-mail.

Flight

Departure Transaero 02.09 at 6:20 am. Landing was carried out in 10 minutes! Attention! We arrived after 11, they already growled at us that, they say, we were not on the train, and we had to come to the boarding as soon as it was announced (and stand in line). Although the landing was indicated for another 15 minutes more. Well, okay. We giggled at the remaining (they say, they are jealous) employees of the airport and flew on vacation.
They took off on time. Aircraft TU-214. In general, normal, but the whole flight smelled sooooo much of the toilet. Also, register online in advance. We were too lazy, in the end we sat near the toilet and not next to it, but across the aisle. Other than that, the flight is ok. A little over three hours. Fed too decently (scrambled eggs or pancakes with jam). Landing is good.

The return flight is a song! Departure at 9:15 am. We are brought in at 7:30 (I think). We checked in quickly (although we only had 2 check-in desks). We didn't have a transfer. Whoever had it, the girls suggested what to take with them to the cabin (so as not to be stressful and not to pay). Then another 3-4 minutes (generally without a queue) passed passport control. And then I smelled Burger King (well, I love this junk food). Since breakfast at the hotel I would call extremely modest (more on that below), we went for breakfast. We had peaches with us just in case, and we knew that during the inspection they would be taken away (from the experience of flying from Antalya).
Nothing like that, 2 out of 4 peaches landed safely in Moscow (two more were eaten during a flight delay). So, we had breakfast at a burger place (two menu options, a big burger + fries + water cost 20-odd bucks) and went to the boarding gate. We sat there for a while and the inspection began. Water was taken mercilessly, no attention was paid to food and fruits. The problems started right away: their computer broke down and they let us on the plane, checking with the PAPER list! OK. Sat down, with a slight delay began taxiing. We taxied for 15 minutes, stood for 30 minutes, taxied for another 5 minutes, stood for another 30 (the heat is incredible on the plane). And then they announce to us that, they say, a small breakdown, wait, we’ll do everything and fly. OK, waiting. After another 40 minutes, he announced that they had done everything, we would fly, we would only sign the documents.
After another 30 minutes, they announce that we are badly broken, no one will sign the documents for us in THIS form, and we offer you more convenient conditions - return to the airport. On the plane, a mat (and why did he start taxiing if he saw that his car was out of order). Okay, let's go to the airport. We are left in a hall clearly not designed for such a number of people. After 10-15 minutes they are transferred to another room, where everyone sat down, after another 20 minutes they are led to feed (in the same Burger King). Everything was organized perfectly, only the queue in the King itself was decent. Well, in 40-45 minutes they fed everyone. Then the people went for a walk. And then we were told to board. AGAIN THEY TOOK FRESH WATER FROM EVERYONE. I'm not saying that a second inspection, but the sealed bottles that were given for lunch could have been left. Okay, everyone quickly sat down (tantrums, swearing, etc. - I omit - there were a lot), especially on the condition that instead of 9:20 we took off at 15:20. Further flight.
Turns the pilot laid zashib. I had the earth in front of my eyes all the time, although I did not look down. OK. At the very least, they flew. Sit down softly. And then my jaw falls off - we are towed immediately to the repair zone, accompanied by two special vehicles. They fit two ladders (when in Domodedovo they gave two ladders to such an airplane? ? !! ) and immediately begin to disassemble the turbine. The spectacle is an attack. People came out in a state of shock.

All spoke out. Then everything is as usual - the queue for passport control, baggage claim and we are in Moscow!

Upon arrival in Izmir.
At the Izmir airport, all the formalities went through quite quickly, to be more precise, we got off the plane at 8:45, went through passport control at 8:55, and received our luggage at 9:15. But we left the parking lot only at 9:55. We were waiting for a couple who never showed up.
Immediately upon exiting, none of the tour operators meets, so a little more detail: exit the airport building, right in front of you is a small path for cars, cross (the slopes are very convenient) and turn right. Go to the first turn to the right (this is a bridge, it has an escalator). Cross the bridge over the railroad tracks and turn right again. All together 300 meters no more. There are already desks of tour operators and buses. The ride is not very long (about an hour and a half). On the way, they can deliver to several more hotels in Kusadasi. We ended up at the hotel at 11:50.15-20 people came to the hotel. We were met by two hotel guides. Fereda and Alisher (I liked both very much, they speak Russian perfectly, always with a smile, friendly). The questionnaires were distributed, while they were filled out, it was 12:15. We went and washed ourselves and went to have dinner, and then settle in.

I’ll tell those who like to give $ 20 that they called me the number right away (it was already known, so it’s not worth putting a bribe in the passport right away). In addition, the hotel basically settles closer to 14:00. This applies to everyone. And Russians, and Europeans, and Arabs, and Turks are all sitting quietly and waiting for settlement. They can go to a meeting "under the circumstances", and for a simple "thank you". We went for lunch, then sat in the bar (we decided so ourselves) and arrived at the settlement already around 13:40. The room was ready. True, no one was going to escort us there (although there are signs all over the hotel in which direction). Okay, not proud, go yourself. We looked at the room, didn’t particularly find fault, although there was something to do, we decided to stay in it. Went downstairs for the suitcases. Here a boy already flew up, asked which room to take. Brought a couple of minutes after our return to the room. Got a dollar and vanished. Yes, at the reception I asked for a second card from the room - they gave it without question.
Number.
We got room 1617. That is, building 1 (they are all interconnected by a single corridor, i. e. there is almost no difference), 6th floor (great view, no noise), 17 - odd numbers do not go to side of the pool, even - on it (respectively, music-squeals-squeaks).
Room overlooking the sea (behind a small forest), and at night - beautiful lights of the coast. In addition, there is a side lift nearby, so there is less waiting and it is glass, that is, a beautiful view, not a box. Our balcony overlooked some other technical structures (we did not look vertically down, there was no noise / smell, so nothing really bothered us). We slept with an open balcony, because the air conditioner is directed directly to the bed. The air conditioner works very well. The room cools down instantly. But it has not been cleaned for a very long time (it is clear that it is dirty inside, and the smell from there is not pleasant).
We left it on when we went to the beach or went on excursions, and then immediately turned it off - after a shower it was very cold.

The room itself is relatively clean, spacious for two. The safe worked properly (is in the closet, as usual). The safe operation system is very simple: close the door, enter 4 (or 6) digits of the password - indicated on the door, press # - the safe is closed (CLO- will be displayed on the display). Open - enter your numbers, and he immediately writes OPEN. You can enter a new code each time. There are also two large blankets and slippers in the closet. The closet is big, there are a lot of hangers. And in general, there are a lot of drawers around the room where you can put things. Flat TV 17 inches maximum with a couple of Russian channels. From time to time, Wi-Fi is sooo weakly caught in the room (checking the mail is enough, but sitting on the sites is a long time to load). The password on all the grids of the Sealight is the same 7373737373. In general, Wi-Fi is well caught in the lobby (round the clock), by the pool (sometimes I went out there during the day).
The mini-bar was replenished daily (two waters, cola, fanta, sprite - all 0.5 liters each). Bottled water can be additionally taken in the lobby 24 hours a day in any quantity. It is convenient to take on excursions (since small bottles).
The room has a bath, not a shower, but already with mold (brr). There are bottles of shampoo-conditioner-shower gel-body lotion. There are three cotton buds
On the balcony there are two chairs, armchairs, a small table and a large block from the air conditioner. There is a clothes dryer (though small), things dry instantly.
The room was not smoky, although there was an ashtray and matches.
Our hotel bag was not new, but I stretched it out and didn’t bother - they used it actively. Then I saw that they did not put new bags at all. They were never even on carts.

Cleaning and service in the room.
From 12 midnight to 6 am in the room you can order food or drink for free (with UALL). The menu is on the coffee table.
Call the number, call the room number by 1 digit (otherwise they don’t understand). We didn't use the service, so I can't comment on the quality of the food. The maid liked it at first (although she only speaks Turkish). It seemed to clean up well. They left $ 1 or 1.5 lira on the bed. Then it's ridiculous. First, they threw out the concept of the hotel (for the first time, I thought that I myself put it somewhere). Approached the guides, took another one. She suffered the same fate, along with Teztour's advertising brochures (there is a good description of what excursion to take). We approached the guides, expressed bewilderment, took another concept, put it in the safe (it seems that everyone already remembered it, but I prefer to have a printout - just in case). Further, it’s even funnier, I began to run into my mother, why, they say, she turns off the laptop from the network every time (I left it on, so the battery was discharged to zero). Tracked down.

It turns out that it is convenient for the maid to turn on the vacuum cleaner in this outlet! And it doesn't include him in any other way. I began to rearrange the laptop on the bedside table, but did not leave a tip anymore. The maid in response stopped putting soap on us! Well, I'm not a proud person - she came up herself, took it from her cart.
In the room there is a questionnaire from the series “How do you like our hotel” - everything was painted there in detail, in Russian (let them translate) 


Territory.
Hotel plan.
If there is a gardener, then he is a solid failure. The only decent flower bed is at the entrance to the hotel. The rest has been left to chance for a long time. Greenery around the hotel is clearly not enough. I understand that he is on a mountain and all that, but there is more than enough space for planting, and no one has yet canceled tubs for palm trees (for example) or high-rise flower racks.
As in many hotels in Turkey: the entrance to the hotel, the reception in the main building, the territory, the beach. Territory level.
The very top is a building, a restaurant, a pool bar, a lighthouse bar, a kids club and a playground with slides (I’ll say right away that I can’t tell anything about the club or the playground - it’s either too early or too late  ). One level down are A la card restaurants. Another level below the pool with water slides. The next level is the beach bar (it is also a fish restaurant in the evenings). Below are terraces with sun loungers, showers, toilets and changing cabins. Even lower is the actual beach.
There is a playground with exercise equipment on the territory (what smart person guessed to place it in the sun itself remained a mystery to me, but the view is a fairy tale).
You can go down to the beach along the path where the shuttle bass rides, or you can go down the stairs. The shuttle service operates from 9 to 18 every day, and from Tuesday to Sunday - from 19 to 22 (officially for guests of the fish restaurant, unofficially - whoever sits down goes). A maximum of 6 people were declared, I actually saw how 8 were driving.

Pools.
There are 3 of them as such. The poolside chairs are good, light and comfortable. Cool rules for using the pool.

1. Large swimming pool with a bridge. On one side (closer to the body) the depth is 1.4, on the other (near the poolbar) there is a smooth entrance, starting from 15 cm. There is also a small fenced-off area for children (30-35 cm deep). The water gives off a lot of chlorine. I didn't like that the deep side of the pool stays in the shade for a very long time. Accordingly swim, especially cool in the morning. In the large one there is also a small Jacuzzi type compartment. It works from 14 to 16. We just went to the sea during this period, but we didn’t manage to use the jacuzzi - children fill up there in the morning, indulge there, but it’s impossible to sit and relax in the jacuzzi, respectively.
2. Pool with sea water. Very heavily chlorinated. A mixture of salt and bleach is terrible for the eyes. They did not swim there at all (we tried once and decided that it was not difficult for us to go down to the sea).
It is located next to the large one (itself is small, in the form of a drop).
3. Pool with slides. A little lower area with a la card restaurants. Gorok three. The joints are sealed well, the water flow is sufficient, the depth and temperature of the water in the pool are perfectly matched (for me). Chlorine essn is also decent. They work from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 4 pm. I didn't like the caretaker's work very much. He was either simply not there, or he was sleeping in a sun lounger. He did not follow the order at all. Be careful with little thugs. They absolutely do not consider it necessary to stand in line (1-2 people no more). They climb or just jump up the hill. Parents look at it with emotion, but if you run into their baby in the process, a scandal starts from here! And they come in droves.

Beach.

For me the main thing. There are areas where there is sand, there are areas where the smallest pebbles are superimposed, there are stones. Also on the shore - there is a sandy beach, there are platforms. The beach is dirty.
They took a catamaran (free of charge), sailed very far from the coast - everything is perfectly visible (although later we were told not to risk it anymore, because the guys on scooters drive without a head). By the way, the prices for motor types of entertainment are not divine. I don't remember exactly now, but it's very high.
The sunbeds are normal, plastic, with mattresses (every morning they clean the beach fights, arrange them). Didn't like the umbrellas. Rather, the umbrellas themselves are good, but they are stationary. Moving is impossible. This is not always convenient.

Main restaurant.

Located on the first floor, the entrance is located (if you stand with your back to the entrance) in the far right corner. It has a very large terrace around the contour of the restaurant. For breakfast, I do not advise you to sit in the open air - there are a lot of wasps (at least in September). Another comment is that immediately after the dinner starts (ie, around 19:10), the employees start vacuuming and washing around the pool.
It seems nothing special, but why not do it after dinner? There was no desire to photograph the interior of the restaurant, I would even call it a dining room. The terrace is better.
Meals - more than a modest breakfast (from 7 to 10). I really missed cottage cheese (the one that I could not eat - it is sour-salted). NO FRUITS FOR BREAKFAST. Only the remaining watermelons and melons from dinner, but they are enough for the first hour and a half. Eggs in any form - scrambled eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs with fillers of your choice (maximum 5 people saw the queue). There are sausages, there are some hot dishes (more than an amateur). Pastries are terrible (croissants are okay, my mother liked Turkish bagels, but there are almost no Turkish buns, which are always 10-15 types in all hotels (1-2 types). I saved myself with pancakes with jams and rose jam (now it’s a long time to see them I can't. ) There is cheese and cheese. There are no hard cheeses. As a class. You can't count on good cheese here at all.
There are cheeses and sausages that an employee cuts from a large loaf. Sausage - sooo not tasty, cheeses - average. There are no normal cuts of meat here at all (carbonate, balychok - this is not here). There were some muesli, fruit compotes (by the way, apricot is very good). Tea bags. I just didn’t find black (maybe I was looking badly). Coffee from vending machines and just instant - for me - disgusting. For breakfast, they roll out a vending machine with “juices” (more than decent for instant ones), the rest of the time, all drinks are through the waiter (they bring them quickly). By the way, about juices - we already wrote - tomato juice (from packages) - natural and very tasty. There is freshly squeezed, different for 7 lira per glass (not very large). I didn't see anyone ordering, but we had breakfast very early. By the way, one more detail: if you have an early departure or an excursion, a restaurant is opened for you, there are no lunch packages here.

Just don’t expect a full range for an early breakfast - no fresh pastries, no eggs, none of this will happen - bread, cheese, sausage, muesli and that’s enough.
Lunch is better (from 12:30 to 14:30). Sometimes there is something on the grill. A lot of vegetables - make your own salads, whatever you want. There are almost no salads like a hash under something incomprehensible. Never came across something stale. Here it is necessary to pay tribute. The choice is not rich (a couple of types of hot, maybe something on the grill, 3-4 side dishes, vegetables for salads, soup (I really liked the mushroom), a sweet table (medium, but sometimes delicious). There is a diet table ( boiled chicken or fish, boiled rice, steamed vegetables).
Children's buffet from 12 to 13 and from 18:30 to 19:30. But I wouldn’t feed a child there - french fries, sausages, fried cutlets, something else from the same area.
Dinner - sometimes - simply royal, sometimes - a little better than lunch. I have never seen seafood or an advertised piglet. Meat was rare (mostly stewed with vegetables).
The base is chicken and turkey. Fish - a couple of times there was tuna and halves of some kind of fish such as river trout. The rest of the time - fish like our saury in different variations. Once they made white fish in batter. They made shawarma several times (chicken and lamb) - very tasty.
Drinks for lunch and dinner are brought by the waiters (they come quickly and bring them also quickly).
The sweet table for dinner is good, both Turkish sweets and our cakes. Fruits for lunch and dinner (2 types of apples, plums, peaches, grapes - delicious, watermelons and melons - cold, wet, but not sweet - this is in the month of September).
Dishes are often broken and dirty. So watch carefully.

A la Card restaurants.
Since we rested for two weeks, we visited everything. Reservation at the girl's guest-relationship (table opposite the reception). It seems from 10 to 12 (except Monday) and from 14 to 16 (the schedule is on the table - I could be wrong). Service is good in all restaurants.

All restaurants bring menus so that you know what is next and can choose. We left a $2 tip. About the kitchen:
Turkish - liked the most. Very, very tasty. First, they brought a lamb pie made from some specific dough - just super, then appetizers (in my opinion, only cheese and vegetable salad were tasty, my mother liked the cream with eggplant), and then there was a tasting of shish kebabs and kebabs - it's a fairy tale! It seems that they put 2-3 pieces, but ate .....
Chinese - I liked it. First they brought fried chips, then hot appetizers or soup. We took both hot appetizers (sesame chicken and Chinese roll) - we liked both. Then they brought a vegetable salad (so-so) and rice with peas, corn and small shrimps (I liked it).
They took Peking duck for hot (it's just a piece of stewed duck) and some kind of steak (the first time I saw a steak, so that these were small pieces of meat, like our azu) - I didn’t like either one or the other.
Italian - I didn't like it very much. The cook there has no idea about Italian cuisine. I don't even want to describe.
Fish - I liked the location, but the dinner itself is mediocre. In any case, the hot dish that was brought to me caused me mild surprise. It was called baked seafood. The dish is very spicy. It consists of pepper, small shrimps (literally a few pieces) and almost grated shabby fish. This restaurant is cool in the evening.
Another wish is to limit the age of children with whom they are allowed into these restaurants. At the end of our vacation, we left the Chinese restaurant (like a farewell chord). As a result, dinner was ruined. Namely: a couple came with two small children.

The girl is about 4-5 years old, the boy is very small - no more than 2 years old. So, the girl peacefully went to bed in her stroller, but the boy was hysterical all evening, it was unpleasant to look at their table (everything was grabbed by hands, thrown - brrr). As a result, after about 40 minutes and general indignation, they were asked to leave. I understand that at 8 pm a child of one or two years old wants to sleep! Well, you don’t need to take these with you at least to A la card restaurants - they still can’t understand this buzz!

bars
Lots of bars. Drinks are pretty much the same everywhere. Particularly diluted - did not notice. True alcohol in its purest form (except for beer and rarely wine) I almost never drink. Imported drinks - also not particularly noticed. There is a special menu (blue), if you want something really expensive - ask for it.
- Lobby bar. From 6 pm - live music. The rest of the time there is an electric piano - you can play it yourself. They make good coffee. You can also get bottled water here. Works 24 hours a day.
But at 5 am, don't rely on Turkish coffee - they say, "there is not yet. "
- Confectionery (opposite the lobby). From 12:00 to 21:00. Cakes, cookies (delicious), ice cream (didn't like it). I really liked the girl who works here. Always such a good smile. But there are no drinks. That is, you go to the pastry shop, take a cake, then you go to the lobby - you take coffee.
- Winter garden (stairs upstairs at the entrance to the restaurant). From 10:00 to 11:00 - late breakfast. From 16:00 to 24:00 - Winter Garden.
- A bar on the second floor (I don't remember what it's called - along the main staircase to the second floor). On the balcony of this bar in the evening it is nice to sit with a cocktail.
- Pool bar. From 11:00 to 17:00 burgers, pizza, fried sausages and something else. Drinks seem to be from 9 to 21. There are a lot of people, but if you want to have a snack after breakfast, and it’s still far before lunch, it will do. The bartender is very friendly (a young boy of about 20).
- Bar on the beach (well, it's loudly said - it's on the upper terrace). I don’t remember how it works, but at 9 I already took drinks.
From 19 - works as a fish restaurant. From 12:30 to 17:00 - snacks on the menu (the same burgers, pizza, but there is soup, pasta .... ). I liked it here, and as a rule, there are almost no people.
- Lighthouse pub (the same lighthouse). He has a good balcony - in the evening, when you want silence. And the view of Samos is just a fairy tale!


Something else that came to mind.
We did not use the spa (they only changed towels). From 17 to 20 - you bring your own - you take clean ones. Once the towels were not brought, and we had to go to Pamukkale at 6 in the morning. Explained the situation, received from the reserve  . Nicely. True, in two weeks we encountered this once.
Mom went to a beauty salon for a haircut and pedicure - not thrilled. Payment upon check-out at the reception according to a signed check.
There are photographers. Photos make cool (we did not use).
Schedule of animation events at the stand near the main restaurant and at the pool bar (they have a base there). I can’t say anything - we didn’t go.
What else I liked - at least touted.
Take the initiative yourself if you need something. But no - relax yourself calmly - no one will come up and bother you.
Communication - English is spoken by almost all the staff (except for the maids). Russian is understood at the level of beer / water / wine by everyone. For the rest - we take a phrase book or explain it on our fingers (essn if we do not speak English). I don't know about other languages. If there are problems, the hotel guides have always helped.
On our floor, the light sensors did not work at all for the first three days (it’s not very comfortable to open the room), then they did (a loud bang and everything turns on, didn’t react to steps).