Ilhan Hotel

I spent a week at the hotel Ilhan with 5 of my friends. We were looking for a fun holiday with things to do, some nightlife but also to relax. We got everything!
The staff were friendly and helpful and great fun. Always made us feel welcome and liked to join in our games of cards.
The beach is lovely, with free sun beds and service from Ali the beach worker. Another Ali at the bar at the hotel was a top bloke and showed us around the best places and showed us some laughs.
The best thing about side is the cost of everything. Food and drink was so cheap. A good meal and drinks for about 10 pounds each! Especially once you start to know the restaurant staff as they offered us free drinks regularly. They never seem to forget a face!
The only negative point I have is that the clubs (especially Apollo in the ruins) are more than happy to give you as much drink as they can sell you but then do not like drunk English lads in a large group!
Overall fantastic holiday and would recommend the resort and the hotel to families, couples and groups of friends alike.

After reading other reviews posted prior to leaving for our holiday I must admit to feeling slightly worried that we'd made a big mistake. Nothing could have been further from the truth, we had a fabulous week at the Ilhan motel (returning home yesterday) it has a family feel and all the staff couldn't have been more welcoming and helpful. I can only imagine the people who were disappointed expected 5* treatment on the cheap! We had great weather met some wonderful people in a beautiful country and will most definitely be going back to the Ilhan the next holiday we take. Thanks to Ali the barman, Yasimen, all of the family and the adorable Hugo. See you soon.

We had a fantastic week at the Ilhan. The family made us feel very welcome, it was like staying with friends. The hotel is great and Hugo is a star. The staff are very friendly and helpful and Yasemin and her family were always very happy to see everyone and spent lots of time with us. We made lots of friends. The Turkish night on Thursdays is a must... you get a great bar-b-q and entertainment in the shape of a belly dancer. Excellent!! The hotel is ideally located in the old town and great for the beach. We recommend it to anyone who wants to visit Turkey!

We spent a fabulous week in the Ilhan , the room was average but clean, the staff were extremely friendly , the hotel was very quaint and really romantic in a funny sort of way, the dog Hugo should be kept away from the kitchen and dinning tables , he was quite off putting but didn’t spoil a most fantastic holiday ,I would go back as soon as possible , this is a third world country but the local people have got better manners and humour than most of their rude nit picking guests who want five star accommodation and service for less than two hundred pounds per week , some people are so up their own bums that they forget to see the good in most situations, carry on with the lovely lifestyle Ilhan , I will definitely come back one day very soon I hope. xx b griffiths/fidler, ps we stayed September 2004 and don’t really remember who the operator was.

1 reader found this review helpful

My husband and I have been to the Ilhan three times now. The first time we took a late deal with Thomas Cook and the entire trip was a nightmare.
However we got on with things ourselves and found the family friendly and helpful. The dog Hugo is just a big softy and Ilhan himself has him very much under control. We organised all our own trips and they were much better than anything Thomas Cook could come up with.
We are returning this year in July and have organised everything through JASMINE at the Ilhan. She organizes our transfers as well. I am really looking forward to my 3weeks in the sun.

We are on are way in a couple of days back to the ilhan in side for the 4th year in a row. We find the hotel charming in character and an excellent location, seconds from the beach, cobbled town and restaurants. I would agree with the comment of the rooms not to high standard with some rotten wood but that’s really is about it [it is not given a star rating in the Thomas cook brochure]. The rooms are cleaned every other day so long as you hand your key to reception, the ilhan is not on any kind of road with lots of noise, and it’s on the corner of 2 cobbled streets where a few cars may come. As for Hugo the dog he is big but soppy, friendly and well behaved, the owners always keep a watchful eye.
The waiter [Ahmed] I find can be rude and unpleasant with a dry sense of humour but the owners are lovely.
As for the locals some are great and we can sit in their shops and talk for ages, but there are some who seem rude but they just want you in their establishment [just smile, be friendly and just keep walking] but there are only a few of these kind, which you come across in other Turkish resorts not just side. Last of all the reps we’ve had in the past never know much about the area we know more, we just use them for our excursion bookings, just a tip great excursions are manavagt market with cruise, always a Turkish bath and the best idea for a relaxing easy last day is the last day cruise.

We have just returned from our holiday at the Ilhan Hotel, Side. After reading some of the reviews from previous guests we were a little apprehensive of what to expect from the Ilhan. However we were very pleasantly surprised. The Ilhan is a small family run hotel with excellent facilities for a holiday right in the heart of the old town.
The rooms are basic but very clean and comfortable and the cleaning lady really makes sure you have everything you need.
The staff are always helpful and friendly especially Ali, Mehmet, Yasemin and Ilhan himself. Hugo the dog is great and really added to our experience staying here.
This was a fantastic holiday and we have already booked to go back again in October.

We recently spent a week at the Ilhan Hotel in Side. Given that this hotel is described in Thomas Cook's Escape brochure as 'Simple Style' it entirely meets the needs of couples and singles looking for a hotel offering basic, comfortable accommodation.
The family who owners were very friendly and welcoming. Members of staff, i.e. Aly, Mehmet and the lady who cleans the rooms, were helpful and pleasant. Hugo the dog made us feel welcome too! All our requests were met and nothing was too much trouble.
The hotel is situated in a quiet lane two minutes walk from an uncommercialised beach and in the very heart of Side. We will definitely be going back.

I have just returned from a lovely holiday at the ilhan hotel after reading some of the comments about this hotel I was not at all sure what to expect on arriving there we were greeted with a smile although only basic the rooms were very clean .The owners of the ilhan were very friendly and always joined the guest at breakfast Hugo the dog was lovely and always wanted lots of fuss . Ali the bar man was lovely nothing was to much trouble do anything to help and that goes for the rest of the staff .Everything was close by but the hotel was very relaxing somewhere nice to have a quiet drink if you wanted. Kelly the Thomas Cook rep was very friendly and does what she could to help if you had any problems. I would definitely go back and looking to book a holiday for next year and staying at the Ilhan of course .

Right next to my favourite beach in whole of Turkey I was looking forward to returning for a second holiday in 10 years. On the highlights side we did have a brilliant unbelievable value trip to Cappadocia although I don’t want to ever get on a bus again!
BUT this hotel was pretty dire, no water or electric some evenings and Hugo the dog will keep you awake. The lady of the manor thought she was Posh Spice and was so bossy to barman Ahmed that he didn’t want to be there and sometimes couldn’t be bothered to serve! Clean sheet day always something to look forward to but only on the first week of your holiday at this hotel! Top tip if you’re left without toilet rolls - they are kept right at the top of the stairs.
It’s got 7 for just the location and the gorgeous large balcony adorned in fab flowers but not anything to do with staff.
Think we got poisoned at the Pirate Boat restaurant round the corner. Chefs token to hygiene was dipping his fingers in small bowl of putrid water between chopping meats and then salads.