Royal Garden Hotel

I chose to book this hotel on the basis that it stated in the brochure it served authentic Turkish food. The one thing I hate when I go on holiday is when hotels and restaurants start serving eggs, beans and mushrooms in the morning, and pie and mash in the evening.
The food itself was however aimed towards the English, chips always on offer!
The thing of ordering your drinks, then taking your ticket to the bar was a hassle, however this has to be done as its a hotel with different guests on different board basis, after a few times you get used to it and 5 extra paces isn't really a big deal even for me.
At first when I was told I wasn't allowed table service because I was all inclusive I was a little annoyed but we do go on holiday to have a nice time and relax.
If you want to lie down all day and be waited on hand and foot hire someone for 2 weeks to come and be your servant!
All the staff were friendly, I was with my sister and I was very impressed with the respect all the staff gave her, as I have been to many hotels in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with her and I haven't been impressed, but here was different.
The hotel and room was always clean, I spilt a few drinks around the pool area and the staff were always to happy to come and clean up.
I would go back to the hotel again, but only when there is an airport closer as 120 minutes on a stinking baking hot minibus with a driver doing 75mph around hair-raising bends around cliff tops isn't my idea of fun. Or they could always move it some place else.
Anyway, enjoy your holidays!!!

This hotel was exceptionally clean and the decor was beautiful. Room was comfortable and big enough for my friend and I to share. Food was satisfactory but not too much choice; if I had taken my children they would have not had much to eat in the evenings although during the day snacks were available such as pizza, chips. hamburger etc.
Breakfast was lovely, especially the omelettes! What I found odd was because we were all inclusive, if you wanted a drink from the bar or a snack you had to firstly queue to get a ticket from the cashier and then take it to the appropriate outlet to get your drink/food. In high season I imagine this being a chore and inconvenience. Also did not like the idea that you could not take food/drink bought from outside up to your room.
Lovely location, dolmus bus outside hotel into Marmaris. Had a great holiday, would return to this hotel if going again with another adult(s) but not with my children.

2 readers found this review helpful

Fantastic! I booked the holiday through lastminute.com and the price was just right.
When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted, quickly checked in, and shown to our room. The room (307) was a lovely size, clean, fresh, and adequate for our stay. The bathroom had towels, hairdryer, and a shower which would have been perfect if it weren’t for the tap in an awkward place - however this was a very minute criticism.
We had a balcony overlooking the lovely pool. The grounds are small but cleverly thought out.
The breakfasts consisted of continental, salad, jams etc, bread, and cereal and cooked. The sausages are quite spicy but well worth a try as they are very tasty. A cook made fresh fried eggs and omelettes.
Lunch was basically the same but there was different dishes of cooked food, same as with the dinner. Every meal I have to say was delicious and if you are willing to try their food I don't think you will be disappointed at all.
The dining area is outdoor under canopy - very nice indeed, the resident tabby cat "Jimmy" is extremely friendly and a lot of people fell in love with her - I know it’s got a boy’s name!!
The dining area doubles up as the entertainments area which was on every evening. The shows are not long but they are very good and entertaining. There was a Michael Jackson impressionist dancer - fantastic, and the drag artists were extremely funny - watch out for Tina Turner!! They had bingo twice in the week and they showed two films. There was "belly dancers" and although entertaining it was not the traditional type of belly dancers we were expecting - I think they had forgotten to bring their pole.
We went all inclusive which I would recommend. The hotel give you a credit card which you have to produce to a man at a till who will take your order of drinks/snacks. He will check your board basis and issue you with a receipt which you take to the bar next to him. Hand the slip over and they get your drinks ready. The drinks are ok, we could not get drunk on it, but a few people did.
We were very lucky I think, the class of people who stayed at the hotel was good and everyone dressed up nicely for the evenings. There were no rowdies at the hotel which I would consider mainly for couples rather than family with children.
If you want to go on some excursions try the all day boat trip to seven islands and the jeep safari ride but be prepared to get very wet. Both trips cost us £9 each from the first excursion seller down the road from the hotel - great prices he gave us and we thoroughly enjoyed both trips.
The dolmus stops every 5 minutes outside the hotel, you can flag it down and it costs 1ytl (40p) to drive into Marmaris which is approx 1 mile away. They have a lovely marina and a wonderful indoor market which you could get lost for days inside. We were not hassled and it was a great pleasure to wander in and out of the shops. We found them extremely friendly people and my experience of Marmaris was a good one.
There is a hotel bus to the beach with their own private area but we did not take advantage of this. The poolside was great and there were plenty of sunbeds for everyone. (Even the Germans that put their towels down at 7am and did not use them until 3.30pm).
If you visit this place I hope you have a great holiday as we did. A holiday is what you make it and I consider us to be very lucky to have visited this hotel.

The hotel is lovely, it was clean and is exactly like the photos of it. The staff were fantastic and couldn't do enough for us.
We had a few problems at the start, as we booked a double room but got a twin, so we asked to be changed and luckily they had a double room which they willingly put us in. Then the electrics went in the room. They sent an electrician, who sorted it, or so we thought. Unfortunately, the next night, they went again. This time it couldn't be fixed, so they moved us again to another double room. It wasn't quite a good as the other one as it was at the end of the building, near the bar & entertainment stage, so we had more noise in the evening but luckily it didn't go on really late, which meant we could still get some sleep.
Overall, the holiday was very good ... wish we could have said the same for the food at the hotel.
My partner is a vegetarian and the only choice was salad, omelete, fried egg or boiled egg, with fruit for desert (which consisted of two types of melon and dried fruit). All the food was cooked in the same oil, which had a peculiar after taste to it and was very rich. There wasn't really any other option for anyone who could not manage to cope with this kind of diet. We were fine when we ate out at other restaurants in the evenings, it was just the breakfasts that regularly upset us but by the time we stopped eating them it was too late. Unfortunately, by the second week, our systems rebelled and we finished up with the Turkey trots all week and had to constantly take medication for the rest of the time we were there. It has taken a week after we returned to get back to normal again.
We have heard that the hotel is going all inclusive next year, so you won't have the option of bed & breakfast or half board. I think this is a bad move myself but maybe it will be fine if they employ a different chef who can cater for various cultures. I will be interested to hear from others who go then, to see if things have improved.

1 reader found this review helpful

We went here in June 07, what a fantastic hotel. Very clean, this hotel is fairly new and still needs to change a few things but the staff, the pool and the general site were fantastic.
Could do with more children’s entertainment but the staff are great for that anyway and the children can play happily in the pool with you right by them. Food was lovely but again could do with catering for the children a bit more!
Entertainment was good, apart from Shakira!
This hotel is a 5 minute dolmus ride into the centre so is perfectly placed, not in the hustle and bustle, yet not too far away from the centre, perfect! If you have kids it’s definitely worth going all inclusive at this hotel as you can happily stay there all day every day! The tour operator staff we had were great too, friendly and informative!
Would definitely go here again and expect it to be much better as they will want to improve....

Three adults in a standard room - bit small but well decorated and very clean. Location perfect with bus stop right outside - away from it all, but 5 mins away from all you need. Staff could not do enough for you. Pool very clean. Food excellent as long as your not expecting English food. Drinks a little disappointing as you were only allowed a small glass if all inclusive and I enjoy a large mixer. Entertainment was poor. Had a great holiday though and would go back there.

My husband and I stayed at the Royal garden Hotel this year with our 7 month old daughter.
We would never go back there in a million years.
On arrival, the room they had for us was very small, so small infact the only place to put the cot was infront of the wardrobe or in the bathroom, but we could upgrade to a suite at a cost of £150.00! Once in the suite, the air conditioning didn't work properly, they sent up 4 separate people over the course of a couple of hours to try and fix it but apparently it wasn't broken (to me when you walk into an air conditioned room it should feel like a fridge not a sauna!) So we also had a fan.
The food at the hotel is absolutely awful, on our first night all that was on offer was meatballs, rice and salad, and there was no choice at all and nothing really for children. Not everything is all inclusive; you have to buy bottled water, cocktails certain spirits and if you want a topping on your pizza that is also extra.
The hotel provides waiter service for guests that are bed & breakfast and half board but all inclusive guests don't get that luxury.
You have to queue up to order your drinks and to order food from the snack bar, then queue up for your drink at the bar, then queue up for your food at the snack bar.
In the evening again you have to queue to get a drink then join the queue to get your food (buffet style). If you’re halfway through your meal and you've finished your drink you then have to queue up again, by which time your dinner is cold.
Alot of the staff are rude, they speak perfect english all the time you’re spending money then when you have a problem they no longer speak english!
One morning my husband went down to the pool side to fill up a bottle of water from the drinking fountain (for our baby's feeds etc...) and was told ‘NO’ he couldn't have any water from the fountain for the baby he would have to buy it. She wasn't allowed anything free as she wasn't wearing an all inclusive band! This was sorted eventually after many rows!
I hope if you have booked a holiday at this hotel these problems have been sorted out!

Hotel was clean, though rooms below fifth floor are small, bathroom very small with shower basin and toilet well packed in.
Food is normal fare for Turkey and though burger/pizza and chips are available 12 till 5 don’t go AI or HB if all you want is home cooking, because you won’t get it. Food was good if you don’t mind trying various chicken dishes.
AI holiday makers are not served any drinks by the waiters until 11pm when its time to pay, AI stops at checkout so bear in mind for late departures, no large beers after 6 pm for AI, if you can get one at all.
Check your bill when you check out as we were over charged as were others.
The entertainment chap Ali provided none during the day and just lit Roman candles and flares at night, the night entertainment was not the best I’ve seen in Turkey by a long chalk (Michael Jackson impersonators four times in a week is a bit much).
Had no joy keeping a late room and the only shower available was in the Turkish bath and the chap who hires the space was not best pleased when 20 people turned up to use it! AI stops at 11pm including water, the performance carried out to get snacks and drinks was a complete joke, the reception staff during the day were rude to just about everyone we came across.
Having been to several hotels in Marmaris this was the first time that the hotel experience was poor with no one really giving a toss once they saw your yellow AI arm band and though we had a cheap holiday I won’t go back there again (even for the real Michael Jackson) but your stay may be different. Let’s hope .

Royal Garden is a beautiful hotel. The staff are friendly, the people are lovely. It is difficult for people with children in prams as the only way you can get to the pool is by stairs although there is a lift to all of the rooms. You are not allowed to bring in any food from outside whether you are B&B, half board or full board and are usually searched on your way in (poor people brought water in as the bar closes at midnight, and the water got confiscated). I went for a Turkish Bath at the resort - it cost me £25. It was a nice Turkish bath as you get the whole treatment all to yourself where if you are paying £6 - £10, you will be sharing it with random strangers. It was good in terms of seeing the dirt come off of your skin. However, when you're in the massage parlour room, you are offered sex as a free bonus, which is totally off putting. If you're all inclusive, you have to get up and get your drinks from the bar whereas half board and B & B drinks are brought to you by the pool. You're not allowed drinks up in your room and when you're full board, you will get a note left by the maid saying that you should not have drinks or food in your room. The reception staff are exceptional and the breakfast staff were lovely and graceful as well. Overall, beautiful hotel. Rooms are a decent size (1-3 people will have a double and single bed in their room). It's easy access into Marmaris Town Centre (just the number 3 bus which works out to be 40p per person). They need to change their menu though - many complained of no children food, and the breakfast menu consisted of cornflakes that looked as though it was drenched in milk and dried off and then put back in, salami and a very weird selection. The omelettes were the only nice thing (and the coffee) and even the omelette is a tad too small. Would stay there again, but would ask them to consider changing the things mentioned above.