Rexene Hotel

We changed hotel after reading the reviews on the Bella Casa and we are glad we did. This hotel overall was very good.
Food was varied and tasty, I would imagine if you were of the chicken nugget and chips brigade you would struggle, there was a good choice on offer, and drinks were fine, not watered down and again a variety to choose from.
Our room was ok, clean, had a telly etc.
The beach was clean and the water pristine. Staff were helpful and friendly.
The down points from my point of view are these, the tiles in the shower could have done with a bit of a clean, the air con unit was loud, very loud, but it was needed.
Then there was the music, our room was one of the furthest from the beach, glad it was because we could hear the thump thump of music well into the night, then you had the same experience on the beach, music blaring out as soon as the bars were open aprox 10 am, I can understand that the 20/30 something’s might like it, but there should have been somewhere on the beach to go that was fairly quiet, however as the week went on the music was toned down.
As I said overall we had a good stay, and on talking to other people that were on day tours with us I think this hotel was one of the better ones.

We had a week there at the start of Sept 07, all inclusive.
We have been to Turkey a number of times, different resorts but always all inclusive.
Good points: Staff excellent and couldn't do enough for you, friendly, clean and smart. Food well presented, although could be warmer on occasion.
Drinks: local Efes okay, vodka okay but wine was always warm !
Room: No veranda, no sea view despite specific request and was by far the
smallest room we've had in many years. However it was cleaned every day.
Entertainment: don't go there! Our main concern was the constant noise generated morning, noon and well into the small hours via a disco. We even had Savage Garden on Sunday morning at 7.15 AM !
Mainly Russian guests, lots of students intent on getting drunk hence the noise maybe?
Would we go back? Afraid not.

I can really easily say this was the best holiday I have ever had and I have been well travelled. The hotel was really clean and the staff were really friendly and helpful.
The hotel was in a perfect setting close to the town Gumbet but there was no need to leave the hotel as there was always something to do. The hotel had 3 restaurants so you always had a large variety of food.
There were 2 bars in the hotel the pool bar which was lovely looking on to the sea and the beach bar set right next to the water.
There was a kids disco every night and a show for the family. There was also a disco every night at 12 which was set on the beach away from all the rooms and it was very safe.
During the day the animation team were amazing getting everyone involved in activities such as water polo, darts, volleyball, aqua gym and lots more.
They also had a great kids club and had different things for children to do every day. I have to say a special thanks to all the animators of 2007 they made the holiday for. (Gizmo and sercan)
I have all ready booked to go next year, I highly recommend you go.

If your British and thinking of going to the Rexene resort don't!
Why? Entertainment (if you can call it that) was laughable, consisted of a few people who walked about the complex like they were mini celebs miming at best on a night, and dancing like you would at nine in your bedroom with a hairbrush in hand - terrible, and that was the best bit!
Another night they got dressed as cavemen with bats and balls and 'discovered' tennis (Yes really that’s what they call entertainment).
During the day it was worse if you were trying to relax on the beach you had no chance, with 'the roof is on fire - follow the leader' blasting out all day everyday (only one cd I’m sure).
Food and Drink starting with a positive they had a good selection of soft drinks (coca-cola, Fanta, sprite, soda water, bottled water, juices etc) but that’s the only positive the alcoholic drink consists of local watered down stuff (you could drink ten vodkas and not feel tipsy) or Efes (local beer/lager) which was ok or wine (ok with soda).
The food was plentiful, clean and well presented but catered only for the eastern European market which made up most of the clientele (alongside about 10 brits).
All I can say is thank god for chips and potato wedges with mayo, which I survived on for a week (apart from the few times we ate out in gumbet which was nice).
Ending on some positives... the beach (private) and two piers were lovely for sunbathing, as well as the pool area and the 'promenade' but you have to be up early to claim your spot.
The rooms were clean but basic and contain a mini fridge (ours didn’t work) a hair dryer which is ok, (I took my own but used theirs all week). We had fresh towels everyday except one, and if you pay a ten euro deposit (refundable) you get a 'towel card' which means you can get a fresh beach towel every day.
There is also a free safety deposit box they don’t tell you but you can reset it and use your own number.
If your already booked make the most of the soft drinks and budget for a taxi into Gumbet centre for a few nights to save your sanity, if you were only thinking about it run away as fast as you can...
Oh and the weather is beautiful so not putting you of going to Gumbet just stay away from the Rexene at all costs.

We as a family really enjoyed this holiday. The hotel was clean and the staff very friendly, the team animation were brilliant and really made the children feel special, we are looking forward to going back next year.
The beach was small but lovely and there was always something to do as long as you are willing to join in, tolga, sedat and jakup (animation team) were always around and trying to get every body involved in things like water polo, darts, kids darts, kids golf and lots of other activities. In Gumbet its self there is plenty to do and plenty of night life. Every body is just so friendly i recommend you try it for yourself.

1 reader found this review helpful

We arrived 6 a.m at the Barcelo Rexene Resort and our first impressions of the hotel were good as the staff came rushing out to the coach to help us with our luggage and check in was quick and easy. We were then led to our rooms by the staff who were more than willing to carry as much luggage as they could manage. The hotel is set on quite a steep hill so this was very much appreciated.
However walking down the steep slope towards our rooms it was already clear that there was a sewage problem and we hoped that it was just a temporary problem and the smell would soon pass.
On reaching the rooms we were a little disappointed that they didn’t quite match up to the descriptions we had seen in the brochure and they were situated on the ground floor about 50 feet from the entertainment stage where the night time shows would be held.
We were very tired and decided to take a short nap but it wasn’t very long before awful sewage smells came creeping under the door. We convinced ourselves that we wouldn’t be in the rooms much of the holiday and decided to put up with it and make the most of the rest of the facilities in the hotel.
Unfortunately the hotel had very little to offer, there was no relaxing bar area where we could sit in easy chairs and have a drink. The bar was a pool bar with simple plastic tables and chairs. There wasn’t even a sun bed free to chill out on for the day. Not that it would have been possible to relax with the loud bump and grind music being played by the poolside DJ and the beach was just a few pebbles.
Without anywhere to sit by the pool or relax we decided to have a quick swim in the pool before going back to our rooms to get changed in time for our 3 o'clock welcome meeting with the First Choice Rep.
We could not believe that the smell had now got so bad that it made us feel like urging. It was time to complain and although the staff were sympathetic there was nothing that could be done about the smell and it had been a problem for a while.
On meeting the First Choice rep we asked to be moved to another hotel immediately. Credit to her (*****) she arranged our transfer to another hotel within minutes. Two hours later we were in a superb hotel half an hour away where we enjoyed a great holiday.

I went on this website two months before going on holiday to Barcelo Rexene resort and the reports from last year really worried me. But I went anyway and I am so glad I did, as this was the best holiday I've ever had! I have been to turkey 4times and already knew i love the country. The hotel was fantastic!
We arrived at 4am and were greeted immediately by staff who took our bags and showed us our room, we were very impressed by our room as it was clean spacious and had air conditioning which you need when the whether is 130!
The food was basic but ok. there was always chips and we never went hungry.
The entertainment team were absolutely fantastic! They did fantastic shows and a kiddies disco. we were very happy with the entertainment provided, there was also a kiddies club with one entertainer during the day who provided activities for the kids, most nights the entertainers offered a trip at midnight to a local club which a found great!
the hotel has its own beach and I found the beach great for chilling!
I had a fantastic holiday!
I was told there were alot of problems last year but they have now been solved! i was happy with my two week stay and many other families that I spoke to were swell.
the hotel was at a bottom of a hill but it does state this is the brochure and if you want to go into Bodrum or Gumbet you can go by taxi and the taxi will actually drive down the hill for you if you press the taxi bell next to the hotel gate, the taxi will be at the top of the hill waiting for you to ring the bell and will be with you in less than a minute, and charges only 6lira (about 1.50).
I had a fantastic holiday and will visit again!

Arrived to check-in and found strange smell of sewage.
Food Terrible for children (no choice what-so-ever). Entertainment very loud at nights (especially if you get put next to the stage with 2 small children). Very very hilly (not suitable for people with walking difficulties). No kids club when we were there (even though one was advertised).
Biggest complaint though was the fact that in the evening after your meal there was nowhere to sit (no easy chairs/sofa’s) all that was there was outdoor seating or remain in the restaurant (not ideal if you have children).
Please take my advice and do NOT book to go here if you have children, however old !

This holiday was the first one we ever booked with First Choice and it is by far the worst holiday we have ever had.
Transport. On arriving at Bodrum airport we were delayed by problems with the coach being overloaded and by some luggage having to be taken off and delivered to hotels by other transport. The coach then took over two and half hours to get to the resort owing to the coach still being overloaded and not being able to travel more than about 30 miles per hour. The return trip was faster but the bus had exhaust problems with fumes entering the passenger compartment.
Accommodation. On arriving at the hotel about 5 in the morning the small reception could not take everyone, about 12 of us in one go. The staff were nice however and carried our cases down many steps to our room. Before getting into our room we were aware of a bad sewage smell. Once in the room it was still there. In fact sewage was a big problem over the two weeks with smells in the rooms, restaurant and in most places around the complex, it was horrible at times. Although we did not experience it one couple had their toilet overflow with resulting sewage over the floor. Our room was furnished ok but there was many problems like bad electrical wiring, air conditioning appearing to start burning and not usable even after a complaint to the hotel, big crack in the toilet, no hot water to the hand basin, no plugs for the basin or bath, water leaks in the bath and roof, TV without any English channels, (we got one the second week after another complaint), basically not acceptable. We did consider changing rooms but some people changed up to six times and some even changed hotels paying extra with the promise of a refund at a later date so we decided to make the best of it. We did get given £40.00 after a couple of days by the rep for apparently some of the problems. Could this be an admission of guilt? The entertainment at the hotel consisted of a few "entertainers", one who dressed up as a woman, one could dance well one could dance like a robot but entertainers? They also arranged a bingo and two raffle nights, which were total rip offs. The bingo was 5 Euro for one ticket with water sports as prizes, good for the older people playing bingo. The raffles were just cons to get the "winners" to the gold centre for some pressure selling. The location was on a steep hill and although it does say many steps in the brochure it was very steep that hill to get a bus or taxi. Very small one sun bed wide beach as well at the bottom. There was also no function room what so ever so in bad weather stay in your room or go down town.
Food. We missed breakfast the first morning but made lunch. It was disgusting, luke warm stuff! Ah well we thought it can only get better, how wrong we were. The night-time dinner was just as bad luke warm stuff. Ok next morning after breakfast off to complain. Breakfast? Is that what they called it, it was very continental, cold, (they were good at that), meat, cheese and bread. Thank god for the bread. We ate lots and lots of it during the two weeks as it was the only good food there was, it took a few days for the staff to allow us to have butter at every meal though. The all-inclusive drink was a bit of a con as well specially if you like Whiskey. First Choice told us that the drinks do need replenishing some times and it can take a couple of days. Two weeks without any whiskey is a bit long I would suggest.
To be fair the rep, was great, she did as much as she could to assist everybody but just could not work miracles. Although the hotel and food was so bad the staff can only be praised as they made it more bearable by helping in any way they could. They would run around and try and fix things get you drinks and really anything they could to make it better. They could not be faulted in any way. It cost us a lot of money in tips on the last day but they were worth it.
Trips. A boat trip booked locally was repeated, as it was so good with food cooked on board that was so different to the hotels, superb. We also went to Gumbet and saw the Dream Girls twice again superb. We also had good food those nights again a nice change from the rubbish at the hotel. A Turkish bath is a must although the one arranged though the rep was expensive it was very good, much cheaper down town. Also be very aware of the Gold Centre, it is a terrible pressure selling place. We were conned by a First Choice rep, (the coach guide), on a market trip and taken there without any discussion and had to be really rude to get out only to find the coach had gone without us.
We would suggest that if you want a holiday in Turkey you keep well away from this place. If only the hotel and food was as good as the staff. We would also suggest you consider whom you book with, as this was our first and probably last holiday with First Choice owing to their absolutely useless customer service. They offered us a £80.00 voucher on a future holiday as an apology. We defiantly wont be using it to return to the Rexene if we use it at all. Good old Tui, we have already booked our Jan 05 holiday with them.