Hotel Turihan Beach

In the pulsating epicentre of Gumbet, and perched directly on the beach, the Turihan Beach Hotel is under two miles from Bodrum town centre and about 20 miles to Milas-Bodrum international airport.

The hotel is located in the infamous Gumbet, known for its all-night parties and the bucket loads of tourists that attend them. If you are after a relaxing holiday, you will probably not find it here. The wall-to-wall karaoke bars, discos and hotels with their own animation shows will see to that!

The hotel rooms are in a series of buildings clustered around a central pool area. The hotel, built in the 80s, is quite small with only 50 rooms. Bright white and dazzling in the sunshine, the buildings are partially covered in the beautiful bougainvillea typical to the region but it is a shame that there is a general feeling of very limited space, that every square metre has been used! For example, any more than 10 sun loungers around the pool would be a squeeze!

Meanwhile the restaurant/bar that opens out directly on to the beach and promenade is a top spot to watch the world go by, and the cheesy music and friendly staff create a relaxed atmosphere. Most public areas were clean and well-maintained. While staff members were friendly and did their best to be helpful, there were several occasions where service was slow, or English was not understood. There is also a Turkish bath facility that was undergoing renovations during our visit.

Rooms at the Turihan Beach Hotel are spartan but clean. The large, dim bathrooms are disproportionate to the cramped rooms. Some of the door locks are a bit 'fiddly' - a potential security concern that was casually dismissed by the staff on reception. Despite this, while the rooms aren't awash with fancy furnishings they are comfortable for a night or two. The rooms on the ground floor only had one small window and are right next to the main thoroughfare so could be both dark and noisy. Unfortunately there was not enough bedding - besides the pillows only one thin sheet - and even that had a few holes in it! Each room has a small veranda or balcony with table and chairs. Overall, all rooms seem sad and worn out and could definitely do with an overhaul.

The all-in-one bar and restaurant is at the far end of the hotel and has an airy terrace that overlooks the bay of Gumbet. Breakfast is served here from 8:00am - 10:00am and dinner from 8:00pm - 10:00pm; meals taken outside these times are at an extra charge to the guest. The dinner buffet is only set up if there are over 20 diners, otherwise guests may choose from a set menu. The food itself is nothing amazing, a mix of Turkish specialties and classics orientated towards a British palette. While there is a pleasant view of the sea, only metres away, the location itself is constantly busy and therefore noisy.

If there are no sun loungers around the pool it is because they are all on the hotel's stretch of beach, neatly lined up, row after row. The beach itself is a curious gravel-like mix of sand and pebbles. The water at Gumbet is not the cleanest in the Bodrum region but this doesn't stop the hordes of British tourists from swimming here.