For breakfast, I still couldn’t find a banal scrambled egg - fried eggs or scrambled eggs, it was only with tomatoes and milk, both looked more like soup than scrambled eggs, the other was minced meat, the queue for an omelette is such that I don’t want to live, with dinner it’s not better, like everything a lot, but everything is somehow tasteless, I didn’t find shrimp and didn’t find grilled fish in the assortment, there was one type and that one with sauce, they were looking for barbecue, then it turned out that they were cooking on the street, the structure of the restaurant, in my opinion, was uncomfortable, confusing, counters food is also round, while you go around to choose something, your head starts to spin, the service is very, very unimportant, I had to ask for tea several times in the morning, I can’t find the way from the restaurant to my building, I have to follow the recipe, then change the elevator from there, etc. e, you need to go along some dark corridors, and the hall near our room is generally hot, the air conditioner does not seem to work there, in our room the air conditioner works well, but it makes some strange whistle, which is pretty annoying, the room not bad, the balcony is rather big, there is a sunbed, the bathroom is also large, there is a board in the closet (this will put the quality of the hotel), but the hotel itself consists of several buildings, and so far I have not been able to figure out how to get from one to another
. Well, the main reason why I would not come back here is the lack of pavilions on the beach, as far as I can remember I always rent pavilions (we usually have a rest in the company of at least 4-5 people), and we pay extra for their rent, this is very it’s comfortable for me, as a mother of 3 children, this is necessary, because children can be drawn to sleep after the sea, we don’t swim in the pool, because we have our own pool in the country, we come only from across the sea. And we spend 90% of the time on the beach, so all conditions are necessary for a comfortable beach holiday! The pavilions here belong to the villas, and many of them are empty (apparently for some reason not all the villas are occupied), but when you ask to find out, they answer specifically no, there are no places, there are several extreme pavilions in the fifth row, they said that if you manage to run early in the morning and book - you might be lucky!
Well, of course, this is how I imagined my vacation, to get up and run a long enough distance so that I might be given a pavilion for 150 or 200 euros, the refrigerator and the button to call the waiter do not work in the clergy and there is no food service, and it is impossible to book this happiness for several days in advance, You need to run every morning and there is no guarantee that you will have time! In general, no rest, but some kind of stress! Before that, I had a rest at the Voyage Hotel, where I booked the pavilions in advance, come in officially. Times 10 and. Interested in how to help, a safe and a refrigerator in the pavilion, and food service is present!
And also the staff is excellent at the Voyage hotel, I rested last year in Rixos Belek, I also liked it, and in Rixos and Voyage each guest is assigned a separate assistant who writes on WhatsApp, sends the program of the show every day, etc. and is interested in how it goes your vacation, it is very convenient and pleasant, in Calista there is no such happiness, on the contrary, one feels the indifference of the staff and the lack of desire to please vacationers! If we talk about the positive aspects - wide umbrellas on the beach, reasonable prices for water sports, well-groomed territory, heated pools.
The hotel as an architectural and design project is excellent, it is felt that European architects worked. A lot is provided for the off-season and the winter period: both sheds over bars, and transitions between the three main buildings - pucks, a powerful heating system and hot water supply in the bathrooms (sometimes already too much)))) and a swimwear drying machine on the beach (essentially a centrifuge, driving through which the swimsuit can be sure that it will dry very quickly - a find for the winter season). Very cool and safe elevators, besides, each has sanitizers.
Stylish, very photogenic and tastefully decorated both the buildings and the territory of the hotel. Thoughtful design of the rooms, very high quality furniture and interior items, in decent and soothing colors, a pillow menu, ironing facilities, high-quality textiles and a very pleasant interior. Stylish, well-zoned lobby with excellent coffee and bar menu, live music and changing lighting. A good selection of shops ranging from safety pins and swimwear to interesting jewelry.
Very professional staff from the reception to the maids - everyone is trying and very friendly, efficient. I especially liked the fact that the heads of the hotel departments are constantly on the territory: they check, control, connect themselves in peak situations, due to lockdowns in the Russian Federation in November, the hotel was at a tick load, went to a stop, but the staff stoically kept pace.
GR staff: that during the settlement they took into account all our requests and completed the room with extra beds, dishes, clothes hangers, that during the stay they quickly, politely, professionally responded and helped - exceptional service.
Excellent work of the maids - the cleanliness is perfect, the replacement of all textiles daily, they noticed a convenient cleaning schedule for us, they kept everyone in the room, even at additional requests they left a window for ventilation from chemicals and ventilation from heating after cleaning, they are very friendly and diligent. Many thanks to them - such a level of service is more typical for rating city hotels, nowhere in the beach such high-quality cleaning has ever been seen.
Meals: if you like the UAI buffet, then here it is in its fullest performance, probably an exemplary, satisfying, constantly replenished assortment.
Excellent, similar to Valpolicella, wine is served in bottles at the table, good coffee. Beautiful glasses and good dishes, though a couple of times there were unwashed plates and napkins that set the tables were not constantly ironed, even in A la carte - not ideal. The ice cream is strange, apparently some additives, in its pure form, the sorbet should not stretch like chewing gum. For myself, I finally realized that the A la carte type of food is preferable for me, for gourmets, people with developed taste buds, it’s hard to find really interesting tastes, noise and smell (shifting all the flavors of dishes into one), even a decent Swede, alas, kills my appetite (( (
Now for the cons:
Heating and uniform ventilation of the main body and 2 washers connected to it is a huge problem in the low season.
As it turned out, since November 1, these buildings, regardless of the temperature outside, are heated from ventilation shafts, from which very hot air comes out + heating of the roof (in our period it was up to +35 in the sun, and the upper floors of the pucks are not covered with tree crowns - they are like once in the sun). As a result, our duplex (its upper floor) turned into a real hammam - the heat was hellish, it was impossible to turn off the ventilation, either on our own or with the help of staff. Considering that we did not close the balcony doors in principle - we constantly ventilated, it was not realistic to be located and sleep on the top floor of the room. As a result, they tried to sleep on the first floor of the room on a small sofa and extra. three of us in bed + got a cold in my ear from the constantly open balcony door.
It was impossible to close the balcony door - the air was 80+ degrees from the ventilation - you can’t keep your hand near such ventilation for a long time, and on the street there is noise until 24:00 from the animation, and from 24:00 the noise from the work of the staff - all night, some finish, others are starting. If the music has died down, the delivery of water, towels, watering begins - the staff shouts to each other, the equipment rattles, the irrigation hoses are dragged ...It's just hellish conditions for sleep - it's impossible to sleep.
When choosing other pucks (not related to the main crossings), you will have an individually working air conditioner - this is of course a plus, but the downside of this is that in the low season there can be heavy rains (on our race it rained heavily without stopping for 1.5 days - water flows ) and then you will have to run in a downpour in streams of water to a restaurant, lobby, spa - the risk of getting sick is high, especially if you are relaxing with children or with elderly parents.
Beach 200 meters - well, very little.
In the process of traveling and exploring the beach line of Belek, we developed a coefficient of 611 rooms divided by 200 meters of beach = more than 3 rooms per 1 meter of beach ...it’s just not enough for a beach hotel, the pools don’t save - only a small one is heated in the off-season at the main building, and the rest the pools cannot be used by guests for swimming and the concentration of people on the beach is over the top. In Belek, a small beach along the length of the sea line is rather the norm, and apparently that is why large recreation areas on the piers are so developed here - hoteliers gain a clear deficit of the beach area. Hence the “massacre” in the summer season for sun loungers, for places on the piers and crowding of people on the beach, hubbub and noise, with rare exceptions in Belek this is so.
Of course, it’s not a complaint against the Hotel, they tried their best to save the situation, but I can’t help but note the contingent of vacationers - whether we were so “lucky”, or, in principle, a strong level of UAI on the basis of the buffet attracts such a contingent - I don’t know, of course. But so much obscenity, chanson and rudeness have not been heard for a long time. Shaved-headed fathers of families in chains with crosses and icons with "brilliants" sipping strong alcohol in a bar in the heat to amazement + apparently their spouses are stylish in branded swimsuits, but listening to prison chanson without headphones, talking obscenely on the phone with friends / relatives.
Children who don’t know that you can’t push adults on the escalator, you can’t walk on things on a sunbed and on other guests’ towels, climb in other guests’ things with your hands up to your elbows in the sand, and in principle, that they forgot something in other people’s things - for the first time with such faced that it is impossible to wake / push someone else's lady 65+ on the beach (my mother, after not the first sleepless night, just passed out on a sun lounger) and poke something in her face.
Phone conversations on the beach with such a loud voice that it seems that in Magadan / Urengoy itself they will hear them even without a connection. And of course, mothers, usual for UAI, with children howling like beluga whales (children - I understand that neither the hotel will let them sleep with heating / noise, nor their parents, breaking the regime by going to the animation, etc. , but don’t sleep and you’ll howl ...), with 2 strollers, a scooter and three tablets used without headphones (and this is only at one table, and there are many tables ... ) in a restaurant.
Of course, we were mentally preparing for the fact that the hotel was at peak load and had been in such a situation repeatedly in August Kemer, but here, in addition to the “childish concept”, we also got a rollback to the 90s ...and this is not only in Kalista, the neighboring Selektum Luxury in reviews of friends is also characterized.
In general, about Belek, more precisely about the sea of this region, I would like to comment: the sea is muddy, there are many shallows, because of which, when you swim, you periodically literally cling to the sand with your knees. We walked along the coast and watched the beaches for 5 km. from Ela Quality Resort to IC Hotel Santai - in some places there are pipes, as far as I understand, with purified water, but for the first time in Turkey I encountered algae in the sea, apparently not so much purified water or I don’t know what else ...but of course to return here during the swimming season do not want at all.
The beaches of the Kundu area seem to be nearby, and also sandy, but the sand is not silty, there is no algae like in Belek, the water is clear if there is no storm. And in Belek: the sand practically does not settle to the bottom, in addition, it is still very sticky to the body - it cannot be washed off. If you visit the area, then only during the period when Kemer closes, not on a swimming holiday.
The final conclusion for discerning tourists: to come here, if possible, then only in the winter, at a time when there is definitely no swimming in the sea and there is no flow of tourists (outside of holidays and children's vacations). Choose washer housings that are not connected to the main building, so that it is possible to regulate heating / ventilation and close windows at night from noise from the territory. Also, in winter, there are no alternative sea hotels with A la carte UAI type of food - in the absence of an alternative, it is easier to perceive a Swede))).
Surprised by the poor quality of the food this time! There is very little of it, there is no variety, only 2 types of fish, there are no other seafood, desserts are one stand, and even those are impossible! All food is of poor quality, no taste. But the most important thing is with what DISPENSE the waiters throw a piece of this formless-tasteless mess onto a plate !!!
At the reception they promised to create a WhatsApp group, but half a day passed and no one even wrote to us.
The sink does not work well in the room, the water does not drain well, dust is everywhere...
I did not expect this from Calista! I will never visit this low class hotel again. I'm sorry for wasted money and time. You don't qualify for 5 stars! Three with a stretch. You are very spoiled.
The road to the sea partly passes under the open sun.
The beach is big, sandy, clean, lots of shade, lots of sunbeds.
The entrance to the water is smooth, convenient for bathing children.
There are few sunbeds on the pier.
Food selection is average for a 5* hotel.
Restaurants "A la Carte Restaurants", in which the guide invites at the hotel, are paid, although the guide and administrator may forget to warn about this, and the bill for the restaurants will be billed upon departure from the hotel.
Restaurant "Japanese Cuisine SAKURA" is rather closer to Chinese cuisine.
Restaurant "Italian cuisine TIMO", the same is not quite with Italian cuisine.
From 20:00 to 00:00 - loud music is heard throughout the territory simultaneously from 5 venues: 2 stages with loud music on the territory of the hotel and 3 sources of loud music are heard from the hotels in the neighborhood. You can hide from loud music on the beach or inside the building: restaurant, lobby, cinema, games room, in the room and close the door to the balcony.
Rooms are good and recently refurbished.
The rooms were cleaned well, but from time to time they forgot to bring drinking water and replenish the bar, despite regularly leaving tips. I had to call the reception, remind, then everything you need was promptly brought.
On the balconies of the rooms overlooking the sea and the pool, loud music is heard in the evening, we had to close the balcony door, then the room became quiet.
In rooms overlooking the entrance - the music does not interfere even with the balcony door open.
The hotel is not very suitable for a holiday with a small child because of the loud music.
The hotel is suitable for families with children who are interested in going to noisy discos and theme parties.
We will not stay at this hotel again, I am not a fan of loud music.
The hotel administration values its regular customers very much. Many thanks to the receptionist Serhat and the girls working with guests: Irina, Diana, Elena. Great welcome, seated within 5 minutes. Everyone is very attentive and always smiling. The room is WONDERFUL, they upgraded the room category for free as regular guests, which was very nice! The bar was replenished daily, the rooms were cleaned in good faith, the bed linen was white, the towels were changed daily.
Buffet: The cuisine, as before, is at a high level. Dishes for every taste, prepared with soul. Many thanks to the Chef. The restaurant staff is friendly.
Service and food at the highest level, evening shows 10 out of 10! Special thanks to the animation team for their responsiveness and friendliness - Shaquill, Gurcan, Karina, Elya, Lily, Katya, Yulia! Throughout the rest, they created an atmosphere of celebration and unbridled fun) Next year we will definitely return with an even bigger company!!!
Sincerely, Isaeva Leyla, Astana
The main advantages of the hotel: cordiality and hospitality of the staff, preventive maintenance and perfect service from check-in to check-out; spacious rooms with everything you need for a comfortable stay and high-quality cleaning; perfect cleanliness throughout the well-organized territory of the hotel; unique body architecture; large clean beach; a great pier with a bar, a shower and a sufficient number of comfortable sunbeds; towels in unlimited quantities; spacious cool gym with modern exercise equipment; varied food for every taste, age and stomach in the main restaurant; constant evening concerts, including those with the participation of pop stars; a large, well-planned area with swimming pools, bars, tennis courts, a football field (there is even a football school). The hotel is surrounded by well-groomed greenery and beautiful flowers; the air is clean and fresh thanks to the large number of trees on the hotel grounds and the unique microclimate of Belek.
Special heartfelt thanks to the hotel managers who settled us in exactly the same building and on the same floor, which we asked for in a letter before arrival.
The main disadvantage: morning discomfort is caused by the fact that the bars on the beach and the pier open too late - at 9-30 - 10-00, and therefore the "larks" are forced to drink morning coffee in the main restaurant or lobby bar, and not admiring the morning sea and sunrise.
The main disappointment: the replacement in the central hall of the 1st building of a magnificent bright chandelier, which was an original recognizable feature of this particular hotel and ideally fit into the interior of the hall, with dull and banal high-tech rings - a very dubious decision that you need to get used to and for which in the unique central hall of the hotel, unfortunately, it became not so cozy and just dark.
Feature: ideal for a comfortable, relaxing holiday for families with children and couples, but young people get bored here (the possibilities for hanging out are very limited, the water slides are small and not at all extreme).
Summary: a superb modern hotel - large, cozy and very hospitable, easily competing with the latest fashionable hotels, fully justifying both its fame and its price. We certainly recommend it to all lovers of a comfortable, calm, well-organized family vacation. Personally, we will definitely return here (especially since we now have silver hotel club cards that provide a number of additional benefits).
Thank you very much, Calista, for a great stay!
- Meals are monotonous in the form of pastes, semi-finished products, sauces. Frozen fish tasteless, shrimp tasteless, there is always salmon, vegetables, fruits.
- There were no theme nights, there were no squids, there was never an ocean fish.
- Staff in the restaurant yelling at each other, the plates are chipped with lipstick.
We chose a hotel with a high rating at the last moment, because there were no vacancies in hotels of this price category.