You’re probably here as a result of searching for Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel reviews that’ll help you justify whether the fairly high prices are worth paying for this boutique B&B?
Having recently returned from our stay at this adults-only hotel, we’re sharing our personal experience to help you understand what you can expect when booking a stay here.
Our in-depth review of Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel will cover everything from the rooms and facilities on offer, to the food and drink selection, and the service levels you can expect…
What to expect from our Review of Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel…
Whilst there is plenty to look forward to, the adults-only Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel is definitely not for everyone. As a traveling couple who are happy to spend a little more on great service and facilities, we can say that we were left feeling a little disappointed in certain areas when it came down to service.
There was no particular major incident, but a collection of small errors that seem normalized at this hotel.
However, even with these small areas of concern, we did enjoy our time at this hotel. Here’s our completely honest review to help you decide whether it’s worth splashing the cash on this high-end, boutique, adults-only hotel in Oludeniz.
Location of Oludeniz Blu Hotel
The Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel is conveniently located just a 5-minute walk to the main promenade, where you’ll find a variety of restaurants and shops.
It’s also only a 10-minute walk from Oludeniz Beach, and 5 minutes in a taxi to Hisaronu. On the way back up to the hotel from the beach, you can add a couple of minutes due to the incline though!
The hotel also offers its own private shuttle to and from the beach, which is incredibly handy.
Being located away from the hustle and bustle of the main attraction on the promenade, the hotel feels very secluded and private once you’re on the premises.
With its prime location and proximity to various conveniences and attractions, the Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel offers a great option for those looking for a perfect spot in this beach resort.
Our Arrival at Oludeniz Blu Hotel
We had messaged the hotel in advance to state that we would be on an early flight, reaching them at around 7am. We appreciated that our room would not be ready until 2pm, and were happy to wait by the pool until then. However, on our arrival, there was no one to be seen anywhere!
We found the night-duty maintenance guy who seemed a little flustered upon seeing us, and showed us to the pool area, explaining that the reception staff should be along shortly.
After almost 40 minutes, a very apologetic receptionist arrived and offered to check us in before sending us off to wait for our room to be ready.
The check-in process took a little longer than we would have liked, with the setting up of a WhatsApp group followed by a presentation of their onsite workshops – not particularly welcome when you’re severely lacking in sleep!
Anyway, we left our suitcases in the reception area and headed to the pool to catch up on some much-needed zzz’s.
The ‘Vibe’ at Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel
Oludeniz Blu is surrounded by nature with stunning views of the valley and mountains, giving it a very private and exclusive feel. The photos on their website are well-polished and do accurately reflect how the place looks.
It comes with a chilled-out and relaxing vibe across the hotel, with a very much ‘mañana mañana’ attitude to everything. This did come as a complete surprise, as we expected a traditional Turkish service which normally means they are on top of everything, leaving no stone unturned.
If you live for prompt service, you may struggle here. However, if you prefer to be left to your own devices by the pool, or during breakfast or dinner, then you’ll absolutely love it!
Our Deluxe Room
We booked a Deluxe Room at the Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel which was spacious and well equipped, with everything we needed for a comfortable stay.
One thing that we were a little unsure of (looking at the photos) was whether there was a curtain to section off the bathroom from the bedroom. Well, there was, and it provided all the privacy we needed!
The shower was hot and provided good pressure, and there was ample space along the sink area which we always appreciate.
In addition to the standard amenities like a mini fridge and hairdryer, the hotel provided a great selection of toiletries, from shampoo and body wash to a loofah and cotton swabs.
The deluxe room also had a spacious closet with ample storage space for clothes and a stowaway area for your luggage.
The lighting can be a little on the dark side in the evening if you’re applying makeup, but other than that everything else was perfect.
Overall, the room was practical and stylishly decorated, creating the perfect midpoint between luxury and functionality, and meeting all of our needs for a six-night stay.
Note: If you are thinking of booking the swim-up rooms, it’s worth mentioning that the private pool will be in the shade for some part of the day.
Main Pool
The main pool at Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel was where we were hoping to spend most of our time at the hotel. We just wanted a few days in the sun (in peace) and were grateful for an adult-only hotel that didn’t have screaming children around the pool, which is quite rare in itself for Oludeniz!
There were plenty of sun loungers available, and we never once had to worry about getting a good spot. The pool was fairly warm with several inflatables to keep you entertained if you so wished, and the music playing in the background created a lovely atmosphere.
Pool-Side Service
Now, we’re the kind of couple that enjoy a hassle-free experience, and have some basic expectations when it comes down to what we’d like from a pool-side service.
For example, we prefer not having to get dressed every time we need a drink in order to walk into the main restaurant to ask for one!
Considering the drinks were fairly expensive, you would think that they’d be on to you soon as you’ve finished in order to get another round in.
As a couple that does drink a lot when by the pool, we found it fascinating that they didn’t take the opportunity to provide any pool-side service.
Did they not want to intrude? Are they just lazy? Perhaps they’ve no real interest in turning a profit? Who knows!
We continued tipping them when delivering the drinks, in the hopes that they might increase the levels of service by the pool, but that didn’t work either! Completely baffling!
Drinks
At first glance, the drinks menu looked incredibly exciting, with a great selection of non-alcoholic cocktails and fruit smoothies, albeit quite pricey for Turkey standards at £10 (220TL each). However, when we tried to order a smoothie, they didn’t have any of the ingredients. They also didn’t have any Coca-Cola for the entire duration of our stay!
Then came our first evening of drinks where my partner ordered a Monkey 47 (Gin) and Tonic. What arrived was a Monkey Shoulder (Whisky) and Tonic instead. We appreciate both do sound similar, but whisky with tonic?
We understand mistakes happen, but what we found quite disappointing was the lack of concern by the general staff and their reluctance to accept their errors. The manager eventually came by to check everything was ok and apologized, but everyone else looked like they’d rather not be there!
Then to top it off, my Irish Coffee arrived a short while later. Now, my favorite part of an Irish Coffee is the cream, so I’m not sure I need to tell you what’s wrong with this picture…
We decided that it wasn’t worth pointing out this error to the staff, and stuck with beer for the rest of our trip as they couldn’t get that wrong.
Food
When we booked our stay at Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel, one thing we were really looking forward to was the food, as the online reviews gave us the impression it was not to be missed. Whilst it was generally great, there is some room for improvement.
Breakfast
Your breakfast order is taken when you arrive at the restaurant in the morning. There are two cooked options:
Turkish Breakfast
The Turkish Serpme (spread) Breakfast was really good, and looked very pretty when laid out on the table, but as most of it was cold it could be made available in the buffet instead of having to wait around 30 minutes on some mornings.
This would also save on wastage as there were many items we asked to be left out (such as the cheese) but it still arrived nevertheless! Eggs are cooked either fried (sunnyside up) or scrambled.
Full English Breakfast
The one time we tried the Full English Breakfast we immediately regretted it! Not sure what the ‘bacon’ or ‘sausages’ were made from, or how long they had been cooked for, but it didn’t even come close to the Turkish Breakfast.
We can confidently say you can skip this, unless they make a concious effort to improve it.
Breakfast Buffet
The breakfast buffet is a complimentary selection of accompaniments to your main cooked breakfast. There is a selection of nuts, fruits, Turkish Delight, and spreads such as honey and Nutella.
Breakfast Drinks
Drinks are included with your breakfast and are not self-service, so need to be ordered with your breakfast choice. They include a selection of teas, coffees, and fruit juices, all of which were of great taste and quality.
Lunch
On our second day, we ordered lunch from the restaurant which was a pizza and some nachos with cheese and avocado dip. When our nachos arrived, it was missing any kind of salsa or dip. When we asked about the avocado we were told it was not part of the dish.
Having pointed out the dip on the menu, our waiter got the manager who arranged for a ‘dip’ to be made. Unfortunately, our avocado arrived as a green, watery, tasteless sauce in a tiny ramekin. Not sure what it was, but it wasn’t what was on the menu!
Dinner
After the issues with lunch and our mix-up with drinks the previous evening, we decided that we wouldn’t risk having dinner at the hotel when the service was so haphazard. So we apologize, but we can’t tell you what dinner is like as we didn’t try it!
Evening Entertainment
Evening entertainment at Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays between 20:30 to 23:30, featuring live music from Jodie and her Band, or Ilker Babaoglu (who plays solo).
It’s a nice relaxing evening, with dinner held outside by the pool and decent live music being played into the night. We didn’t see any other types of evening entertainment at the hotel, but there’s plenty to see and do at Oludeniz beach or the promenade.
Activities
The Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel offers a diverse range of activities for both guests and external visitors.
You can start your day with a morning yoga class, then set out on a guided cycling tour in the afternoon. Towards the evening, try your hand at creating traditional Italian dishes with a pizza and pasta-making workshop, or shake up some delicious cocktails in a mixology class.
The hotel also hosts art workshops, giving you the chance to expand your creative skills with painting bags, pots, and canvases.
Although we didn’t personally experience them, we spoke to others that had and they thoroughly enjoyed them.
Is it Value for Money?
Finding a modern, adults-only hotel in Oludeniz that is pretty close to the promenade is no easy feat. With that in mind, you’re always going to pay a premium for this type of accommodation.
Yes, it’s pretty expensive if you compare it to alternative options, but we were happy with how much we spent in terms of what we were looking for.
We could have paid slightly less had we booked directly on Oludenizblu.com, but chose Booking.com instead as they offer a Free Cancellation which we always think is a good insurance policy.
The food and drinks are on the pricey side, however, if you’re planning on spending most of your time outside of the hotel then this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
Pros and Cons of Oludeniz Blu Hotel
As with all of our hotel reviews, here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of staying at Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel:
Pros
- Prime location
- Adults-only hotel in Oludeniz
- Relaxing pool area
- Comfy sun loungers
- Practical room and amenities
- Great traditional Turkish Breakfast
- On-demand shuttle bus to the beach
- Resident French Bulldog!
Cons
- ‘Salesy’ check-in process
- Lack of service at the pool
- Errors seem normalized
- Slightly aloof members of staff
- Food & Drinks a little expensive
- Limited evening entertainment
Would we recommend Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel?
If you’re looking for a clean, modern, adults-only hotel in Oludeniz for some much-needed peace and quiet in the sun, then the Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel is a great choice. It’s conveniently located near the promenade, has a lovely pool area, and comfortable sun loungers.
You’ll have to be fairly chilled out when it comes to your service expectations, as you may not always get what you asked for, but if you don’t plan on spending much time in-resort, then this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
Wrapping up our review of Oludeniz Blu Hotel
Although we had some issues with service during our stay, on the whole, the staff were friendly and helpful.
The good thing for the hotel is that an improvement in the service levels is something that can easily be fixed. Once they’ve got this sorted, it’ll be one of the best semi-luxury hotels to stay in when visiting Oludeniz.
If you’re looking for an action-packed holiday with plenty of evening entertainment then this might not be the hotel for you. However, if you’re happy to venture out and explore Oludeniz then we think you’ll have a great time staying here.
Got any questions about Oludeniz Blu Luxury Unique Hotel for us? Let us know in the comment section below!
