We have just returned from a weeks holiday in Bodrum . We stayed at th Hotel Azka and had a brilliant tim. The hotel w reaalyy could not fault, except perhaps that there were no tea/coffee making faciilities in the room. Staff were friendly and helpful and the service very good. The location was superb and we frequently used the water taxi to go into Bodrum. We also walked to Gumbet. We enjoyd a boat trip which was also great value. We would highly reccommend the Hotel/location to friends and hope to visit again ourselves.

I have travelled a lot so i'm not just complaining for the sake of it.
The Azka is not 5* by even Turkish standards. I would say it's more 3*. It's set in nice gardens overlooking the beach and has a nice pool. But that is where it ends. Even though we paid for half board which was meant to include soft drinks at dinner it did not. Instead you have to pay for water at 5 times the market price and no you can not bring your own. In fact you can not take any food or drinks onto the hotel grounds or in your rooms and they check your bags. Anything they find is taken off you or as the sign tells you they will charge you for bring it in at twice the hotel price. Putting it mildly its a rip off. Reception staff are rude though the waiters seem ok. Rooms are clean but dated oh and the indoor pool and gym are an extra 10 lira a day to use, they are not included in the room price. This hotel is not geared up for children, most guests seem to be german and russian middle aged. This is not a problem but not much fun for children.
Breakfast and dinner - food is ok, changes daily, buffet style.
The hotel lifts do not serve all the floors, we were at the back of the hotel and you have to take 2 seperate lifts and lots of walking. A problem if you are not mobile or with children.
I would not stay here again

I have not long returned from my holiday in Turkey and I am definately a traveller who likes to do their research before booking a holiday. I would say that I am quite picky and also having worked for a leading tour operator have high expectations.

I booked my holiday online through Ola Holidays and was very happy with the service (cheers Micheal) that I received. They was very accomodating and assisted me with my needs. I had been researching for approx 2 weeks when I whittled it down to the Azka and the Fuga Fines Times (based on reviews on tripadvisor), however opted for the Azka as didn't want to be tied into an AI hotel (although probably would have been and better option, see below), plus it had it's own beach.

The Azka is based in a good location, a nice 10 min walk into Bodrum or you can easily travel by Dolmus or water taxi. I would say that the water taxi makes a lovely trip although the most costly. Therefore I would say just as convenient and cheaper to walk or bus in.

The hotel is the nicest and quietest out of the other hotels who always had loud entertainment. I would say that our hotel slightly lacked on the entertainment front with them having 1 night which was quite entertaining with turkish folk dancing, a turkish belly dancer and for the alternative breakdancers (a bit random but very good). I would consider myself to be quite up for going out but was glad to be in a peaceful location where I could easily access Bodrum.

We had a seaview room which did not disappoint and the room was spacious and ample for our stay. The hotel was well decorated and the service was good in the hotel restaurant but not as good in the beach bar where they seemed to lack care and consideration. I stood by as a little boy was awaiting to buy an ice cream to be unwelcomed by the staff. It was only for he mum appearing after a couple of mins otherwise I was going to step in. If you go to the bar at the Voyage Charm the service and food is heaps better.
I would say that this hotel is not really suitable for families with young childern as does not have sufficient facilties like some of the other hotels which were more family focused i.e Salmakis (lovely big pool) but the beach location is lovely as it is the only hotel to have a proper beach but be warned the water can be very cold but you soon get used to after a day or so.

Yes it is true it is clearly displayed that you cannot take your own food and drink in the hotel although we did not get searched but I did see a group of women returning from town with little bags and being searched. This is where the holiday can prove costly as although the HB food is sufficent (slightly repeititive and juice and hot drinks free in the morning), no drinks are provided with the evening meal and I found that altough we mainly had water with our evening meal and usually refrained from the alcohol only occasionally when it was happy hour (5-6 bogof) our end bill was still 186 TL after 1 weeks stay.

Furthermore Bodrum itself is fairly costly and although I wanted to go out and visit the nightclub I didn't do so as I would say that the entry cost and alcoholic drinks in general was more expensive than home and Ibiza (which I am a great fan of and would win hands down as a holiday location - beach, culture, atmosphere, etc). Furthermore I didn't have to visit seeing as I could hear the music on most nights from my room and decided that I probably didn't miss out on that much.

Whilst in Bodrum we did a boat trip around the Bodrum Pennisula which was well worth the cost of €20 each - bargain for a great day out. Also we visited the Turkish bath for €15 each which was a great experience although the hotel we visited was slighly smelly but the massage afterwards made up for. DO NOT BOOK THROUGH HOTEL AS €90!!

All in all Turkey is a good option for someone who wants the hot weather when other locations have not reached the kind of weather for relaxing and sunbathing (it was on average early thirties and just right for for the end of May), but this is the second time I have visited Turkey and the first time I went to Ichmeler, I will not be going out of my way to return. I feel that their our much nicer placers to visit where you can still get the weather, do not get hassled to going into shops, bars or restaurants and have much better sights to see and more reasonably priced.

Just wrote a review on a cyprus hotel we just returned from and it brought to mind what a contrast it was with the Azka. The overiding memory is having all our kids drink and water confiscated as we came in one evening. We had bought it as we were getting up early to go out all the following day on a trip and explained this to the security staff but they were rude and surly and made us feel like criminals. They said we could have it back when we left the next morning but refused to refrigerate it so in the end we didn't bother.
The waiting staff were miserable and what with most of the guests being Russian (and if you get in between a Russian and his dinner you know about it) meal times were not all that pleasant.. The tables were arranged in two rows and the buffet style meals meant that people are getting up all the time. I was barged out of the way carrying a plate of food more than once.
The rooms were ok. Ours was right out the front facing a very pretty garden but our eldest daughter was miles away upstairs inside the main hotel and her room was nothing special.
I didn't like the atmosphere at this hotel at all. It is more for adults, I felt the children were distinctly unwelcome (the youngest was 11) There are no facilities for them and a bit of horse play in the pool was met with frosty stares of disappproval.
I don't think it is anything like a 5* and despite loving Turkey to bits (go to Olu Deniz it's gorgeous) I would not go near this gulag again.