Richmond Ephesus Resort

The hotel’s exteriors are beautiful with sprawling green lawns dotted with palm trees and villas. Views of the Mediterranean across the property are equally stunning, but can be distant from some public areas and rooms. Built in 1995, this is among the older hotels in the area, and despite renovations in 2014, some of the furniture (think: sagging cream leather sofas) and design in common areas look out of date. Sun loungers and hammocks throughout the gardens offer places to relax, but as a particularly family-friendly property, the hotel's crowds, loud pool music, and playing children don’t make for the most tranquil atmosphere. 

The resort’s Mediterranean beachfront location, about a 30-minute drive from Selcuk, provides gorgeous scenery of the water and the surrounding mountains. There's little to do in the immediate vicinity, so most guests tend to stay on-site. Those venturing out can drive to Ephesus and its attractions, including the Temple of Artemis, the Ephesus Museum, St. John's Basilica, and the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, within about 15 minutes. Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport is a about a 45-minute drive away. The hotel doesn’t provide airport transfers, but guests can take free shuttles to Selcuk, then ride minibuses to the hotel.   

Rooms are decently sized and relatively modern. They’re furnished in neutral tones, but the brown (and bare) walls, carpets, and bedspreads are simple to the point of feeling stark. All rooms are appointed with air-conditioning, small flat-screen TVs, safes, and free Wi-Fi, but no desks. Minibars are stocked simply with water and soft drinks, and tea-and coffee-making facilities aren’t provided. Small, but updated bathrooms, feature granite tiles, sizable sinks, and large mirrors. All units have walk-in showers with sliding doors and handheld showerheads. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided. Standard Rooms overlook the mountains or grounds, and Superior Rooms have sea (some distant) views. Suites, with separate living rooms, can have either. Villas, located in the gardens, all have balconies with plastic furniture. Guests should note that some rooms or floors permit smoking. 

Features and beach access are the main draws to the resort. There are four restaurants: Efes—resembling a glorified cafeteria—offers large buffets for every meal including breakfast; Artemis, on the terrace, specializes in seafood and is only open during summertime; Aegean restaurant, in the garden, has a Turkish and Italian menu; Eyvan Café, in the garden, serves snacks and afternoon tea. Food and ambience at all restaurants get mixed reviews, and Efes especially can get overly crowded. Room service is available 24/7. There are also five bars. The Amphitheater and Wine House bars are in the garden, while the Beach Bar and the Sunset Bar are by the outdoor pool. The outdoor bars are pleasant, but the Rich Bar in the lobby has a tired, dated look. The hotel has direct access to a large, clean stretch of beach with free sun loungers and shade structures. The hotel arranges water sport activities like diving and parasailing, for extra fees. Sun loungers are also plentiful by the three outdoor pools, (open during the summer). One pool is constantly noisy with water sports and music. Another pool has waterslides for both adults and children. A third silent pool provides a quieter experience. A fourth, indoor pool is open year-round. There’s a small gym with adequate equipment. The spa furnishings also feel dated, but the treatments, Turkish bath, saunas, steam room, and hot tubs are nice extras. Several kids’ amenities include private childcare (for fees), outdoor playgrounds, and free supervised activities like discos and carnivals. There's an arcade room for all ages, and a nightclub for adults. An animation team also organizes activities including pool games, gymnastics, film screenings, and live music performances.Laundry services, a hair salon, and a library are available. There’s a business center, plus several meeting rooms and a conference center. Parking and property-wide Wi-Fi are both free.