Hotel Cettia Beach Resort

The modern artworks and chic decor in the lobby and jazz playing throughout public spaces set a sophisticated tone at Hotel Cettia Beach Resort. There's an attractive lounge in the airy space, with a wall unit packed books and colorful curios, and there's also an area with sleek, gray leather sofas and a flat-screen TV. Guests enjoying the chilled-out atmosphere and pleasant beach, which has dock with loungers, are primarily British (all on Thomas Cook bookings), as well as Dutch, Turkish, Danish and Finnish, with some Russian and Arab couples as well. The hotel is adults-only in the summer season from April to October, and is open to guests of all ages in the winter months, when the all-inclusive option is not available.

The Cettia Beach Resort sits smack on the Marmaris waterfront, where the long seaside promenade is full of restaurants, bars and cafes, most of them catering to tourists. It’s a bit quieter here than at the end closer to the Marmaris castle and harbor, about 10 minutes away by car. The main road behind the hotel has more places to eat and drink, as well as shop; minibuses that stop along here run to the bus station (a 15-minute drive) and to the neighboring resort of İçmeler (a 10-minute drive). The nearest airport is about 90 minutes away by car in the town of Dalaman.

Bold black-and-white patterns on curtains, carpets, and bed runners give contemporary style to the 103 guest rooms at the Cettia Beach Resort. The 98 Standard Rooms are fairly small, but don’t feel too cramped, even with a double bed, single bed, desk, and bedside tables. All units have tiny balconies with just enough room for two chairs and a small table, but most don’t have sea or pool views. Guest rooms are equipped with AC, flat-screen TVs (premium channels extra charge), safes (extra charge), and mini-fridges, but they lack kettles. Bathrooms have walk-in rainfall showers, an array of toiletries, wooden bath mats, magnifying mirrors, and hairdryers. The five Deluxe Rooms are significantly larger, with sofa beds, bigger TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, iPod docks, and more spacious bathrooms with higher-end toiletries and larger rainfall showers. A few of the Deluxe Rooms have two balconies.

The Cettia Beach Resort’s beach and jetty areas, both equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, are among the larger such facilities on the Marmaris waterfront. The pool between the beach and the hotel is, by contrast, on the small size, but it has sunbeds, table and chairs under umbrellas, and a lively pool bar. Towel service is available for the beach and pool, and there’s sometimes low-key live music in both areas, but the hotel doesn't have organized activities. 

A downstairs spa, reachable directly from the guest rooms by elevator, is decked out in marble, bamboo, flowers, Buddha sculptures, and yin-yang symbols. It has a large Turkish bath, a dry sauna, three massage rooms and a facial room (extra charge), a “fish pedicure” tank  (extra charge), and a tiny fitness room with just one treadmill, one stationary bike and one weight bench.

Though breakfast-only and half-board options are also available, the vast majority of the hotel’s guests choose an all-inclusive stay. Large buffets are offered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, featuring many fresh and tasty Turkish and international options. There’s cooked-to-order omelets and pancakes during breakfast, pizzas from an outdoor oven six nights a week, and special food-and-drink events -- including sushi nights, a waffle-and-ice-cream bar, and wine-and-cheese nights -- in the early evening. Meals can be eaten in the large La Maison restaurant area or poolside, and most drinks are included, though there’s an extra charge for some premium drinks. Room service is available until 10pm and there’s self-service coffee, tea, and juice 24 hours a day at reception.

Off the main hallway on the ground floor, there’s a cozy cafe area and a larger “Bar B” with couches, a selection of books and magazines, boards for chess and other games, and a glass-fronted hydraulic elevator up to the rooms. There’s also a small beauty salon and shop selling handbags, sunscreen and the like, as well as a pool table and a small business center with a computer and printer. There’s one meeting room downstairs by the spa area. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.