Rixos Premium Tekirova - The Land of Legends

Recently stayed here for a week with my children. The hotel and grounds are picturesque. The variety of restaurants cater to all needs and are immaculate. The A'la Cartes are easy enough to book via the system, my watsapp assistant Kaan was fantastic. The Rixy kids club provides outstanding care and service towards the children with a huge variety of educational activities. I enjoyed my stay so much that I am returning in 2026 with more family members due to my recommendation.

The main reason we booked this hotel was the splash park and slides for our little boy. When we arrived we realised that we might as well have booked anywhere else because the facilities are completely unusable - the water is FREEZING. Despite repeatedly stating it’s heated to 28 degrees.. I can promise you it isn’t. The kids don’t want to be anywhere near it as it’s just too cold. This also goes for the lazy river and all of the other pools - ALL freezing bar one.. at this time of year it’s a real disappointment for a 5* hotel to have one useable pool. You cannot get a reservation at the a la cartes without assistance from the WhatsApp chat. We are extremely grateful to the staff member on WhatsApp who did sort this for us on occasion but why you can’t book anything on the app is beyond me. Always fully booked at 10am when it opens and cannot book in advance. Also cannot book to eat with other family and friends in different rooms without the assistance of the WhatsApp. The restaurants themselves are virtually empty so I can only assume it’s a staffing issue but again this was another reason we chose to stay here for the restaurants - pointless in the end. The wait staff here are the most miserable I’ve ever come across in my life and we have visited a lot of countries and all inclusive hotels.. I’ve never witnessed anything like the rudeness here. Numerous times in the buffet we have had to physically flag someone down for a drink as we are just ignored. They nearly always get the order wrong too. They look positively fuming that you have asked for anything and make you feel like you are a nuisance rather than a paying guest. You are not welcomed into the buffet at all or shown to a table. Simply left to try and figure out what is free amongst the chaos. People’s restaurant - forgot my food. Then had to ask 3 times before it was finally served. The manager here is miserable as hell. The food isn’t great either. Italian - do not waste your money here the food is awful. We only booked it as we couldn’t get a booking anywhere else and wish we hadn’t bothered because it was such a poor choice for an Italian. The pasta was nicer in the buffet. The fact they even charge for this is madness. Asian restaurant - nicest by far. Friendly staff. Worth a visit The only decent cocktails are at the lobby bar. The guy who served me here was actually really lovely and one of the few who served me with a smile. Finding a sunbed was near on impossible I dread to think what it’s like in the summer at full capacity. There are sometimes staff who come round and remove towels from Sunbeds but they are still massively reserved all day using sun cream and other tat. Only to be used for an hour at about 4/5pm. The kids club is nice and the staff here seem a lot friendlier than any others in the resort. The rooms are tired. We were upgraded which was nice however we still had a sunbed on the balcony with a huge rip in the material, the lights in the wardrobe didn’t work, the do not disturb or make up my room door signs didn’t work and there are no lifts up to the floor so it meant leaving the pram near the stairs every night. Our friends complained multiple times about their air con not working to be told that that’s just the temperature it is at this time of year so it can’t be changed? Yet ours worked okay.. so clearly they were fobbing them off. The entertainment is enjoyable but all outside so too cold to really be enjoyed properly. There’s no blankets available so you have to bring towels down to stay warm. Either side of the stage is just a drop into a shallow pool with no barrier.. so you can’t let the little ones run around and enjoy the dance floor as it’s quite dangerous I had a massage by a male masseur that was completely inappropriate and I was so uncomfortable and freaked out that I didn’t know what to do other than just lie there and go along with it. In hindsight I really should have walked out. Please insist on a female if you are a woman. I am so disappointed with this hotel and really wish we had booked somewhere else. Do not waste your money staying here. We are still here and I’m honestly just looking forward to going home..

We stayed for 11 nights as a family and were shocked by the poor service from start to finish. On arrival we were met with a cold, uninterested receptionist — no welcome drink, no information, nothing. We were simply told we’d be added to a WhatsApp group the next day. Our room was too small for a family with a baby, and the air conditioning was broken. Staff fixed it quickly, but the room remained uncomfortably hot. When we asked about upgrades, we were told the hotel was “fully booked,” yet other guests staying at the same time received upgrades. Service throughout the hotel was inconsistent and clearly biased. Russian guests were prioritised, while we often had to chase staff just to get drinks in the main restaurant. Booking à la carte restaurants was almost impossible, despite seeing half-empty venues at night. Communication was poor, with many staff speaking little English. At checkout, we were asked to pay for a “complimentary” meal and even told to sign a blank form stating we had “no complaints.” I refused — this was completely inappropriate. The only positives were the friendly pool staff and lifeguards, who worked hard under clear staffing shortages. For a so-called five-star resort, this experience was appalling. Unprofessional, understaffed, and unethical. We left feeling deeply disappointed and hope management take serious action. We have of course started the complaints procedure with Tui but this review is solely on informing anyone similar to our selfs that tireless searches through holidays and their trip advisor reviews for their family holiday to ensure they do not make the same mistake visiting this place as we did.

Just returned from this hotel after a 11 night stay with my family. This was, without question, the worst service experience we have ever had on holiday. From arrival to departure, we felt ignored and deeply uncomfortable. We arrived at around 3am after a long journey, only to be met with an unwelcoming and uninterested receptionist. No welcome drink or even water was offered — not exactly the warm reception you’d expect from a five-star resort. We were told no information only that someone would put us into a WhatsApp group the next day. We didn’t know where to go for breakfast, where to get pool towels etc. When we enquired about possible room upgrades, we were told the hotel was “fully booked.” However, upon returning home, I later discovered a TripAdvisor review from a Russian guest staying during the same period (04/10–12/10) who had received an upgrade — which directly contradicts what we were told. The room itself was far too small for a family with a cot, pram, and luggage, and the air conditioning was broken, leaving it unbearably hot and stuffy. We informed reception and it was fixed within the hour, but it was not ideal trying to cool the room down with a 6 month old baby and the air on only goes to 22 degrees. Throughout our stay, it was painfully obvious that Russian guests were given priority treatment. In the main Turquoise restaurant, getting a drink was an ordeal — we often had to chase down staff and would be halfway through our meals before anything arrived, while other tables were served promptly. Trying to book the à la carte restaurants was another frustration. Even when logging in exactly at 10am, there were never any available slots, yet we observed half-empty restaurants in the evenings. We ended up booking these via the WhatsApp assistant. A member of staff admitted that the hotel was operating at around 50% staffing despite being fully booked. For a supposedly premium property, this is unacceptable. It was impossible to get a drink at the lobby bar. However, the staff around the pool delivering drinks are amazing. As well as the lifeguards and staff at the Lotus Bar. They actually smiled and made you feel welcome. Communication across the hotel was extremely poor. Many staff members spoke limited English, making even simple requests difficult. When I approached reception about upgrading (after seeing available rooms on the TUI website), I was again told the hotel was “full.” The WhatsApp guest service was equally disappointing — responses were delayed, inconsistent, and often unhelpful. The most alarming part of our experience came after I posted a review on TripAdvisor midway through our stay. Only then did guest services contact us — and their tone made me feel as though I was being bribed to remove my review. They suddenly offered late checkout, complimentary à la carte reservations, and a fruit platter with champagne — clearly in exchange for taking the review down. Feeling pressured, I eventually did remove it. On our final day, things escalated further. Despite guest services confirming late checkout, reception initially refused before suddenly “finding availability” once I showed the messages. At checkout, we were then told we needed to pay for an à la carte meal that had been confirmed as complimentary by our TUI rep. After arguing, they eventually waived the charge. After confirming there were no charges to the room I was asked to sign a blank piece of paper stating that we had “no complaints” and that everything was “handled free of charge.” I refused. This was highly inappropriate and left me shaken and upset. I have never been treated like this. Additional Issues - Loud, intrusive music from a neighbouring hotel made it difficult to sleep. - Inappropriate music (explicit rap) played at the pool — not suitable for families. - Room cleanliness was poor: dirty floors, sand left in the shower for days, and constantly dusty feet. - Nowhere on the TUI website did it clearly state that certain restaurants and areas were restricted to “Infana” or “villa” guests, which made us feel excluded and misled. The unethical request to sign a blank “no complaints” form was the final straw. No guest should ever be made to feel pressured, bribed, or silenced. We left feeling upset and disheartened — and I sincerely hope the hotel management and TUI take this feedback seriously, as no paying guest should ever be treated this way.

A jewel in the Med this the place to stay everything you want on holiday and more absolutely 5* exceptional staff who go out of their way to make your stay so good. Special thanks to Yagmur and Kaan for keeping us up to date and informed on the ball and precise every day

Had a great time with family. The staff are all amazing. Special thanks to Kaan and Yagmur who where always available to help with anything at all. Will be back.

First impression and overall experience This was our first time staying at this hotel. While there were some positives, there were also several negatives that would prevent us from returning. The atmosphere and overall flow of the hotel lacked the relaxed holiday feel we’ve come to expect. We’ve visited Turkey many times over the years, and unfortunately, this has been our least satisfying experience to date. We were expecting much more from a Rixos Hotels property. The pros Great location & scenery: The setting is beautiful with lovely surroundings. Beautiful sea view room: Waking up to the sea and pool view each morning was a highlight. Lobby & Lotus Bar: Excellent areas with a great atmosphere, delicious cocktails, and attentive service. Beach Bar: A lovely, relaxing spot by the water. Italian à la carte restaurant: Outstanding food — every course was delicious. The beachfront location added a romantic touch and was well worth the extra cost. Relaxing veranda: Near the lobby bar, perfect for unwinding in the evenings. Heated pool section: A nice touch (although often very busy with families and children) Privilege guest areas: Beautifully set out with private pools and sun beds if you can afford the upgrade. Cons Beach & Sun-bed Situation- The beach itself is stunning but extremely cramped — beds are fixed on decking areas with little room to move. It’s hard to tell which beds are taken, and we even witnessed a heated argument between guests over sunbeds, resulting in staff and security stepping in. Not a pleasant holiday scene. The pier with sunbeds is lovely, but virtually impossible to access unless you’re up at the crack of dawn. The same goes for front-row beach beds. Restaurant Booking Issues -The free à la carte restaurant booking system was a daily frustration. It constantly showed as “full,” even when we logged on the moment booking opened. Meanwhile, payable restaurants always seemed to have availability. Nowhere was it clearly stated that guests only get two à la carte bookings per week, which caused unnecessary confusion. We eventually managed to book the ‘Turkish’ and the ‘peoples’ al a cart restaurant for a late 9pm slot. Although our 10-day stay should have allowed four bookings, the system blocked our fourth attempt. After daily complaints via WhatsApp to the hotel assistant, Kaan, he finally secured us a booking at the ‘Mandarin’ (Chinese) restaurant — but only through persistence. We never managed to get into the ‘Mexican’ restaurant. This is our first experience of complaining but felt the assistant was restricted in his role to help us much and felt sorry he had to constantly hear our daily complaints about the system -that resulted in us just accepting it and giving up in the end Despite being told that all guests are treated equally, restaurants often appeared half full, suggesting priority was given to privilege guests or large family groups. The Italian (payable) restaurant was exceptional, but the system wouldn’t let us book it twice, forcing us to message the assistant again. Who said he would get back to us -but only replied when i reminded him which i consider poor customer service seeing as j had been complaining about the booking system daily all week “The People’s”24 hour à la carte offered average food in the evening (though breakfast and lunch were much better). Buffet & Food Course - Buffet and food court options were average at best, with cold food on several occasions. The main buffet area felt overcrowded — like a “cattle market” — and the service was poor. To top it off my husband experienced what we believed to be food poisoning towards the end of the holiday-with projectile vomiting and diarrhoea -one of worse he has ever experienced Fortunately not on the day we returned - as that would have been another nightmare Guest Feedback- Several other guests we spoke to had the same complaints, particularly about the restaurant booking system. Even repeat visitors said they wouldn’t be coming back, noting a clear decline in staff numbers and service quality compared to previous years. Conclusion Although this wasn’t a terrible holiday and there were aspects we genuinely enjoyed, the overall experience did not meet the standard we expected. From the daily struggle to secure sun-beds and restaurant reservations- to the average food and buffet and lack of relaxed atmosphere, the hotel simply didn’t make us feel like we were somewhere special. Sadly, we won’t be returning to this hotel. We had already booked Rixos Sharma al sheik in feb 2026 before going on this holiday and I sincerely hope have a better experience

We stayed here for a week, we chose this Rixos as have stayed in previous Rixos hotels and we liked the idea of this being a premium one but unfortunately it didn’t live up to a premium standard, Firstly we arrived at the hotel and we struggled to communicate with front desk as there English wasn’t the expected standard, we found this on going through out our stay which made our queries and complaints difficult to get across. Food was average in the buffet, same old thing daily as was the service, no offer of drinks or water unless asked. One evening we had finished our meal before a drink was even offered to us. A la cartes was a nightmare to book, and the rules of how many to use was not explained correctly which makes you lose out on ones you want to go to however we did go to the Italian which came with a fee but was well worth it, Chinese was also very nice but the Turkish was terrible and so was the service. This hotel and staff seem to favour Russian guests, being British we didn’t get served unless tipping the waiters, we wasn’t acknowledged with a greet or smile no one seemed welcoming but it seemed very different if you was Russian. On the day we was due to fly home we asked for a late checkout which couldn’t be accommodated because apparently hotel was fully booked but this didn’t look like it was the case also after eating lunch from the buffet my partner came down with very bad sickness, which turned out to be food poisoning. Which is slightly concerning. Prior to this on the 3rd day We did go to ‘ peoples’ for lunch which they did serve us grilled but raw in the middle chicken which we sent back. My son’s chicken nuggets was also pink from the buffet. For a 5 star hotel this isn’t acceptable. However The hotel views are stunning, waterpark really good for children, good size pool and beach is nice. We won’t be returning to this hotel again, it hasn’t put up off Rixos hotels as the other hotels we have stayed at have been much better.

Great hotel , fabulous service from kaan and yagmur especially ! Lovely food and cocktails ! Lovely pool areas ! Kids loved water park and kids club

Great Hotel and the staff especially Kaan and Yagmur are super helpful with anything we needed during…. Nothing was too much….🙌🏼