Carna Garden Hotel in Side

Functions more like a mediocre BnB rather than a hotel. This is a family run hotel. Rooms are small and the balcony is just big enough to be able to turn around in. I came here solo and picked this hotel specifically to try and get away from the big rush of the resorts. However, after having stayed here I wish I’d gone to a resort! The room has the bare minimum, no fridge. It does however have a safe. Reception is not manned 24 hours as stated. I arrived at 11pm to find the doors closed and lights off. I waited there for several minutes until the owner appeared to let me in. The pool area is nice and there are plenty of sun loungers to relax in if you want a chilled day by the pool. Don’t expect much from the food, I was severely disappointed. First, the meal timings are strict, 9-10am for breakfast and 7-8pm for dinner. Planning an early breakfast to go out and explore? Forget it. Not that the breakfast is worth staying for, the selection includes… bread, cereals, some vegetables, cheese and maybe a hard boiled egg (with the shell on) if you’re lucky. Expecting fried eggs, toast, beans, even croissants or cakes? Nope. By the third day, eating bread for breakfast gets boring. Dinner isn’t much better, there is a selection of about 4 hot dishes which I have to say tasted quite good, but again no selection and very rarely was there any form of dessert. Hoping for 2nds or 3rds? Forget it, if you arrive even 15-20 minutes late, expect that half the food will be gone (the good stuff anyway) and you’ll have to settle for some plain pasta or noodles or whatever carb source is up for grabs. The hotel boasts a “poolside bar” on the description. Yes it’s there, but unmanned. No one was behind the bar my entire stay. No food or drink available by poolside! Now the staff are generally very friendly, as is the hotel owner, but I’m afraid we had an incident. I had met someone on a Facebook travelling group and we had gone for some drinks the previous day. The next day he came over to my hotel for a few drinks. As he tried to leave, the hotel owner shouts at him and phones me down from my room to explain who he is. I explained he was a friend. He then starts arguing with my friend, makes him show his ID and threatens to physically assault him for entering the hotel! Disgusting behaviour. On my 2nd last day I approached one of the staff to enquire about late checkout as checkout was 12pm but my flight was at 10pm. He explained that it was fine and I could stay in the room until 5pm when my transfer arrives. I double checked this with him later after dinner just to be sure and he again explained it was fine. Lo and behold at breakfast the next day (the day I’m leaving!) he approaches me to tell me his boss told him I have to checkout by 12! With nothing planned so late notice, I had to spend hours in the lobby. I would definitely not stay here again, and don’t recommend this hotel to anyone. Probably the worst hotel I’ve stayed at abroad. Please just