Merit Crystal Cove Hotel Review - 17 of 51 Reviews

Earlier this year we flew to Northern Cyprus to visit the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel. The Hotel is advertised as 5 star, and we got a relatively good deal on flights and accommodation. The trip got off to a less-than-flying start when we discovered that our taxi from the airport to the hotel was going to cost £100 for just over an hour's journey. That's a considerable expense considering we had to budget for the same fare coming back!

As we approached Merit Crystal Cove we were struck by the awesome scenery- the hotel sits in front of an incredible mountain range which is accompanied by a small settlement of white houses. It gives the place a very authentic Mediterranean feel and we were beginning to think that the taxi fare may not have been such a huge problem.

Unfortunately our initial impression of the hotel was poor. The front of the hotel is in need of a serious makeover, and the reception area isn't a whole lot better. To advertise a 5 star hotel and then allow your guests to arrive and be so disappointed is frankly a bit embarrassing, but we didn't want to dwell on it and so (after a lengthy discussion, because the staff didn't speak English) we got some complicated directions and set off towards our room. The layout of the accommodation made it a bit difficult to find the room, and when we got there it was rather underwhelming.

In spite of all this, there were some amazing points in our holiday and it wouldn't be fair if we only discussed the bad. The spa and massage parlour at the hotel was absolutely fantastic, and definitely a 5 star facility. The gym was good, the gardens were well kept and the food (which was the hotel's best feature) was plentiful and of a very high standard. All in all, a decent hotel but by no means a 5 star resort, and it does have some glaring faults.

Liked — Spa was great!
Disliked — Not a 5* hotel regardless

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