Montana Pine - Our first stay, but not our last.
Nov 2022
| Adam F
Review of the Montana Pine Hotel, Oludeniz
Holiday Date 18th to 30th October 2022
If you are interested in visiting Turkey, the Oludeniz area, or wanting to stay at a different hotel in the Oludeniz area this review will hopefully help give you clarification when making your decision.
Myself and my family visited Turkey on holiday for the first time in 2001 and stayed at what was the Asena Village Hotel in Hisaronu. At the time Hisoranu was a small village with a handful of hotels. The roads were dirt tracks and there were only a few restaurants.
Since this first visit to Turkey in 2001, myself and my family have been back to Turkey another 17 times. In that time we have had many great holidays in Hisoranu, Oludeniz, Bodrum, and Antalya. Each holiday has been unique, and albeit there can be faults with anything if you look hard enough for it; it is the friendly people, interesting culture, amazing scenery, amazingly tasty and fresh food, and also the affordability of Turkey that keeps us going back to visit.
Oludeniz is a stunning location and of all the locations we have stayed, it is the most beautiful and breathe taking. Over the years we have stayed at the Belcekiz Beach hotel, Liberty Oludeniz, Tonoz Beach and the Karbel Hotel. Until this year, however, we frequented the Liberty Hotel the most times for it’s cleanliness, lovely rooms, amazing quality of the buffet, entertainment and friendliness and efficiency of the hotel staff. On our last visit three years ago, a couple of very hurtful and distasteful incidents with hotel management led us to re-evaluate the customer service of repeat, supposed ‘valued’ customers at the Liberty Oludeniz Hotel.
Upon booking this year’s holiday, myself and my family spent a lot of time reading reviews of hotels in the Oludeniz area, particularly reviews that have been written in the last 12 months since hotels have re-opened after closure from Covid-19. There were a couple of hotels in the running that we were considering that met our criteria, however after careful consideration we chose to stay at the Montana Pine Hotel.
Location
From Dalaman Airport, the transfer will take approximately 45 minutes to arrive at the Montana Pine Hotel. The Montana Pine hotel is situated in a forest on a mountain that is 3Km from Oludeniz Beach and about 1Km from Hisoranu and Ovacek. The entrance to the Hotel starts from a main Road on the mountain and the road stretches for just over 1Km into the beautiful forestry surroundings. To walk from the hotel to the main road will take approximately 15 minutes.
Transportation
The hotel offers a complimentary Dolmus (Bus) service each day from the hotel to Oludeniz. The bus leaves the hotel at 9.30am, 10am and 10.30am. There is also a complimentary return Dolmus service from Oludeniz that runs at 4pm, 4.30pm and 5pm. Ramazan is your bus driver and he is always happy to help you, or hear how your day was. If the bus is full Ramazan will gladly come back and collect you.
If you don’t want to wait on the complimentary hotel Dolmus, there is a Dolmus stop at the junction of the main road and the road that leads to the hotel. Dolmus’s run frequently (every 5 minutes all day and night) and will take you to Oludeniz, Hisoranu, Ovacek, Fethyie and other towns also. The Dolmus to Oludeniz which takes 5 minutes will cost you (17.5 Turkish Lira - £1 each way) and a Dolmus to Fethyie which takes 30 minutes will cost you (25 Turkish Lira - £1.40 approximately each way). You can also get a taxi which will cost you 90TL to Oludeniz (£4.50 each way) or 170TL to Fethyie (£8.50 each way).
Area
The Montana Pine Hotel as previously stated is situated in a forestry area near the Lycian way (An ancient and historical, picturesque walk). It is very secluded in a lovely pine forestry area. There are views of an amazing cable car that has been recently built which is only a 20 minute walk away from the hotel, and completed in 2021. The cable car will take you 1700m up Babadag Mountain (1900m). There are views of paragliders flying in the sky that take off from the top of Babadag mountain. There is also an amazingly beautiful view of Oludeniz Beach and the Blue Lagoon at the Hotels sunset bar – In my opinion this is one of the best views in Turkey!
Oludeniz is based at the bottom of the mountain. It has a stunning beach where you can hire sun loungers for 40TL a day (£2), with a number of beach bars, restaurants, coffee shops and retail shops to visit. Oludeniz has become slightly bigger and busier in recent years, however nonetheless the views of the mountains, the paragliders flying and landing on the beach promenade and the ambience of the area is special. In the evening Oludeniz comes alive with a number of restaurants, shops, beach bars and clubs to choose from (but not too many). If you are looking for a little bit of night life, with some local Turkish market stalls, Oludeniz is the place to visit. However, if you are wanting some rest, relaxation and sleep of an evening we have found that the location of the Montana Pine Hotel offer’s you this, as it is situated away from the hustle and bustle of Oludeniz, but it still gives you the option to spend time in Oludeniz if you wish.
Montana Pine Hotel Facilities
Rooms
The Hotel is classed as 4*. I think the rating of hotels can be very subjective, particularly from country to country, and if this is your first time visiting Turkey you have to take the hotel ratings with a pinch of salt. The Montana Pine hotel has a ‘rustique’ charm. The hotel reception is low key and friendly. The main bar is situated beside the reception. The bar area also hosts a ‘living room’ area which has many nooks and crannies to sit and have a quiet drink with family and friends. It also has a lovely open fireplace that the hotel put on in the evenings later in the season which adds to the ambience. There is a small bookshelf with a range of books and board games. There is also a large wall mounted flatscreen television near the fireplace and the television is often on in the evenings with live sport or is there if you want to watch a movie. In the evening, this bar and lounge is the hub of the hotel and it has a really friendly home from home atmosphere.
The hotel rooms are situated in individual communal buildings, like a mountain village. Again, this gives the impression of being secluded and intimate. There are roughly 10-12 bedrooms in each building.
The pathways that meander around the hotel grounds are cobbled and surrounded by beautiful, well maintained gardens. The flora and fauna in the gardens are all labelled to tell you about the natural forestry and wildlife that you see and experience in the hotel. This is a really nice and very personal touch.
The bedrooms again are simple; however they meet all your requirements for what you want and need – cool, quiet and cosy for when you want to relax and sleep. Some bedrooms can lack a little bit of light due to their positioning. The bedrooms are spacious and always very clean. The hotel room staff each day will replenish your bedroom with bottles of water, tea, coffee and toiletries. Each room has a balcony for you to enjoy the garden views, read a book or have a drink and watch the sun go down. The bedrooms are all clad in pine, which is not to each person’s taste, however it does lend itself in a nice way to the hotel’s natural surroundings and makes the natural mood of the hotel very peaceful.
Pool Areas
There are 3 pool areas that you can chose from in the hotel. The main swimming pool is a large pool which has a waterfall feature from the pool on the tier above.
The Main pool is large (roughly 25m in length). It is 2.7m in depth at one end and 1.5m in depth at the other. As a swimmer I was looking forward to swimming each day in the pool to stay fit whilst on holiday. On the first day by poolside I noticed that none of the guests were in the swimming pool. Upon putting my big toe in to the swimming pool I soon understood why none of the guests were in the swimming pool – to say the water was fresh would be an understatement. I dove in the water, and came straight up to the surface to catch my breathe. I quickly swam 2 lengths of the pool and jumped back out of the water. From years of swim training, most public swimming pools in the UK range between 29 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius. The hotel pool temperature board each day said the temperature of the water was 20 degrees Celsius, however I would say that the water was colder than this. During our 12 day stay at the hotel (apart from 1 boy playing in the child’s pool), I did not see any guests get in the pool to swim or relax on a pool lilo. This for me was the major disappointment of the hotel as relaxing by the pool and going in to the water to swim and cool down is important. When the water is that cold, going in the pool is not enjoyable.
Beside the pool is a poolside restaurant and bar where the hotel serve lunch and you can get drinks during the day. There are steps that lead to a top tier with another, smaller and shallower swimming pool and sun loungers. There is a building that has a pool table, darts board and poolside toilet. If you walk past this building you will find a lovely modern gym. The equipment inside the gym is basic, however it is ample for what you need on holiday.
Each lunchtime there is a Turkish lady who makes traditional Turkish Pida’s for you near the poolside. The hotel has a stand where you can collect fresh poolside towels to use.
There is another pool on the other side of the hotel called the Dolphin pool. This is a quieter pool area and has a poolside bar called the Dolphin Bar where you can get a drink.
All the poolside areas are well presented and clean.
Activities
During the season the hotel bodes and extensive activities programme, however when we visited at the end of the season with few guests at poolside during the day, there was no activities run by the activities team during the daytime.
If you take a walk up towards the sunset bar, you will find a beach Volleyball Court, where you can also play Bocca. The hotel has an amazing hardcourt tennis court, which I think has hardly been used. The hotel will give you Tennis racquets and tennis balls. They gave me two new (or almost new) Babolat Tennis racquets, and a tub of new Wilson Tennis balls.
There is a small putting area beside the Tennis court and Volleyball court if you want to play mini golf, albeit it is quite basic.
Of an evening the sunset bar is very popular as the sun sets over Oludeniz, you can sit and enjoy a drink with one of the best views in Turkey, or anywhere for that matter.
Restaurant
The selection on offer for breakfast and dinner is really good. Generally, there is always something to suit everyone at breakfast and dinner. The chef’s, kitchen staff, waiters and waitresses always welcome you to the restaurant and are on hand to assist you. The staff are very kind and are great fun. Over the 12 day holiday we engaged with most of the staff, getting to know them well. This really added to our holiday experience. It was nice being able to have a laugh and joke with them at breakfast and dinner. The only slight disappointment for me was the lack of selection of quality breads on offer at breakfast and the limited selection of jams and spreads.
Evening Entertainment
The evening entertainment at the Montana Pine Hotel was OUTSTANDING! As I have previously mentioned we have been to many hotels around Turkey and other countries also. The entertainment was by far the best quality and selection of evening entertainment we have ever seen in any hotel. As it was the end of the season, the evening entertainment took place in front of the main bar near reception. It created a really intimate atmosphere. We experienced a live band, a Mongolian gymnastics act, an African circus, an Illusionist, and a Columbian Latin dance act to name but some.
Other Facilities
The hotel has a Turkish Hammam (bath) and wellness centre where you can have a Turkish bath and massage. During our stay we didn’t use this facility, however when we go back to the Montana Pine Hotel we will use the Turkish Hammam facilities.
There is also a little shop at the hotel where you can pick up any essentials you may need such as sun tan lotion, hats, pool inflatables, snacks and drinks etc. Tamer (Tam) runs the shop, and he is always happy to see you and have a chat.
Overall
Like any hotel, the Montana Pine is not perfect. However many of the little issues such as the pool temperature, the lack of daytime entertainment at the end of the season, simplicity of the bedrooms and selection of breads at the breakfast buffet are quickly forgotten by so many positive’s about the hotel and staff that outweigh these little issues.
All of the hotel staff were superb. They were professional, friendly and genuine without being overbearing or interfering in your holiday. The staff were always happy to serve you, whether it be seating you at dinner, making you a drink, or answering any questions you may have, even though they may be busy doing other tasks. The hotel was spotlessly clean, and the gardens and the hotel surroundings in the Pine Forest are stunning. The hotel has a peaceful, friendly and intimate atmosphere which is what you want from a holiday. The views at the sunset bar are special, and the activity facilities on offer are excellent – 3 pools, gymnasium, pool table, darts board, table tennis, volleyball, bocca, tennis, and putting. The range of drinks on offer for the all inclusive guests are primarily local drinks, however many of them such as the Raki and Napoleon Brandy are excellent. In terms of soft drinks, most branded soft drinks are all inclusive. The hotel also have branded drinks available that you can purchase at additional cost.
The holiday we had at the Montana Pine Hotel was one of the best stays we have had at any hotel in terms of the atmosphere of the hotel and it’s surroundings, efficiency and friendliness of the Hotel staff, cleanliness, and the activities and evening entertainments the hotel offered. It felt like home from home, and we are looking forward to returning to visit the Montana Pine Hotel again.
A special thanks must go to some of the staff who really made our stay special.
All the bar staff – Myryam, Zeynup, and the two boys (sorry I forgot your names) are very attentive and efficient. They are happy to make you a drink the way you want it, and always have a smile when you go to the bar.
The reception staff – The staff were always happy to help and answer your queries. Emar and Tuncer (night porter) were so kind and helpful and were always on hand to assist you to make your stay great.
The daytime hospitality staff – Euyup and Mustafa at the poolside bar were always on hand to pour you a drink and have a laugh with you.
The Restaurant Staff – They were all superb and there are too many to individually name, however Umer, Boris, Jack, the Head chef’s, Mehmet, Buvin (I hope that is how you spell your name) were just some of the staff who really stood out, worked hard while wearing a smile on their faces.
Summary
If you are looking for a relaxing holiday with great entertainment, attentive staff, beautiful surroundings, and peace where you can get a quality nights sleep, then you would find it difficult to stay at a better hotel than the Montana Pine. It is an ideal hotel for couples and groups of friends of all ages. In my opinion families with young children (aged up to 12 years old) may find it challenging entertaining the children due to the location of the hotel. This hotel is not for young party seekers either.
Additional Information – Things To See And Do
Paraglide from the top of Babadag mountain
Cable car to the top of Babadag mountain and have a drink at the restaurant at 1200m
Fethyie bazaar market – Visit the local market on a Tuesday that sells fruit, vegetables, spices, nuts, cheeses, olives, Turkish delight imitation clothing and more.
Fethyie old town shopping – Go in to Fethyie old town to shop where the locals shop.
Turkish hammam – Experience a Turkish Bath, body scrub and massage at a traditional Hammam
Turkish haircut and shave – Get the best haircut you will ever have at a traditional Turkish barbers.
Fethyie fish market -An experience like none other. Choose your fish from the market, then choose your restaurant where you want to eat. They will cook the fish to your requirements, accompanied by a range of Turkish mezzi’s. This is a great experience for a special night out.
Turkish Doner Kebab – Try the best doner kebab you will ever eat. There are kebab shops everyone. Enjoy your kebeb with a Turkish Ayran.
A Boat Trip – There are lots of different boats and yachts to choose from. Boat trips can be purchased from the boats at Fethyie marina or at Oludeniz beach. The boat trips are a fantastic day out and great value for money.
D and P Perfumes – This perfume shop in Fethyie makes oil based perfumes, imitating fragrances from well known brands for a fraction of the price.
Saklikent Gorge – Sit on the river pontoons, relax and have a drink on the river under the Olive trees. You can walk through the gorge, take a jeep safari or even ride the river on a rubber ring.
Patara Beach – Visit one of the longest, quietest, and most beautiful beaches in Turkey.
Watch the sun go down at Oludeniz beach.
ATOL Protected
ABTA Protected
Secure trust account
