Having to spend the week in Izmir as part of a business trip, my choice fell on the Renaissance.
As usual the reservation was made online with the Marriott app, the same way as the check-in. A fluid and 100% mobile experience.
Perfectly located in the city center
The Renaissance Izmir is located in the center of the city, 5 minutes walk from the waterfront. Restaurants and stores are nearby.
From the airport it will take a good forty minutes, even more depending on the traffic which without reaching the level of saturation of Istanbul is still very important at certain times. It will cost you less than 15 euros in cabs or Uber.
Arrival and check-in
The cab drops me off in front of the hotel and I enter the lobby passing the security gate which is now the norm in Turkey.
My check-in having been made on line the formalities will be reduced to their simplest expression. The hotel being unfortunately full not the slightest upgrade to hope for.
However, I am informed that as a “Titanium Elite” member I have access to the “hotel lounge”. Contrary to popular belief, the lounge is not a closed area reserved for certain guests, but an open space in the lobby where authorized guests have access to an all-day snack and beverage service and a complimentary buffet/alcohol bar from 6-8pm. But we’ll talk about that later.
In general, the hotel displays a style halfway between the classicism of the business hotels and a modern creative touch, which is mainly expressed by the intensive use of neon and fluorescent colors. To each one to judge but I think that even if I do not like the style we are still far from the taste fault.
The room
So I go to my “Deluxe” room which is in fact the standard room of the hotel.
Not much to say. The style could not be more classic.
The room is large and, it is appreciable, has a small ” relax ” corner always appreciable in a business trip.
Le bureau est de grande taille et cela aussi c’est appréciable.
Much more interesting is the bathroom.
There is of course the traditional washing area, the toilets…
…and a superb shower area in the purest local tradition. It is a real marble room with a rain shower, a place to sit and a basin for ablutions.
Beautiful, large and very pleasant to use.
A room whose size is appreciated and which presents a rather successful decoration and without fault of taste. In short, a good standard room for business travel: there is nothing to complain about or to get excited about.
Two remarks, however.
From the first night I drank a bottle of water from the mini-bar. It will remain on my bedside table, empty, until the end of my stay without the mini-bar being restocked.
I also found on my arrival that the room smelled halfway between “hot” and “dust”, unless it was both at the same time. Almost made me wonder if it was cold tobacco. A smell that hardly dissipated during my stay knowing that it was also impossible to open the windows.
An adequate catering offer
So let’s start with the lounge where I regularly stopped for an aperitif snack. Being away from the hotel during the day I did not try the “snack” offer.
The lounge is composed of two spaces totally open to the lobby.
They ask me for my room number to make sure I am “eligible”. For the others there will be no way to touch the (small) buffet and drinks will be charged.
The list of proposed drinks is limited but largely sufficient (softs, wines, and “basic” alcohols). I will find the wine quite acceptable and the alcohols (vodka tonic in this case) normally dosed (without being exceptional, it’s not ridiculously low in alcohol like at the Ritz Carlton in Istanbul for example).
The buffet is limited but largely sufficient for an aperitif. And at least, unlike others, it doesn’t “kill” the hotel’s restaurant business.
The service is fast and the staff very friendly.
A not very exciting lounge in conclusion but which has the merit to allow a pleasant junction between the end of the working day and the dinner.
For the dinner, I decide to try the restaurant of the hotel, on the very last floor. We are promised a “bar restaurant” with a pompous name, the “Skyfire”, I will mostly see a restaurant and a large buffet.
We are in full Ramadan and the customers have exceptionally the choice between the usual menu and a buffet…which buffet taking the place usually devolved to the bar.
The terrace of this panoramic bar is equipped with chairs and tables. No picture due to lack of light but a very nice experience for a last drink.
But back to the dinner.
A rather “classic” menu, a mix of “western” classics and locally inspired dishes.
This is what it looks like on the plate.
Verdict: without being very sophisticated, it is beautiful to see, it is quite copious and it is good. What more could you ask for?
Add to this a fast service and a smiling and attentive staff. On the other hand, with 10 customers in the restaurant, it’s not like they’re overwhelmed.
Let’s be honest: within a 15/20 minute walk there are a bunch of excellent local restaurants that are certainly better and even cheaper. But when you come out of the plane or if one evening you just want a quiet evening before going to bed quickly, it is perfect.
Last step, the gym and the pool.
The gym is in the basement 2nd floor. It is just the right size, neither well nor poorly equipped. “Average, basic, standard” without this being a criticism.
As for the swimming pool, in the first basement, it is very pleasant to relax. On the other hand, it is by no means the 28° indicated and if you don’t stir up a bit you will quickly get cold.
The check-out will go smoothly. Once the door of my room is closed, I will make a mobile check-out on the Marriott application and go directly to take my cab to the airport without going through the reception.
Bottom line: a good hotel for work or vacation
While not exceptional for its category, the Renaissance Izmir has no major shortcomings and its location makes it an excellent hotel whether on business or leisure.
Booked 2 or 3 weeks in advance at 62 euros per night I can only be satisfied with a good experience for money.
