I stayed at Kempinski Bodrum as part of a mattress run to compare with other hotels nearby.  I found Kempinski to be above average regarding service and overall facilities, but the room was a bit more aging than competitors and upgrades less generous than most other hotel chains.  

Room

As GHA Black guest I was upgraded two categories as per the normal rules from the entry level room to the Grand Deluxe room which is essentially the same as the basic room except for the balcony and a better view. The view itself was the highlight – there are many hotels with great views in Bodrum but this was one of the better ones.  For the room itself it was not bad but nothing remarkable; having the shower in the bathtub was a significant minus compared to most other hotels in Bodrum.  The bathroom toiletries were Atelier Rebul, a local brand which can also be found at other 5-star hotels in Bodrum such as Susona Bodrum (LXR brand by Hilton) and Yalikavak Hotel (MGallery by Accor).  There was also a nice welcome amenity waiting for me in the room: a fruit bowl and a bottle of merlot.  

For guests who value more space and who have elite status with other hotel chains, suite upgrades at other hotels are more likely elsewhere so Kempinski might not be the best fit.  If Kempinski does not upgrade to suites in low season only two weeks before the hotel closes for the winter, it’s safe to say that generous upgrades are not part of their DNA and that they will stick to the +2 rule no matter what.

Common Areas

The public areas of the hotel were a strong point of the property, more so than the room itself.  There is plenty to keep guests entertained for long stays and to spend much of their time on the resort, including a kids club, a game room, the main pool near the main building, an adult/kids pool combo closer to the beach, and the beach itself was fairly decent as well.  

Residences

The hotel also has residences including some newly constructed ones which will remain open in the winter, unlike the main hotel, but will also be maintained by hotel staff.  They informed me that they should be available to be booked online in the near future.  The new residences looked quite nice from the outside and seemed very spacious (2 or 3 bedroom residences) and some with a private pool.  

Dining

Breakfast was above average with the standard Turkish breakfast plus a modest a la carte menu, but it included a few items not found everywhere else such as miso soup, smoked salmon, and free flow Prosecco which is not offered by other hotels in this price range (EDITION, Caresse, Bodrum Loft, Six Senses, and Susona LXR).  Also service was excellent during breakfast and better than other hotels where staff tends to sometimes be too reactive and not proactive.  The restaurant venue was small and cozy but very nice with sitting space in the shade outdoors with views.  In times of high occupancy however I think most guests would have to sit indoors.

Wifi

Wifi worked fine but download speed was low at 5-8 Mbps whereas upload was better with 10-15 Mbps.

Overall

Overall this is a good hotel for people who do not care as much about the room itself except perhaps the balcony if they expect to spend most of their time outdoors or in the hotel’s public areas.  The room upgrade was not competitive with other hotel chains especially in times of low occupancy when Kempinski was only 15% full.  However they make up for it with good service and nice facilities all around.