Author Topic: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.  (Read 19789 times)

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Offline Jacqui Harvey

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Went to the King's Garden last night and sat beside a couple staying at the Montebello Resort in Olu.  They both were wearing yellow wrist tags with the Hotels name on them???  Apparently, they have to keep them on all the time, to get in and out and also to eat at the restaurants in there. 
In conversation with them, it seems their resort is very remote.  They have been out of it a few times, but is seems only trips booked in the Hotel.  They had no idea that there were private lagoon beaches in Oludeniz, knew nothing of Calis or Fethiye.  However, they had booked a trip to go to "a market"  in Fethiye on Tuesday.   We explained that they could easily just get a dolmus into Fethiye and do the trip themselves... What is a dolmus? was the next question.   The Hotel had booked them a trip to Pammukale which they seemed to like.  They told us about going to a carpet factory where they said it was very pushy and prices for a carpet started at £6,000.
They had been into Oludeniz and said people in restaurants ignored them when they saw their yellow wrist bands.
I thought it very sad to stay at a sanitised place like this Hotel and not know what the real Turkey outside the walls was really like.  They even remarked to us that the thought Turkey was expensive as their holiday from London cost more than other countries they had visited.  We told them they could book Hotels in the area for as little as £13.00 per night and they were stunned. :o :(

 



Offline kawasakikid

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 06:23:55 AM »
It just shows you how gullible people are!

There is no doubt that these AI resorts do have there uses for a lot of customers e.g. couples and especially lone parent families etc, but equally for a lot of customers they are nothing but a 5 star open prison camp whose inmates can be let out on day release on certain days! Yellow wristbands that have to worn at all times? What? Did they think they were electronic tagging devices?

Unfortunately, these people who have had holidays in such places, often return to the UK with a very skewed impression of Turkey.  They think such resorts ARE Turkey!




Offline bewva

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2015, 09:42:11 AM »
The problem with a lot of all inclusives is that you could be anywhere in the world so long as it is hot you would know no different.

Interesting how they escaped to Kings Garden, its not like its the first place you would come across.
I hope you convinced them to escape again Jacqui and explore Olu.

We did a week in Belek last year before coming to Ovacik for a week. It was the first AI experience for us. I am not in any rush to experience another.

Offline Highlander

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2015, 10:03:12 AM »
What is the real Turkey like - is it Calis and Fethiye.

Offline JohnF

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2015, 10:27:04 AM »
What is the real Turkey like - is it Calis and Fethiye.

No, not even close - and personally, over the years I've only scratched the surface of the "real Turkey".  But then again, it all depends on how an individual defines the "real Turkey".

JF

Offline Menthol

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2015, 11:33:29 AM »
The Montebello is hardly remote. It's at the bottom of the hill, just off the main road and just before you get to the 'hoşgeldiniz' arch.

But if people just blindly book a holiday somewhere and do not even do the slightest bit of research - check a map of the area etc - perhaps they get the holiday they deserve.

Offline Colwyn

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2015, 11:53:11 AM »
What is the real Turkey like - is it Calis and Fethiye.
I was going to ask whether St Ives is the "real England" but then I realized it is not in England. Or to ask "Is Tenby the real Wales" only to remember it is in "Little England beyond Wales". Difficult this isn't it. What about "Is Dingwall the real Scotland" - not if you live in Glasgow I suppose, where it is like the picture you put on shortcake tins for the for the tourists. If asked about any holiday resort I would say, "It is and it isn't". Calis is in Turkey and is just as real as Kasimpasa - although Erdogan would probably disagree.

Offline Jacqui Harvey

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2015, 12:43:20 PM »
Staying in a Resort and only booking trips through the resort and knowing nothing of the local area, or the real Turkey, which is anywhere away from the resort where you use your own brain to find things out... That is the real Turkey.
This couple had not been to Hisaronu and did not know anything about it, first trip to Fethiye, booked throught the resort that week. They asked us about Fethiye and Hisaronu.... Kakakoy was a total mystery to them.
Also, when they finished their starter, they just sat there. I said to them... "You can go up to the Rock Tombs"  They said they wanted to do that and I told them just go.  They waited aobut 15 minutes and then called over the waiter and asked could they go ot the tomb now.   He said to them, that he told them before they could go, so what where they waiting for.  They told him they thought he was going to take them !!!   This is A.I. for you, being treated like a child, getting a wrist band and not knowing how to get around on your own.

Offline Highlander

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2015, 12:57:12 PM »
Forgive me Jacqui but surely you are not saying that Hisaronu is the real Turkey. :o

For the record, on our very first visit to Turkey we booked a visit to Pammukkle and Ephesus through our tour operator.



Offline Jacqui Harvey

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Re: How to stay in Turkey and not have the first idea about the place.
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2015, 13:01:30 PM »
I forgive you   :)   Finding out about anywhere locally without beng lead around by the nose is information that  can then be collate.    They don't know about any of the area they are staying in.  We are just in Kakakoy now having a lovely relaxed lunch.  Then up to Hissy for that great shop with all the Turkish Crafts... Hissy may be Blackpool with sun, but the informed travel knows how to disconcern....   




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