Our last holiday to Icmeler

by **redrhino12** » 07 Jul 2008 18:27

I think that I may be to blame for part of the demize of our Icmeler.
Joanne my daughter who is living over there at the moment rang me this evening to say that she has started to organise bar crawls round Icmeler twice a week.
She was actualy doing this in May but now the season is in full swing her and servet are takeing a group of about twenty people round a few chosen bars in Icmeler.
I think they are takeing trade to the not so busy bars so are in fact generating a trade for them.

I think they dress up and have fun but I dont think Daddy will become part of this Marmaris type set-up.

Why do some "Dreams" turn into a nightmare?

Gene

When I posted this I never expected this type of response. Icmeler to me is now turning into very thing that we all hate about Spain, Redrhino your post confirms that, the last thing that Icmeler needs is crowds of 20 going from bar to bar and getting sloshed. With that comes the problems of drunks on the streets. This year I did notice big groups of girls walking around.

If this is progress for Icmeler, well I am glad that I have made the decision not to go back.

by **redrhino12** » 07 Jul 2008 18:38

I would also like to point out that even after my negative couple of postings Icmeler still calls and Flights are booked for next year.
Just got to try and avoid that dream breaker Daughter of mine and everything will be fine.

I have tried, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Tunisia,Egypt a multitude of places but nothing for me can compare with the ambience of Icmeler
"Seek and you will find"

The excitement is still there when we view the bay of Marmaris from our Taxi from the airport.
The people are in general the friendliest I have met.
Like some say, maybe a change of resort is whats needed.

Gene

by **Jozzyd** » 07 Jul 2008 18:43

Gene, I think there are good points too in what your daughter is doing. If the smaller bars are getting trade surely this will help them. I don't see this as demise but as a positive. Holidays are about having fun so why not? I have only been to Icmeler once but in the two weeks we were there we never saw any of the shows that everyone is fed up of so it will be a new experience for us. What I am trying to say is there are still places to go without the noise and shows. I can't wait to go back it holds lovely memories. I will probably be in the quieter bars when your Joanne turns up happy days :lol:

ps read thread carefully :oops:

by **lfc pete** » 07 Jul 2008 18:49

just got back from Icmeler, this was are second visit I thought it could not be as good as the first time but it was we loved it. Yes the music is getting to loud & to many bars trying to out do each other, but you can still find some nice quiet places I hope it dose not turn into another Marmaris but it looks like it will ,then they will loose alot of friends.
I will put a report on as soon as I have recoved from the journey.
pete

by **swc24** » 07 Jul 2008 18:58

Gene

do you not think the ambience has changed I posted a review last year when we got back one of the main things we had noticed was the ever incressing amount of the boom boom bars and also the incressing amount of stag and hen parties Last year was the first time we saw any trouble in Icmeler it seems that Icmeler will soon be part of the ever expanding Marmaris hopefully things will not come to this and Icmeler can retain her ambience

Steve

There are quite a few laid back music bars with easy listening music,
Fez Bar
Riverside
Magic Garden to name but three.
The first two have live music but seem to be always lacking customers.
As jozzid says its the holidaymakers interpretation of whats fun and for some its a quiet bar reading a book and for others like myselfe its the dancing waiters and live shows the beat of the music and the sound of laughter being heard as people get merry as we drink our Efes and coctails.
Dont take away the Michael Jacksons Breakdancers or the Belly Dancer some people are just visiting for the first time and their view of these performances will be the same as mine,I watch with amazement as these guys perform for us for a pittance of a wage.

Familiarity breeds contempt as the saying goes,
I live near the Crooked Spire in Chesterfield and walk past it every day not even giveing it a second glance yet people come from far and wide to take photographs of our crooked steeple.

To many visits and the magic has gone,
The magic is still there but just that some have lost that feeling.

Gene

by **Trish** » 07 Jul 2008 19:29

It takes all sorts of entertainment to make a holiday resort work. I think Icmeler has a nice mix of everything at the moment and long may it remain that way and not get not too brash. Bar crawls are fine if the people on them know how to behave whilst still having fun. :shock:

. I just hope the bar and restuarant owners don't fall into the trap of thinking thats what everybody wants. I'm quite happy crawling round my favourite bars without a leader because that way nobody knows how many I've been in.

by **redrhino12** » 07 Jul 2008 19:33

The bars do compete and I do think this is a negative as the loudest bar doesnt get the most customers.

My fear is that we may lose a lot of bars and restaurents due to there being a lack tourists or visitors on AI.
The Amor bar that I frequented last year has been demolished.
The loud music is nothing new in Icmeler,5 years ago or more there used to be the Barcelona Bar and the Non Stop bar both bumping the music out
near the Blue Rainbow.
There are more bars now than 5 years ago and music is louder round the resort,but little havens of tranquility can still be found.
Anyone been up to the Old Village and tried haveing a drink up there?

Gene

by **WOMBLE** » 07 Jul 2008 19:37

OMG
This is so depressing
were just becoming Icmelerites
and now your saying its to noisy
the entertainment is passed its sell by date
and we have booked next year
What are we going to do :roll:

by **Jozzyd** » 07 Jul 2008 19:44

I have said before on this forum that we only came into town twice last year, once at day time and once at night. We stayed in apartments in the old village and the children were really young so we did not venture far at night. We visited Turunc several times mainly because we could get sun beds at the water's edge on the beach, which made it much better for the little ones. Having only seen one side of Icmeler i cannot equate it with this 'Marmaris' like place on this thread. I am grateful for the Icmeler that we saw because I am sure it is still there and we will enjoy our August holiday as much as we did last year. I feel sad for you who have seen the changes but confident that we can still find the Icmeler we saw last year.

I don’t find the loud music a problem, it’s the repetitiveness of it all nowadays, all the bars seem to be playing the same music and doing the same dances.

Michael Jackson is okay the first few times you see him but after a few years, it just gets boring. I don’t even like the real Michael Jackson, a couple of years ago we went to about 5 bars in one night and he came in and danced in every bar we were in. Seeing him cycle away on his push bike sort of spoils the illusion.

This is the first time in years that I have not booked my Icmeler holiday about 18 month in advance for the next year.

I used to go to Laganas in Zante which was a great place, until the 18-30 club took over and spoilt it. I just hope this does not happen to Icmeler.

Lynn

by **kirky** » 07 Jul 2008 20:29

trust me ive been spain,france,corfu, lanzarote,tunisa ,ect icmeler comes out top by mile my son and daughter love it and i will continue to go twice a year until they get bored of it,money permitting.remember if you want shows perhaps should look at las vegas icmeler is a holiday resort not a butlins camp!

by **Jula** » 07 Jul 2008 20:29

I've only been to Icmeler once,last year although i have been going to Turkey on and off for the last 15 years.
I admit to getting a bit sick of the same routines and same old cheesy music but we found places to go that didn't have MJ or cheesy tunes and had a fab time.

One thing that i think you can't beat Turkey for is the friendliness.

by **Trish** » 07 Jul 2008 20:36

Of course you will Jozzyd, there's something for everyone in Icmeler like you saw last year,

I love the choice of quiet bars and restuarants, or a bit of a giggle at the michael jackson shows etc, and dancing to motown, or whatever takes my fancy, :lol:

Above all that there's the charm and humour of the people, and the beautiful scenery around the resort . I'll be there in 3 weeks for more of the same and I can't wait.

Not too long for you either,

by **salford_steve** » 07 Jul 2008 20:44

I will say this about Icmeler, I think it attracts a better bread of people. Everytime I go I make friends, and I stay in touch with most of them when I come home, I haven't foudn this in other places.

Yes the entertainment leaves alot to be desired, but you don't have to watch it. There are bars that are quiet and you can sit and relax in.

As for people saying it is going to end up like Marmaris, I can't see it myself for quite some time. First of all they would have to lift the 12 o'clock music ban, which I don;t think they will do. They would also have to lift the 3 storey building cap, to accomodate the influx of people that a resort like Marmaris has. I actually think the council in Icmeler are trying preserve Icmeler. It's like every resort you have to try and strike a happy medium. You could have some people going and saying they will never go back because there is no music, then you could have people saying they will never go back because it is to noisey.

I do understand what people are saying, and I agree with some views. I've just read the posts and I'm trying to sum it all up.

Steve

I stayed in icmeler for a month last year and another two weeks and I still wasnt bored of it, If loud music or the shows isnt what your after there are loads of places you can go for a quiet drink. I've already been on holiday for two weeks this year and booked to go back in september and I still love it, Icmeler hasnt lost any charm to me, I still think its great, Its what you make of your holiday yourself, everyones different you should just do what makes you happy and enjoy your holiday. yeah the michael jackson is old now but when they come in I dont watch it but it doesnt bother me I'm in there having a drink and a laugh. Its not like the show lasts all night. I dont think I'd get ever get bored of icmeler and all the friends I've made while there, all my family still love it too.

by **skilly** » 07 Jul 2008 21:45

This is a very interesting thread.
I have never liked the live shows and we never stay for them. We always have a walk around the resort calling in many different bars or sitting along the beach road.

We also go into the old village which seems to be a lot quieter and you are able to enjoy chatting with friends.
I like going into bars that have a disco, not too loud and different types of music, but saying that, I have requested music from the DJ and very often they haven't got it.

So I agree, the same music becomes monotonous.
We have gone to Icmeler for many years and have seen many changes,some are definitley not for the better, but we still love it because the majority of Turkish people are so welcoming and friendly and we have not found that anywhere else.

We have tried to persuade friends of ours to come to Icmeler, they always go to Portugal and Benidorm.
But when they ask me what shows are on and if the nightlife is good I don't think that ,if I am honest that I can say that it is.

I still think though that Icmeler is where I will return for quite a while yet

by **reesy1959** » 08 Jul 2008 05:48

We used to holiday in Marmaris before finding Icmeler, but we still have a few visits to Marmaris to see old friends when we come to Icmeler. There will always be room in our hearts for Marmaris, but Icmeler just caps it for us with the beautiful scenery.

Being relatively new to Icmeler, it still holds the excitement for us. The friendliness is the main attraction which makes us return. The fact that each time you return, you have to visit new and old friends made from previous visits.

I must admit we dont go to watch the entertainment every night, but when we do want to, it is there, al-beit repetetive. This time we tried to go to as many different places as we could fit in. We went to the Old Village a couple of times, which we had not done on previous visits. We still didnt manage to do everything on our list, but we have that to look forward to in October when we return.

The magic is still there for us, and I do feel sad for those of you who have lost the magic, but as what has already been said, maybe a different resort in Turkey is what is needed, at least for a couple of holidays, then the magic might return.