Icmeler Online Holiday Forum & Reviews - Turkey

hi all
not long till we are going to icmeler
i was wondering what currency would be best to take lira or Travellers Cheques or sterling
or are there bank machines about as you can take a travel cash card (never done this new to me ?)
we are staying at the alvaro any help would be very Much appreciated
thanks

hi,

I normally always take travel cheques, but this year am taking cash, got an ever so slightly lower rate last year for the chq's so am going with the money. But the extra security of cheques is always a benefit.

On a different note I stayed at the alvaro last year it is great with great staff.

pip.

Hi,

We normally take some Lira to cover our first few days. We also take sterling & change this in Icmeler, everyone will have their fav place to exchange this but be carefull that you don,t get charged commision, always check money before you leave.
There are cash machines along from the Love Boat, I have used them many times without any problems, you can get Sterling or Turkish Lira from them.

i hope this helps, enjoy you stay in Icmeler, I,m sure you will.

Hi, we normally change about £40 here to tied us over for the first day, but take sterling with us to change, u get a MUCH better rate out there. Last year, we changed money with Sugar in the Buffalo bar - we got 3.16 lira to the £ which we though was excellent. Many places do currency exchange, bars, shops, supermarkets, etc. This year, the rate has been so good recently we've actually changed our money already in fear of it having come down by the time we get there in September. We got 3.54 lira in M&S - quite chuffed with that! Good luck and enjoy. x

We normally take a small amount of lira just to cover the first morning. The rest we take in sterling. We always get a far better rate in resort than her. As has previously been said just about everywhere changes money. That said, we have already changed £100 as the rate was so good a couple of weeks ago. Have a lovely holiday.

Mandy Mo,we go in the Buffalo bar a lot when we are there in September and we change money with Sugar,the most I got off him last year was 2.85 lira to the £1 which I thought was good and that was for English money,i never seen him offering 3.16 lira to the £1,while i was there what month did you go.

We usually take whatever Lira we had left from last holiday and the rest in sterling. However this year we have changed £500 into Lira as the rate was so high. It started to drop a bit just after.

We always got a better exchange rate in Icmeler that at home, as previously said above, loads of places to change your money, never used the cash machines myself so can't comment on those.

Dundeejohn. Like others I usually take some lira to start me off and then use English notes to exchange in resort. I also use a Halifax Clarity Card to withdraw from ATM's as they do not charge you an exchange or transaction rate which I have previously been charged by the Bank of Scotland. I got this card on the advice of Martin Lewis and as long as you pay if off a.s.a.p. the interest cost is minimal. I would offer as a word of caution that it is helpful to have more than one card as I have experienced problems with the machine identifying PIN and therefore no money dispensed. I also witnessed a card being swallowed so not good if you are relying on it.
This year I bought some lira at 3.79, best rate I have ever had, and hope the gamble pays off.

Joseph, we also were there in September - 6th - 20th. Will be there again same time this year (5th-19th) but rather than staying at the Navy we are trying the Doruk this time.

Mandy Mo we land on the 1st till the 14th of September.

joseph1946,i was in Icmeler the 1st two wks in Sept last year & was getting 3.17 in the supermarket opposite the De Ja Vue restaurant & the lowest i got was 3.00.

Scooby I will have to start walking round with my eyes open.

Joseph - where you staying?

Mandy Mo,dont tell any one I told you,i will whisper it in your ear only Kapmar Hotel,

dundeejohn wrote:hi all
not long till we are going to icmeler
i was wondering what currency would be best to take lira or Travellers Cheques or sterling
or are there bank machines about as you can take a travel cash card (never done this new to me ?)
we are staying at the alvaro any help would be very Much appreciated
thanks

slightly off topic but we stayed at the Alvaro the last time we were there (2 years ago in Sept) and we loved it, great location, staff very friendly, we had a fantastic holiday, you'll love it

thanks for all the info (yea have heard a lot off good things about the alvaro my daughter should love it

I take my leftover lira to see me through the first day or so. I haven't checked this year yet but last year I withdrew sterling from the ATM in Icmeler and changed into lira at the local shops. There were no charges or interest for withdrawing sterling. If you ask at your bank they will always tell you that there is a charge - and indeed there is if withdrawing local currency - but if you read the small print re withdrawing sterling you may find that there isn't a charge. This was with the Nationwide Flex Direct account. As I said I haven't checked this year, it could have changed.