Icmeler Online Holiday Forum & Reviews - Turkey

I've just been looking on 'Holiday Truths' website at some reviews for Icmeler as a good resort.
The majority of people are like us and think it is great, but a few reviews are really bad.
One woman was spat at when she refused to go into a bar, someone else said all they got was abuse and they will never go again. These reviews where in the minority but I was reading them and couldn't believe it was the place I love.
I have been going for many years and have always been treated with respect or I wouldn't have gone again.
Is Icmeler changing ( I hope not) or am looking thru rose coloured specs?

The thing you have to remember is that there is always 2 sides to a story, and you will only ever hear one side from one of the people involved.

Yes, spitting at someone is disgusting, but I refuse to believe that she was asked to go into a bar, she said no and was then spat at. Its likely that there is more to the story...if she was even spat at.

Abuse for not going into places, I wouldnt say is that unlikely, but it all depends how much banter you give back to the guys trying to get you in. I would say it probably does happen, but be friendly with them when you say no and chances are they will be friendly back!

Yes, I agree Papa P, When anyone stops us and asks us to look at the menu etc we always give them a polite answer and are never rude to them but I do think some holiday makers can be very abrupt.
There is no need for it, if they don't like it then they don't need to go again and keep it special for us

No-one is that nasty to someone just for not going into a bar, I mean they might try and wind that person up but I would not believe they spat at her for that reason. I've been all over turkey and never seen that happen anywhere, Turkish are too friendly to do such a thing

Hmmm makes me wonder just how she "refused to go into a bar"??
like the others have said, I'd be very surprised and there are always 2 sides

I have seen people being ignored in Marmaris by staff but never abusive.
But the staff state that some people are persistently rude. Some staff may bored of people constantly saying no. I found Icmeler to be much more receptive to holiday makers. As already stated there is always two sides to any story

The hassle that goes on to get you into a bar/restaurant has never really bothered us...we stop and look at the menu, but if we dont want to eat there, just say we have just eaten, or are meeting friends. The guys usually accept that...let's face it, they are there to make their money, so why wouldn't they try hard

In all my visits to Turkey, I've only ever been rude to once, and that was in the Bazaar in Marmaris when I was walking past a leather shop. I refused to go in and try a coat on (like I'm gonna do in that heat). The chappie got really nasty and insulting both to me and my partner, but we just carried on walking and ignored him. In Icmeler we have always been treated with the utmost respect and I always find that a polite "no thank you" with a big smile, always does the trick. At the end of the day they have a job to do and if the bars are empty they don't get paid. I also think that, sometimes, when their hassling techniques are quite funny, you usually end up going in for a drink anyway - well we do

Skilly,when you walk along a street in any town in turkey you always get doormen asking you to come into their bar or restuarant. As far as im concerned this is called HASSLE. There is no need for this because if you do like a place you will go in if you don't you won't Last year they banned this and ICMELER was much better.Let,s hope it continues
RON

I dont agree with you Ron, what you are calling hassle is part of the Turkish way of life, that is to say the turks believe that it is their job to sell it to you, wether it be an item in a shop or a service. They would happily spend hours engaging you in what is usually polite converstion to sell you an item for a few pence or get you to go in their bar. Unfortunately you do get one or two bad apples that are offensive but this is no reason to try and alter turkish culture so as to make it just like england. You can make a lot of friends talking to the guys outside the bars, resturants and shops and after all you dont have have to talk to them a polite no thankyou is all that is required. I personally think that us brits are usually in too much of a hurry, and too idle to follow the correct protocols of their culture but we make up for it by being the best moaners in the world.

I've stopped looking at these review sites as anybody could email them in, not necesserely holiday makers. I read them all for years, based my holidays on this advice, and had some good and bad holiday. When I tried to submit some reviews I never good one published, on any of these sites, and don't know anybody that has. Please correct me if anyone here has succeeded.

Now I stick with specialist forums like this one.

John

mick00 wrote:I dont agree with you Ron, what you are calling hassle is part of the Turkish way of life,.

Sorry mick00 I dont agree with you I dont think hassle is part of the Turkish way of life, its all about making money.

This hassle only goes on in the bigger tourist resorts If you got to quieter places in Turkey no-one hassles you to come into their places.

I do agree that the Turkish people love to engage you in coversation which is totally different.

we have found them really freindly they can be a bit much in mamaris on the beachfront we allways say another time trouble is they remember you the next night so you end up going in but they are so cheeky with it you have to laugh cant belive people moan about them their are worse places we went to brazil you have to be very careful their lynn

It's a strange one this really, and I can see both sides. We would never have gone in some of the bars if it wasn't for the friendly "hassling" and quite frankly would have missed out on some brilliant nights out and some amazing people. If it's too intense we just give it a wide berth eg. the chap at the Baron Bar, and cross the road.

What I do strongly object to, is the hassling from shopkeepers. I love to buy clothes but don't even glance at them in Icmeler or Marmaris as I like to have a good old browse and they don't give you that opportunity. So needless to say I miss out on some great bargains - but they miss out on some great money. So really they cut their noses off to spite their face.

Hi lynn, thats my point , most of people infront of bars and shops are only engaging you in conversation, their not threating you or making you do anything you dont want to and if your polite with them they are usually polite with you and dont forget most of the people your complaining about are the very same people who wait on you and keep you entertained all night. People go back to Icmeler year in year out because of what its like now and I'm sure they dont want it turning into a 'little britain'.

I think it all depends on your idea of what hassling is. Someone saying good evening would you like to look at my menu I dont think is hassle.

Its when you get people like the Guy from the Barron who grabs you to get you in is deffinatley Hassle.

Lynn

mick00 wrote:Hi lynn, and dont forget most of the people your complaining about are the very same people who wait on you and keep you entertained all night. People go back to Icmeler year in year out because of what its like now and I'm sure they dont want it turning into a 'little britain'.

I didnt complained about anyone . I just didnt agree with you about hassle being the Turkish way of life.

Lynn

Your right lynn about the man from Barons and one or two others but when things get to point of our Icmeler friends being afraid to talk to us when we are passing (because of bar closures) it cant be right.

We certainly found it better to walk about last year because of the police clamping down on them for hassle. I hope it continues because there's no question it is a problem for a lot of people.

i allways feel sorry for some of the places are empty we went to dream boys one night it was packed their is a resturant next to it forgot the name they said come in for a drink we said later felt sorry we had our meal stayed awile i said lets go and have a drink next door he came rushing over thanked us for coming we ended up their the next night what was the name of the place anyone remember lynn