Icmeler Online Holiday Forum & Reviews - Turkey

Oh Woe, Oh Woe what have they done?

In August 2000 I had a wonderfull Holiday in Icmeler , In August 2008 I visited the area again (Marmaris Actually) the Hotel was Extremely Pleasant, The Catering excellent and the Staff WONDERFULL, nothing more than i expected form the Turkish hosts.

Once out on the streets its woefull In Both resorts, you are badgered and pestered at every available opportunity, No prices on show and ever changing prices during an evening out was a common occurence, they try to squeeze every last penny/lira and pound out of you.

TURKEY is finished as a welcome Holiday destination As Far as I am concerned, they are greedy and unscupulous at every opportunity, the CREDIT CRUNCH will reap its just reward next year and it serves themselves right in my opinion.

sorry to hear about your experience and I am somewhat surprised by it. By all accounts the hassle is generally down this year as if places do hassle you they know there is a good chance they will be closed. Previuosly I have found that most places will display their prices, particularly reaturants and bars to encourage you in

stewart

My first time to Turkey was July 2006, now it was extremely bad hassle then. I was in Icmeler and Marmaris in June this year, and 3 times last year, and with the exception of the barbers and the trip people, I found no hassle.

Most places I ate and drank had menu's that showed the meal prices and the drinks prices.

Sorry to hear you didnt enjoy it, but Turkey still does it for me every time.

im sad to say this trip was my last to turkey (marmaris) got back 3rd sep , the price increases have gone to far ...you can now eat out in the uk cheaper than you can in turkey i know the pound is on its backside but over the last 3 years everything has rocketed .. apart from the english breakfasts still at a pound lol

sorry guys it was fun while it lasted

jonffs wrote:im sad to say this trip was my last to turkey (marmaris) got back 3rd sep , the price increases have gone to far ...you can now eat out in the uk cheaper than you can in turkey i know the pound is on its backside but over the last 3 years everything has rocketed .. apart from the english breakfasts still at a pound lol

sorry guys it was fun while it lasted

Each to their own jonffs, it wouldn't do if we were all the same. I agree that the prices have risen in the few years I have been visiting Turkey, and with the exchange rate dropping the way it is at the moment, it makes for a more expensive holiday.

I look forward to my 2 holidays every year and last year was an exception when I had 3. I also have noticed the price increases, but I think other Countries have gone expensive too, with reports that I have read on other forums, plus the euro is down to the £ as well.

Good luck in finding a more suitable place for your future holidays.

This was my tenth year of visiting Turkey, not Icmeler, but I honestly found the hassle much less. When we first visited in 1998, everyone hassled as you were walking past and a polite 'no thank you' was not good enough. The market stall holders were quite abusive in those days. I am sorry you feel this way but you stated you were in Marmaris, we were in Icmeler so maybe it's different? I still feel that as a family of 4 to be able to go and have an excellent meal, drinks and sweet for under £30.00 we are blessed, it would cost more than double at home.

Turkey is no longer cheap thats a fact, but it still has its charm. I do fear within a few years a mixture of poor exchange rates and greed will turn Icmeler into a ghost town.

In 1995 i went to Bodrum, a large beer was 23p and 3 pairs of levi's was £15.

this year a large beer was as much as £4 and levi's were £30 a pair

It certainly isn't cheap anymore. When we first went to Icmeler 10 years ago, you struggled to spend money and we always came back with loads. This year, we got quite a shock. It still won't put us off going though, but instead of us going in a hotel and eating out breakfast, lunch and dinner (and expensive T Bone steak dinners at that), we will perhaps go SC and I will cook a few meals myself. I normally wouldn't dream of cooking whilst on holiday, but if it means we can continue to go as many times as we do, I will consider it as an option. We have always said that we would never go AI to Turkey because of the high quality of food in the restaurants, but would consider it now as another option. There are always ways to cut down on spending money.

Lots of friends of mine who are recently returning from Spain, Greece, Cyprus etc, have gone through a lot more spending money than we have. So putting it into perspective Turkey is still cheaper than the rest. As far as the hassle goes, we hardly saw any this year - except when we went for a night out to Marmaris, and yes, it was a nightmare.

As Kazz says people returning from other countries are saying the same thing.
If you look on the other forums the identical sayings keep springing up
as to whats is on here, and that their not going back there!
With the greatest of respect, may I ask where are poeple going next year that is going to be cheaper than Turkey, or at least the same?
As far as Im aware this problem is world wide.
Next years posts should prove to be rather interesting.
Peli

Jozzyd wrote:This was my tenth year of visiting Turkey, not Icmeler, but I honestly found the hassle much less. When we first visited in 1998, everyone hassled as you were walking past and a polite 'no thank you' was not good enough. The market stall holders were quite abusive in those days. I am sorry you feel this way but you stated you were in Marmaris, we were in Icmeler so maybe it's different? I still feel that as a family of 4 to be able to go and have an excellent meal, drinks and sweet for under £30.00 we are blessed, it would cost more than double at home.

Where were you eating? I have a family of 4 and the average cost of our evening meal was 100 YTL. That was for the main meal and just one drink each.

We ate in our apartments a few evenings, as they did specials and the kids were free, also lots of the restaurants were doing free kids meals, drinks ice creams etc. We only paid 100lira twice but that was with cocktails and hubby had plank steak We weren't being careful either.

When we went to Icmeler in June, we spent quite a lot of money, and that was just for 2 adults, but that was eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This time we are going to eat breakfast in the apartment, bread, jam, toast etc as we only have a light breakfast, and possibly make some salad baguettes for lunch. Money can be saved that way and we are usually around the pool/bar area for much of the day anyway.

this was my 7 th visit to icmeler and found very little hassle a no thank you and your left alone.prices for food drink have gone up if you look around still get effes for 2 lira,and cheap snacks.

Hi There,

I just wanted to say that we went to turkey for the first time last june (07) and had the best time. We couldn't believe how cheap it was! cheap beer, cheap food..... Even if the prices have gone up i cannot see how we can complain.... i live and work in london. and compared to these prices, we pay peanuts in turkey.

Also, we went to barcelona for 4 days in July for my 30th Birthday, and just me and my husband spent no less than 100 euros per meal, with minimal drinks!!!!

In September last year we went to majorca for 2 weeks, AI but still wanted to eat out, and a meal for 2 adults and a child was 80 euros with one or 2 drinks. thats just one course....

We are returning to icmeler on sunday/monday and i have prepared myself for the price increase, but compared to everywhere else we have been, and london prices, i think we are really lucky still!!!

Roll on sunday!!!!!!!!! and roll on our £1 breakfast!!!!!

Have to say I didn't find hassle to be a problem when we were in Icmeler in June, and while prices had risen since our previous visit last October, I thought they were still value for money. Five of us had a lovely holiday and didn't spend a fortune. We were self-catering, but ate out for every meal and didn't scrimp and save, but still had a great time.
As Donna points out, where could you possibly enjoy a similar meal out in this country at anything like Icmeler prices?

Surely all these bars and restaurants have to put prices up if every other bar and restaurant are just to survive? Look at England, its not always down to the individual owner, however the terrible economical state the whole country- in fact the whole world are in.

Fair enough prices are rising, but prices are rising everywhere and you can still make Icmeler a cheap or expensive holiday-you really just have to manage your spends well.

People are just trying to make a living and we should not begrudge them the chance to do so.

I would rather pay for a beer (which has gone up by 30p) in Icmeler and be served with lovely Turkish charm than pay for one in Spain and put up with the arrogance of some Spanish Staff!

we all know prices are going up world wide.
i work hard for my holidays, but i budget on the high side for my spending money i am there for a holiday not for 7/14 days of we better keep an eye on what we are spending.
I first went to majorca 1995 my self wife and 3 kids we got by with£100 a day for food and trips and drinks. i am now up to £150 a day for 3 of us.
Tip for the day work hard for your holidays and play hard on holiday.take more money than you need, enjoy your self and stop worrying.
Just remember it will not mater where you go in the world next year,
its going to be a lot more expensive.

tf7 wrote:Oh Woe, Oh Woe what have they done?


TURKEY is finished as a welcome Holiday destination As Far as I am concerned, they are greedy and unscupulous at every opportunity, the CREDIT CRUNCH will reap its just reward next year and it serves themselves right in my opinion.

Wonder where you're going next year.

HI All
Re:- my previous post, and the sentence.
"Next years post should be interesting"
Could I respectfully ask if any of those families who are going else where in the near future instead of Turkey, could they post on here the difference they will have encountered, in the places they visit compaired to Icmeler, on their return.
I think, what ever the outcome, be it for or against, it should make interesting reading.
I know its a long while off, but time soon goes by, as the saying goes,and I look forward to any genuine replies, in the new season to come.
I thought a while before submiting this, for fear of people taking it the wrong way, and it possably sounding a bit controvercial, but I assure you I am being sincere, as I think its a genuine request, that indeed other members might also be interested in!
Providing it is not taken out of context.
Regards
Peli

I will personally be taking photo's of places from different places that I visit in the winter.

January or February this year I was paying nearly £10 for a southern comfort lemo and a vodka tonic in Benidorm so not cheap anywhere but then I go away not expecting to be getting bargains just something that I have worked hard for so don't mind spending.

Anyway photo's to come later on in the year.