Demircioglu, Icmeler and general holiday review

[Not the weakest link]

Apologies because I've rambled a bit.

Family of 4 (me, hubby, 12 and 16 year old daughters) and my 16 year olds best friend and my mum.


Checked in fine at T2 in Manchester, for the Onur air flight. We had quadruple checked the weights of our suitcases the night before, considering we had 4 bottles of booze, big bottle of sauce and half of claires accessories in my daughters and her friends suitcases, plus all the usual bottles of shampoo etc. After getting caught out flying out last year with First Choice and being charged £74, I vowed never again.

We were 6kg under for the 6 of us. Was very impressed, but the suitcases were on and off the bathroom scales in the kitchen Sunday night / Monday morning just to check.

Onur air

We weren’t madly impressed with them, but because we were lucky and got cheap flights last year, you get what you pay for, so shouldn’t grumble too much. Leg room was bad if your 5ft 10 or more and very uncomfortable we were on row 7 going out and 32 coming back. It was an older style, 3 & 3 style plane. You couldn’t lift the arm rest up on the aisle seats to let you sit sideways. So I was fidgeting like mad. The cabin crew were all right going out but as miserable as sin coming back as people have commented before. On the announcements they spoke to fast.

Outgoing flight they gave you a free Raki, which I tried but couldn’t finish was a bit too strong for me. It’s a strange drink with the after taste hitting you last. Whereas the initial sip has a strange plain type taste.

Visas

Being at the front of the plane we managed to get in the queue quickly, I queued up everyone one else stayed out of the queue. Then I sat down at the carosels and let Dave and the girls get the luggage.

Transfer

Was good and efficient, which was booked by Vince at the apartments. The driver offered us an Efes or bottles of water.

Demircioglu apartments (that no one can pronounce)

We had 2 apartments, on the first floor and on the third floor. The girls (being yonger) went on the third floor, we had the first floor, too many stairs and being a spiral staircase it felt worse.

Vince let the girls move to the first floor in the last week of our hols. The roof rooms are smaller, the balcony gets no shade and get very very hot, so you couldn’t sit outside for very long.
The apartments sleeping areas were fine, I reckon the bathrooms need some attention, e.g. shower hoses having more water down the hose than out of the shower head.

Cooking utensils were really good, with kettle, toaster, even a cheese grater and a whisk which is a first. The beds were comfortable I thought. The cleaner had her work cut out in the girls rooms bless her, so we left a nice tip for her.

Vince and the boys at Dermicioglu

This is why we chose the apartment for the friendliness and central location. We’d eaten at Vince’s many time over the last few years, but never stayed at the apartments.

Vince went round everyone asking if ok etc, he gave us a free bottle of wine on our first night and the girls got the odd free non alcoholic cocktail or shandy.

The girls made friends with all the staff, and got pushed in the pool all the time, complete with towels. Polat regularly helped hubby wring the towels out.

Eddib, Adam, Ahmed, Polat were lovely, you never knew whether Ahmed was joking or not, he could keep a very straight face. Kenan who we’ve known for a couple of years was his usual flirty self. And the bar lad who worked nights, can’t remember his name. It was such a nice atmosphere and people waved each other off on the last night, which was so nice and touching.

Icmeler itself

It did seem quieter, with less people wondering about, but there were still plenty of comings and goings. Wonderboys, Oscars and Elvis bar always seemed busy so had a regular clientele. Because our balcony was on the front on the main road we could people and bar watch.

The shops weren’t as keen on bartering, but we still had a bash and did get some money knocked off, especially if buying more than 1 item. We tended to buy more traditional Turkish goods this year than the fake clothes. We mooched round the underground market, but didn’t go on the Wednesday market, I couldn’t face the heat and bustle.

The hassle seemed worse from the hairdressers and travel agents, just be careful to ask what is included on trips as quite often they were mis-sold. This happened to someone at our apartments and to my mum when booking the jeep safari.

Because it was sooooo hot, averaging 47 oC you had to gather the energy to walk anywhere so we didn’t eat out at too many places, that’s where the resort train is much needed again, we used to enjoy having a tootle around on that.

We found the man who made sandals on the beach market, £35 a pair, I bought a pair and they’re lovely and soft.

The 16 year olds quite often went for a walk and talked to nearly every bar person or waiter in the main part of Icmeler. They did get a lot of attention and got followed by young Turks on bikes but used their common sense and asked the barmen to tell the lads to go away in more words than that. The ice cream men at the beach were great friends to them.

We looked at the animals near the Waterfall, they seem so happy, ducks, guinea pigs, tortoises rabbits and well looked after.

Valentino’s restaurant, he was still the worst mitherer.

The 12 midnight music off was weird and funny. Oscars, Dream friends and Elvis bar used to keep the music going as long as possible, with look out for the police, you’d hear the whistles to the DJ’s then you could hear a pin drop. Then sometimes the music would go back on but quieter for 10 mins.

The Allaturca Turkish club re-opened, the first night was very very loud, they didn’t shut the windows so we struggled to sleep that night. Vince went over to tell them to turn music down, which they didn’t. So he rang police chief and they regularly went upstairs to tell them to shut the windows or turn volume down, the noise appeared to improve.

There was a disturbance at the Champagne bar, which resulted in nearly all their waiters chasing after a couple who had a child with them, because a waiter had received a cut under his eye after an altercation about a meal. I was very concerned about that, i didnt like the mob handed approach.

Restaurants

Set restaurant
Was expensive, that was my fault for going there. Don’t know what went on there, the waiter acted as if he couldn’t speak at the beginning, but he understood enough English to take the order. Then started speaking as we were finishing, unless he was messing about but it was a bit strange to say the least.

Love Boat, we still never made it to Love Boat, will have to do that next year. Also didn’t get to the 3 bells (4) either, laziness this time.

Vince’s ate there often for convenience sake.

Richards Place, was mad and manic on the nght we ate there. However had a few breakfasts there which was well cooked and reasonable and we had a great laugh with the men there.

English chippy opposite Hobgoblins, nice, reasonable but the 2 men who were serving kept staring at us, maybe they wanted rid of us and it was only 10pm.

Eileens chippy, gone downhill, since last year, unless we got them on a bad night. Mum had jacket spud which was mushy and lumpy at the same time, and they messed up the kids order. So we didn’t return.

Takeaway opposite 2 Sisters, think its called the tasty spot.
Lovely, cheap and just what you wanted when you didn’t want a huge plate of dinner. Would eat there more next year, would suggest others eat at the takeaways more if on a budget or needing to cut down one night if overspent the night before. 50 lira for 6 of us with a soft drink each, that’s a bargain.

Spending money

For a family of 4, we spent £1100 and that was with budgeting. The 2 solo people who were with us, had £300 -£400 each and spent nearly all of that. As other people have said, allow £100 per day for family of 4. Or £300-400 each for the fortnight. The average meal bill for 6 of us averaged 150 lira with 1 drink each, mainly water, soft drink or shandy.

Rough prices: Main meal 18 -26 lira, pizza 12 lira, fish n chips 12 lira. Take away kebab 5 or 6 lira. Large soft drink 5 lira, Shandy 4 lira, Brandy / coke 7 lira, Water between 1-3 lira in the bars.


All in all, I loved the holiday, enjoyed the apartments and would recommend them for friendliness and central location to all the bars and the beach and its cosy poolarea.

We have booked to go next year. It isn’t cheap, but I don’t think anywhere is cheap anymore and the people are still mainly lovely and friendly and it must be hard smiling and dancing when its scorching hot when really they are shattered and want to go home. I dont know where they get the energy from especially that fabulous dancing waiter at Oscars, boy can he move, surely he's a professional dancer or similar.