Dine here or we are not interested in you”
It was very difficult to write this review as I know so many people have fantastic times here as previous reviews show, and people will possibly think this is a diiferent hotel. But this is my account
On arrival at the Bonjour we could not have wished for a better welcome 4 of the waiters came over to the
transfer bus when we pulled up outside, shaking all our hands and welcoming us. Check in at reception was swift but the receptionist was quite surly shown to our rooms 201 and 204. Our friends who were staying in room 201 found that the room had been cannibalized fridge was missing only one cup and glass and one bedside table this was mentioned at reception when we went out for a walk. Fehrat ( the owner ) was summoned over by the receptionist he grunted will sort out fridge probably tomorrow as it is Ramadam!!!!! He then pointed to a sign stating no own food or drink could be taken into our rooms, ????? relevance. We then set of for a walk having to pass through the restaurant one of the waiters assumed that we where eating and started directing us to a table this being 2230 in the evening we said no we where not eating tonight asked why said we were just going for a walk, another night we had planned on eating at Bonjour.
As we had tea and coffee making facilities in the room we brought back with us a bottle of water, Ferhat was around reception and stopped us saying that we could not take that water to our room, I said it was for cleaning our teeth and making a cup of tea he said use tap water or buy water from me. I felt the warm welcome we had received earlier had turned Sour I did not really want to be staying here anymore the man was so rude, although we had planned on eating at bonjour at least a couple of times I did not want to spend another penny at the Bonjour like most people who come to
Icmeler there are so many great restaurants and staff out there who are great friends.
Next morning at breakfast we sat at the table for at least 10 mins before being served, only one other couple in restaurant, waiters were ignoring us cleaning and talking to each other. When he did arrive he said " what do you want " I asked to see the menu as this was our first morning here, no smile and surly in nature. This was not a one off but the same every morning, those that had eaten there where greeted with a good morning and a smile and lots of attention.
After 3 days of not eating there they decided not to ask any more or even speak or acknowledge us, we could live with that. We where just made to feel uncomfortable everytime we walked through restaurant and at breakfast.
On returning from the beach on the last day we where met by Fehrat Oh no I thought what now. " Who is in room 204 he asked " I said it was us, he said that he had looked for us this morning as we would have to move rooms but we had gone to the beach so his girls had packed us up and moved our stuff to room 404. I asked why we had not been told this at check in or on any day leading up to today. He said your tour operator knew this He snarled the problem is between them and you not the hotel.
We went up to our new room to find all our clothes had been screwed up and thrown into the case along with personal items that had been disturbed and rummaged through. My wifes clothes that she was due to travel home in were all screwed up and creased. No respect for peoples belongings.
We showered in preparation for our return transfer to the airport, we had paid for an extra night for both our rooms so that we could keep them all day due to late departure. When we booked out at reception no pleasantries just presented with you owe us 12TL for two fresh orange juices you had for breakfast. I thought it would have been nice for the
hotel to have waived that for the inconvenience caused with moving room and not being there for breakfast which we had paid for the next day but alas no.
Walking through the restaurant to the minibus for our transfer not one of the 5 waiters 4 of whom had given us such a warm welcome acknowledged us they were to busy swooning over a regular who had just arrived with a load of alcohol for Fehrat. I have never been treated so badly anywhere as we were at the Bonjour and all because we would not eat in there restaurant.
So the choice is yours, if you eat in the hotel then you can expect what appears to be a first class service if you dont dine there dont expect to much. Icmeler is full of great restaurants staffed by sincere genuine people who will become you friends regardless of wether you eat there or not
False smiles and handshakes I can do without.
Review submitted by Paul Youngman, Thu Sep 15, 2011