Love / hate relashioship with icmeler

[Harrishawk]

Hi
Totally agree with Erik and Cassie this year was the first holiday ever where i was counting down to going home
Dont think the atmosphere was the same as previous years
We never go AI as we like to try diferent places to eat and drink and i understand the bar owners concerns but at the same time if you go in a bar have a few drinks then try to move on and spread your custom aeound you were somtimes made to feel a bit awkward and they would be quite happy for you to spend all your money in one place
Also this year there seems to be a lot of people including myself who are having bad experiences with the cleanliness and condition that some managers are letting thier apartments get into
Somthing definitely needs done if icmeler is to thrive again
Cheers

[Chocoholic]

In true honesty I don't think those who have only been going to Icmeler for a couple of years can judge the place and know how much it has changed, someone who has been going for a good few years in my opinion have the right to judge. I have been holdaying for 10 years plus there, sometimes 2 or 3 times a year and yes it has changed but not drastically. Some things are better, some not. In my opinion the entertainment in the bars was much better years ago but the hassling now is nowhere near how it used to be before they clamped down on it, you would get hassled on the pavement outside most bars and it was very intimidating, I would get to my chosen place ages after I had set off with a huge wad of menu's/cards in my hand as accepting them was the only way to get away, now it is not allowed and if caught they will be closed for a week or two which as those who have been going a few years know has happened to many popular restaurants over the last 3/4 years. I actually used to question if holidaying there was worth the hassle from the many restaurants but now most of that is taken away so I consider Icmeler has improved. OK- the flights have gone up but in all fairness a holiday is a luxury item, and it has been proved that the really cheap flights cannot be sustained year after year as there are many companies gone under, and its much cheaper than holidaying here in the UK. I think Icmeler is still a great place and the normal price flights are well worth the money (take a look at the UK rail prices and then decide) Accommadation, food and drinks are much cheaper than here and the majority of Turkish people there are friendly and respectful. There is no such thing as Paradise but without going on some luxury tropical far away place that would cost a fortune Icmeler is pretty close. Please leave Icmeler alone- she is lovely!!!!!!!!!!!

[cassie]

I wasnt knocking icmeler I wanted to see if others feel the same as we do, we have been going for over 10 years and remember well the cards collected on a night out, use to see who had the most at the end of the evening
some of the changes have been good , but a lot of things have gone down hill cant be that bad we have booked for next year

[Jay Trip]

I first went to Icmeler 20 years ago and it really was a village then.
The old village only had locals living there and was accessed by a dirt track beside the dry canal.
We went a few times in the 90s and didnt go back until 8 years ago as we tried other Turkish resorts.
We have been to Kusadasi,Marmaris,Gumbet ,Bodrum ,Side,Alanya,Olu Deniz,Fethiye and went to Calis beach for a change in May.Big Mistake as it was scruffy in comparison to Icmeler.
Off all the resorts Icmeler is the most scenic,has the best restaurants,friendliest locals and seems to be the cleanest!
I have never seen so much rubbish in Turkey as what I saw in Calis,nearly every bin had the rubbish piled up on the outside including dirty nappies!
The hassle in Icmeler is none existent to what it was years ago.Who can remember the bloke outside the Baron restaurant? What a nightmare he was!
I thought the resort was perfect in 2008 as the new beach path had been laid in 2007 and the beach front bars had more atmosphere.The following years I avoided them as the decking seemed to have tables crammed together.
The Erdem and Cafe Anne were lovely places for a lunch,sitting under the pomegranate trees was lovely,but these seem to have disappeared when the decking arrived.
I still go every October and will be back in a few weeks time and I probably will see more changes especially the new square which looks lovely but the canal is still empty and when those stalls were removed I think it took the heart out of Icmeler.

[south coast hero]

You tell me any other resort where you can turn up without any local currency and have dinner and drinks and pay the next time you are passing. Where a jeweler will send you gold to England and you pay by electronic transfer if everything is ok.Where locals picking grapes or plums from there trees will give you fruit.Where kindness is offered almost everywhere.Where you can be offered a coffee walking to your hotel after a night out.No where can match Icmeler.I say this as a 52 year old who is very well traveled.
KEEP THE FAITH

[Fanny]

Has anyone else noticed that it's "that time of year" when these kinds of thoughts are aired??

Anyway I have to say that I agree with the majority of what others have already said - good and bad

We're planning on going back next year as usual - it's still got a certain something that pulls us back and after 10 years of visiting, perhaps we are just seeing it more for what it is rather than through tinted glasses? Money's tight for most of us and I'd rather spend it going somewhere familiar that we like, than chancing it on a new destination which we may not like...

[feefee1970]

Wish it was end off season before the complaints did come in some off us have still to get away yet ....After reading some off the post anyone that might have choose Icmeler will probly looking elsewhere now

I been six times for me Im just getting fed up as its the same old hat

[toonarmybarmy]

Just booked flights for my daughter and granddaughters using a credit card. It's really annoying having to pay the extra charges but it's necessary in case a company goes bust. Thomas Cook charged £4 each way per person It was on the news a couple of weeks ago that they're going to be stopped from making these extra charges, but it didn't say when. I suppose though it is a form of 'holiday insurance' so it's better to be safe than sorry.

They are going to stop companies from making over the top charges for using a credit card but not from charging you what it costs them. Basically it will be illegal to make a profit from credit card charges.

[lechy123]

we will be there in approximately 12 hours and are looking forward to a fantastic time as always. this is our 16th time so something obviously agrees with us. we know we will catch up with old friends, english and turkish and make some new ones, this is part of the icmeler magic for us . hubby has to have a cat scan and tests when we get back so who knows what the future holds . we will make the most of our holiday whatever slight irritations there may be.

[Chris221273]

Sorry Here to Say This !
But !!
Short and to the Point :- why bother complaining on any forum about the fact that you no longer like a place.

Just dont come back and dont bother telling everyone of the fact.

You are only souring it for others who are reasonably new to Icmeler.

Peli

Because peli, like you, who have just said how you feel, everyone else has the same right to say how they feel, be it good or bad.
What good would this forum be if only nice, lovely comments were said, and leaving out the not so good bits?!?!
I read good and bad last year when I found the forum, it never put me off, I just felt more informed and was glad people were honest enough to put bad as well as good on here!!!
Also, on a jovial note, would hate to buy a car off you peli, as you'd only tell me the good bits, and not if there was something wrong with it

[sharon1960]

the cost of flights have gone up a fare bit, but still cheap to eat and drink, and hotels very cheap, i book seperate and all together going to icmeler on the 14th sept for 3 weeks staying at the kapmar i paid 346.00 pounds, i lkike to eat somewhere different everynight, and go to different bars, now tryto get that holiday in spain with the euro, the very rude spanish people (not all i know) so for what its worth I LOVE ICMELER so much im going to live there next year, for those who still going hope to meet u there for those who are not going again enjoy your new holiday hot spots and see you in icmeler in a couple of years hahaha xxx

[smc4761]

Peli

Have to agree with Chris. The purpose of this forum i find is to gather information on the resort. Once you have the info you can then make an informed choice about where to go what to do what to avoid. There is nothing worse than people painting a pretty picture if something is not right.

Icmeler has its faults however the good bits far outweigh the bad bits which is why so many return year after year

overall the comments made here have been positive and very few saying they wont return. as with all things on an internet forum people have different opinions and we are all entitled to them

PS I would not like to buy a car from you either. LOL


quote="Chris221273"]

Sorry Here to Say This !
But !!
Short and to the Point :- why bother complaining on any forum about the fact that you no longer like a place.

Just dont come back and dont bother telling everyone of the fact.

You are only souring it for others who are reasonably new to Icmeler.

Peli

Because peli, like you, who have just said how you feel, everyone else has the same right to say how they feel, be it good or bad.
What good would this forum be if only nice, lovely comments were said, and leaving out the not so good bits?!?!
I read good and bad last year when I found the forum, it never put me off, I just felt more informed and was glad people were honest enough to put bad as well as good on here!!!
Also, on a jovial note, would hate to buy a car off you peli, as you'd only tell me the good bits, and not if there was something wrong with it [/quote]

[Sami]

It has been mentioned that some restaurants where you would normally eat aren't so attentive any more. Again, I have to say, I do not find this at all. Yes, I am a woman and I do not have a partner and whether this has something to do with it I do not know. But I always go to the same places when I am there whether I am on my own or with my friends or even my parents and we get the same brilliant treatment from the staff.
I have never been billed for bread or the mezes and have free drinks offered at the end of the meal all the time. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones, but I will not stop going back to the places I know even if one night they seem a little off-ish. Because another time, they will be all over my table like a rash!! LOL.
If you do find that your usual eating houses are not being as attentive as they would normally be, take your business elsewhere as if you are a 'new' customer, they will hopefully treat you as you wish to be.

[Caltonian]

As someone who is eagerly awaiting their holiday, some of the comments in this thread are a bit disconcerting. That said, most of them are coming from people who are regulars to the resort. For someone like myself who has only been once and that was 6 years ago, or my partner who has never been, I think Icmeler will still seem like a magical place compared to some of the bigger and brasher resorts around the world.

We won't be going in to any restaurants expecting any "friends" treatment, since the only people I remember and who may remember me are Zaza and his ex-barman at the old Havana, Leon. So, whilst I am not dismissing anyone's negative comments or their right to air them, if there are other people waiting to go who are first-timers or maybe have only been once before, I wouldn't let any of the comments on this thread change how you think or how you are planning your holiday

[noodles1609]

I wonder sometimes if, when we're not there, we get a bit of a rosy glow about Icmeler, and are then a bit disappointed when it doesn't quite reach how we had remembered it over the years. Icmeler isn't immune to the economic conditions that the rest of the world is facing, it's bound to have an impact. Our first exposure to that reality was an altercation in one of the shops last October, it was quite shocking, but honestly, I wouldn't have thought twice about it if it had happened in Marmaris, cause things like that happen in Marmaris.

I'm heading back on Sunday for my 3rd trip this year, my OH stayed on from the last one we had. Both of us would love nothing more than living out there, praying for our numbers to come up as it's a great time to be investing I think. There's always a little something to be not so happy about, but the positives always far outway them for us at least, and whilst I'm quite sure nobody is that interested, I do feel I should add that we will definitely be there next year, God willing, and more than once too

[Jozzyd]

I also am one who feels the good outweigh the not so good I love the excellent service you find in most establishments (not all), i dislike the attempts in some places to overcharge (or try and make you pay for things which were given as a gift), i love the weather, i don't like the repetetive ''entertainment' (but my kids love it), i love the way we can eat like royalty for three weeks per year without breaking the bank, i dislike the transfer time. In a nutshell (although no-one would be interested according to Peli) i will be returning! After our 6th visit Icmeler still holds a charm all of her own, but we stay in the old village as all the boom boom and hassle near the beach and canal i don't enjoy. I often think we have a different view of Icmeler the tourists who stay near the beach as ours is a much more relaxed, hassle free holiday

Thanks everyone for their views good and bad as they are helpful. And those of you who are fancying a change then that is your prerogative I wonder how many will return after trying somewhere else

Peli, if someone was small minded enough to read this one topic and dismiss Icmeler without reading ALL the other positive comments regarding Icmeler on the WHOLE forum then they are fools!!!!!

[Chocoholic]

I agree with Peli, his is an honest unbiased opinion and has been told he would not be trusted to sell a car! I dare say those criticising Peli I would not like to buy a holiday from! Some who are saying they will not go back have not been regular visitors to Icmeler for years as many on here who love the place have. The whole World is changing and I bet not many places could a lady walk alone safely in quiet streets like in Icmeler, you certainly can't in the UK. Icmeler to me is a little gem in a World that is now plagued with crime, greed and hate. Even if only half the people in Icmeler were as friendly and welcoming as they are now it would still be a welcome change to the life we have here or indeed many holiday resorts. If you don't want to go back then don't but don't let one or two bad experiences put you off what is a lovely place, there is no place on Earth that has no faults.

[sunlover]

Still really love the place although have seen big changes since our first visit probably about 14 years ago when, as another poster said, it was little more than a village and even though I think hassle was worse in the middle years the past few years I feel as though for the few weeks that you are there you are seen as a bit of a cash cow. Now my other half tries to justify this by saying that they only have a few months of the year to earn their money and whilst I know that this is true it does make me feel slightly uncomfortable. We have tried other places and still not only prefer but love icmeler and although keep saying "should we go somewhere else" we will be back.

[smc4761]

The comment about not buying a car from Peli, I would like to think was my pathetic excuse for a joke, no offence intended to Peli, whose posts i do enjoy reading. Very much tongue in cheek

[cassie]

Firstly I would like to apologize for opening up a big can of worms

My intention was to find out if it was only us that had mixed feelings about icmeler and as many have said the good far outweigh the bad having been every year for the past 10yrs and 5 years before to other parts of turkey so that speaks for itself ,

I have been useing this forum for many years and dont know what I would do without it ,EVERYONES views are important and I like reading the good and bad bits ( yes i remember the baron man ) wonder where he is now

Again a big SORRY didnt intend to cause any upset...see you all next year in icmeler