On Holiday and hate it!

[Ilovemycatalot]

Was just after some moral support am on holiday with my daughter in a shit all inclusive in turkey horrible place and horrible hotel. We are here until Monday 😭honestly been in tears and just want to come home. Any words of wisdom to keep us going. They want £650 for an earlier flight home that I just can’t afford.

The first time we went I really enjoyed it. We went diving, jeep safari, boat trips… had so many good times. Second time we stayed in a right shit hole called The Orange Hotel in Marmaris. I’d never go back to Turkey after that, & they treated single women badly. Name & shame the hotel OP, who knows The Scum might pick the story up & fly you home.

Not Turkey, but Turkish Northern Cyprus...

Sleazy men hassling our then 13 year old DD, dodgy taxi drivers, property stolen from us, knock-off 'designer' goods on sale everywhere and mediocre food. The ex-pats we met all seemed to be dodgy too

Since then I've looked into Turkey's terrible human and women's rights records (huge problems with sexual and domestic violence and femicide) and would never go anywhere near Turkey or Northern Cyprus again.

Oh I’d forgotten about the Turkish bath which was great! Until I met the Pervy kid.

Don't go on holiday to a Muslim country if you're a single woman.. I thought this were common knowledge

I had the worst holiday of my life in Alanya. Sexually assaulted in a shop and my daughter was run over. I made the mistake of trying on a dress while browsing on my own. My husband and son in law were down the road. The police were appalling. Implied it was my fault. Would never ever go back. Same with Tunisia.

This!

I'd like to think I could go to Turkey now and be left well alone - however in my early 30's the men were absolutely horrendous. I was with my partner, and I'm not blond. I've advised women ever since not to go without a man. Ignore, ignore, ignore. Is there a family you can befriend at the hotel?

Worst holiday I ever had was in Turkey for the reasons OP is now suffering and I was with my DH. It made no difference with the leering men.

Sorry it's so bad OP.

How racist is this thread? Writing off a full country because of a few idiots? I came back from Antalya yesterday, I explored on my own felt safe at all times. Very beautiful place.

To be fair, I speak a number of languages and so usually get by when I go abroad. But we were in Italy earlier in the year, and in Croatia a few years back, and everyone conversed in English, regardless of where they were from. All the trips we did, we were the only English people, the others were all Dutch, German, French etc, but all spoke to each other, the guides etc in English.

It is a common language, whether that makes you uncomfortable or not (and I say that as someone who would always try and speak the host country´s language in the first instance).

I find your post really sad. I had my greatest travel experiences in Turkey and Egypt, backpacking as a single 20-something. I was welcomed by communities, made friends, had amazing experiences. Yes it was a little dicey at times, but with a bit of assertiveness and street-smarts, I was always fine.

Best of all, I met my (British) DH on one of those trips. You never know where travel takes you. To indict a whole country because of a bad hotel/buffet/couple of dodgy guys - WTF?

I hated Turkey, spent my honeymoon there and felt constantly leered at, also stayed in Antalya.
Food was delicious though!
Also got so fed up of haggling, half starved stray animals everywhere. Same in Egypt, which is why we don't tend to go to Muslim countries now.

I'd go out of the hotel to eat as Turkish food is usually amazing.

This^^ might as well make the best of it.

Agreed... I understand OP's hotel/experience sounds grim, but you can't tarnish a WHOLE country and ALL the men & ALL the food based on one hotel/area. The same could apply in parts of Britain & many other places.

We've just returned from Kalkan with its lovely harbour & scenery & superb restaurants & shops - very friendly people & some families we've got to know over the years. Beautiful villages & beaches nearby.

Also travelled around Ephesus, Kas, Śirince & hoping to visit Istanbul & Cappadocia soon...
There are some stunning places, very warm welcoming people & delicious varied local cuisine, seafood & gorgeous fruit.

Sorry your trips so bad OP - very unlucky and not 'typical' of everywhere

I’ve had amazing times as a blonde teenaged girl in turkey and Egypt.

I find that if you (general plural you, not OP!) dress modestly, cover your hair and wear a wedding ring, all is ok. When I had my hair covered, we were treated with amazing hospitality and grace. We had some of our best times, staying with local families and travelling on local transport. I’ve taught some wonderful female Turkish students and yes, there are issues, but their contact through the internet and global travel is really important to them.

however, When I had my shoulders and hair bared, I felt really uncomfortable and was harassed (probs due to being blonde). People can say it’s not fair or they don’t conform to our dress standards, but then we are in their country, and many Brits don’t feel comfortable if a German or Austrian nudist is naked in our spa hotels, even though that’s their cultural norm. In fact, I see signs banning nudity In our spas, and swimsuits in Austrian ones…. But one always works towards the more conservative dress code. I find it’s like if someone is a shoes off household - you don’t go barging in wearing shoes.

there’s beautiful food available in town - jump on trip advisor and find something, and book a registered cab to go and find it.

eg www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297962-d12559099-Reviews-Ayar_Meyhanesi-Antalya_Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast.html

Or this one:

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297962-d10342026-Reviews-Gazetta_Brasserie-Antalya_Turkish_Mediterranean_Coast.html

in town you could go to tourist information and get on some registered trips there too, which should be vetted and safe.

good luck!

Sending an email is the same wherever you are surely , and your daughter is with you so you are not alone . Or has she gone home ?

I went as a single woman with kids and had a marvellous time. We were 5 star (which felt lower) but everyone looked after us. We booked independent trips outside of the hotel and had an amazing time. Upgrade your hotel.

Always one 🙄

What two whole countries?....

I'm hoping that PP’s are not offering the OP money to help her fly home. I can't see any other real point to this thread as the OP isn't prepared to give details.

There us a lot of sensible advice on this thread.

The OP doesn't want any of it though.

Is there anyone you can pally up with? Support in numbers?

That's not the approach - you need to contact the agency you booked with and give them the opportunity to 1)refund the extra you shouldn't have needed to pay 2) address the issues you're experiencing or offer you a suitable alternative.
If you don't do this then you wont have any recourse when you get home.

God forbid people don’t speak English in a foreign country! How many languages do you speak?