Disappointed by Turkey hotel

[Missmydog20]

Currently doing my first Turkey holiday with my two young adult DC. Backstory- we usually do Greece self catering but I wanted something different and more luxurious and relaxing as they’ve both just finished exams. And perhaps a bit busier than quiet backstreet Greece as we are alone and usually go with family. I was told Turkey 5 star was amazing. Booked through Jet2 (we are UK based) and paid £6600 for 9 days AI at a 5 star beachfront hotel. And I’m really disappointed.

Hotel is at least 95% German. Food is pretty much all German. Entertainment is mostly just in German. Staff speak German - they can’t understand us and we are wasting drinks due to communication problems (and I’m only asking for coke, sprite, and water). Now I don’t like the Brits abroad hotels, I love multi national but if I wanted to be this immersed in German I’d have gone to Germany.

There are other issues. Sunbeds!!! There are not enough. I’m up at 8 to get ones. The bathroom is open plan - the wash hand basin is off the DCs room so I’m teeth brushing by torch light at 7.45 so we are not all up at that time. The shower and toilet are only separated from communal room areas by frosted (but still slightly see through) glass doors so privacy isn’t great. The WiFi is really poor (I know I know but it’s the DC’s holiday too and they want to watch stuff like today’s F1 race).

I have gone to one other AI in Cape Verde which I love. Amazing food. Plenty of sunbeds. Animation staff speak an amazing variety of languages. All nationalities there. WiFi reaches all over the resort. It’s cheaper than this holiday.

Advice please from those who go to Turkey. AIBU to be disappointed in this for my money? Were my expectations too high?

This. Food will be better quality too.

Whats wrong with being surrounded by Germans?

Went to AI Turkey with TUI in April

Food excellent & a huge varied choice, which included Turkish food

Mostly people from Netherlands at hotel

WiFi no issues

No issues with drinks or language

Entertainment some English, some European

Evidently, some hotels have mostly Russian, Dutch, German visiting

Token system for sunbeds

Personally, I do not expect to only see UK people at any foreign holiday destination or only speak English

We had the same issue with our hotel in June,5 hotel wasn’t a 5 hotel,more like a 3,everyone was German,the food was awful,drinks were awful,wine was apparently extra but it wasn’t for the Germans,staff were rude to us even though we tipped,what is annoying is that we pay more for our holiday than the Germans!5k down the drain,it has put me off turkey!

Are you in Antalya?

Neither do I. But I also don’t expect to be pretty much the only non German among 700 odd people. Nothing against German people at all, I’d just like more of an international mix.

Side

Oh no! Not Germans!!

How is it a problem that your hotel is full of Germans?

What hotel are you in op? We've been to a few in Side / Antalya.

We're the same this holiday - we've come to Egypt for a change and it's nowhere near as nice as hotels we've been in in Turkey!

Yep that’s where we were side in Antalya.

I think you’ve been unlucky. Dh and I went to a lovely hotel Dalaman way last year and had a brilliant break. Can’t comment on the nationalities other than the staff (who were predominantly Turkish from what I could tell) as we didn’t really socialise with or chat much to others in the hotel and as it was October it wasn’t busy so there were 10 times the amount of sunloungers as people. The food was excellent and the room was spotless with a totally separately enclosed bathroom with a proper door.
Speak to your rep if you’re unhappy and don’t think you’ve got what you booked.

What is "German" food?

I’ve never had an issue in Turkey with staff not understanding English. And how can the food be all German?

Which hotel?

We've stayed in Side Star Elegance in Side. Multi national - food was fantastic 😋

We went to Belek, stayed at a 5 star golf resort. It was full of Russian's.
I'm not sure if spending any more money would get you any better company, however the facilities and staff may be more what your expecting.
To be honest, it wasn't a pleasant holiday and we wouldn't return.

Totally agree with this. You sound like you didn't do your research. The aforementioned sources would have told you all this complete with photos.

Turkey 5 stars can be absolutely fantastic. Next time you go, join Facebook groups of the area you are going to, scan TripAdvisor for reviews and you wont make the same mistake again.

Paloma Oceana

I’ve literally seen a similar story on Rip Off Britain this week! Hotel all catering for Germans, booked through TUI. The conclusion was that it should be stated in the hotel details, I can’t remember if the couple were moved or if they got a refund or both. It’s worth making a complaint!

Just seen you are in Side. Side is fantastic. If you can go out and explore sometimes. Visit the ruins. Go to an Ockabasi restaurant, have a day at a beach bar. I can highly recommend Gua beach bar for this. And try the German food - it might just be really nice.

The sunbeds situation- perhaps see if staff have spares in storage. Some will get more beds out when asked

Do people really think they are being clever posting "what is the matter with Germans" or "what is German food"? Or just trying to show that they are super cool or something? Weird.

OP has paid for an AI holiday which includes things like entertainment - which she cannot get the benefit of as it is in German and she can't understand it. The bar staff don't speak English and can't understand requests for a Coke/Sprite. The bathroom arrangements don't match what she saw online. The hotel is catering for German food preferences - assuming meat, potatoes, veg, traditional fare - rather than for international tastes. She is not getting the wi-fi she paid for either.

I have never been to Turkey but have been to a lot of AI resorts in the med and most places are brilliant at catering to all the different nationalities. DS was super impressed that the staff could make announcements in Spanish, English, French, German, Dutch and occasionally Swedish. Yes you'd find platters of cold meat and cheeses at breakfast to cater to the German market, but also cereals, cooked items, fruit and juices.

@Missmydog20 did your Jet2 rep give you a whatsapp number? This is the best way of getting in touch with a local rep who speaks English. Message them and lay out your concerns, focusing on the fact you paid for X and are getting Y rather than there being too many Germans. The bathroom, the entertainment you cannot get the benefit of etc etc.

As a German I now really want to know what you think a Turkish hotel is serving as "German food"?

We had been to some AIs (not Turkey) where the nationality mix was quite German heavy, not real idea why but with a bi-lingual DD, she was lucky as the TUI kids club only offered German speaking staff.
We didn't look out for it, the hotel was acutally recommended by British friends.

I don't think we ever came across staff who don't speak English at all and Coke, Sprite and Fanta are the same words, so that can't be the issue.

Planning to go into Side tomorrow. It’s currently 45 degrees so designated a pool day 🤣

You would think they are the same words but we keep getting Coke Zero when we want coke, fizzy water when we want still, and two drinks when we want one. Small things but I hate the waste.

@KassandraOfSparta - every hotel I have been to has a "continental" part of the buffet and I have seen plenty of non-Germans eating deli meat, ham, cheese. Something I personally don't eat for breakfast and hardly ever in a restaurant.

That's quite a weird assumption.