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?

That is disappointing

we went to a place earlier this year which jet 2 advertised as “predominantly” Spanish and that was fine with us. 80%ish were Spanish. So I’m surprised it wasn’t advertised as such but still you should have looked at trip advisor, if most of the reviews were in German that would have been an easy clue

years ago I went to a fancy place in Thailand and we were the only non-Russians there so I do get it.
i hate 100% British, multinational is perfect for me

Side, Antalya and Alanya are predominantly German and Russian …not all but a lot…a v high proportion.

It’s not Turkey at fault it’s the travel company if it’s a German led/catered for hotel …

The Germans might all go soon?

We had the same experience in Belek. Paid 10k for the holiday and it just wasn’t that great. Second trip to Turkey and will be giving it a miss from now

You need to complain to your rep and say that all the entertainment is in German and you can't understand they may be able to transfer you to another hotel ?

Absolutely I know this. And usually I am meticulous on research. This was a little bit of a panic book as the daytime flights on our days available were very limited and it was a trusted travel agent recommendation. I definitely take some responsibility but having never been to Turkey I just wanted to know if I should expect more for my money or am just being unreasonable.

80% Spanish (or Greek) would be ace as I could practise.
yes I’d just like to have known. Thank you for getting it

Thank you both for sharing. Xx

I haven't been to Turkey but I've found that hotels and restaurants that Germans frequent are generally of a high standard. They wouldn't put up with anything less. However their preference for walking along the beach just wearing sandals and carrying a rucksack (the strap marks they must have) is puzzling to British holidaymakers.

We went to Bodrum in Turkey, many years ago. I was disappointed with the holiday. We did not pay much at the time.We stayed in Self catering.The Rooms were dark & basic,we did not go out on the balcony as there were no safety rails.The pools have no Shallow ends.The catering facilities were unpredictable, often closed.We like going on Cultured holidays,but hospitality was lacking.The Turkish like the German's, not the British, we were always being overcharged.What I did love on the holiday, we went on a day trips to Dalyan,Turkish baths,Mila's market, Mud baths.We were there for 14 days in August.We did have a Tour Guide who was amazing! He made the tours memorable!

We were in Side last year at a Barut hotel. Same bathroom set up which wouldn't be my choice but the frosting was effective and we coped. Gloriously luxurious hotel.

I do have a bit of a soft spot for holidaying with German guests though. I've only ever found them polite, family oriented and much less sunbed grabby than Brits. Our hotel had a private beach that always had spaces and umbrellas, even when the pool was full, and the sea was beautifully warm. We did tip a bit, I don't know how much difference that made at the bar etc. The staff spoke much more English than I do Turkish or German.

It was interesting in Side town that people initially accost you in German, but as soon as they hear you speak they switch to English.

Turkey is hugely popular with Germans and many thousands or even millions of Turks live in Germany.

I think wherever you went it in Turkey would likely have either plenty of Germans or plenty of Brits. And you seemed like you didn't want a fully British clientelle either.

It's a shame if you don't like it, but you can't really say to the holiday company it was rubbish because the other tourists were the 'wrong' nationality. I thought many Germans spoke English anyway?

Couldn't you use Google translate for still water (Stilles Wasser) and one, two, three (eins, zwei, drei)?

Unlucky. We’ve been to 3 AI hotels in Turkey (Fethiye & Ozlu Koyu) and all were great.

mix of nationalities, always sunbeds available (sometimes need to go down to the beach for a good spot if it was afternoon) food was varied (Turkish, Italian, Spanish night etc..) and then other places to eat (beach bar for pizza/pasta/burgers) and staff were wonderful. I always feel like we’ve got more than enough for our money. So don’t give up on Turkey just yet

you can say yok, after something if you don't want it. so if they give you coke zero, say coke zero yok - normal coke lutfen (lootfen) which means normal coke please. bir tane (beer tarnay) means one, so you can say that so that you don't get two. although they might be bringing you two to save their legs in the heat. water is su (sue), so you can say normal su instead of getting fizzy.

hope that helps a tiny bit

Turkey was the worst hotel I stayed in, I have heard some people went and stayed at really nice resorts, I must have been unlucky I’m usually really good at choosing the best all inclusive resorts. I wouldn’t go back to turkey based on this.

This very issue was on RIP off Britain this week, but a Spanish hotel, all signs in German, all reps were German, all instruction packs for use round the hotel in German. I think you should have done more research, sorry.

Tbf I would rather be surrounded by a load of Germans than a load of Brits 😅
Funnily enough my colleague went to Turkey recently to a 5 star hotel and wasn't impressed either.

We have been to Egypt on AI. Clientele were predominately Russians with a scattering of other nationalities.

entertainment was primarily dancing and acrobatics type shows where words were not really necessary. Plus a karaoke night which was fascinating as a series of Russians belted out sad Russian songs.

WiFi was a bit dodgy in the room but fine with in the lobby. We wouldn’t have been able to watch videos on it though and in fact had to go to the beach bar to book tickets for something.

drinks - sounds like just different standards. We found requests for orange got orange squash, etc.

not much point complaining about the drinks. But if the staff really don’t understand English and the entertainment is in German that’s worth mentioning.

Sausage and pretzels and sauerkraut? Oh I hope they have the pretzel tree that they hang them off. Love those.

I feel for you! Recently went on a solo day trip to the great barrier reef in Australia and all the other other passengers were french. Nice people but all the conversations were in french, which I don't speak, so I felt quite left out. I put it down to experience.

Not about affordability though is it. The commenter stated you couldn’t find luxury in Turkey. They were just wrong.

Oh and I have no desire to hold the high ground. What possibly made you think that.

I think unlucky too, sorry OP, we went at May half term and had a great holiday at a gorgeous hotel which we’ll definitely go back to.

I'm afraid I find it hard to have sympathy for people who go on holiday to countries with poor human rights records and then moan that they're having a shit time. Your spending money is supporting a government that gives its own people a pretty shit time.

And it's really not hard to order a drink in German: it's "Ich mochte ein name of drink bitte", and "bitte" is pronounced bitter.