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?

Germany has school holidays for 6 weeks, from mid-June to mid-September depending on the state, sorry.

How do posters know the name of the hotel?

We were in Side too! At the Barut Goia - i can recommend if there's a possibility of moving there, we also went with Jet2.

It's named on the review picture op shared

Whats wrong with Germans?

Haven’t read the whole thread but will say I’ve got up pre 6am to get sunbeds in the past so 8am is practically lunchtime !

I have been to similar hotels. At one guest's used the 4am call to prayer to put towels on the sunbeds then didn't come down until mid afternoon. Its really selfish but ultimately hotels need to police this better. Its hardly relaxing getting up earlier than you would to go to work.

I just looked at the reviews in more details

virtually none of them are written in native English and on closer inspection are labelled “translated into English” i.e. badly via AI.

Turkish 5 is like 3 or 4 in other countries and yes, they mainly cater to the nationality/nationalities that tend to come to the hotel. I’m guessing you’re in Alanya? Otherwise known as Almanya (Germany in Turkish) by the locals.
I’d speak to your rep, especially about the wifi and the fact that the bathroom set up is different from the picture.

Im wondering if you are in the hotel I stayed in! Jet2, all inclusive, 5 star, frosted glass bathroom....

We were there in April and they pretended to us the air con was not working..nope it was because they dont turn it on until the week after lol

I’d just fold them up and place them on the nearest surface, then use the sunbed. Adults don’t get to ‘bagsie’ things 🙄

I think you've just been unlucky OP. Perhaps it was a recent change if you didn't spot anything in reviews.

I do scour Google, TripAdvisor and see if there's a dedicated Facebook group for anywhere I want to book.

We stayed at the TUI blue barut andiz at Easter in Side and it was lovely. Maybe a handful of German people in the hotel I would say.

Big red flag for me. Also the reviews where the person has only reviewed that hotel. Lots of hotels give incentives such as a free drink in exchange for a glowing review. Its very disingenuous

That's such a lot of money to spend for a disappointing week. I'd seek out travel rep to see if you could be moved to a different room if different from brochure.

I agree. I think trip advisor has to some extent become a victim of its popularity. You have to look at the individual reviews pretty carefully to gauge if they’re properly genuine and helpful or not. Just looking at the score out of five doesn’t really help at all.

ps I am not saying these reviews for this hotel are not genuine. But it’s not hard to figure out that they’re almost all German

I’ve never seen any hotel website or travel agency state which nationality they mainly cater for; is that actually a thing? I assume if it is, that’s why so many hotels are full of Brits in the summer, they look for the “cater for Brits” signs?

I think "bathroom not visible from bedroom" should be included on the list of searchable features on hotel booking sites, That might focus the minds of stupid hotel designers!

It doesn’t seem like you have looked into this hotel properly. Stayed in Turkey numerous times and now had this.

It sounds like you were unlucky OP.

The things that would annoy me from what you’ve described are the food - I’d want it to be mostly Turkish in Turkey, or at least a mix of things - and the sun-bed situation. I wouldn’t want to have to get up early for one!

I haven’t tried Turkey for summer holidays as I think it would be too hot for me but I know loads of people who’ve had a great time, so sounds just unfortunate.

I think as pps have said, do some day trips, enjoy the weather and the sea etc and try to enjoy it as much as you can! Even if the food is all German (and let’s face it, like the English they aren’t known for their cuisine) at least you’re not having to cook!

I don’t think it’s the fact they are German so much as it comes with the food being all German (which wouldn’t be my choice either) and the staff speaking German as their additional language- so OP isn’t being understood.

Deleted. Found it!

Bollox the food is mainly German! I’ve just looked at just the first couple of dozen photos (of hundreds!) and looks Amazing food!!

At least the lionesses aren’t playing Germany tonight that could have been awkward 😬

Lots of holiday areas prefer to attract Germans than Brits because they tend to spend a lot more money. So hotels are pleased if they can hire German speakers and this causes German clusters.