Turkey where to go for a week?

[ivykaty44]

With two teen girls 14 & 15 we want somewhere nice and are not worried about the beach.

Would like to get a good deal - who doesn't anyone want to help me search?

last week in August

I just back from a week in Marmaris, stayed in a great hotel called the Grand Pasa.

I wasn't sure if I would like it, especially Marmaris, but I was pleasantly surprised as I thought it might be a bit like the costas etc. Plenty of good value but decent restaurants, shops etc.

It was my first time going all inclusive, and there was a great selection of food in that hotel. It was mainly families, but has a mix of couples, older people etc as well.

Marmaris is quite a large resort, but if you were looking for somewhere smaller, Ichmelar nearby has a slower vibe without being too dead.

I've been to Altinkum (in the vicinity of Gumbet) previously, and while I enjoyed it well enough at the time, I prefer the Marmaris area. Better sights, selection of shops and less hassle as well.

I've also heard good reports about Kalkan.

I think it depends on what you want. Bodrum, marmaris and gumbet etc are quite beachy. I love those resorts but I also love Antalya. We stay in the lara area. The hotels have bathing platforms and a there are small boutique hotels with spas you can get really cheaply. Antalya is a big city with great shopping and a very pretty old town and there are lots of places of interest nearby. Waterfalls and hot springs for example.

It really depends on what you are looking for in a holiday. Marmaris is very big, loud and British, for me it is a bit too much like Blackpool in the sun - lol

Lara Beach, Belek etc. is pretty much just hotels and a beach.

My favourite place is the Bodrum Peninsula. Give em some ideas on exactly what you are after and I will see if I can help with a resort.

We've only been to Turkey once and I don't think I'd go again. We stayed at a place called Iclemar (sp?) and went to Marmaris for the day. I much prefer Greece. Sorry not to be helpful but I suppose I would try again if a place was particularly recommended.

I never noticed the British thing (usually try to avoid) that much, though maybe it was because it's still early in the season? It seemed to be mainly Germans, Scandinavians and Russians in the bits I was in. There was, of course, some restaurants advertising the genuine tetley tea/Heinz beans/HP sauce fry ups but lots of authentic turkish fare too.

I am not keen on Blackpool type place and would rather somewhere smaller

If there are other places that are good value then please post as open to other ideas ??

If it helps there was only one other English party that we noticed in Antalya in our hotel last weekend when I was there and it was a very well behaved school party. There were a couple of young french families, some Young local couples and some Russians and scandanavians. I didn't notice anywhere advertising the British stuff. But you do see the big global chains everywhere there that you might not in other resorts.Eg 2 branches of Starbucks in walking distance of the hotel.having said that I've always been able to get authentic turkish food no matter how tacky the resort. I go because the sea is so clear, the exchange rate is brilliant, it feels more exotic than other places and I've never had a bad holiday there.

You could look at Bitez, Turgutreis or Yalikavak on the Bodrum Peninsula. Olu Deniz, Calis Beach or Fethiye near Dalaman airport, or Turunc. Kas, Kalkan or Side near Antalya or Cesme and Kusadasi nearer to Izmir airport.

Kusadasi is lively (but I woukdnt compare to Blackpool) with plenty to do and close to Ephesus for a world class day out

kusadasi is where I want to try next incidentally. Glad to hear it's not like Blackpool!

We went to Kusadadi last year and stayed at the Kusadadi Golf and Spa resort which is just outside the town. The resort is great with lovely views over rolling hills, spa, kids club and multiple pools.Kusadadi is on the coast with a small old town and lots of new build hotels. Cruise ships stop here and its really geared up for the tourist trade with lots of cafe's, bars and shops selling knock off goods - it was worth a visit but not a place Ive a huge urge to go back to.I've also been to Bodrum which I personally would take any day over Kusadadi - pretty place, lots of history. We stayed at a Mark Warner place nearby which was OK.

If you can, tag a couple of days at the end of your stay in Istanbul. Its as an absolutely brilliant city. We flew with Turkish airlines last year to Izmir via Istanbul which was cheaper than a direct flight to Izmir and allowed us to do a stopover.

That's interesting my friend who recommended kusadasi had only stopped there on a cruise we looked at it this year but as we were booking independently we found the transfers from izmir expensive. They are very reasonable in Antalya. I think that's a consideration in Turkey with a lot of resorts if you're not doing a package.

I like Istanbul too. We stayed in sultanahmet which is a great base. I've never used turkish airlines but liked atlasjet and pegasus.

Customer Service wasn't great on Turkish Airlines but overall they were OKish! We used Resorthoppa for the 1.30hr transfer which was £73 for a private car - my parents who we went on holiday with flew into Bodrum, had a shared car and it was a lot cheaper.Also stayed in Sultanahmet - fab fab place!

I don't know what Blackpool is like but I wouldn't go to Gumbet or Kusadasi - They were both overcrowded and overrun with budget tourists even 15 years ago, and I can't imagine that they would have improved since then.

In Bodrum, I would stay in Turkbuku. Search images.google.com for Turkbuku for photos.

You will get the best deals during Ramadan (in July) because people who fast don't take their vacation on those dates so hotels & flights are cheapest then.

here

its LOVELY

www.simpsontravel.com/turkey-holidays/dalyan/apartments/dalyan-river-suites

Cote any particular resorts to recommend? We can't travel in July as we have to take annual leave last week in august

Kalkan or Calis Beach. Did Kalkan last year and Calis year before returning this year. Kalkan is simply beautiful. Calis is an hour nearer and we loved going to Fethiye on the water taxi.

Lovely people and fantastic value for money. We stay at the Bahar in Calis- the food isn't great but the hotel is lovely. We prefer to eat out so not loving the all inclusive food is not an issue for us.

coughs

I have been to Turgetreis, Gumbet and Marmaris. We're going back to Marmaris this year, we wouldnt have returned to the others. Have also been to Istanbul too.

I have only ever visited out of peak season, usually the 2nd or 3rd week in September but this time we're going at the end of June. Im hoping it will still be lively but not full of 18-30's everywhere.

with teens I would go to Dalyan - safe enough for them in teh evening a small town. Dunno if there are clubs but I never saw them.
Lovely riverside restaurants, really casual, so little strutting about etc

Dalyan is amazing! It's quite quiet with lots of gorgeous small restaurants and cafés. Its short transfer from Dalaman airport and situated on a beautiful river. The beach is a short minibus or river taxi ride away. It's just beautiful and relaxed. But ssshhhh, don't tell anyone - we love it. Five weeks until our next visit and counting.

but bars and things so that that age feel grown up iykwim

ivy - We stayed at Maça Kizi ('Queen of Spades') which was great. I also heard good things about Kaktüs Çiçegi ('Cactus Flower').

Turkbuku is lovely but it can be a little expensive as that is where the wealthy Turks like to go.

Thanks