I found the hassle to be amusing. By the second week - the hastlers had all but given up on us!

I will be booking to go to Altinkum again next year for our holiday. It was the people mainly that made the holiday so good - the weather was great and the sea was good for swimming.

I didnt do much shopping - but have read that people who made the effort did get a lot of bargains

adi,
we bought property 18months ago in altinkum. all new buildings are built to withstand earthquakes. if you go and look at them being built, you will see how they put a platform down in the foundations with rods. this enables the buildings to move to a certain degree if an earthquake shakes the buildings. there is a major fault (like the san adreas and other faults practically around the world) which affects the north of turkey mainly and passes through istanbul. our friends were in a hotel in altinkum last august. there was only mild movement when there was an earthquake.
if you purchase property you buy building insurance which includes earthquake cover.

Me and my husband and 2 children got home from Altinkum last week ..had a wonderful holiday ..we stayed at The Mutlu a great hotel really nice and we had a great rep Alma ..best rep ever !!!!
l liked Dolphin square really lively ate out the Balti House a couple of times lovely food .
If we went back to Turkey would def go back to Altinkum ...did'nt like Marmaris

Any good recomendations

I've just found this map of the area. It may help:-

http://www.historyofturkey.com/mapofturkey/c/1_4.asp

and this one of Altinkum :-

http://www.palmerfamily.clara.net/map-of-altinkum.jpg

Hope this helps someone else.

Parky
(29 days Smiley)

does anyone who has stayed at the esra in altinkum recently know if the photographer is there this year , he took some great photos of our kids last year and we wanted some more doing again this year , his name was silim
thanks all

2 MORE SLEEPS THEN WE WILL BE

getting close now!! anyone got any suggestions for bars, nights out excursions etc from Altinkum-our first time there-anyone gone there recently with Gold Trail? tips please!!!

This is the first time I have ever felt the need to join a forum but I have returned from Altinkum yesterday. I was there in June this year and enjoyed it although bit too British for me but went back as I have a friend there and it was a totally different experience. I have been to Turkey twice before that. To put my experience in perspective I have travelled all over the world and backpacked and stayed in the cheapest places and also posh hotels and have never returned from anywhere with such a bad feeling for somewhere.

The Buzz bar is on the First beach and is right at the end of the parade of bars and shops. When I was there in June it was no hassle and friendly but on my last night (had a bit to drink) I paid my bill without thinking which worked out to be about £80 which I thought was wrong but I didnt query it at the time as didnt realise until the next day when I was going home and was too late.

On the first day of this holiday (last Saturday) the same thing happened again I was charged the equivalent of £32 for three cocktails two cokes and one tuna salad. I was tired as been up all night travelling with delayed flights and not thinking but when I queried it the next night I was fobbed off and told the boss would look at it which of course never happened. I mentioned to other people in the resort who live there or have been coming for years and it seems that it is quite a common occurance in the Buzz Bar to be over charged, Also the waiters bring food to your table which gives you the impression it is free and then you get charged for it as you are encouraged to eat it. Jake (Cenk) the waiter in there was trying to get me to order pizza which I didnt want - he bought some over to the table which he and his friend ate - they told me to take a piece to try which I did. The next day when I realised that I had paid over £32 for what I did order I spoke to my friend who lives there and we can only assume that the food was charged to me that they ate. My friend confirmed that she did not pay for it and her bill was 13 million lira mine was 72 million lira. She confirmed her turkish friend who is a friend of Jakes did not pay as she paid for him that night he had a pizza from Jake as well - this warning is to be careful. They come over very friendly in there but the boss and his wife have a reputation locally of being money grabbers - they sacked an English worker called Julie after she worked day and night for two months and she did not receive a penny. They pay the staff at the end of the season and have not paid her at all - it is unlikely she will get paid - I also witnessed her being bullied by a couple of the staff there back in June.

I also had to put up with Ahmet telling me about his sex life and who he has slept with I had been in the bar about twenty minutes but I knew him from June but he wasnt rude then - I asked him to stop and he made several lewd comments and I had to complain to someone to ask him to stop. I think they do this with younger womens as they always appear excellent with older couples and families and are popular.

Thanks for the warning.
One bar off the list and the word will spread.

Im affriad I will have to disagree 100% with the above. Im not saying that it didnt happen to you, its just that myslef and family had a total differant experiance in the Buzz Bar. Our bills were often rounded down and on more than one occasion we wernt charged for Lunch even though we mentioned it. Jake is an absloute star, my kids loved him to bits. We stayed at the Tuntas Hotel so the Buzz Bar was our 1st and last stop of the eveneing.

Linekers Bar on the main road was also a great place, plenty going on with the daily pub quizz, karaoke, etc..

We tried a few restaurants but found The Summer Garden to be by far the best, followed by Everest which is facing. These can be found within a 10 min walk from the Tuntats Hotel which is at the end of the prom.

On our 1st night we thought the Area around the Buzz bar etc was just the resort and was feeling slightly dissapointed but after speaking to Jake, he told us where everything was, just a 20 min walk down the prom brought you to Dolphin Square, Bars, shops etc very busy. You do get loads of Hassle but a polite no thank you does the job, some of the waiters do latch onto to you if you pass regular but its all good fun.

If you go on a Jeep safari be prepared to get wet great dat out, also went on the Lazy Day boat trip, take plenty of sun cream, the water park in Didym was great value for money, we went there twice, also done a trip to Effusus again take plenty of sun cream, great place but it felt like we were rushed round by the guide.

The beach does get busy but avoid getting a sunbed right on the edge of the sea, its great to get a place there but the only trouble is it gets very hetic with all the people coming and going into the sea.

@Parkey The Kusmez hotel is right facing the beach, if you get a front room your will have a nice view, the owner who is called Kusmez is a sound bloke, I sopke to him on many occasions..

Right then, thats my 2 pence, if i can help anybody with any questions then plz feel free to ask or pm me, hope you all have a great time.

Regards
G.

I said that Jake (Cenk) appears very good with families and kids and I not saying he doesnt put on a good show - He does but that is all it is a show - I was ripped off there a couple of times and so were other people that I spoke to - He does a good talk Jake but he is not as he appears over a couple of hours of drinking !

JAFFAS2-6

Have just returned from the Esra Appts, the photographer is still there, although I cant recall his name.

Have a good time.

Gerard

hi gerard , thanks for that . what about the new pool with slides is it where the tennis courts were or are they still there .
can't wait to go back - 4 weeks and counting !

JAFFAS,

The new pool is just behind the tennis court, the slides are open three times a day for about 30 - 40 mins each time.

One tip, the exchange rate is much better at the jewlers shops than at the Esra, 2.25 at the the Esra, up to 2.42 and rising elsewhere.

Have a good time.

Hey all, need some info asap as there is a late deal that me and my mate are thinking of booking. Ive got a few questions and i'd be so so grateful if anyone could reply. The hotel will be the Esra apartments if we do go through with it and I was just wondering

How long does it take to walk from this hotel to a few shops for food etc and the nightlife?

Is it a good holiday for two 21 year olds who like their beer and nightlife?

Are the beaches big and clean?

Will it be really really hot there over the next 3 weeks or so?

Thanks a lot everyone.

Chris

hi carragher , the esra apartments are great and have been newly refurbished for this year , we went last year and are going back on the 26th of september for a fortnight , it would only take you two young lads about 10 minutes to walk down the hill into town where all the nightlife is although you might struggle to get back up after a few efes , the beaches are lovley and clean and the sea is warm
hope you go for it i'm sure you'll have a great time

it is not that here anymore, getting a bit chilly even.
21 year old guy would definetly have fun. However entertainers, barmens are more tend to entertain english girls than boys. Maybe you should try medusa club where most of the locals are.

It is the biggest in didim.

we have booked up for altinkum for next year whats it like .we have been to marmaris a few times ,and loved it there.any good places to visit .name some good restaurants,and good pubs(even though after a pint I'm any ones )whats the excursions there like are they any good.
any info appreciated.

helloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo from the northeast.