Oh I wish i'd known about Daphines it sounds really interesting you've got to go there now and tell us all about it Briar seeing as Micklemucks keeping it a surprise!
Yes definatly let Oktay know just how important ht comments are to his business, I did and he often emails me for any ideas now. I said that I thought it would be a good idea to have a section of the beach with hammocks and beanbags (just in the evening) etc like some of the other bars have, and to maybe rake the sand and keep his section of beach looking really slick, and he says now that he has some exciting changes planned for next year on the beach.
mel.

micklemuck - is that the garden restaurant that has live music? It was recommended to us but only at the end of our stay, so we never got chance to go but it looked lovely.

Mel - what a nice thing for your mum and dad to say. They are lovely people and I am sorry about the football and the Dalyan trip. Hope it didn't spoil their holiday too much. For a football-free zone try the Ortasekerli (used to be the Pescatore) - they have a small tv inside, but nothing in the outside dining area. You can lounge on the divans after dinner and chat or play backgammon.

Hi Mel,
Sent you a PM several days ago, also sent Del one which he hasn't received.
Yilmaz Yurtseven, is the name you are having difficulty spelling. We had a chat with him about the arm wrestling, and he remembered you. He was saying that he is looking forward to going back to Istanbul in Oct. to see his wife and baby daughter again. It must be hard for them to be away from family.
Oktay was telling us all about the new ideas he has for next year, including changes to the beach and running the hotel as a family club.
Thanks for all the info. you have given us in your reports.
Mike and Marn

prawn,yes thats the one.

micklemuck - it is definately on my list for next year. Sounds wonderful.

Hi mikenmarn,
I didn't get a pm from you? Hes a lovely chap isn't he i got the feeling that maybe he might not return next year though, I think he just misses his family too much. He'd be missed by the guests and Oktay so much he works so hard.Can't wait for next year now I might try and sneak a week back there with my daughter in the spring and quite a few friends want to come with us in the summer after we have bombarded them with our Turkey tales!!
mel.

Hi Mel,
Agree with all you said about Yilmaz. Mike won the raffle for a free week's
accomodation at the Manuela, so we hope to be back there in May, hopefully for 2 weeks this time. We loved the Manuela and Bitez.
We have another one booked for 8th Oct. to Club Belkoy, Beldibi. Got it from Detur, and only cost £214pp for a week AI. Don't know much about the hotel or area but at that price we will do our best to enjoy. Have you any info. about it?
Mike and Marn.

No i've never heard of it but I bet someone else on ht will have information. I'm going to have a look at it myself now. Mel.

Hi everyone interested in Manuela Hotel, Bitez.
The puppies you are all asking about are safe and well, they went back to Dalaman with Oktay's parents at the end of 2004, the new puppy there this year actually belonged to a man down in the square, but as he was treated so well by all the guests he spent a lot of time at the hotel.
Oktay was telling us in October that he has big plans for summer 2006, making it more comfortable, hoping to add balconies unto the rooms and generally updating the place, mind you this is Turkey so don't be too surprised if we don't see these changes for another couple of years. He is also thinking of getting something for the children, possibly a soft play area, we discussed it as we had our grandson (then10 months old with us).
Hope to see some of you there in June, or Sept/Oct.
Sorry I'm not here often but as I have no landline at the moment I have to use Library, not very convenient at all.

Mmmm, very odd about the puppies, there were definitely 2 lovely puppies at the Manuela when we were there May 2005, we took enough photo's of them!!!

Hi this is Argie bringing you the latest update on the mystery of the dissappearing puppies!
What Avril wrote for the puppies in 2004 is quite correct although they went to Dalyan not Dalaman and are quite happy there. And the other 2 puppies that were here in 2005, well unfortunately 1 that we miss did actually die but the good news is that the other 1 has joined the previous years puppies in Dalyan and having a good life. I hope, I have helped resolve this and may the poor other little one be somewhere nice upstairs.

Thanks for clearing that up Argie, it's a shame that one of the puppies died but good to hear that the other one is being looked after. They were lovely little things.

Hi, I bought a wedding ring in Turkey, may be Bodrum. on the receipt it says Golden Palace. cannot find that on the net.
I lost/stolen it last w/end. I would like to get the same one.
We had been to a market on a trip in Bodrum and on the way back to Gumbet we stopped at a gold factory. It wasnt in a complex.
can anyone help??
it was september 2004. we went.

hi pat here going to bietez in july staying in queen apartments anyone
been there any info welcome going from cork our first time in turkey

Heading to Bitez in less than 3 weeks, and would appreciate any of this years up to date news/ advice on the resort please?

Turkish baths
Bars
Restaurants
Recommended jewellers
and anything else that regular visitors can offer?

Am a Turkey regular, so know the usual advice and know Gumbet and Bodrum well enough, just looking for Bitez info.

Many thanks
Paul

Hi Northern,

Temple Bar at the Manuela Hotel for some evening entertainment, and wonderful waiters. The restaurant is good too. All on the sea front.

Wish I was there.

Hi paul we're just back from bitez.My hubby had a turkish bath and massage at the ambrosia hotel you can't miss it it is the huge hotel on the front ,its lovely inside to so cool and shadey.They were all different prices for the turkish bath depending on want you wanted but he enjoyed it. We didn't have a bad meal and most restaurants have much the same menu,but we like the chinese one on the front I think it was called samarkies.Be careful of the total bill for drinks as we were done at the temple bar and they tried to get out of it by playing daft (an irish waiter not a turkish one) also on the gulet cruise we were overcharged for drink so just be aware. The central beach restaurent across from the Kassandra hotel has nice food and a nice group of guys working there good for late night drinks.The golden spoon restaurant on the front has a happy hour for cocktail at 11pm till 12am buy one get one free. The bar at the front of the ambrosia was quiet but the cocktails and their prices were good.Hope this helps enjoy your holiday ,I hope its a bit cooler as it was so hot we found it hard to lie on the beach.

Thanks for that, much appreciated!

Any further tips/ recommendations anyone?

Northern (Paul)

Have you visited Bitez before? It's a beautiful little bay that i'm sure you will fall in love with ...if you have never been!!!

The restaurants are all yummy along the front and we all have our own personal favourites, ours being the Golden Spoon Ali's next door and the Sultan. You will find them more expensive on the front.

You won't find any Fish and chip shops... Sunday Roasts or break-dancing there thank goodness!!! if you want that you can jump a taxi to Gumbet. It's just a laid back relaxing chilled kinda place and just grabs you by the heart and gets you wanting to return year after year.

When are you going? and where are you staying?

I have been lucky to have stayed there twice this year and we are returning two weeks today can't wait!!!