Holiday inspiration! - Turkey Discussion Forum, Holiday Forums

Holiday inspiration!

panholio

2008-06-25 12:55:42

Hi,

My first post on the forum - I have had a good read through and it seems a very informative and friendly place.

I'm after a bit of advice and some possible suggestions....

My girlfriend and I have booked the first two weeks of September off as this is the only real time we can both get any leave. We are looking to go away and have the following requirements:

1/ It needs to be nice weather!!
2/ Our max budget is about £1200 for the two of us for two weeks - we could go up to about £1500-1600 if it was all inclusive as we would not be spending as much money whilst there
3/ We are not really fans of cheesy "English" bars and what have you when on holiday. I don't want to go away to have an English breakfast or listen to some 90s pop music at 4 in the morning in an "Irish Pub" (makes me sound really miserable!).
4/ The less chavs the better - groups of lads in football shirts/beer guts/bulldog tattoos is not good and makes me ashamed to be British

5/ We are looking for relaxation really, so spending the majority of time round the pool/beach. Would like to have stuff to do on certain days along the lines of some site seeing or trips.
6/Good food and/or restaurants near by would be good.

I have been on All Inclusives before and enjoyed them -stayed a a great hotel in the Dominican about ten years ago (Riu Merengue). However we did an AI to Cuba about two years ago (Brisas Del Caribe) and were massively let down by awful food and the tail end of a hurricane!

I'm thinking Oludeniz in Turkey is a good bet (I have been before and enjoyed it) - I'm just worried it has become a bit tacky since I last went there (5-6 years ago). The Caribbean is always good but is September a bit risky for weather? I have also looked at Italy but it looks expensive, especially with the current Euro exchange rate. My mother raves about Malta!

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks,

Mark

lynwestie

2008-06-25 14:16:13

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Hi Mark and welcome to HT :wave:

If you fancy trying Olu again I wouldnt say its changed very much over the last few years . the first time we went was probably 5/6 years ago and we were there again last year staying at the Belcekiz beach . this is now A/I which it wouldnt of been 5 years ago . you really cant go wrong and it hardly ever pick s up a bad review and certainly ticks your boxes. Unfortunately there isnt a lot of competition on price and you can only book it via thomson /portland . I still think you could do it within your budget for september. Have a good read through the reviews section on this site .http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/turkey/dalaman-region/olu-deniz/belcekiz-beach-club-holiday-village/

lyn

denny.53

2008-06-25 14:53:23

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Welcome Mark,
I can highly recommend Club Letoonia in Fethiye. A lovely 5* resort hotel on it's own peninsular. 3 beaches with free watersports, 3 buffet restaurants and several al a carte restaurants. It's AI, branded international drinks, lovely well cooked food and plenty of choice. There is a free boat (water taxi) to take you over to Fethiye itself, and from here of course, it is easy to get a dolmus to Hisonaru and Olu Deniz ( you can go for the day and see if it really has changed from when you were last there.) The rooms are a little tired - they were in the process of refurbs when we were there last year, but they are spotless, as is the whole resort.
Denny

Marlou

2008-06-25 15:08:41

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Hi mark, and welcome

. Italy doesn't just look expensive, it is very expensive!!! Only been to Venice mind, so maybe other places are a little cheaper :que

. Hubby and I went there in March, and spent £1000 in 5 days, and that wasn't even squandering!! Wouldn't change anything mind, it was a holiday of a lifetime, but now we've been, we wouldn't go back, purely because of the cost of everything. We went to Egypt in September 2005, sharm el sheik, it was fab, weather boiling. I found it totally different from Greece, Turkey e.t.c where you get all the karaoke bars e.t.c. We felt like we had the real egyptian feel. Plenty of trips to go on, we walked up mount sinai through the night, to watch the sunrise (awesome). If you don't fancy walking, camels can take you some of the way, untill the path gets too narrow. Flew to Cairo to see the pyramids :fly

The whole experience was fantastic. We will probably re-visit Egypt one day. Good luck in finding your holiday.

Jay Trip

2008-06-25 15:14:52

Re: Holiday inspiration!

I would look in the Antalya area of Turkey.Its is popular with other Europeans and the hotels are of a very high standard.
I like Side best of all the Turkish resorts but there are some fabulous new 5star hotels in Lara beach,a short distance from Antalya airport.Even the airport is lovely compared to the mayhem of Dalaman :rofl

September is a good time as the schools have gone back and there will be some offers,although not as many in previous years.
The weather is perfect then so you should find your ideal holiday here.
I have been to the Riu Merengue and some of the hotels in Side and Lara are as good if not better. :tup

lynwestie

2008-06-25 15:16:41

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Yes Egypt has also become our 2nd home at Easter and Turkey in the summer . Very different to turkey but the people are just as friendly although in a more reserved way.

CazzMicknTom

2008-06-25 17:19:08

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Can recommend the Rising Star in Protaras, Cyprus, set right by the beach close enough to restaurants and bars but far enough away for a tranquil nights sleep. Didn't see any chavs when we were there in May neither.

panholio

2008-06-26 20:10:42

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Thanks so much for all the ideas! :cheers

I have had a good look around and Turkey seems to fit the bill. Quite interested in Akyaka and Kalkan, they look beautiful.

Do you think these resorts would be too quiet for a couple in their late twenties?

Cyprus also looks nice, I need to research that a bit further.

doe

2008-06-26 20:27:48

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Hi Mark

What about one of the more upmarket Greek Islands, if you don't want it too chavy. Santorini, Skiathos, Parga, not personal recommendations as such but they would still be lovely and hot still in the first two weeks of Sept and you might meet your budget, I think Skiathos is popualr with folk your age.

The other recommendations you ahve received already are good. I am going to Olu Deniz myself this year and stayed in the Belcekic Beach in 2006 which is an excellent AI but quite family orientated as I would think is Letonnia.

The only thing with these recommendations is that it might be difficult to bring these in on your budget of 1200 for two peeps for two weeks, early Sept can still be quite expensive.

Another place that is really nice is Lagos on the Algarve. Loads of info on the Algarve forum. Go self catering and eat out in one of the many many restaurants, cafes and bars that it seems to have in the lovely historic old town.

Good Luck, come back on and let us know what you book.

Doe

panholio

2008-06-28 14:50:43

Re: Holiday inspiration!

Well I've booked my holiday!!!

Perhaps this thread should be moved to the Turkey forum as that is where we are going.

I have booked one week at the Hotel Aida in Cirali and then one week at the Aspen Hotel in Antalya. Flying from Manchester with Onur Air (gulp) to Antalya.

Hopefully it will be a good mix of peaceful retreat in the first week and a city to explore in the second.

I've done it all DIY over the internet and the total cost for the two of us (all hotels B&B) so far is £976.06. Bargain!

Only thing I need to book now are transfers. I believe it is not too far to Cirali from Antalya so I'm wondering whether to just get a taxi on the day. I can get a transfer for 89Eur each way with the hotel I have booked but it seems expensive.

Any advice? Will any old taxi be lethal?!!

Thanks so much for the replies, really loooking forward to it now! :hols