Prawn...

My sister will be there for 3 of your weeks. Lucky you!!! we have the holiday blues at the moment.

In all the years I have been going to Bitez i did not realise where the Halikarya was situated!!! I had a quick look for a friend.

Do you know anybody that has stayed there?

Don't know anyone who has stayed at Halikarya, but I will let you know on my return how it is.

If your sister asks Chris (First Stop) to point out Prawn he will know who she means!! Del 949 is going to be there in September as well, it will be good to meet up with them again.

Back from 1st time to Bitez a week now and missing it.
Found it to be one of the most relaxing holidays we've ever had.
Loved the 'chilled out' atmosphere along the beach esp after our meal: those big cushions were perfect for relaxing/stargazing.
It was hot but the breeze kept things manageable. In fact the evening temperatures were just perfect: no humidity and lovely & warm.
Thought the dolmus were just fab for scooting about & very cheap & frequent.
Recommend the trip to Ephesus & definitely bring an umbrella for shade ( a great tip I picked up on HT) & the Turkish Bath: a real experience not to be missed. We also enjoyed Kos but surprisingly found it cheaper than Bitez. That was the only slight down-side: it was more expensive than I expected but we did eat on the front most evenings & I think Bitez is possibly one of the more expensive resorts.
Food excellent altho' we found most restaurants have basically the same choices on the menu.
And the biggest surprise was the Turkish white wine...VERY GOOD!
Overall a great destination for those seeking a quieter more sophisticated base.
Nearby Gumbet & Bodrum are there for when you fancy a change.
Hope this helps anyone waiting to go....you lucky things!

Hi Toasted

Knew you would love it there!!!

Do you prefer Greece?

Where was your favourite place to eat?

Least favourite place?

(we must have crossed paths because we were there the same time)

Feeling really fed up at the and missing it also!!! :

Hi 'Kadi'
Am a big fan of both countries now. There's something very special about the Eastern Med..........just wonderful.
Our fave was the Vona: thought it had a lovely setting amongst the palm trees, great waiters/food & the best cushions!
Also liked Sultan, CJs. Nowhere we didn't like --- as I said the standard of food is good everywhere.
Kept meaning to eat away from the front but only managed it once: the Pedesa(or something) & it was good & much cheaper but the lure of the sea view ( & those cushions!) was too great!
Might just have to go back to sample everywhere! That's the worst part: you want to spread your trade about but when you find somewhere you love it's hard to give it a miss!
Wish I was chilling there now!

I've read these posts and contributed about Bitez, some people have commented about the prices in Bitez this summer. IMHO - the prices in Bitez this year are way o-t-t for what we get in the restaurants. I believe that the restaurant owners are masters of their own destiny and they are gradually closing down the sea-front. Can they see that - I don't think so. So many people I know and who have visited Bitez for years, our first trip was back in 2000, are refusing to pay the prices down on the sea-front every night for a 14 night break. They are going into Bodrum and Gumbet instead where prices are more realistic. I know of one small hotel in Bitez that have closed down their restaurant as there was not the trade to justify the staff and chef costs.

Bitez used to be a place that was a little more upmarket, no discos, no lager louts, so we all liked it, and essentially still do! A few years ago we were prepared to pay a little extra for a meal and a beer to enjoy the views over the bay and the peace and quiet.

With the advent of the Internet word gets around that it's expensive, and all the retauranteurs do is increase prices again and again. (That also get around quickly due to Internet forums such as this one.) I hear they went up again in July and they've dropped the free-be's like balloon bread etc. I was there in May and was astounded at the prices, 18ytl for Turkish meatballs, 6ytl for a beer, come on guys, get real! People are voting with their feet and staying away.

What the restauranturs need to do, is drop their prices, advertise that they are competitive and people will come back to Bitez. Given the credit crunch in Europe and the rest of the world the average tourist doesn't have as much in their pockets as they did a few years ago.

They also need to talk to some of the property owners and re-work some of their rental agreements and start to run this as a long term business not some get-rich-quick scheme. Those days are now gone. A new business model is the order of the day now.

Sorry for the rant, but I hate to see Bitez careering downwards on a slippery slope. Each year for the last 3 years it appears to me there have been less and less visitors and now it's time the business folks need to look at why and do something really positive to address the situation.

What do you guys think?

Turkishvisitor

What a fatastic post!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with you 100% and could not have put it better myself.

This is what I have tried to tell the restaurant owners having visited 3 times already this year and seeing the prices rise each time.

Because they were having a quiet season they are putting the prices up to cover costs and it is us regulars having to pay that price.

Take for instance the lamb going up 5 lira from May....they tried to say it was because it had gone up "so much a kilo " it might not seem a lot but my daughter worked out that if we had all had the lamb each night we were there it would have cost us an extra £105!!!

I also know for a fact (we went with one of them and I saw a couple of restaurant owners there) that they get their food from "Metro"on a day to day basis so know the price some of them pay for their meat and a 5 lira rise does not justify it!!!

I sound a right meanie but I am not..We are very lucky to own a lovely apartment over looking the bay and could eat in all the time with a fantastic view... but we love to eat out and have a laugh with all the waiters most af them have a fantastic sence of humour.
It is the families I feel sorry for it must cost them a furtune!!!

Infact your post is that good ......I am going to print it and take copies with me when we go back in October to give to them. I will even try and get one to the Mayor of Bitez and the council see what they think about it.

Hi there, thanks for your support.

Good to know I'm not the only one that feels like this about Bitez. I'm lucky enough to go to the US for a few weeks every year and the prices over there are so reasonable compared to what I'm paying in Bitez where average monthly income is very low. I just can't reconcile Bitez prices. Also I do my shopping in Kipa and Carrefour when I'm over and a kilo of beautiful lamb steaks was running 17ytl in May (the same price as last October, so why the price increase for the start of the season) - 3 of them costing 8ytl fed the 2 of us who have healthy Irish appetites. So I don't know how the guys make up their prices.

You're out in October, we should meet, we're out from 22 Sept for 3 weeks, probably stay around Bitez for 1 week and then move up the coast for the other 2 weeks for some relaxation (and some reasonable prices)

Last year I tried to talk to some of the guys on the beach about changing the way they make their money but they aren't interested. I know a couple of them, like the Manuela and CJ's know about this site, I wonder if they will read this and what they'll think.

Good luck, maybe together we can make a difference to Bitez. Wouldn't that be so good!

I agree with all of your reports, which is why we will probably not be going to Bitez next year.

Last May we had 4 days AI in Ortakent, before moving on the Bitez for our free week at the Manuela.
The AI cost us £10 pp pn. But the free week cost a fortune.

Last year we had 10 days HB at the Ayaz in Gumbet. Whilst there we visited the Manuela, and they asked why we did not stay with them. We told them of the price we had paid for HB - £8 pp pn - which was cheaper than b & b at the Manuela. They didn't have an answer to that. The reason we go back to Bitez is to see the people we have met over the years. A shame they are getting greedy.

Lets hope they read some of these reports and do something about it.

Marn and Mike.

Very interesting.
I definitely got the feeling that money was the overriding factor in every transaction wherever we went.
Now I know that's a stupid thing to say as that's what tourism is all about but there's reasonable & then there's extortionate!
I know so many of the posters here emphasize how friendly the Turks are, and I certainly didn't find them unfriendly, but at times I thought it was quite a false friendliness and that basically we were just "walking Lira signs" to be fleeced when possible.
An example which left a sour taste:
How can Bodrum airport justify the prices in their cafeteria: 10 ytl for a can of soft drink---- I doubt you'd pay that sitting in St Mark's Sq, Venice. I've never paid prices like their's in any airport and i've been in quite a few.
They won't lure tourists back with this type of practice. And I agree with turkishvisitor, Bitez didn't appear to be that full for July, but I thought this was normal as I've not been there before.
Is this over-pricing problem only in Bitez?
Such a shame as I loved the place, but let's get real!

Fly out to Bitez tomorrow ,just for 1 week this year,plan to eat in and at the Restaraunts arround the back this year though ,Pedosa,Blue Moon etc.We have done all the front ones over the years and do not appreciate being ripped off at 6 Lira for an Effes.Will go to the Manuela and Temple Bar though as they always see us right.
Are the usual guys there again this year Charlie,Daniel ,Elvis etc. ? I hear they are not allowed to hassle as much this year which is a good thing as it puts new people off going to Turkey again.
We are meeting up with Sami on Tuesday for a drink(had email from him the other day ,he's working at the Pagoda (Ex Red Dragon) this year which is just near our Appartments ,the Meis ,did a Rekkie round them last year and was well impressed so booked it 8 months ago.
Into the Bitez mood alreadt can't wait

Daniel has left the New Season, he's now at the Summer Garden, between the blue moon and the manuela on the left hand side of the road.

Charlie and John from the Manuela have taken on ALI's beside the Golden Spoon called it CJ's. Seems to be doing well.

Daniels dad has opened the Amphora on the square in Bitez, looked good, didn't have a meal there.

Glad to see you're giving the guys back from the sea front a try.

Enjoy yourselves!

We stayed at the Summer Garden 2 years ago and the Meals there were very good and we also use the shop there.If Daniel is working the front then we most probably will give it a miss.He's always been ok but seems to be a bit to serious if you give him the brush off.
Are the prices still high on the front as other people have stated ?

Have a look about 7 or 8 posts above and you'll see what I think of the prices along the seafront.

My wife's over there at the moment and has become totally disenamoured with the sea front. She's started to order take aways from Turkish restaurants and eat down in Gumbet.

Isn't it strage how different Daniel can be? In all the years I've been going there I've only eaten in the New Season once and that was in winter time. He's always the same with me, we can stand and have a great chat and a laugh and I've never felt under pressure to eat with him.

Daniel didnt last long at the Makumba Summer Garden's... he didnt like the way it was run. Hes now working at his Dad's restuarant; The Amphora. We had a very nice meal there last month, but we don't like sitting on a dusty road, so we didnt go back. Hes been nothing but nice to us over the years. A very decent, intelligent bloke. Hes never once hassled us.

Have a brill holiday Skids... The Meis Apartments look fantastic.

I wish I was sitting on Bitez beach, sipping an ice cold Efes...

Thanks for the update ,I am maybe being a little over zelous about him as it was 4 years ago that I made a judgement (first impresions and all that ) so will call by his new place and see if he recognises us and have a beer with him,only 5 hours to go till we set off
Will give our report when we get back

Hi there,

Just a quick update on food prices, my wife visited the Council Cafe in Bitez, over by the harbour. We used to go there a lot, as it's a nice quiet place, great view, no pumping music going, but a couple of years ago it went down the hill a little so this was the first time back. (We used to go there years ago in the winter time when we were propably the only foreigners in the village, and it was super!)

I'm pleased to say she tells me it was good, not the biggest portions along the beach, but the bill for 5 adults was 75ytl, only 2 had beers. As far as she is concerned it was no worse that anywhere she ate along the main beach area. So it is still possible to have a reasonable meal in Bitez.

Anyone else visit this place? What did you think?

Tiny portions thought...dontcha think

Well - I need to retract all the good things I said about the council cafe in Bitez.
My wife returned last night with some friends and what a turnaround.

Needless to say she didn't enjoy it and it will be a long time before she returns!