Kedi Yavrusu wrote:

I just have to add that most cocktails aren't made with imported spirits even if they tell you they are !

Ah so the Turkish staff lied to me ? Odd as I saw the Bacardi come out of a Bacardi bottle for the Cuba Libra but I guess they could have decanted rubbish into it.

I have seen them put all kinds of stuff into original bottles and pass it off as the real thing, everything can be faked in Turkey .

I believe Cuba Libra is actually just Bacardi and coke though isn't it? so in that case you probably did have proper Bacardi.

I am going A/I hemera to side 14 nights, average of £800 each early aug peak school hols time, 24 hour bar, mini bar in the room, cake's and ice cream served all day. Say the flight is £250 per person leaving £550, its £39 per person a day, accommodation say £20, all you eat and drink for £19 a day. Some of the half board hotels cost just as much, if not more. Can anybody beat that for value. I see cheap apartments but they look very basic with not much entertainment on site, air con is a extra charge, I think I have the best value for money. I don't want to go food shopping on holiday and making breakfast and lunch everyday, we go on holiday to get away from thet routine.

I have 2 teenage girls and the worst thing for us is looking for a restaurant to eat out every night, but we are not tied to the hotel and will eat out some nights. The hotel gets top reviews.

Our SC holiday will cost £1,200 for 2 adults and 2 children in august if we book the house we plan to. It is fully equipped and has air con included. That means we would have to spend £2,000 on food and drink to have spent as much as you will. I actually quite enjoy shopping for the few basics we need and we only ever eat breakfast there. We all enjoy choosing a restaurant even our girls who are very young. We would all get bored silly stcuk in the same hotel all the time

I'm not saying any of this to get one better than you or say "I can beat that!", I'm just saying that everyone enjoys different things and it doesn't really matter if it costs more or less than someone else's holiday as long as you have the type of holiday you want.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday Can't think of a username

redcrop wrote:

Hi I thought I would post too! We went AI the other year and have 3 children and they were 11, 8 and 18 months. To tell you the truth we did not see the 11 and 8 year old at all except when they wanted money for the ringos or the shop and although some parents would say thats great it actually got us down - the kids were spending all day with their friends, then eating with them and having fun with them in the evening! This year we have booked B&B - more because we cant get anywhere cheaper than £5k and im looking forward to sharing a meal with the children and having some fun in the evening.

Redcrop x

You cant find anywhere cheaper than 5k for a holiday for 4 people, Perhaps you should do a search on my posts on here, I have never ever paid more than £800 for all 4 persons in my party and never ever would, Take my tip and have a good look through my posts where you will find plenty of companies that provide holidays at very reasonable prices. Oh and I would just like to add I go to Turkey a minimum of 5 times per season from April to October.

I think Redcrop was referring to an AI hotel when they said they couldn't find anything for less than 5K. For a decent AI (and there are plenty in Turkey), £4-6K is the going rate for a family of 4/5 in high season.

Yes that was what I thought he meant as well cazzholly, what you state seems to be the going rate. Although some members have reported at geting really good deals at the Royal Wings with Direct Holidays, on another thread, so I guess if anyone is still looking it may be worth checking it out.

After reading posts with interest it is a case of two sides to the coin:

Its obvious that loads of people love self catering and so do I. However, some posters dont really want to self cater which involves spending time going round supermarkets and preparing breakfast and lunch, then clearing away and washing up! They prefer to totally switch off from that which is very understandable. Often in families where there are teenagers it can be difficult in agreeing where to eat and you can spend a lot of time just wandering around before you agree on a place. Thats another reason why lots of families prefer all inclusive. Life is so much easier. Also as the kids grow up into teenagers it is so much more expensive if you are eating out a few times a day and paying for 5 (and lots of soft drinks). Again another plus for all inclusive.

I really can see why families go for this option.

Can't think of a username is paying approx £800 for all inclusive in Turkey. I think thats pretty good given that our family of 12 are going to Don Toni Hotel in Ibiza and paying £920 each adult for half board (we did get a few free kids places).

At the end of the day it boils down to personal preferences and budget. What suits one doesnt necessarily suit another.

Can I just say though that going self catering doesn't actually mean you have to cook anything at all. I never cook when on a sc holiday, we get in bread, fruit, olives etc for breakfast plus drinks and that's it. A lot of people don't even do that and go out for breakfast.

As you say though it is all personal choice as to what you prefer.

I am happy with the price I have paid with direct holidays £4000 five adults, thomson and portland wanted £5500 to £6000 for the 4th august to the hemera. Its horses for course's I like 5* hotels and normally would go half board but a good hotel and A/I for the same price as half board I must be mad not to take the A/I. I could of got all of into a couple apartment ranging from a price of £2000 to £2800 with DH. When pricing a holiday, what people forget is when your kids are charged at the adult price I have always got to book 2 rooms or 2 apartments which really bumps the price up. and my eldest daughter is coming upto 18 and she doesn't want to share with us. Another thing why A/I suits us this year is my eldest daughter and her friend will both be 18 when we are on holiday, they don't have to worry about running out of money because everything is included.

Kedi Yavrusu said I would be bored stiff stuck in a hotel all the time, we won't be stuck in the hotel all the time, I don't know why people think anybody who goes A/I will not leave the hotel, I would get bored stiff being in the hotel all the time as well.

Thanks Kedi Yavrusu and I hope you have a great holiday as well

Can't think of a username
I know exactly what you mean - you are def. more in control of your budget. I have previously said that all incl. doesnt mean you are forced to be in a complex 24/7 unless it happens to be a very isolated complex when theres not much to do outside. In earlier holidays our girls would be happy to be on the beach with a bucket and spade most of the day but things change when the kids grow up so you have to plan accordingly to keep everyone happy.

We had a really cheap DIY holiday in Marmaris last summer (total contrast to our expensive Thomsons holiday this year) AGH!

I am sure you will have a fab holiday anyway.

Hi cantthinkofausername

I think you have got a fab deal on your holiday and I sincerely hope you enjoy it. Some folk on here can't cope with the idea that there is more than one way to holiday and that some of us have enough imagination to go to a five star hotel and still have a good time and manage to get out and about. I remember a time on the Turkey forum when you posted what you were going to do on holiday and people just wished you well.

I personally enjoy reading what hotels others have booked and the deals they have managed to get.

I think you are the one who can't cope with the idea that there is more than one way to holiday, you think your way is best and always try to put me down for my views. I will ask you again to please stop making silly remarks about everything I say.

I think sc is great when the children are young but as they get older they want their own space on holiday. When they are old enough to drink as my two are they want a glass of wine with their dinner and a few drinks of an evening. This seriously bumps up your holiday spends, this is why we have chosen AI for the last three years. I have yet to meet anyone who stays in an AI for the fortnight and doesn't do the boat trips, go shopping or eat/drink outside of the complex.

Oh, and I really don't understand why anyone would be against something they have never tried

Minione, I have never tried AI but I have been inside a few of them, eaten in them and used the facilities, as my husband has friends and family who have worked in them. I agree some of them do look very nice but it just isn't my sort of holiday, I don't have to have try it to know that I wouldn't enjoy it. We can't all enjoy the same thing, just as well really or the word would be a very boring place

We will agree to differ. Maybe in several years time when you have one at college and another at university you might understand why this is a better option for us. I think in general it is people with older children, who are still dependants that tend to choose this option. I would never knock self catering, we holidayed this way for about 18 years.

I would not knock self-catering either minone I have had far more self-catering holidays than I have had AI. It's horses for courses really. I guess my kids are similar ages to yours so it suits me at present.

Minione, I am hoping that by the time my girls are grown up we will have our own house in Turkey, if I can convince my husband that is

Now that's a different kettle of fish! I would forfeit my AI holidays for a house in Turkey like a shot