I am just telling her of a place that sounds like it may be suitable. It isn't unaffordable there and the beach does have some sandy bits. Let's not argue about it

im not going to argue you with you, but you only seem to recommend this area of turkey, turkey is a vast country and i wouldnt recommend a family with 6 kids and 1 having mobility problems to beaches that are rocky and stoney , sandy bits what does that mean, we walked along the beach to try and find a sandy area for my daughter and couldnt find any, im sure if there is any tiny sandy bits as you call it then it will be packed around that area, the sea was extremely painful to get in and out of, thats a fact !!!!!, im just trying to give hels all the facts she needs to be aware of , you never seem to mention this point when recommending this resort, some people do like sandy beaches or certainly would like to know about it in advance, i know i would have before i went to bitez , i wasnt aware the beach was rocky and was very disappointed as i had read some good reviews

Try again!!! I did post a reply, but its disappeared!

Can't think of a username what date in March did you price the atlantis for, you have got it £1000 cheaper then I did, it was almost £3000 for a week.
£2500 is our budget, which I know is not a great deal, but all we can afford, I have looked and priced apartments in Bitez, Icmeler and Side which are reasonably priced as a previouxs poster mentioned we only paid for 2 of the kids in the apartments, but its the flights as they are coming up at £1700 so a holiday for a week in March next year is just £2000.........

Just wish that it was later in the year, so we could price May/June as it seems a better time of year by the sounds of it.

Helsxxx

hels

easy jet will release their winter flights to turkey in june that should go up to march and therefore if you book quickly you might get a bargain, they released some recently from manchester and they started off at £75 return which is a bargain, also the same applies to aegean flights they will release their summer 10 in june and if you book quick they start cheap and increase quickly.

ive been to turkey a few times in march and the weather can be very unpredictable , mike might be right suggesting going to belek area as its slightly warmer down there

Hels I priced it for the 9th to 23th but the 23th march to the 6th april is £2363, 30th march for 2 weeks is £2828,

Thanks Ellie and Mike, What is Belek like?

from manchester 23rd march £2488 day flights, my other prices are from gatwick.

Belek is very nice with a host of bars shops and restaurants and obviously the many golf courses so be warned you may lose out to a game of golf!!

Hels,There is a map on http://www.icmeleronline.com showing where all the hotels and apartments are situated.If you choose one just ask where it is and someone will be able to advise you.

Thanks Jay we were looking at the Durman apartments (lol think thats what they were called) as it was coming up at £210 for all of us, this October.....I know I said next year but well if we could get a SC fairly cheap then later this year maybe possible.

I dont know where these apartments are but October is a great time to go to Icmeler.It seems the prices are reduced then as its getting near the end of the season.I was there from 3rd to 17th October last year and it was lovely.I will be returning this October.
Look at the Monies thread and see my post on January 15th and it will give you an idea of what it cost us for food last October.

Hi Jay, I read the monies thread last night, with great interest, I was wondering though what the turkish lira is to the £ or roughly anyway, then the prices that were put up would make more sense lol.

Also a little off topic, but I have been reading about the hassle, is it bad? We went to the Dom Rep 5 years ago and I would never go there again because of the hassle we got, as I really felt intimidated at times.

Helsxxx

Hi Hels

I've just googled the lira to GBP.

Today it is showing £1.00 to 2.40 Lira although obviously this will vary slightly on a day by day basis.

Don't know if that helps much though as you need to know the prices of things and from what I read on here there seems to be quite a bit of variation from resort to resort. With some resorts coming up cheaper than others for meals out and supermarket shopping.

I feel for you as it must be quite difficult planning a holiday budget with a large family. If you are going self catering and intend to do supermarket shopping you need to make sure you base yourself somewhere that you can get easy access to supermarkets as presumably you will not be hiring a car to get all your shopping back to the apartment or villa.

The downside with DIY to Turkey is the costs of flights. It is four hours in the air and therefore unless you strike really lucky they tend to be expensive as you have found.

some people on here are quite helpful and will often put up posts if they see cheap flights anywhere. (probably after they have booked their own though lol)

I would suggest that in view of the size of your family and your strict budget you may be better off with AI or Half Board as I am concerned that you may end up spending all your money on food and drink. However I am at a point on the turkey forum where I am loathe to suggest AI as there is then a string of posts saying why this is such a bad thing.

But my gut feeling is it may be suitable for you. Although if you are going in March, perhaps Turkey won't have turned on its 'tourist prices' as Jay said it was cheap in Ichmeler in Oct/Nov time so you could get lucky if you manage to get a reasonably priced apartment there.

Dont know if I am helping, Doe

Hi Hels,When we used our Nationwide card the first transaction gave us 2.30TL to the £ on 7th October and it went up to 2.53 on the 17th. Its 2.40 today and it seems to average around this.My friend who was there the same time as us got a good rate at one of the supermarkets.Efes,the local beer was 1TL and at 2.53 that worked out at 37P!
There is a thread on hassle(sorry I cant do links!)but I never experienced any last year as if the shop,bar or Restaurants are caught doing this they are closed down for 3 days and if they do it again they get closed for longer.
I have been going to Turkey for 20years and my first visit was to Kusadasi.It was a nightmare and the hassle was OTT!We even got small children coming up and cleaning our shoes when we were walking!I have never experienced this since so dont worry.
Compared to those days its nothing.Its mainly the markets that have a banter now and the Wednesday market in Icmeler is a must even if you dont buy anything
The Turkish folk love children and are very accommodating to families.In a few place,small children eat free and if there is something you want changing on the menu they will be happy to do that or cook something for your children.
You are also not restricted to meal times if you go SC and I must admit Icmeler is probably the only resort I would go to SC or B&B because of the excellent quality of the food at reasonable prices.
Where else can you get a top class meal on the sea front in a lovely restaurant for 16TL for a 4 course meal? £5.80 at todays rate.

Doepsmc

You have made interesting comments.

When I read the figures that can't think of a username posted earlier I was amazed and thought this was a brilliant price for the size of the family. If Hels considers a DIY and has to pay for flights, then accomodation (tho this is cheap) and then transfers, plus the cost of all food and drinks whether it be eating out or eating in, this would be a sizeable sum.

Bearing in mind the ages of the kids I think AI would be a great break from the routine shopping/catering/cooking etc... and all the dreaded washing up! In my opinion its definately worth considering as I am sure at the end of the day financially it would work out far better for the family. I don't know the hotel mentioned but there is always great advice from posters on this forum.

Sure your comments will be most appreciated by Hels but what a decision!

Hi morh

I dont think I would be too great at looking after six kids on holiday, in terms of shopping, cooking and cleaning up. Can't even get mine to load the dishwasher.

As you say and joking aside the costs of 6 flights alone may take up a huge proportion of the budget hopefully the 2 and 1 year old could go as infants and pay a nominal charge if they sit on laps. Its very difficult really. DIY's work out cheap to places like Spain and the Algarve where if youg et lucky you can pcik up flights for 80 quid, but much harder with Turkey and Greece unfortunatley. I suppose it's the cost of the aircraft fuel, although someone told me most is used on take off and landing so I am not 100%. Sorry gone well

I just hope she manages to get something sorted.

Doe

I hope Hels isnt tempted to go AI to Icmeler in any of the 3 Litera hotels.

Are they rubbish Jay ?

I thought Cant's figures were impressive for the Atlantis also that coast would be hotter in March.

I think getting a holiday for 8 for £2,500 will be hard.

Thanks all, for the info it is very much appreciated, the price for the atlantis is a great price, I must admit, but...........
when my mum booked her hol, we priced it to go with them and got it for the 10th March 09 for one week family of 8 for £1700!, we had 2 under 2 plus put 2 of the kids as adults to get 2 free child prices. We were very tempted to book but I had already said our eldest could go away with school previous to me pricing up, and could not go back on my word......more fool me!

We have actually made a decision...not on where we are going but, and we are gonna end up skinning ourselves but what the heck, to try and get a SC deal for this october.
Have looked at both DIY and package, DIY I can get 2 2 bed apartments for £210 in october, upto now I have had flights out from manchester to dalaman (hope thats the right airport lol) for £75.99 totallying £547 or there abouts, but having difficulty finding flights home at a decent price, then theres the transfers...
Was quoted £1752 for all of us in october in an apartment, thing is can't remember who it was with or where.

We are also going to wait till May when the summer 2010 hols come out and try and get at the atlantis or similar AI for a week next October.

I could not decide what to do for the best so gonna try and hopefully do both, plus we will let our holiday home on the dates we usually have it and use that money as well.

Still not 100% sure where we are going to go though although I quite like the look of Icmeler and Side.

Helsxxx