GinoGinelli,

Welcome onboard
There has been some demolition taking place in Turkish resorts due to authorities clamping down on illegal building. You'll find lots of information on the following thread: Places demolished. I doubt if this will have any great bearing upon your holiday, as you've been advised.

Darren

Hi, well I can confirm that at the end of October, the Hotel Baba was well and truly closed and had been for the last 18 months. There was some family trouble with the owners and so it was closed down. Unless it has opened up again for this season - and if you want I can contact friends in Gumbet to find out for you - you will be arriving at a closed hotel!! Now I have checked the Thomas Cook website and they are showing the Baba - although with no availability showing. They also offer the Hotel Ali Baba which is completely different hotel - you may need to check if that is the one they have booked you in.

As for the demolitions in Gumbet, yes they have been doing a lot of work in Gumbet with roads dug up, and both buildings and extensions knocked down. The local council have said that the work will be ready for the start of the season on 1 May and the mayor is planning a grand opening ceremony - but the locals are less sure that all the work will be completed, although they reckon that the majority of the work will be done. The plans I have seen for the "new" Gumbet are really good.

Please don't think I'm trying to put you off - we love Gumbet and have a house over there. We're going out again on 26 April for 10 weeks and can't wait. I just wanted you to know the truth and to tell you what I know about the Hotel Baba. I would definitely check with whoever you booked your holiday from again - and tell them that you know that the Hotel Baba was definitely closed in 2009!

If you want to know anything more, just ask and I'll do my best to help.

Jak xx

We stayed a few hotels along from the Hotel Baba last May and it was definitely closed.
Someone posted a similar question last year and it turned out they were staying at another hotel with a similar name.

Hotel Baba has been closed for the last year or so and I don't know if they are planning to open this year. I phoned Thomas Cook and they said it is definitely open amd they are taking bookings so maybe they know something we don't Although saying that if they know nothing about the demolitions, I wouldn't guarantee they have got it right.

As you are going in July there will be plenty of time to find out whether it actually is open or not.

There is plenty to see and do around Gumbet; water sports, boat trips, jeep safari, Turkish night, vllage tour, trips to furterh afield places like Ephesus and Pamukkale. You can alos go into Bodrum and take a dolmus (mini bus) to various places around the Bodrum Peninsula, it is a very cheap and fun way to travel.

You will also find loads of lovely restaurants in Gumbet and plenty of bars, ranging from quiet, chill out places to lively music bars.

Wherever you stay I'm sure you will ahve a lovely time in Gumbet.

Kedi

Hi, me again. My friend went to have a look for me today - it looks as though the Baba is reopening as they're doing a lot of work on it so that's good news for you. The beach front will certainly look better with the Baba open again - it looked so sad when it was closed.

In the words of my friend, Gumbet is currently a "b****y mess" - but they're working hard on everywhere. You'd be surprised at how quickly they can get things up and running over there. We were there one April and a friend of ours had started work at a new bar (Leo's on the beach). The bar looked like nothing at all and when he said come tonight for a drink, we laughed - but sure enough, the bar was up and running and we had a great night.

I'm sure you'll have a great time in Gumbet, it's a fantastic place - and the Baba is in an ideal location, right on the beach.

Jak xx

Thank you all so much for the help and advice, it is very much appreciated. I am definitely scheduled to be staying at the Hotel Baba, I have received all of my confirmation through the post.

Jak, thank you so much for asking your friends to take a look. That's great news that it might possibly be reopening this year. I will definitely be keeping my fingers crossed. The location of the hotel is ideal (right on the beach) so I just hope we don't get moved to somewhere else.

I have had so many lovely recommendations for Gumbet and am very excited to be going. It sounds like there is so much to do and lots of fun to be had. Hopefully all of the demolitions and rebuilds will be complete come July.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Oh it will definitely be sorted by July!

hi jakki

hope you get your flight on the 26th to gumbet have agreat time and keep in touch
and try and send some news back to holiday truths love you all
tony blackburn,

Well I've got my fingers crossed that our flight is okay - there may be some delays but who cares as long as we manage to fly out. I will explore Gumbet thoroughly and send a report as soon as possible.

Jak xx

hi to person asking about hotel baba we are due to stay there next week 1st may... if flights are still going... l have posted about this on holiday truth... got similar replies to you... so will let you know when we get back on the 8th what the hotel is like and what gumbet is like... lots of people l know have stayed at the baba before said its really nice... but have been told by friends that stayed there last summer that it was owned by family brother and sister who decided to operate seperately.. with the brother doing up the baba, my friends where due to stay at the baba last summer but due to re-furb stayed at the sisters hotel next door.. but said they where doing up the hotel then... hope it will be ready... l booked this holiday as a late deal about 4 weeks ago.. flying with onur air,, again have read really bad reviews... but only paid 465 for a week for 2 of us... looking at it as an adventure.. and as long as its hot,, and l can lay on beach and relax not to worried about anything else...

They weren't doing up the hotel Baba last year, it was empty all summer but they have been working on it through the winter and it will be ready by 1st May. It is a very nice hotel in a very good location but it was in need of a bit of a facelift so this year it should be looking a lot better.

Let us know what it is like this year when yo get back as I am sure there are lots of people who are going this year who would like to know.

Have a great trip