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Holiday Reviews > Med Beach Resorts > Turkey > Sarigerme > Sarigerme Hotels > Holiday Village Turkey Hotel > Read Reviews
| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
numbnuts |
| Overall
Rating: |
3/10 |
| Comments: |
First and last choice holidays for us! this place seemed nice and clean at first, after a couple of days my partners son became ill with sickness and diarheae i then became ill and noticed myself and my partner had tiny bits on our neck and back, this could only be due to the fact we had to sleep on a pull out sofa bed with one sheet that wasn't even fitted, god knows how many people had been sleeping on that before us!
It was advertised that Sky Movies was availible in our room but we were having difficulty getting it to work so i asked First Choice if they could assist, in fact I asked First Choice 4 times if they could please get someone to our room to rectify this problem, we never heard a dicky bird off them again, they were hopeless and completely ignored us! the air conditioning was hopless and hardly worked, our fridge didn't work but we never complained because at least we could get water from the machines.
The canteen was like a cattle market with kids running around screaming and poking the food on the salad bar, drinks spilt all over the canteen floors and splattered food making it very unsafe and having to watch your step everywhere you went.
On the second night we were there, we were sitting having tea when all the lights went out in the canteen, we though they had a power cut and people were panicing and wondering what was going on. I than saw flames coming from the back of the room and some shouting and a kind of drum banging, to be honest i panicked and was concerned about the kids and took them out of the canteen as i could see flames at the back of the canteen. This turned out to be just somebodys birthday and the chefs had come out with big fire type torches. I thought this was pathetic and someone could have been carrying a plate of hot food and tripped.
The staff were ok, some were unfriendly and you could tell that they were probably counting down the days until they were going back home.
I spoke to one of the barmen who seemed quite friendly and he told me that the place was overcrowded and that the place was a danger and for a coment like that coming from one of their own staff it must have been pretty bad!
The pools had to be shut down on several occasions because of young boys cr*ping in the pools, i felt literally sick when i heard this so from then on we went to the beach which wasnt brilliant but it got us away from the complex.
I would not advise anyone to go near this place until it has been sorted and free from bugs and salmonela, the rooms need fumigating and proper beds need to be put in the place not scraggy old sofa beds with bugs, it makes my skin crawl when i think of it, never again will i book with First Choice holidays and never again will i be going to Turkey as this has put the whole family off.
I am not being unreasonable, I am simply being honest but if you are into sitting round a dirty pool all day and eating and drinking yourself silly and don't care what you sleep on or the overcrowding and risk of Salmonela, hurds of screaming kids and dodgy foof then its your perfect holiday!
People with a similar complaint should contact Panone Solicitors in Mancester who are currently dealing with all these complaints. 0161 909 6431 - good luck
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr WA Taylor |
| Overall
Rating: |
5/10 |
| Comments: |
Returned from holiday village on 31st August and would like to make the following comments.
Transfer
Transfer from Dalaman airport was 20-30 mins and on arrival at the hotel which was the orange side we were met with complimentary drinks and as the temp was 27 degrees and it was midnight it was most welcome. Very fast check in procedure so far so good.
Room
Room was adequate as my attitude is i do not want to live in it i just sleep there at night. The only problem with that is the sofa bed was appalling and the pillows were too small and this lead to some restless nights although the kids slept like logs on the two single beds. The rooms were clean and the maids did a fantastic job but the air conditioning was a bit low powered and it took a while for the room to cool.
Sickness
While i am writing this i have to say i have just been sent home from work as i am still suffering a stomach upset i picked up on the second week of the holiday and i am now in my 11th day. I am awaiting test results to see what is the problem but i found many people suffering at the hotel from the same complaints and a lot has been posted on the internet about it.
Food
Food was great but i cannot help feeling that some of the meat was the cause of the above as items were grilled BBQ`d and fried in front of you then left to cool in the open air and flies were a plenty in the dining area. The staff worked extremely hard and i have to say with a l.5 litre bottle of water waiting at the lunch and dinner times it was hard to get dehydrated even when ill.
Pools
The pools were excellent but the main pool closing caused all the others to become crowded and if you went under the water you could not see clearly so the water was dirty very quickly.
overall
I would have enjoyed it if i was not as ill as i was and still am and i am afraid it has put me off going again. The people of Turkey are a credit to themselves as from the man on the street to the border police they are friendly and courteous and should be sent over here to teach manners to some of our own.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Vole |
| Overall
Rating: |
3/10 |
| Comments: |
This place should be called Holiday Ghetto, Turkey or Butlins Sarigerme. With accommodation for up to 5500 people, mostly Brits in 1000 apartments formerly 2 hotels (Pegasos Tropical - orange side and Pegasos Palace - blue side) this place is vast. The grounds, hotel building & Spa are excellent (take extra Lira for Spa - very worthwhile and the only bit of peace you'll get). The main pools are huge with waterslides open 10 - 12 & 3 -5 each day. The beach is vast, hardly used and right on the doorstep. There is a new Hilton Golf being built next door, not too noisy now they are finishing it off but we were allocated a room facing it and got transfered to another room the day we arrived so that we would not experience any building noise.
We are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids, 7 & 11) and seasoned package holiday travellers. I can honestly say I have never had a holiday as bad as this. And so expensive considering what we got. The food was mostly stale, overcooked and the same day after day. We were told by someone in the nearby town that food is re-cycled many times, including the rice - very dangerous. Is that why we all had the runs? Most families we spoke to had either experienced the runs, vomitting or earache or all three. We skipped the vomitting but between us had the rest. I rang from Turkey to see my own GP the morning after we got back. If you have to see the Dr at the hotel about your ears, be prepared to pay £200+ (then claim it back).
We stayed in a "Kids Den" which seemed the same as other rooms with partitions except we had bright duvets, a rug, a beanbag, a TV and gamestation (not used as it would cost extra) and an Ikea toy stacker all costing more than if we'd just gone for a regular divided room. Woopee! The dividing doors have glass panels and louvre vents top and bottom so light and noise pass easily between rooms. We put towels over the glass to cut down the light and whispered quietly when the kids were asleep. Air con in room was good and in spite of the fact that the guide booklet you get says it's on 18hrs/day, it seemed to be available 24/7 - just as well as it was VERY hot and humid in August - but we knew that and cope quite well with heat. Temperatures often go into the mid 40's - well over 100F. If you want to hire a kettle for your room it's £2/day. I took our own and teabags (very English). You can get milk from the restaurants etc and store it in mini fridge in room. Room service is sooooo expensive. Bottle of champagne circa £300 - I kid you not!
We went on 2 day-trips. Dalyan included a visit to a rug factory (very expensive but lovely quality), a boat trip past the rock tombs, the mud baths - good fun and smelly from the sulphur, lunch and a visit to Dalyan town. The market is full of fake leather, t-shirts, shoes and cheap jewlery. If you get out of the market the town has some nice shops and bars. The other trip to Fethiye included their market (same stuff as Dalyan's and the same as the market at Sarigerme) then a trip to a lovely little beach called Sugar Beach - quiet and Bohemian followed by a visit to the Gold Centre - lots of lovely stuff but very expensive and the same company as the Gold Centre in the hotel. Apparently there is a Souk in Fethiye but we didn't know about this 'til after our visit. There are lots of chemists in both towns so you can stock up on painkillers, eardrops, Diacalm etc - not quite as interesting as rugs and jewels!
Kids clubs are frequent, basically every 2 hours for 1 1/2 hr/session. Although my kids did go a few times they said they were not as good as other years and other operators. Some activities are extra like rope climbing (£5 or £10), Soccer School from £33/2x2hr sessions, Swim kids from £30/5x30 minute sessins, Stagecoach £9/2hr session. The other entertainment was OK if that's your thing. But in the evenings try and find a quiet place for a drink and you'll have to go and sit on the beach. The theatres, pool bar and "Baywatch Tower/Bar" blast music/entertainment out 'til midnight. So if like us you want to relax then good luck. This went on throuout the day also. Live entertainment in the main pool very loud so we found sunbeds as far away as poss. Talking of sunbeds, the hotel says that towels placed before 9 will be removed. This did happen once but as with most other hotels, if you're down late you will struggle to get a bed. My husband took a book down around 8am and spent the best part of an hour peacefully reading. We know that some Brits were bagging 2 lots of sunbeds (1 lot in the shaded areas and the rest in the sun). Parasols are quite scarce and often broken.
We went into the little village of Sarigerme a few nights to escape the noise and awful food. A 5 minute taxi ride cost 10 Lira each way (approx £5). The dolmus bus (£1 each way) runs from the security gate but stops at 7.30pm. The village consists of 1 small street with a modest selection of shops, bars and restaurants on either side. Although it's small, it's enough if you want to relax and do a little shopping. It was peaceful and friendly and we ate at The Blue Dolphin a couple of times. Expect to pay circa £15/head for a meal and a couple of drinks. The food was very good. Yes, the shopkeepers and restaurants will pester you for your business but a frim "No thank you" with a smile is enough. Please don't be rude - so many Brits were. It's all part of their way of life. Of course, If they do get too pushy a very frim "No" will suffice.
The worst part of our entire experience at the Holiday Village Turkey was seeing how a large number of the Brits behaved. I was totally ashamed of them. Not only the parents but the children too. Kids were left to run riot around the hotel corridors well after the bars had shut at 12. We experienced a domestic violence case outside our room with the wife ending up with a broken arm. One of the managers told me this happens at least 10 times in peak season and that the Russians (mostly in the Tropical part) are also aggressiv. On a couple of occasions we had kids playing knock and run along the corridor. When the night flights arrive on Thursdays and Mondays, expect a great deal of activity along the corridors throughout the night with cases, trollies and tearfully tired toddlers being shown to their rooms. Take a set of ear plugs. The cleaners though were very good and would come back later if we weren't quite finished in the mornings. Please think about tipping them on departure, they work so hard and very long hours. Call me a snob, go on, feel free, but I did not expect to spend 2 weeks and £3500 next to such a rough bunch of greedy, booze-swilling, foul mouthed, loud and rowdy Brits and their equally badly behaved brats. You could have filmed the Benidorm series here. There were decent families and quite a few of them - not rich, not posh, just decent and those that we spoke to did say that they would not go back again. Please look after your own kids for the sake of other guests.
The Turkish staff were very friendly, especially at the Spa. We tried a few words of Turkish and they were pleased. The First Choice reps were largely useless. We asked a question about a possible baggage strike on our return flight and in spite of asking 3 times, we got no answer.
You can visit each of the 3 themed restaurants once (so 3 visits) per holiday. The Turkish 1 was average but better than the buffet, the Italian was very good and we didn't go to the Indian due to already dodgy tummies. You can book each restaurant from 8am on the morning you want to visit. There is also a Steak House but you have to pay for that and we decided to eat out rather than risk itl. Bars do serve from 10am 'til midnight the usual local beers, trashy wines, spirits and soft drinks, teas and coffee's with a water dispenser too. Ice is made from tap water so don't even go there. Salads and food are also prepared using tap water so watch out. Beachwear is not permitted in the buffet or restaurants and 3/4 length or full length trousers were acceptable for blokes in the evenings - no shorts then but OK at breakfast and lunch. free ice-cream is only served for 1hr/day in the afternoon by the creche facility and 3 times a week in the buffet. The rest you have to pay for.
I'm sorry if this frank review has put you off, but had I read my own review I would have tried to change my destination. Sarigerme is lovely, the Turks are great but the ghetto was not for us. I know some people have gone back to this place and I can only say that this hotel and its all inclusive was not for us. In spite of the rain and cold, it's good to be back home. Good luck if you are planning to go and I hope you have a good holiday. Maybe we were just unlucky this time, but according to one of the Turkish staff, the majority of Brits are badly behaved now. What a depressing thought. Our reputation now goes before us.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First ChoiceSTAY AWAY TILL BUG IS SORTED |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs B S Burgess |
| Overall
Rating: |
5/10 |
| Comments: |
Holiday started well, just a short transfer from airport to hotel. Welcome drinks on arrival which was good as we had a late flight. Staff are all extremly friendly and courteous.
Now the downside :-
SICKNESS
Very bad stomache cramps and diorhea my husband was ill on and off for 8 days out of 14. my daughter and i escaped with just the 2 days! NOTE TO MRS PICOT its extremly hard to "get over it" when your holiday has been ruined through illness. Out of our party of 4 only my son managed to stay healthy well apart from the ear infection that both children picked up. There is a doctor on site but be warned he is very expensive and will not give you any medicine unless you pay him £55 first (then perscription charge on top of that). The men in the room next to ours arrived on Thursday and the 1st went down ill on the Friday the other 2 days later. Wherever you went in the hotel on the Orange side there were people with the same problem. Hotel has been on "code Red" for a couple of weeks and the illness is not going away.
FOOD
Basic, but I suppose thats what you get at an A/I hotel that has 5000 people there. Quite a good variety my only complaint would be that the food was cold most of the time but they have a microwave for you to heat up with.
ROOMS
No complaints except mine should have had a DVD but didnt (would have been handy for hubbie given the amount of time he spent in it. Maid service was exceptional.
ENTERTAINMENT
Great on the blus side, bit poor on the Orange side.
KIDS CLUBS
Wonderfull activities for children run from 10 in the morning to about 10 at night.
Swimmimg, Archery, Football, Circus fun you name it they did it.
STAFF
No complaints whatsoever they were all brillinat from the cleanes to the bar staff to the reception workers.
TRIPS
Good value for money I stuck to first choice although people I met did use the bucket shops but I was a little wary for insurance reasons.
LOCATION
Very Very Rural. Small village with a couple of bars and shops. But reception will order you taxis to go to nearby villages.
So like a lady before me I only rate 5/10 for the reason of illness that no-one is doing anything about and the reps are trying to cver up with daft stories about "1 or 2" people being ill. Its very very rife so dont be told otherwise.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs M. Beck |
| Overall
Rating: |
8/10 |
| Comments: |
I normally moan when I go away but this place was very good. Kids loved it, especially the pools. The staff were very friendly and so were the reps.
The weather is really hot but bearable. Used loads of suntan cream. Buy it before you go shop there really expensive. Sunday market really cheap.
Food was delicious plenty of choice and freshly cooked. Snack bars do burgers, nuggets, toasties, salad etc.. And inside restaurant has full food selection day and night. Less queues in the terrace restaurant at night. Recommend booking a la carte in advance, as not all are open every night.
Mozzies can be a problem but we used SIN KOV and only got one bite, there were three of us. SIN KOV costs about £2.00 in the hotel shop and is well worth it.
Trips – go on the 5 stop boat trip. Go into town and go to Basket Travel, we got this trip for £14.00 pp, and it was great (includes food). Great for tanning. If you do go on this trip, when you get to the boat, head straight for the back to the left and go up the stairs, as this will take you to upper deck and sun loungers, get best seats at the front!!! Fab!
To sum up, this resort is really good. I would have no hesitation to go back next year…
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs D Kroll |
| Overall
Rating: |
8/10 |
| Comments: |
Just got back from our holiday this morning and we had a lovely time. Fourteen of us went and we all enjoyed ourselves even though a couple of the party had a stomache upset. The whole place was very clean and we all enjoyed the food. The entertainment staff were brilliant, especially Adam Moss who had us laughing the whole two weeks of our holiday! One of our children slipped in the pool and cut himself quite badly but the efficiency and friendliness of the onsite doctor was fantastic, he was cleaned and stitched within half an hour!!! We all had a lovely time and would recomend it to anyone, Thankyou First Choice!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs M Downham |
| Overall
Rating: |
6/10 |
| Comments: |
I guess my comments may reflect some others but thought you might want to hear another guest comment.
The resort was absoultely loverly, very picturesque and constantly maintained by litter pickers (not that you would see much litter), people hosing the grass, cleaning the pathways etc. Very idyllic and pretty. The beach is right on the resort and is very clean (we always dread the 'fag butt sand' but none here!). About 30 sunbeds which meant it was not over crowded and the sea was clear and clean.
The hotel and apartments were very clean. We did not feel the need to have maid service everyday, but when we did they did a lovely job and the clean towels smelt lovely.
The pools were kept clean although did not smell particularly of chlorine. The main pool was evacuated once due to a 'number two' incident from a small child but I guess this can only be expected on occasion. The sunbed situation is bad, but we got our towels down at the latest 8am and managed to get some, if not, lay on the grass!
The entertainment was great! We are not usually ones to watch the kids shows at night finding them in the past to be extremely cheesy and dull but the entertainments team here really worked their socks off and made eveyone laugh, especially the evening shows.
The spa was great - I had a turkish bath and massage - they do a wonderful but weird thing involving a pillowcase, some soap and lots of lovely smelling bubbles!
The weather was extremely hot and we found ourselves burning with factor 50 but the rooms were airconditioned whenever you occupied them and did not go off at night unless you turned it off (cos it could get like a fridge!).
Now for the bad points.
A huge 'epidemic' of a stomach bug effected almost everyone we talked to. Severe stomach cramps and diahorrea which three out of four of us got. We weren't sure if it was the food (specifically the BBQ grill in the orange restaurant - we had the BBQ meatballs the day before coming down with the bug) but the rep told us when we eventually grabbed her to complain (there only seemed to be one rep getting through the many guests despite two reps sitting in the lobby!) that the hotel had eventually been put on red alert due to an 'airborne virus' - something i'm still not convinced about.
We had to see the doctor to get a doctors note so that we could get a refund on the Eco Adventure trip (which incidentally you have to cancel 24 hours prior - something we were not informed about) and he charged us £40 for a consultation, only to be told what we already knew, and then he tried to give us at least 4 different medicines (antibiotics, painkillers etc) which we felt were totally unnecessary (I should know, i'm a nurse) and at £8.00 a packet (despite only being priced at 6 liri under the price tag = approx £2.70!) we only took one.
The Mud baths excursion was rubbish. Yes, despite the previous reviews, we did book it through first choice as we didn't want to take a risk but unless you actually want to go to a carpet factory (!??), be squeezed into a bath full of mountain silt/sludge with around 5 other tourist groups, given a really dire lunch of about 10 chips and tiny omelette and then get heat stroke on the boat past the tombs which you weren't allowed to stop at, and onto a dull beach and all the while being constantly told by the rep to tip the captain/driver and only buy their refreshments, don't bother booking this waste of time!
The mozzys were in full force. I'm allergic to them anyway and came out in HUGE lumps on my first night because unlike english mosquitos, you cannot hear them and they are tiny, but give a big bite! I spent the rest of the evenings coated in repellent. My husband got so many bites on his legs one night he looked like he had small pox!
The Itallian a la carte restaurant - don't get an outside table (see above). I wouldn't really bother with this one. The pizza was bland, my tagliatelle was so heavily seasoned with salt and pepper I could not taste any thing else, and my husband's veal tastes like, and had the texture of, a dishcloth - very disappointing!
Do not buy anything from the shops on the resort! Try and take your own lilo/goggles or acquire some from a kindly departing guest as I was charged £30 for them. I also picked up a magazine, usually about £2 in the shops - £7.50 he wanted to charge me! Oh, and you needn't bother changing your money to lira - they accept sterling over their own money (probably get a better exchange rate!).
Probably not worth the couple of thou we spent for all inclusive but it was a very attractive and clean resort overall, we had a nice time but wouldn't go back again.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Miss K Tomlinson |
| Overall
Rating: |
5/10 |
| Comments: |
airport transfer very quick indeed 20mins, arrived at the tropical side first impressions are really good, bellboy takes ur luggage to your room they do expect a tip tho. we had a family room with a queen size bed and a sofa bed, the resort is massive 17 pools in total and 14 slides, food nicely presented but a bit repetitive eg nuggets chips pizza burgers etc. my daughter went to swims kids £30 for 5 lessons she can now swim and has a certificate holly and sam the swim kids instructers work really hard and make the lessons realy fun, e3 entertainment team work there socks off 24.7 providing entertainment every day and night, beach is not very safe 4 kids drops realy quickly and is quite barron not my idea of a beach but if u catch the dolmus bus outside hol vill to sarigerme town then u can get a ride on the tracter which takes you to sarigerme beach its only 5 mins away and is amazing shallow waters very clean it also has an animalpark there and kids playgrounds lovely day out. now 4 the bad points me and my family after the 1st day came down with the dreadful sickness n diarhea bug so we lived off water we had major stomache cramps and we were very ill, alot of familys were put on drips or taken to hospital because of this also big case of ear infections again lots of kids with cotten wool in there ear, pools were avacuated for 3 days while we were on our hols because the kids kept pooing in the pools which wasnt nice so u couldnt cool off wen it was in its 50,s other than that the hole comlpex was clean they cleaned day n night i have given this holiday 5 out of ten because of how ill we got nd it ruined our holiday completly the hotel now has a red alert on it i would not go bk to this resort and wouldnt recommend it untill they sort these illness problems
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs L Randles |
| Overall
Rating: |
3/10 |
| Comments: |
just got back this morning from holiday village in turkey. On my way to doctors. Think i either have food posioning or some strong stomach bug. I havent spoken to one person who hasnt suffered with same symptoms. I stayed on the orange side.Spoken to people in blue side and they suffered also. I suggest if you have booked this holiday to take lots of immodium with you, and we are a family of 4 and went through 3 packets. 40 english pounds see doctor plus moneey for medication and taxi fare there and back from resort to collect it.There is one thing going to turkey expecting a bit of turkish tummy, but this was ridiculous. Stomach cramps and runs were so severe it completely spoiled our holiday. We were there for 7 days and spent 3 in the room. I took names and addresses of 30 families who were sitting around main pool suffering the same as me, and the list would have gone on and on. The only people ok where new arrivals. God help them when they get a couple of days into there holiday.
Couldnt go for a walk outside complex as there was nowhere to go. Nearest town of sarigerme was like a dirt track with a couple of shops either side. Bit like an old western film set. nothing else around at all.
Main pool were we were on orange side was closed most of yesterday and day before. Dont know what that was about.
I would never go back there again, and glad to get home,.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs C Picot |
| Overall
Rating: |
8/10 |
| Comments: |
Before you read this review you should know I am a total holiday snob!!! Having read the reviews about the holiday village I was incredibly worried about what we were going to find at the Holiday Village but I needn't have worried. I went with my husband and 2 daughters aged 3 and 6.
We stayed at the 'Blue' side (Pegasos) which I had requested (a tip from one review) because the rooms are meant to be slightly better here. Having not been to the Orange side I can't say if this is true or not. So to break down the holiday as easily as possible I have split my views:
Arrival - although the flights aren't the best times the 20 minute transfer is excellent and there were drinks on arrival and check in was very quick although we were given no indication on how to get to our room and had to find a rep to direct us.
Room - we had booked a junior suite. It was excellent. It was clean, modern, plenty big enough for our needs. It had a separate big double bedroom with huge double bed and sliding doors. A lounge area with sofabed which was more than adequate for my 2 children although older children may feel a little cramped. There was a bathroom with shower and we had a jacuzzi in the bath which my children loved!! There was a TV in the lounge area with many Sky Channels - Tiny Pop was watched every day when we got back from the pool!!. We also had a terrace which overlooked one of the smaller pools. the hairdryer in the room had very little power so I would suggest taking your own.
Pools - The pools were brilliant. We never ventured to the orange side so can't comment on them but I'm pretty sure they would be pretty similar. We stayed by the main pool where we had easy access to the waterfall shoots, the slides, the snack bar and drinks and where we could watch the swimming lessons. The slides were excellent although on the first day we did think our children were too small to go on them because the sign said nobody under 1.2m was allowed. However this sign was totally ignored by everyone so the slides were a big hit - open 10.00 - 12 and 3 - 5pm. Unfortunately as some of the other reviews have stated there was a 'toilet' accident on one day but the staff were very quick to clear the pool of people, call maintenance and the pool reopened about an hour and half later. This sort of accident cannot be prevented by the resort - surely parents can prevent such accidents happening!!
Food - the food was OK. There was an excellent selection and it all depends on how fussy you are as to whether you find it repetitive. Examples of the meals are:
Breakfast - cereal, croissants, omlettes, fried eggs, toast, mushrooms, a type of sausage, salad stuff if you wanted it and the list goes on.
Lunch - the snack bar provided chips, nuggets, pasta, freshly made pizza. We decided not to eat at the snack bar at lunch time to avoid the children eating chips with every meal so we ate in the main restaraunt where there were sandwiches, salads, fresh bread, pasta, rice, griddled meat such as steak, chicken kebabs, meatballs etc.
Dinner - in the main restaurant - as above with the choice of about 5 different meats, 3 pasta sauces, vegetables, rice, bread and cakes.
So if you class the above as restrictive or repetitive you are going to the wrong place. We had to queue a couple of times but only for a matter of minutes for food being freshly cooked in front of you. We ate outside every evening - and got a table at whatever time we got there. It wasn't until the second to last day that we realised that so many people chose to eat in the air-conditioned indoor restaraunt which did look like a school canteen with its fluorescent lighting and rows of tables and it was very busy so queueing in there would have been inevitable - but I don't go on holiday to eat inside!
The staff were incredibly aware and cleared empty plates as soon as they appeared. Drinks were available everywhere. Water, apple, orange, cherry and peach juices were availble from self serve machines as were tea and coffee. Other drinks including any alcohol, fizzy drinks were available from the bars but we found very little queueing.
Kids club - fantastic. Once you've registered your child you can go to whichever sessions you want to - no prebooking required. There are 4 hour and a half sessions a day starting at 10.00am. The staff were great and my kids loved it. Ice cream sold for and hour and a half every day - a bit of queueing but nothing too bad.
Problems:
Yes you do have to get up early for sunbeds and yes people do reserve beds in the sun and shade - what can I say - if you can't beat them join them - luckily my husband took on this role for the duration of the holiday.
Some british people are incredibly greedy and pile their plates so high with food and leave half of it - what's wrong with starting with a little and going back for more if needed?
I heard of one person complaining about a bug that was going round and how disgraceful it was........ All I can say is there are 4000 or so people on site so there's bound to be a few people who get ill - it's the nature of going abroad - so stop moaning and get over it you've just been a bit unlucky!!
Mosquitoes - we got a couple of bites and that was it although we did see a lot of people covered in bites. We never ventured over to the orange side in the evening and I think anyone who did got bitten en route. We ate outside and watched entertainment outside but only on the blue side so this may be why we didn't get overly bitten. We did cover ourselves in Autan, use plug in mosie repellent in the room etc so we did all we could to avoid them!!
So overall we had a great time - we did go last week in Aug so probably a little quieter than previous weeks but according to the hotel they were still about 90% full. The weather was fantastic, the food was fine. Would I go back - yes, would I recommend it - yes but only for families with children up to about 14. Enjoy yourselves and don't worry about the bad reviews.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs C Chambers |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
Hi got back from the holiday village about two weeks ago and what an amazing place we were a family of seven 4 adults and 3 children 11,9,6 and everyone enjoyed it no complaints no sickness or ear infecions as other people have said in there reviews.The hotel was very clean staff very friendly the maid worked extremly hard she also made a swan on the bed useing a towel and fresh flowers from the gardens which was really nice.The food was lovely the entertainment was good the kids had a fab time. Went on the jeep safari With sarigerme tours and what a excellent day just one big water fight all day.Overall the holiday was excellent and anyone going soon you will have a fab time.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr W. Hunter |
| Overall
Rating: |
7/10 |
| Comments: |
Transfer time to airport was about 20 minutes .We stayed in the Tropical (orange) side of the resort and found it a little more cultured and ‘classier’ than the ‘blue’ side. We had a Jacuzzi suite which was ample for two adults and two teenagers. The whole place was spotless and the staff worked their socks off to keep it that way.
Considering the number of people being catered for the food was good, fresh and tasty. Plenty of variety. Every evening there was always something on the bar-b-q as well. The stuffed Turkish pitta straight from the oven was excellent. Sometimes queues did build up for some of the specialities being cooked in front of you, including the omelettes at breakfast. But worth waiting for. Ok, you get the occasional queue jumper but you’re on holiday – just chill and remark how ignorant they are to everyone else.
Alacarte restaurants….bizzaar! We had ‘Italian’ which must mean something different in Turkish – chicken curry pie! Weird.
The local drinks are fine and if they don’t fill it to the top just get another. Simple!
I’ve noticed a few comments about ‘rude’ staff – I think that is unjustified and once you get into the culture and speak to them you will see that they are in fact being very humorous and enjoy winding a few people up (in the nicest possible way) and having a laugh with them. The bar staff work their socks off too so show a little appreciation, don’t be rude and you’ll see what a nice bunch they all are.
Getting a table at the pool bar after 8pm needs a tactical awareness! If you can’t find one spread out and watch for who’s finishing their drinks. Then pounce as they leave or you’ll be standing all night.
Sunbeds – ok, get there early to get a good one (7.30), but I recommend staying with it and enjoy the peace and warmth of the early morning before the rush stats! A nice cup of coffee by the pool – what more could you want?
Contrary to what the First Choice literature says there is FREE wi-fi access in reception – just ask reception for the code. So if you’ve got a laptop, palmtop or mobile with wi-fi then you’re never far from your email (I think MSN may be blocked but bebo was ok).
The beach may not be to everyone’s taste but that kind of makes it better. Miles of open sand (no beds or umbrellas as it’s a turtle sanctuary) so only the brave sun worshippers can spend more than a few minutes in the direct sun. But the sea is clear, warm and quiet.
First Choice try to steer you away from the local ‘bucket’ tourist agencies by trying to give you horror stories. Don’t listen – Basket Tours is a top notch operator with insurance. Prices for trips nearly half First Choice and if you really press Aly and Ken on the desk you may just squeeze a little bit of a discount out of him if you book a few!
The village of Sarigerme is 20 minutes walk and no effort. But it is literally only one street with a few bars, and normal tourist type shops. Its worth getting away from the hotel a few nights just for a change of scenery and enjoy a few drinks in a bar (Sarigerme Restaurant near the start of the street on the left is a good one).
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Other The Leigh''s |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
We returned from The Holiday Village 3 days ago. Was a bit wary after reading reviews but we had a fantastic holiday. We arrived at 5am and the check in was super quick and smooth.
Our only bad points were with First Choice rather than the hotel.
After booking the holiday we were called by First Choice and asked if we wanted to book a late check out as we were not leaving the hotel until 1.30am and the man said if we did it meant we could get some sleep before leaving which we thought sounded great. However at the welcome meeting we were informed that the late checkout only meant we could keep our rooms on until 6pm (checkout is 12pm) After querying this the rep just suggested we take it up on our return. We spoke with reception who said we could pay a further £20 and keep it until midnight. This is when we discovered that it is cheaper to book the room through the hotel when you are there (£66) rather than through first choice (£80)
Also we went on a day trip to Dalyan to the mud baths etc. We too were told it was a short boat trip by the rep but we were on there for at least 2 hours and again were not told we would need to pay for drinks at the lunch stop off. Luckily I had my credit card on me or we would have been stuffed!! We also needed money for drinks and snacks on the boat and photos but the rep told us we wouldn't need much money! Mud baths were great fun!!
ROOMS - We had a family room for 5 which consisted of one queen size bed and a double with a camp bed alongside which our 111, 8 and 3 year old boys slept in which was partitioned off from our room. The bathroom was very modern and the shower was powerful. The maids kept the rooms very clean and left fresh flowers on the bed most days.
SUNBEDS - to get a bed round the edge of the main pool you seriously had to be there by 6.30am! Oh my god that is not a holiday! We sat by the kids pool where you could get a bed still at 8.15. I refused to get up any earlier. We did see them throw towels off beds that weren't occupied before 9am but not often enough to put people off doing it. I can't see a way out of this problem as we are the ones who create it!!
POOLS - There are meant to be 19 pools but we only found 14! The deepest pool is 1.4m which gave me peace of mind for my 8 year old who can swim but at least I knew he could touch the bottom! Pools were very clean apart from when somone pooed in them which meant they were out of use for a couple of hours but hey there were plenty of others around. Slides were great fun and yes they were only open between 10-12 and 3-5 but that was fine as there were so many around.
KIDS CLUB - my youngest two loved kids club which ran sessions from 10-11.30, 12-1.30, 2.30-4 , 4.30-6 and 9-11. They had great fun and it kept them out of the sun for a bit. In the evening sessions they watched movies, played sweetie bingo and had chocolate parties! Reps were great. My eldest went to the older club, Wavelength a few times and did archery, had waterfights, watched movies, played basketball etc.
My 8 year old joined Swim Kids for 5 lessons and the improvement was fantastic.
The 2 eldest also paid to use the In 2 Actions High Ropes which they loved. The staff there were great and I felt my kids were in very safe hands jumping off a 56ft pole!!
FOOD - I'm sure some people expect Gordon Ramsay standard meals but hey when you are catering for soooo many people that is not possible. Breakfast was fab, cooked breakfast (except bacon), cereal, fresh bread and jams, toast, porridge, yoghurt, meat and cheeses, pancakes, pastries, boiled eggs, fried eggs and omelettes cooked to order. We ate lunch at the snack bar everyday where you could choose from freshly cooked pizza, jacket pots, kebabs, toasties, burger, nuggets, chips, pasta salad and fruit. Behind the snack bar under a canopy Ersla cooks fresh pancakes ALL day. My son must have had 20 while we were there and she got our biggest tip by far - they were yummy! At 4pm there were cakes and freshly made doughnuts. At dinner there was always some form of fish and meat cooked in front of you and also a buffet of usually a casserole/curry/goulash with a selection for veg and potatoes and rice. There was also pasta each day with a variety of sauces and of course chips. Loads of puds and fresh fruit and ice cream 3 times a week. Some of the food was a bit tasteless but if you couldn't find something you like you must be very fussy and should perhaps stay in rainy UK! People were moaning about the ice cream only being free between 1.30 - 3 and saying there were massive queues. The queue was huge at 1.30 but if you waited until say 2.30 there would be no one there and my boys always managed to get 2 in before the cut off time!
ENTERTAINMENT - We thought the entertainment was good. On the orange side were their version of the west end shows and on the blue side were the more interactive shows which were good fun. There was bingo every night along with a singer/comedian on each side and karaoke. Andy and Adam were hilarious.
STAFF - they were all very polite and love children which is a welcome sight coming from child unfriendly UK. The bar staff served you with a smile most of the time and usually when they didn't it would be because some rude Brit did not say please or thankyou which unfortunately was a lot of the time.
GROUNDS - were immaculate. The grass was mowed every day and the flowers were amazing. The whole place was spotlessly clean.
We will definatley be going back. A great place. Had a fab time. Weather great too.
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Curtis_x |
| Overall
Rating: |
8/10 |
| Comments: |
It was a brilliant holiday and I wish I could go back tomorrow! The only downside was having to pay for a few 'extras'.
We made some good new friends there- most of the Brits were absolutely lovely. Yes, there were a few nasty, rude people. As other people have said, that kind of behaviour makes you ashamed to be British. Honestly, the queue for chips at the burger bar could be disgraceful! Later, I saw one man of about 50 shouting at a sweet First Choice rep of about 19y old. He was complaining that his clothes laundry hadn't been done, yet he apparently hadn't signed the form. Muppet!
It's incredibly clean, the food is nice, the staff are really helpful and the spa is lovely. Our 4y old son adored it all. I thought the entertainment was just fine- and we even won £150TL on the 'bingo' one night. All that and we're not even gamblers normally!
To be honest, on the blue side, we preferred the pool bar entertainment to the main auditoreum.
No tummy upsets, no ear infections- and our son adored the kids' club too. Just do take along lots of mozzie repellant. We weren't bitten at all, but I did see a few people looking sore.
Sarigerme market on a Sunday morning is great fun. One lady ran into a restaurant after me with change after I'd given her too much money! Unheard of in the UK. Then gave our son a free lucky charm as he's a blue-eyed blonde and they're superstitious about that. Absolutely no unwanted attention though. I think a lot of Turks could teach some Brits a thing or two.
Kenan from the Basket tour company is brilliant. A great host, fully insured, qualifed with a degree in tourism and fully fluent in English. He is literally the first office on the left as you enter the main street.
To anyone about to go- Enjoy! I'm jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Board Basis: |
All Inclusive |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
First Choice |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs N Maycock |
| Overall
Rating: |
8/10 |
| Comments: |
Ariived in the early hours of Friday morning and had suitcases delivered to the room and you do not have to give the bell boy a tip. Shops in the coomplex very expensive but they have a captive market and even charged us £2.00 to inflate the inflatables we had brought with us. The complex is spotless and you are always seeing cleaners. Room was fine as we are a family of 5 ( 2 ADULTS AND KIDS AGED 11, 8 AND 6) and all air con. Food too was good and we do have a fussy eater on our hands but always found something for him to eat. the mosquitos were not a problem as we did not seem to be attacked but it is nature and the reps cant do much about them, just take precautions. Kids loved all the slides and the pools were great inside and out. Did suffer with a jelly belly but that is all the food and constant eating i think. Drinks were limited but everything soft was available for the kids and beer and wine for the adults but certainly nothing to get drunk on.
Really enjoyed the holiday and would return again again even though it eas very expensive.
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