Irem Apartments

The previous poster seems to have suffered from some misapprehension
The Aircon is not so expensive. Electricty is expensive in turkey. people, I am told, tend to leave the aircon on when they leave some apartments and leave it on all night which is quite unnecessary.
The food is great. Why not eat there and stroll off to one of many bars. They offer gusts the opportunity to eat. the food is all organic and fish is fresh from the quayside. I know becuase they took me along one day when they were buying stuff.
They care about quality and about the guests but do it in an understated way.
There is 24hr security in the hotel. Buying a drink or two helsp pay for it. Bars and restaurants outside do not need security.
I had a great time. If you are nice to the staff they are nice back double. The average Turk is a very friendly person but the average tourist is suspicious. be nice and polite and you'll see a transformation in the attitude.
I wouldn't stay anywhere else. The owners are top people who listen to your problems.
Perfect place for the beach and old town and tranquil quiet surrounding. There are fields behind with a view to the forest. Chickens? Sometimes chickens may be seen among the corn or whatever grows out there. There were sheep grazing there the time I stayed with a shepherd sitting off under the trees in the distance for shade. Pure idyllic heacen really.
It is the way you take it.
I am easy going and have not found a more tolerant nicer place to stay.
Good apartments. they must have had teething troubles as they had only just opened some of it. 100% OK now as far as I know. Bar and restaurant extended.
Can't wait to go back.

Myself , my wife , son and his girlfriend ( both 15 ) arrived at the hotel last thursday . When we arrived we were told that we would be in a different apartment to the one we expected . We did not mind so agreed. We were told that air conditioning would be 300 lira for the week - £120 ! I declined as this was only going to be our base anyway and i thought that they were taking me for a mug at this price. Later i found out that some were only charged £30 for the week.
When we went to our room my wife drew back the curtains and the rail fell off! I used the toilet and it wouldnt flush , the shower wouldnt work and when i opened the window in the bedroom - the window , with the frame fell out!!! This was our air conditioning for the week.
Credit where it is due - the toilet and shower were fixed the following day. The window remained out all week along with the curtain rail down.
The room itself was ok , the edding was changed daily , and it was clean yet basic. We were only given 2 cups for 4 of us with a couple of knifes and forks.
We ate out most of the time and everytime you leave the apartment , they ask you " Where are you going 2nite , why , eat here , its great food ".
We told them we wanted to venture out , but after so much badgering we decided to eat there the last night. It was expensive to elsewhere ( we had steak and chips with rice ) and it was small and tasteless ( the portions were very small too ) - dont eat there.
Also when we arrived back to the apartments each night we had a drink each before we went to bed. I wanted to pay cash but the waiter basicall insisted he would put this on my bill.
Each night me and my wife had a beer and the kids a coke each - we done this 6 times - so it was easy to remember.
When we got our bill at the end of the week we were charged for 17 beers and 15 cokes . Instead of 12 of each .
They said it was right , so instead of making the situation escalate in to an argument i decided reluctantly to pay it.
DO NOT HAVE A TAB ! others at the hotel had the same. Pay when you get your drinks at the time.
Before we left the apartments i asked why i was being asked 300 lira for the air conditioning when i arrived. I was told that they thought i was from holland !! and not england , which made me chuckle really .
I would not recommend these apartments to anyone unless you like chickens - theres a field full of them outside the hotel on one side. We opened up the doors every morning to the smelly things!

1 reader found this review helpful

What i great holiday and even better fantastic value for money, we rented a 2 bedroom apartment in side turkey and what a plesent surprise. The apartment was really well maintained and the complex was quiet enough to relax around the pool yet close enough to the local bars and resturants for a more up beat feel. we really will miss this holiday and would love to come back. book now as the rooms go fast.

Irem Apartments:
Clean, tidy and secure. The complex is gated and staff keep an eye on children. The apartments are cleaned daily and the linen seemed to be replaced often too.
Aircon in the bedrooms was a blessing as it was very hot. The rooms also had shutters with vents that would keep the sun and mozzies out.
Pools were clean with no insects and nobody put towels on the sunbeds!
Food was good and cheaper than Side old town which is where the bright lights are.
Beer and drinks nice and cold and no pressure or hassle from staff.
Good internet connection at the office and good english spoken.
The belly dancing evening was good fun and attracted quite a crowd.
Area:
On the edge of town with fields and then a forest down towards the river mouth.
There's a five minute walk or free bus to the beach which is sandy and runs for about four miles to the rivermouth in one direction and about 3/4 mile to the old town in the other.
There's two supermarkets just up the road near a bar resteraunt. The one on the right is a bit dodgy with his addition but the other one is fine for bread and staples. The bar/resteraunt is good and we ate there twice.
A short walk along the beach road gets you to the bus station and we took a dolmus from there to Manavgat on the thursday to go to the market. There are streets and streets of covered stalls selling loads of clothes and other souvenirs. Fruit and veg and fresh fish in the middle if you are self catering.
We too a trip up to the waterfalls on a dolmus which was nice in the heat. There's a restaraunt there where the icy water flows over the terrace about ankle deep and you can sit and eat flatbreads with your feet in the water and sip a salty yoghurt drink, very refreshing.
We also took a Gulet from Side down to the rivermouth and back which was a lovely day trip. Didn't see any dolphins or turtles but had pleasant swims and a nice grilled trout lunch thrown in.
Favourite memory:
We walked into Side about 4 when the heat was dying off. Sat on the terrace of Mehmets bar overlooking the sea and drank cool beers, listened to the music and watched the sun drop over the horizon. Went up the hill just behind and sat out on the terrace of a restaurant and ate a fabulous casserole and drank slightly too much wine. Played fetch with their dog. Then we walked back through the streets, down through the ruins and along the waterline of the beach in the moonlight back to Irem, carrying our shoes and splashing in the warm surf.
Magic
Going back this summer of course!

1 reader found this review helpful

Absolutely fantastic holiday!
The hotel overall was really nice. It is not in the centre of side, but in the residential part. When I first arrived I thought, great, I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere....but around a 15/20 minute walk and you’re in the town centre.
It is 10 lira for a taxi from irem to town. Or you can catch the local buses - called dolmush (not sure how to spell it) and they are around 1-2 lera each. A short walk to the beach as well.
If you go to the end of the road, turn left and then head down the dirt track on the right hand side it will take you straight to the beach....but, there is a free bus service to the beach from the hotel at 10 and 11, also brings you back at 4,5 and 6.
All the staff are excellent. Very friendly and happy to help. .....rooms are cleaned daily as well. Rooms are very nice; I think they must be new.
The food (I was half board) is nice as well. It is not an English breakfast, but a Turkish one instead. Night time meals are usually chicken or lamb (occasionally fish), chips and rice, always salads that are very nice as well. On the menu there is children’s meals, pizzas, burgers and steaks, your usual menu basically.
There is not entertainment every night, but on one Friday there was a Turkish night with a belly dancer and music - that was good. Music is on at the bar every night though.
The 'imparator' beach bar on the beach is great! All the staff are very friendly and will keep you entertained all day...also if you use the bar for anything you get the sun beds free so go there its good :) 'stones' bar in town on the sea front by the harbour is great also. Especially for younger people like me.
There is a foam party on, on a Friday and Saturday night, and it plays great music...it’s basically a night club. If you’re looking for somewhere nice to eat, the 'temple' bar by stones club is really nice food. The steaks are lovely, and again the waiters are really friendly.
I had a fantastic holiday there and am going back to irem in October and next summer.

Well what can I say... we got to the Irem late at night and could not believe our eye's, the Irem apartments have been rebuilt and the accommodation blew me away, this is the best resort we have stayed at.
The rooms are spacious with lovely furniture, the sheets, towels where very clean and the travel cot provide was in excellent condition, the kitchen was well equipped with everything we could need, the whole apartment was very modern.
There are choices of 2 swimming pools, which are divided in the middle by the restaurant bar. The food in the bar is nice but very pricey, also make sure you settle your bill straight away, as they tried to charge us for things we had not had.
The Cleaning staffs at the apartment are great the cleaned are room to a high standard every day.
The beach is about 10 minutes walk away and is nice, though we did not find it great for young children as the waves are quite big, the beach bars down there are great and if you have a drink there they drive you back to your hotel. If you go out of the hotel turn left, cross the road and take the first turning on your right then the second turning on right again you will come to a restaurant called Address, Wow what can I say this restaurant should be in the centre of London it is very modern and the furnishings are brill, there is an inside area which is air conditioned and an outside area with children’s area.
The food at this restaurant is out of this world, and you will be shocked at the price as this turned out to be the cheapest place to eat, the staff go out of their way to help even watching the children while you eat dinner, the drinks are the same price everywhere and after you meal they bring a free fruit tray, I could not recommend this place enough, we ate here most nights, we also enjoyed the Hawaii Bar and the corner bar which you will find if you come out of the apartments and turn right.
We only went in to Side central once as it was very hot, we got a taxi in but walked back it is about a 20-minute walk. Also ask at the bar about the market by the Mosque as it is an experience not to be missed and you will get some great bargains. But give the Aqua Park's a miss as they are like meat market and a complete waste of money.
We had a great holiday and we are going to go back to these apartments again, the people of turkey are warm, friendly and adore children, both of my girls where worshiped daily (apparently because they are fair), give the Irem a try you will love it.

Thomson reps were very unhelpful as were the staff at the Irem. Entertainment was poor. If you do want information on traveling I would suggest you walk up to the Ali Baba supermarket before the roundabout.
They were very helpful with regards to buses etc. Also goods are priced. The Apollo Beach is about 10-15 minute walk not 2 mins as suggested on another review. There is a free bus service to the beach and the main resort is a 20 -30 minute walk and we are all fast walkers! A taxi is 10 TYL one way.
It rained the whole time we were there which proved a problem as facilities in the area are very limited.

We traveled with two teenagers my husband and myself (worst nightmare) after arriving in the early hours of the morning 'Rambo' our porter took our bags to the room (never did tip him).
We have been to turkey 5 times but this was the best holiday we have had with the kids the staff were brill, the apartment was brill, everything was brill, property is for sale and anyone who visits these apartments buy, buy, buy, we love the place and will definitely be back next year with all the brill people we met.
The apartments are cleaned every day (even if you are in bed ha ha) go to Irem trust me you will be welcomed and treat like kings and queens. Thank you to all at the Irem apartments see you soon
Gina and Gary x

I stayed at the Irem with my family earlier this month. It is well named as Family Club. It is really good for the Family and it feels like a little club. The workers there are always happy to see the children and try to entertain them in small ways.
They seems to genuinely like children in Turkey. Someone said Turkish people are nice because they get lots of love and attention as children. It seems to be the case.
We never had a concern if the kids ran around the complex. There was always someone on the gate and in reception looking out for us. It is a long way from the main road anyway.
The Children had lots of diversions anyway with the on-site 'Animation Group' Two or three people, two lads and a girl, whose job it is to play games and have discos. The bigger lads won the darts and basketball. I think they need to help the little 'uns more. Anyway all had a very good time. They have a great green area there' which would be perfect for a game of cricket in the evening. I must bring a cricket bat and ball next time I go.
Oh and the food is great! The kids only want burgers, of course, but we got them to eat Kofte which are very nice and look like little burgers. Certainly better then the normal stuff. The bar is excellent and you can see most rooms from the tables in the bar/restaurant.
No complaints whatsoever, the accommodation is fantastic and the staff are so helpful. A great restful break and all thanks to The Irem. We are definitely going again.