Turkey/anywhere all inc. - high season - hellish or not?

Turkey/anywhere all inc. - high season - hellish or not?

Author
Discussion

dave_s13

Original Poster:

13,880 posts

278 months

Friday 3rd January
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We're in the throes of trying to find a family summer holiday. We've done the last couple of summers in our touring caravan and dragged it down from Leeds to northern Franc and that was great, but I want a change.

Turkey keeps being mentioned but you go online, get confused, read reviews, someone always chucks in a 1 star because there was a pube in their shawarma. And it puts you off.

So...2 adults 3kids (15, 13,.11)..kids thrive on company, we thrive on them making friends and fkin off all day. Any recommendations welcome. Want to spend 10k max....maybe a touch more if it's proper special.

Cheers


Grande Pedro

98 posts

5 months

Friday 3rd January
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Have a look at Antalya. There are some good quality AI resort hotels there and I've generally found the standards of food and cleanliness to be excellent.

I tend to favour adults only however, so can't recommend any particular hotels, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't find what you're looking for.

HTP99

23,496 posts

149 months

Friday 3rd January
quotequote all
Both myself and the wife were of a similar opinion to yourself OP until we bit the bullet and went in July/August 2023 (remember the European heatwave at that time), we had a great time and our opinion totally changed, I guess like many holiday destinations it's all about where you go.

We stayed in Icmeler, which is just up from Marmaris (which is a bit of a dump TBH, just tacky and full of the sort of people and hotels that you think of when Turkey is mentioned), Icmeler was lovely as was the adults only all inclusive hotel with a private beach, that we stayed in.

Your Dad

2,011 posts

192 months

Friday 3rd January
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TUI Blue resorts in Sarigerme might fit the bill. Two weeks all inclusive in August comes in just under 10k.

Kwackersaki

1,484 posts

237 months

Friday 3rd January
quotequote all
I’ve been to Dalyan, which is short boat trip from a beach with the added bonus of turtle spotting and a turtle rescue centre to keep the kids amused.

Dalyan itself seemed very family friendly and not over commercialised with some ancient Roman ruins to visit, mud baths if you’re into that sort of thing.

Olu Deniz was also good and a little more touristy

towser44

3,723 posts

124 months

Friday 3rd January
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Guy I drive with at work doesn't buy anything or holiday anywhere crap and raves about Turkey. Goes every year at least once, amongst his other holidays. Usually to Dalaman and he says it is fantastic with some lovely places to eat out. Expensive now though, similar prices to the Canaries he was saying.

VTECMatt

1,233 posts

247 months

Friday 3rd January
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We took our 15 & 16yo last year to Kusadassi in August, nothing amazing, food and service good and whilst I enjoyed it I would not go back and say I enjoyed other countries more but if you want an AI resort you’ll do alright there. I don’t see what all the fuss about it isn’t that cheap anymore.

Sheepshanks

35,556 posts

128 months

Friday 3rd January
quotequote all
Lara Barut in Antalya might suit. Wife & I went off season so not many kids at the time but seemed to quite a lot of things going on. It’s only a few mins from the airport too.

Dan_1981

17,609 posts

208 months

Friday 3rd January
quotequote all
We,'re doing the same debate at the moment...

Currently considering the following

Granada luxury
Delphin b grand

The titanic resorts - Marsden, belek or liars beach.


sjc

14,511 posts

279 months

Friday 3rd January
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If it has to be Turkey then the Lykiaworld resorts you’ll struggle to beat.
Dubai won’t be much hotter ( both will be stupid hot),and you’ll get proper 5 star rather than Turkey/Egypt 5 star way within your budget at somewhere like the JA Beach Resort.

OldPal

135 posts

149 months

Friday 3rd January
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Used to go every year to marmaris and it is great for family holidays. A bit council but still good fun with plenty to do and nice places to eat.

It has however got ridiculously expensive over there in the past year or two and the whole cheap and cheerful aspect of it is no longer there

PushedDover

6,246 posts

62 months

Friday 3rd January
quotequote all
Kwackersaki said:
I’ve been to Dalyan, which is short boat trip from a beach with the added bonus of turtle spotting and a turtle rescue centre to keep the kids amused.

Dalyan itself seemed very family friendly and not over commercialised with some ancient Roman ruins to visit, mud baths if you’re into that sort of thing.

Olu Deniz was also good and a little more touristy
Olu Deniz a LITTLE more touristy?? Understatement 1000percent

We go a lot, sailing in and around Gocek Bay but Olu Deniz, Marmaris, and Fethiyei would be reluctant to get in the water from what we see.

Edited by PushedDover on Thursday 16th January 10:56

Richtea1970

1,466 posts

69 months

Friday 3rd January
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Used to go to Turkey a lot when our kids were younger, always around the Antalya area (Side, Belek etc) and also Izmir.
In my eyes you can't go far wrong if you chose a 5 star hotel, they are all very similar and they love the kids over there.
In fact we are going back this year in May with my now grown up kids, and our grandchildren!
I'm really looking forward to getting back out there (and the weather is always fantastic).

The Leaper

5,204 posts

215 months

Saturday 4th January
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Have a look here:

https://montanapine.com/

Wife and I went here twice, but quite a few years ago. We went with a group of friends on a package deal. It is all inclusive, well located, probably good with kids. It has a taxi rank right outside the hotel for when you want to go anywhere else.

Car hire if desired is easy via the hotel.

Several packages area available from TUI, Jet2 and the like. You'll fly into Dalaman Airport and the transfer time is maybe 1 hour.

R.

Kwackersaki

1,484 posts

237 months

Saturday 4th January
quotequote all
PushedDover said:
Kwackersaki said:
I’ve been to Dalyan, which is short boat trip from a beach with the added bonus of turtle spotting and a turtle rescue centre to keep the kids amused.

Dalyan itself seemed very family friendly and not over commercialised with some ancient Roman ruins to visit, mud baths if you’re into that sort of thing.

Olu Deniz was also good and a little more touristy
Lou Deniz a LITTLE more touristy?? Understatement 1000percent

We go a lot, sailing in and around Gocek Bay but Olu Deniz, Marmaris, and Fethiyei would be reluctant to get in the water from what we see.
Yes, you’re right but I didn’t find it too in your face. It is nearly 10 yrs since I went though.

We swam regularly at Olu Deniz and on boat trips and didn’t think it any worse than other places abroad. The blue lagoon was a bit grubbier though.

Richtea1970

1,466 posts

69 months

Saturday 4th January
quotequote all
The Leaper said:
Have a look here:

https://montanapine.com/

Wife and I went here twice, but quite a few years ago. We went with a group of friends on a package deal. It is all inclusive, well located, probably good with kids. It has a taxi rank right outside the hotel for when you want to go anywhere else.

Car hire if desired is easy via the hotel.

Several packages area available from TUI, Jet2 and the like. You'll fly into Dalaman Airport and the transfer time is maybe 1 hour.

R.
I'm sure that hotel is great but I would always go for one which is on the beach. Getting a shuttle bus to the beach and back with children and all the associated paraphernalia is a faff.

justin220

5,480 posts

213 months

Saturday 4th January
quotequote all
Dan_1981 said:
We,'re doing the same debate at the moment...

Currently considering the following

Granada luxury
Delphin b grand

The titanic resorts - Marsden, belek or liars beach.
We did Delphin Be Grand last year, and I know a few who've been to Granada. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

My only complaint about the Delphin was our room was pointing towards the Titanic, and what noise it made up till around 12pm every night. In fairness the hotel did offer to move us but the upheaval didn't seem worth it for the few days we had remaining.

When we go back to Turkey we'll go back to DbG

PushedDover

6,246 posts

62 months

Saturday 4th January
quotequote all
Kwackersaki said:
Yes, you’re right but I didn’t find it too in your face. It is nearly 10 yrs since I went though.

We swam regularly at Olu Deniz and on boat trips and didn’t think it any worse than other places abroad. The blue lagoon was a bit grubbier though.
it is heaving nowadays on the main drag, beach front and town. Big light show every night etc.

dave_s13

Original Poster:

13,880 posts

278 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
So we've ended up booking 2 weeks here.

https://barutarum.com/en

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/turkey/t...


Horrifyingly expensive when you're used to caravan holidays! I'll report back in summer.

Richtea1970

1,466 posts

69 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
So we've ended up booking 2 weeks here.

https://barutarum.com/en

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/turkey/t...


Horrifyingly expensive when you're used to caravan holidays! I'll report back in summer.
Great choice, you'll love it I'm sure.
Side is a lovely area.