I just got back from a two week break in Oludeniz, Turkey, and I can say without a doubt that it is the best holiday I have ever been on. We had such good service from the fabulous staff at the hotel and so much loved the pretty, lively little town and stunning lagoon that we’ve already booked ... Read review
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I just got back from a two week break in Oludeniz, Turkey, and I can say without a doubt that it is the best holiday I have ever been on. We had such good service from the fabulous staff at the hotel and so much loved the pretty, lively little town and stunning lagoon that we’ve already booked up for next year.
The resort (Oludeniz):
Oludeniz is a small town surrounded by mountains on three sides which has recently ... ...enough to feel as though you are in a foreign country, yet it is a lively place both at night and during the day. Beach-front shops, bars (check out Help! And Soho) and restaurants, as well as the beach itself, are among its many attractions.
Extreme sports are big in the area – scuba diving, bungee jumping and paragliding are all offered all over town. Although the prices are originally £50+, as with the other sight-seeing day trip ... more
I just got back from a two week break in Oludeniz, Turkey, and I can say without a doubt that it is the best holiday I have ever been on. We had such good service from the fabulous staff at the hotel and so much loved the pretty, lively little town and stunning lagoon that we’ve already booked up for next year.
The resort (Oludeniz):
Oludeniz is a small town surrounded by mountains on three sides which has recently become a popular destination for British tourists. It is traditional enough to feel as though you are in a foreign country, yet it is a lively place both at night and during the day. Beach-front shops, bars (check out Help! And Soho) and restaurants, as well as the beach itself, are among its many attractions.
Extreme sports are big in the area – scuba diving, bungee jumping and paragliding are all offered all over town. Although the prices are originally £50+, as with the other sight-seeing day trip offers after haggling they can be reduced dramatically.
The other popular sight is the crystal clear waters of the Blue Lagoon. With stunning views, safe water and plenty of free loungers, this idyllic beach, situated in a national park, is ideal for families and costs less than 50p per head.
The hotel (Asena Beach):
Facilities include a health and fitness centre, gorgeous pool, all-day kids club, market, pool bar and terrace bar (both open till late) and a seafood restaurant and a buffet-style restaurant, which serve excellent food for very good value.
English food is the most common, but Turkish dishes are also available if you want to try them. Personally I thought the breakfast food and puddings were a little strange but I loved the soups and very much enjoyed the themed nights (BBQ, Chinese, etc). Guests have the opportunity to pay full board, half board or pay-as-you-go.
Apartments are located in a dozen or so Mediterranean style two story blocks surrounded by greenery. Double, twin bedded and family suites are available, all with air conditioning (an essential in somewhere as hot as this), balcony, safe, mini-bar, hair dryer and private bathroom. They are small, but comfortable and kept clean with never-seen-never-heard maid service.
The entertainment is a weekly Turkish night (folk dancing, VERY sexy belly dancer), nightly discos, party games and bingo (top prize a holiday for two) and pool party every Sunday. To be honest, most of it was lame but when the occasional visitor did come (such as a live band, synchronized swimmers or acrobats) it was fantastic. During the day volley ball, football and water polo are run by hotel staff. If it wasn’t for them, I probably would have been disappointed with the lack of entertainment, but they made it so much fun.
The service at the hotel was excellent. The staff were desperate to please and make your stay run as smoothly as possible; all of them were friendly, helpful and spoke good English. Even staff management made a special effort to introduce themselves personally and staff would often sit down at your table for a chat. Although at first I found it quite intimidating and intruding people talking to me all the time, but in the end I became good mates with many of the waiters and bar staff and got really caught up with the feeling of being part of a huge family.
The area (Lycia):
We stayed in the south-west of Turkey on the ‘turquoise coast’ in the area known as Lycia, which is covered in mountain land and green trees. Near by to our resort were the equally popular towns of Hisaronu and Fethiye, both of which could be reached by ‘dolmus’ – a mini-bus service which is an experience in itself!
Hisaronu is about the same size as Oludeniz but more commercialised with a very happening night life of bars, clubs and restaurants. Although it isn’t coastal the picturesque little town is particularly popular with young people.
On the other hand, Fethiye is an all-together more cultured town and a good base if you fancy visiting the ruins and famous ‘ghost town’ near by. At night the clubs, bars and restaurants really come alive and the traditional market every Tuesday is a must-see. It is here where most boat trips begin from the pretty, bustling harbour.
Truck and jeep safaris are popular day trips. At £15 for adults and £7.50 for children from the hotel, the one I went on was an interesting look at the area.
Our first stop was to wander around an unspoiled village called Uzumlu - one of many in Turkey. Here the friendly and generous village people make a living from tobacco farming and crafts such as weaving and live in small wooden shacks, which they share with goats and other animals. Strangely, despite the primitive life style almost every house had solar panels and a satellite dish. And interestingly enough there are seven British families that live here permanently.
Next we were able to drive high into the mountains for a look at the Roman ruined city of Cadianda. The ruined site has not been granted the money to restore it to its former glory and therefore much of it is unreachable, but what we could see (and the views) was magnificent.
Still in the mountains we ate a fish lunch at a remote and beautiful picnic spot next to the river. The water here is freezing but some of us braved it and jumped in off the boulders for a refreshing dip.
The all day trip involved a lot of travelling but was ultimately a very enlightening and relaxing day out and is highly recommended.
What made it so good:
Unlike Majorca and Tenerife and all the other tourist places which are just like England only with better weather, Turkey has so far retained much of it’s traditional culture and Oludeniz is a popular resort with Turkish people as well as the British. It’s incredibly cheap. A large beer is the equivalent of 50p-£1 and you could buy a whole new wardrobe for less than £10. As our tour guide on the truck safari observed – if you could live in Turkey but make a living in England (e.g. over the internet) you could live like lords. There’s so much to do. Whether you just want to chill out among serene and beautiful surroundings, see the sights or do non-stop partying and activities, you’ll be happy here. People are so pleasant! You walk down a street and at least a dozen people will say hi and ask how you are. Particularly at the hotel I stayed at, the locals are big on making you feel welcome.
Recently there have been a couple of articles in the Scottish press criticising Turkey. This may be political manoeuvring following the murder of a Turkish asylum seeker in Glasgow, but I feel it is unfair not to respond to the negative image portrayed.
We holidayed In Olu Deniz this year and I can honestly state that it is the best holiday our family has ever had. Even the teenager from hell enjoyed himself. I have given information under a number ... ...were in Turkey for the first two weeks of July. It was hot to begin with and just got hotter. Midday temperatures reached 40 degrees in the shade. (Midday Scottish summers also reach 40 on occasion, but it is Farenheight, not Centigrade). There was no rain but one evening we saw a cloud – this was such a rarity that it was a topic for conversation. Evenings fall quickly and it is dark around 9pm but the temperatures remain hot. A HOTEL WITH ...
colinlivingstone 27.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ölü Deniz (Turkey)
Advantages: Sun, Sea and Lovely People Disadvantages: Mosquitos and Paragliders
What a difference 16 years make? Olu is still and always will be beautiful place and the people are just as friendly, but where there were a few tiny cafes with goats and chickens running about and accommodation resembling the holiday camps of old, there are now numerous cafes, bars, shops and some very nice hotels. Gone are the days when you sat at rickety tables on rough ground and cooked meat on tiny barbeques brought to your table. The once quiet ... ...of visitors and music playing most of the time. Although I will say that the noisy disco music seemed to stop around 1.00 a.m.
This time we stayed in a lovely hotel made up of small colourful blocks of two storey dwellings in lush gardens. It was right on the beach, had a very large pool and its own Turkish Bath. Our room was well furnished and was cleaned and towels changed every day. A little different to 16 years ago when the furniture was sparse, ...
Youngatheard60 26.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ölü Deniz (Turkey)
Advantages: A perfect Holiday Disadvantages: Too Hot Mid Summer
I holidayed in Ölü Deniz in June 2000, so all costs (in GBP) are based on that time period. Also due to the rate of development there may be more facilities available now, than there were when I visited. Ölü Deniz is situated in South West Tukey. It is a hotel based resort so is dead out of holiday season. The nearest big town is Fethiye.
It's the site of the filming of the 1980 (awful) film , "The Blue Lagoon" which featured Brooke Shields. It ... ...used for paragliding. The location is gorgeous, and the local people are very friendly. English , German and French are spoken by most of the population so you wont have a problem communicating, although only courteous to learn some of the language.
Because of the weakness of the Turkish Lira , everything is extremely cheap for foreign holiday makers in Turkey. As an example I think the most expesive meal for two people, including wine was about ...
mikeydred 26.02.2001 (15.05.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ölü Deniz (Turkey)
Advantages: Cheap, great weather, friendly people, beautiful scenery, good beaches Disadvantages: Too hot at times, funny toilets, money hard to get to grips with
Don't let the fact that Turkey neighbours Iraq put you off visiting this wonderful country. Although Eastern Turkey is best avoided, and despite the fact there have been a few terrorist attacks this year in other parts of the country, Brits are as safe in Oludeniz as in London.
Back in early June 2003, we booked a seven day 'allocated on arrival' late deal through Thompson, which included flights, transfers, insurance, half board, a balcony and ... ...Leeds Bradford (about 10 miles away from where we live). We thought his was an excellent deal, especially since our accommodation turned out to be the 4-star Montana Pine Resort in the mountains above Oludeniz.
As you might expect, the hotel was excellent, with beautiful scenery, lovely staff and good facilities. For example, there are three swimming pools, so it never gets too crowded. There is also a sunset bar, where you can watch the daylight ...
wadsterboy 10.07.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ölü Deniz (Turkey)
Advantages: 100% Sun, sea and sand. Cheap. Disadvantages: The Dolmus crawls back up the mountain.
Olu Deniz.
Nestled in an area of outstanding beauty, with Olu Deniz on the beach and Hisaronu on the mountainside looking down over the lagoon. These resorts are about 3klms apart and can be easily reached by Dolmus service. Olu Deniz is one of the most photographed locations in the whole of Turkey, with crystal clear waters, golden sands and beautiful lagoon, this really is a beach lovers paradise.
Hisaronu.
A lovely bustling hillside village ... ...cards. There are plenty of bars, excellent restaurants and entertainment well into the small hours and the cool mountain air is an alternative to the hot sun on the beach.
Olu Deniz (the names means calm sea), is a place of exceptional natural beauty and is now a national park conservation area. Dense pine clad mountains sweep down to the spectacular crystal clear waters of a lagoon, surrounded by a large stretch of white sand and shingle beach. ...
Beany 26.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ölü Deniz (Turkey)
Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
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Advantages: Wonderful weather, people and location! Disadvantages: None!
I have recently returned from a holiday in OluDeniz, Turkey at the beginning of May with my partner. For both of us it was our first time to Turkey and had mixed reviews from family and friends before we went so we werent really sure what to expect.
We stayed in the Montebello Hotel which was just as described, clean, friendly and welcoming which was reassuring! The first day we went to the famous lagoon, which you had to pay to get in (which is understandable as it is a national park) it was beautiful with breathtaking scenery! Im glad I paid the 6 turkish lira to get in!
We chose to go in May as its before the high season but it was already starting to get busy. The nightlife was great it was busy enough to feel apart of the atmosphere but not too busy you couldnt talk to the person next to you! The food was wonderful especially ...
sweetpea_sweetpea 03.06.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of General: Turkey
Advantages: Cheap and not very cheerful Disadvantages: Disorganised arrangements at airport and resort. Poor booking management.
We have recently returned from a two week holiday in OluDeniz in Turkey. Unfortunately matters did not go according to plan at the commencement of the holiday. We arrived at Dalaman airport and were informed before boarding our transfer coach that it was not possible to stay at our booked hotel (Hotel Turk). We were greatly disappointed as we had spent a lot of time and trouble choosing this hotel - talking with the agent and researching on the internet - and this seemed an ideal hotel for our requirements - small, family run and in a convenient position for all the resort amenities. We were told we were to be accommodated at the Montebello Hotel. We protested at the time but were fobbed off, rushed on to the coach and told to take up the issue with the resort representative. There was no representative on the coach to explain matters ...
Advantages: too many to list Disadvantages: timeshares, PR's
, Alcudia definiately but in a couple of years time. We've booked for Turkey next year OluDeniz Resort Hotel hopefully that will be a gorgeous as the resort looks in the brochures.
Ciao for now
.......................................
Stayed there in 1997 and 1998, and am due to go August this year.
Here are some of my thoughts about the resort and the complex. Have tried to make them succinct but a lot of info to be given.
Good things - the complex
1. Excellent for families with pre-teenage children.
2. 8 swimming pools, crazy golf, bike hire, includes the 4-6 seater bike, fair ground (extra charge), on site entertainment allbeit repeated in 4 different languages. Couple of bars, eating places etc, supermarket plus more.
3. Spread out complex, lovely views of the lake, big paddle boat takes you to the other side ...
Bevdav 26.01.2001 (17.09.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Majorca in General
