We had booked via the travel agency REISE EXPRESS and the organizer ALOHA a 4 stars hotel fortune.

FORTUNE meant, that the guide on site (that is in Turkey) decides first in which hotel one will spend the vacation. However, the guide must not put one into a hotel with less than the booked four stars - if therefore he has no hotel room in the booked category more available, the accommodation only remains him in a hotel room with more stars.

For the judgement of Turkish hotel systems in Alanya, we can distribute good marks altogether. Very gadget should always divert the tourist that knows German hotels well for the Turkish information a star. Who like to live in a First-Class 4- star hotel, should book for safety a 5- stars hotel.

JOURNEY

We were throughout content with our hotel system (almost).

We were promoted by the airport in Antalya into our hotel systems with a chartered bus. Ours was the last one on the route: Hotel "Happy Elegance" in Mahmutlar.

Mahmutlar is approx. 10 kms away from Alanya - Alanya in turn is approx. 130 kms east of Antalya...

Therefore, the tourist must rely himself at night on an almost three hour bus ride until he arrives in Mahmutlar - in this case, it is not however a question of the pure ride time - it also must that may check in the traveling companion be counted into her hotels, since this is checked by the concurrent guide as a matter of course, and the bus can not drive on for this time...

We - in spite of practicing tiredness - were surprised pleasantly by the hotel. We become accustomed with the time to the there usual circumstance that the hotel systems scatter an inviting Ambiente with opulent planting world and cool marble and scatter everything, what outside of the hotel walls is in a dusty brown a strong contrast imagines.

The view of our balcony... .. on the adjoining property

Outside the hotel systems properties full building debris, heap of board and other garbage are situated...

HOTEL

Everything was functional within the hotel.

As already our guide Mehmet informed us at the bus ride, shy for itself the Turkish host in front of it, our European stomachs with Turkish food and to burden drinking - the meals are tailored really to us specifically.

In addition, we should drink no tap water - water closed yes itself which we do not take to us in the hotel system would be outside of the law and order of the travel organizer.

However, you can designate in actual fact the meals as meat poor but opulent in the hotel "Happy Elegance".

You will search in vain for understandable reasons for pork and in such a way, we can the question:

Is there a life without pork? - answer very clearly with YES...

The first, what strikes the tourist, is the in taste difference at almost all fruit sorts compared to the domestic offer...

The difference of Netherlands greenhouses to plantation fruit harvested freshly (and ripely) is not to be overlooked!

So do not only have a share we us fed on some evenings exclusively by the watermelons presented amply - they are which one there very sweet - namely in the heart but the entire fruit pulp is up to the harvest durch rounded and pleasantly sweet...

Turkish desserts are really habituation needy for us! However finally pure matter of taste mostly sells itself - sugar sweetly - here by small pastry pieces which are admitted in a kind of thin honey sauce...

With regard to the scent prevailing there (in July between 40- 45 degrees Centigrade in shadow) can only guess I each that plans a vacation on the Turkish Riviera not to book full pension - half-board is completely sufficient since you needs no three meals at these temperatures on the day and you would in any case miss the most lunches by the day excursions offered numerously...

The hotel rooms are comparatively small but clean. One even can here the German television broadcast station SAT1 and the "Deutsche Welle" received. Indeed were they would overlook the walls of cracks, the whitewashed ceilings were full yellow spot and the ceiling in the bathroom unlocked the look onto the supply manhole of the hotel - we wanted finally only sleep in our room and did not want to spend the entire vacation in the hotel room.

What we felt as pleasant was the fact that the (variable) air-conditioning equipment itself only chilled half-heartedly at full service, what spared all holiday-makers probably a strong cold The murderous temperatures outside of the living plant would let one again and again take in temptation, to exaggerate it with air-conditioning equipment.

SEA

Between the hotel system and the sea the coastal road is situated, we could arrive by an underpass at the sea.

We indeed had the promised sandy beach (flamingly hot - cross only with shoes) nevertheless as soon as one put a foot into the sea - oh surprise - if one pushed his unprotected feet into grit and angular rock.

Because also the surf the embarrassed complicated the sea again and again, did therefore it last a whole while, to one real could begin to swim. The water is pleasantly warm however as soon as one leaves it again, the next surprise waits for the mistreated body - one can now admire small (in part too larger) laceration everywhere and fix them.

In short: You should not enter the sea on this way - not even with swimming shoes, since I had partial cuts by the knee, in the hands, by the shin - Biggi had even a cut deep over a centimeter in the heel so that she could only spend hobblingly the rest of her vacation.

Directly beside is however still another bar, over which one can then use the ladder. Unfortunately the levels of this stairs consist those of two pipes, when using without suitable shoes also again pain cause - jaja, the soft-light Germans again.....

SERVICE

A real weak point however is the fact that in the " Happy Elegance " of the service staff each second speaks neither German, nor English - in such a way it came again and again, that three or even four persons were around our desk during I tried with hands and feet a litre of milk to order - now well - probably somewhat unusual is, such a litre of milk....

Between the whole coworkers, to us only two or three were noticeable really, worked as moved, - nevertheless had always a smile on the lips and beyond that also still German or English controlled - we do not want to conceal two of it:

Jasmine - the good Fee of that pool bar - however she also with the service of the all evening Buffet assigned...

The Masseur, which gave me each evening a Massage, those over one hour lasted...

CASH / TOM

Around the guest carrying cash within of the Hotel area to save and facilitate the operators of the " Happy Elegance " the so-called " TOM " introduced the cash flow. This is approx.. Ten-Pfece-piece-large computer chip, which the guest at the wrist carries. This TOM can to each daily and nighttime DM (german marks) are filled up and both in the internal hairdresser, supermarket, restaurant, pool bar, beach bar - to be simply everywhere used.

It is at least promised that at the end of the vacation the cash remained on the TOM is disbursed again in DM.

During our one-week stay are us - and also different guests - again and again irregularities with this currency been noticeable, which let us back-require soon the good old cash.

Either coworkers of the hotel have false beverages boniert - e.g. instead of a freshly pressed orange juice a Longdrink. -, we did not think a problem - it costs the same - however give ourselves it for pressed oranges no inventory update in the EDP - probably however for Longdrinks... - if thus (or several) a coworker this system for a long time enough hold out, can he sometime one full bottle carry forward, without this would be missing in the stocks: to one the oldest cheat - however apparently still decay...

It noticed to other guests that in the current document numbers individual vouchers were missing - even on the missing vouchers cash by the own TOM were deducted. Again it seemed to different guests amusingly that it after a deposit of DM 50th - two vouchers got - one over DM 50. -, one further over DM 30. - in addition, this trick is old:

DM 50. become - by the reading recorder on the TOM posted, afterwards the user presses the error key and cancels the process and posted thereafter only DM 30. - into the EDP... - in such a way correct DM 50 remain. on the TOM - but in the cash cash in hand only DM 30. - to be situated... - must therefore can the employee around DM 20 - enrich go home...

But not only - the whole system does not function so quite: After I mean DM stocks had used up (went unfortunately fast) I DM Traveller cheques of American express exchanged - not a currency completely uncommon in this world - unfortunately nevertheless uncommon in this hotel: After they had looked these cheques like a document of the other star, they gave me a package Turkish Lira - only the question arises, with which I mean TOM now to fill is...

However, the employees of the reception appeared understanding and filled my TOM again - the great surprise got me at the end - fifteen minutes before departure:

A nice employee of this hotel with the melodious name Ferudun Catar said, that I would not receive my remaining money paid out in DM but Turkish lira - I yes would finally also have paid in at Turkish lira. No speech more was from the DM traveller checks...

Nevertheless, not only that: He taking this opportunity made a printout of all sales made by me and: trust, look, whom.... - according to this proof, 150.- more would have to be still available on my TOM over DM when this announced in actual fact...

The fact was screenably it embarrassing - not, that there true a difference, no - that I received the proof to see - that was embarrassing him. He now became correctly impudent first! He had only been up to now unfriendly and 219.- Turkish had banged lira onto the table for me for DM... - he wanted to now let the computer proof disappear...

God be thanks had seen I five witnesses, those all this proof had- and above all the impudent behavior of Mr Catar had could. Since we should leave to the airport in this momentum, our guide also came into the hotel resonances - just at right time... for Mehmet

Too he received the proof for face and demanded this on the place. After I me very much end strong burdened (it was in the morning clock around 3.oo!) and also Mehmet not yielded, at last passed for Mr Catar DM 219.- in German currency...

Noticed: DM 219 - not DM 378.-, as the computer identified it. On this computer proof, all sales were recorded by 23.50 o'clock of the day before - now was it fourth early before three o'clock - final planned in a cost manner for us that last Coke and the last soda water according to his carrying out DM 150.-... - fine!

He further denied the difference of DM 150.- and when Mehmet demanded the proof again, he lifted ostentatiously this into air and tore and crumpled up this and recited German: I must show no proof at all to you...

Unbelieving! - that is the only expression as one could describe our faces in this momentum - but what helped it? We now must to the airport as quickly as possible...

Pitiful - except for the history with the TOM, the stay was really functional in the hotel   "Happy Elegance".