Cooking Facilities

[jinfizzz]

When we''re in Kalkan we almost always eat out, whether it be a light lunch and a more substantial dinner or the other way round, but we appreciate our guests may like to do some self-catering.  In our apartment we have a table top 2 burner hob, which we are looking to replace/upgrade. We also have a barbecue which we do like to use. 

I would love to hear from both owners and guests what sort of facilities they would like to find in an apartment as we have toyed with various ideas ranging from just replacing the hob with an updated version versus buying a grill, a microwave or a full blown oven.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=1136.0

[holidayfever]

When I have self catered I would expect at least 2 rings an oven grill and microwave. We dont normally self cater except breakfast, however you should be able too if that is what you want, and maybe larger families would like too a couple of times a week to keep down costs.

[felicity]

Hi Jinfizz! I have to say - that I would expect any apartment or villa (in Kalkan or anywhere else and more particularly privately owned places) these days to have a proper oven/hob.  I would be disgruntled to find anywhere without that - same as I expect sufficient cooking facilities/implements to cook with.  The only places that I have come to expect less than this is holiday apartments with big tourist companies who list the bare minimum in cooking equipment - and I have to say - having stayed privately - I wouldn''t be happy with even those now..!!  I think people''s expectations have grown - we provide a full electric oven, with grill and 4 ring built in hob and microwave - everything that I have at home.....I think it should near enough be home from home so that people who have opted for self catering can indeed have that choice..(imho!!)

Cheers!

[Ramtastic]

We were spoilt last year as we had an apartment with hob, oven, washing machine and dishwasher.  I do tend to look at apartments/villas with ovens, but must admit that I don''t think we actually used the oven last year.  We did make full use of the dishwasher and also used the washing machine for the beach towels.  At one time I would have found a kettle and toaster a luxury.

[Chucky]

Hi Carole, I have the same set up as you and am also looking to improve it. The problem with a lot of the apartments are that they are converted from the hotels and kitchen space is restricted and there was the expectation that people will eat out.  I am considering a "Baby Belling" type cooker which has a hob, oven/grill. They are quite reasonable and sufficient for most couples needs. I would have to move my fridge to the end of a run, to place the cooker there. The only reason I have delayed doing this, is because a neighbour had to replace their fridge. They bought the new fridge, had it delivered and when they took the old fridge out, discovered that the height of the units was lower than the standard height of fridges. The old fridge had it''s top taken off to fit under the unit and they had to do the same thing to the brand new fridge. It was a nightmare !!! lol

[vicksen]

I have to say - that I would expect any apartment or villa to have a proper oven/hob.  I would be disgruntled to find anywhere without that ...- we provide a full electric etc etc ....

This wouldn''t be an advertisement, would it? Because I thought advertising wasn''t allowed on this forum?

[Begonvil]

We went to the South of France August 2006, the apartment that we rented only had 2 electric rings to cook on. It also had a BBQ outside. We never cooked inside it would have been too much of a struggle.

I deffo think that you need a proper oven, hob and microwave, your guests then have the choice and nothing to complain about!!!

Oh yeah where doe''s the advertising bit come into this ??

[Chucky]

Vicksen, I have reread Felicity''s post and I cannot see anything that constitutes an advert, other than for electrical goods.
From other posts you have made on this forum, it appears, in my opinion, that you seem to have a problem with almost everything that Felicity says.
Can I respectfully suggest that if you have to make criticisms, you keep them to constructive comments, as they quite often come across as "snide" and I am sure that is not how you would like people to perceive you.  
Cheers Joan

[sally]

I would most of all like a washing machine in any where I rent - bliss not to go home with dirty clothes. I don''''t want to cook much & a hob would do me. An electric kettle is a must & a cafetiere would be joy. I always take a knife with me - I''''ve never, ever found any rental with a knife sharp enough to cut anything but butter!!

PS. I am puzzled as to where Felicity''s advertising is? Just can''t see it & I am the most cynical person I know

[Mrs B]

We have a full size oven and hob in the apartment we rent on our trips to Kalkan and, even though we haven''t ever used the oven in three years, the choice is there if we want to.
We would quite like a microwave (scrambled eggs cooked in a pan caused many a swear word at washing up time, i can tell you!), or perhaps non stick pans! 

To anyone who considers this post an advertisement on behalf of the people we rent our apartment from; its not.

[Em1]

Hi
Nice ceramic hob, fitted electric oven, dishwasher and washing machine is a basic nowadays I would say? Also these are nice and easy to keep clean, and keep things clean!
Oven in nice, especially in the cooler months!
Em

[jinfizzz]

Wow, thank you all for your comments and suggestions.  I will certainly be taking these onboard.  We bought our place with this hob thing in already as an ex Tapestry property and it was obviously sufficient in the "good old days"!

We felt at the time an oven would have been a better choice than the dishwasher which was in place and consequently hardly ever used. 

Am looking forward to shopping now to upgrade and provide better facilities (not only for my guests, but for my OH!)  Tee hee

[alantj]

For anyone looking to rent out their apartment/villa, if you have the space investing in a proper cooker (4 rings and an oven) is well worth it, as quite a number of people seem to think this is an important factor when deciding where to book. People are even fussy about the make, we lost a booking last year because we bought a Turkish make (the one with the rude sounding name) rather than a Bosche.  However, once people get to Kalkan the urge to cook seems to  disappear - our cooker is now 4 years old and still looks like new having probably been used about once a year.

With hindsight we should have bought a Bosche hob plus built in microwave/combination oven, as this would meet all the criteria people ask for, avoided us having a microwave taking up half of the limited worktop space and paid for itself with just one extra booking.


 
     

[Lantana]

Bosch and  Siemens just like the company which has what you describe as ''the rude sounding name'' which is pronounced archalik have their own manufacturing plants  in Turkey. Bosch is manufactured here, as is arcelik so can''t imagine why anyone would turn up their nose at a Turkish manufacturer with a worldwide reputation but would buy a product also made here just because it has a foreign name. Why on earth would they want to come to Turkey if they cannot bring themselves to cook on a Turkish cooker?

Since actual imported goods carry a very high import tax, local manufacture is always a better bet and arcelik offer a 5 year guarantee on all appliances.
 please don''t tell people not to buy local manufacturers products just because you had dealings with an incredibly stupid and bigoted potential customer.
 Lantana

[vicksen]

I cannot imagine how anybody booking holidays would care about the make of cooker in an apartment  - or would even know what make the cooker was - how many holiday lets have the makes of their appliances detailed in their adverts?

Just goes to show you many many odd people there are out there - Alantj, I think you must just have been unlucky with this customer; he probably wanted to cancel for some other odd reason, and picked on this because he couldn''t find anything else.

JoanH, I''m sorry if you don''t like my posts, but there you go, you can''t please all of the people all of time.
You''re entitled to your opinion, but any comments I have made in these posts constitute my opinion, which presumably I too am entitled to?

I have never made any personal attacks on anybody, nor written anything which could be construed as malicious gossip or innuendo, nor posted anything defamatory, libellous, or racist.
Nor have I put up any post calculated or intended to bring business to or which was an advertisement for any business from which I might profit.

If I were to do so, you''d be quite entitled to point it out, in as strong terms as you please, but up until that time, I reserve the same rights as anybody else; if I  disagree with something posted by another poster, for whatever reason, then I presumably am as entitled to say so as you are entitled to say I am "snide".

I don''t have any "down" on an particular individuals on this site, Felicity or anybody else, for the excellent reason that I don''t know any of them, and in any case life''s too short to be so petty.
If you don''t see any criticisms I may have made in the past as being constructive, then I can''t help that; you and I obviously view things differently, which I accept, and respect your right to view things just as you please.

On a public forum, you get different opinions, that is only to be expected. If you don''t like a particular poster, you don''t have to read their posts!
But I refuse to be intimidated into remaining silent where I feel something needs saying.

[Lorretta]

Hi Jinfizz,
our apartment has a cooker with a gas hob and grill, washing machine and fridge freezer. If space is limited you can get a small convection oven which also works as a grill and microwave. They are quite compact and can fit onto a worktop space. Have fun shopping!

[alantj]

Lantana,

I don''t think it is anything to do with being bigoted (uninformed possibly), people perceive Bosche as an upmarket make and it helps to create the image which sells the villa. You get exactly the same effect in this country, Bosche, Siemens, Smeg etc are viewed as upmarket compared to Hotpoint, Hoover etc. I have friends who run holiday lets in the UK and they have learnt that it pays to invest in upmarket kitchen fittings, as the decision about which of a 100 villas to choose really can hinge on something as small as this. 

I agree this is nothing to do with real quality and am aware that most of these makes come out of the same local factory. I would happily buy a Turkish made Bosche/Siemens equipment and really wasn''t suggesting that anyone should go to the trouble of importing a cooker from the UK. 

Regards

Alan



   

[Mercimek]

Alan- I guess it is just how you explain to someone the Turkish make is not a lesser product, actually I think you were proberly better off without these customers if they go into such detail over the make of the oven, who knows what complaints they may of had about all the other Turkish things they may have encountered in a two week holiday.
The reason that most places only have a hob is this is all that I required for most Turkish dishes- most of my Turkish friends only have a small counter top oven, however I guess if you are letting you are dictated to by your market.
Having lived with just a hob for two years then with a small oven (note I now cook most days and as a trained chef would cook practically anything if I can locate the ingredients)I accept that a full English Roast Beef meal with Yorkshire Pudding may need more space but I would be very interested in what people have actually cooked on their holidays that requires a full oven?
On this note a friend of mine has just bought a property (in a different part of Turkey) and was actually thinking of shipping a double oven out (despite my protests of them not needing one), fortunately for them Arcelik have just introduced one.

[Blue Lizard]

we always rent propertys..we do like to have a full oven/cooker simply because sometimes we just don''t want to go out and just want to eat in our own company.More importantly is the fact that a property has a functioning washing machine i don''t want to lug loads of clothes around with me and am quite happy to wash things.We are not interested in the "brand" just as long as the cooker cooks and the washing machine washes...

[holidayfever]

Now then a washer, I find that better than a dish washer, to be able to have fresh beach towels, a smaller case of clothes as I can wash them through and to take a case of clean washing home dried in the Turkish sun is bliss. And this year when choosing which place to rent, I did look at 1 of my options been if it had a washer, when you have sooooooo many places to choose from why not go for the one that offers the most for your money.
But my top priority is always air con, then distance then downwards to pool etc etc.