Kalkan Turkey Forum - EnjoyKalkan.com
Kalkan Discussion => Holiday Reports and Reviews => Topic started by: Mrs P on June 11, 2013, 07:44:44 PM
-
Just back from our first visit to Kalkan, absolutely loved it! The view from our villa in Kisla was amazing, the restaurants in town are fantastic, great food and hospitality. My only gripe is the constant hassle you get from the restaurants and bars as you try and have a stroll through town and down by the harbour. We could not have the leisurely stroll and mooch we intended as we felt we had to rush by every establishment saying no thank you , maybe another day etc etc. Although they are very polite it does become rather tedious and hinders the ability to take in all that's around. I don't like being rude and so found myself stood for five minutes or so whilst they talk me through the menus!! I understand that the season is relatively short and that the restaurants need the business etc but in the end we were avoiding certain areas, surely this can only harm business. I will still be back to this fabulous place though, I will just need a thicker skin for next time ;)
-
Yes it can be a bit unnerving at times. The greeter at one of the harbour restaurants ( who shall remain nameless ), was really on our case last year. He ( for want of a better word) "oined" us shamelessly night after night until he finally got a bit too familiar and said something along the lines of, I've watched you walk past every night for a week and I've seen you go in other restaurants but you never try ours! I then had to waste 10 mins of my precious holiday time reassuring him that there was nothing wrong with his restaurant and I felt very uncomfortable!
I have to say that this is unusual and most greeters are happy with a polite, no thanks, maybe another time, or thanks but we have other plans.
Glad you enjoyed kalkan, you'll be hooked now! 8)
-
I have to say that there is less hassle in Kalkan than anywhere else I have been to in Turkey.
-
We live here 75% + of the time and I have to agree with Mrs P. The greeters KNOW who we are yet we Still get hassled every time we go out ( more so from the harbour restaurants ) and it drives us f*****g mad. We like to go to Fener cafe for lunch, but now we have taken to walking along the harbours edge, by the boats, to avoid the hassle, that's not good is it ??? As far as I'm concerned they lose my business as I won't go in to a place that puts me under pressure with the "Hard Sell". I really wish they would stop it. I agree with you amber, it's not as bad as other resorts in Turkey, but it's getting worse and worse year on year, not good for Kalkan's image of an 'upmarket' resort IMHO >:(. Albeit, we Still Love it here in Kalkan ;D ;D ;D
This has got me thinking.....what restaurants DONT have greeters ??? I will start it off by naming a few.....Kaya, Parc Kalkan, Cafe Vita, Passaport Pizza..........???
-
I do agree it is not as bad as some other resorts in Turkey and for that matter many other places we have visited but I just didn't expect it from Kalkan and as I said previously it did rather spoil our enjoyment of this beautiful town. I would have liked to look more closely at the buildings and little shops etc but the constant badgering made this very difficult. A simple ,good morning, afternoon, evening and friendly smile from the greeters would be more welcoming than the pushy nature in which they come at you. I would much prefer to be able to survey a menu myself without somebody shouting the details down my earhole. I think somebody needs to have a friendly word with the restaurant managers and explain this situation to them, the picture we had been painted of Kalkan was of an idyllic, picturesque, peaceful, charming little town that attracted a certain type of tourist, if this is to continue then I suggest they let holiday makers wander around at their leisure and the business will come to them.
-
The Olive Garden never has anyone on the street, nearly always full and need to book for a good table. Enough said.
-
Hassle me and I will walk on by.......even if I was going there in the first place!!! I don't want to be stopped every 20yards and having to justify why I don't want to eat in a particular restaurant ..even "no thanks we've eaten" will lead on to the next evenings meal trying to be sold.....I do resort to being "slightly" abrupt shall we say ::)
-
We live here 75% + of the time and I have to agree with Mrs P. The greeters KNOW who we are yet we Still get hassled every time we go out ( more so from the harbour restaurants ) and it drives us f*****g mad. We like to go to Fener cafe for lunch, but now we have taken to walking along the harbours edge, by the boats, to avoid the hassle, that's not good is it ??? As far as I'm concerned they lose my business as I won't go in to a place that puts me under pressure with the "Hard Sell". I really wish they would stop it. I agree with you amber, it's not as bad as other resorts in Turkey, but it's getting worse and worse year on year, not good for Kalkan's image of an 'upmarket' resort IMHO >:(. Albeit, we Still Love it here in Kalkan ;D ;D ;D
This has got me thinking.....what restaurants DONT have greeters ??? I will start it off by naming a few.....Kaya, Parc Kalkan, Cafe Vita, Passaport Pizza..........???
Small house don't
Sade do but never hassle you in my experience
Never noticed one at Alternatif
-
Alternatif dont have a greeter whose sole job is to entice you in.If you come and spend time browsing the menu,Mustapha may have a chat with you over the menu but not a hard sell by any means.
Who is that new greeter/twit at the new restaurant opposite Parc Kalkan.He needs to go back to Marmaris restaurants where he probably came from.He shouts at you in your car,across the other side of the road,shouting stuff like" excellent food."..." lovely Jubillee "
This approach seems very out of place in Kalkan.If every greeter was like him,Kalkan would definetly lose some of its charm,and reputation for being more laid back than other resorts.Lets hope that it doesn't
-
We also walk down by the boats to avoid the 'gauntlet run' by the marina restaurant hawkers. But worse in our view is the level of loud music being played in every restaurant. You can hardly think, let alone have a conversation. For this reason, we have decided never to go to any of the restaurants along the marina again. Finished. Doesn't apply to yours, onelove, we will come again soon ! :)
-
Hi la terrazza don't and still one of best meals we have in lovely kalkan
-
I Totally agree with you Cosetta, it's getting LOUDER & LOUDER :-[
Look forward to welcoming you again to tanZore ;)
-
Have to agree with all these comments. Our first visit was last year. We also walked different routes to avoid the restaurant staff bawling us out. We hated it and, had not expected it! Fortunately it didn't put us off returning, due to fly out on Monday. Sure they read these forums, to see what we're saying about their restaurants, so maybe they will take note.
-
Another thought on this " hassle " problem.This year there are more restaurants than ever and a lot more new ones opening.You could say that there are too many.I know everyone wants as much choice as possible,but the restaurants are fighting over a finite number of customers...........the result of which is that the level of hassle increases as they fight for your trade.
The way to stop the problem getting too bad is to reduce the number of restaurants.Is that going to happen ? ..........i doubt it
-
A few years ago Icmeler started closing retuarant/bars down for 3 days if any of their staff hassled anyone walking by, while this was good not to be hassled everyone was frightened to say hello if they saw anyone they knew and the tmosphere seeemed to change,
I find the hassle worse at the harbour and especially the noise, needless to say they do not get our custom. Last year I told them we would not go in as it was too noisy,
-
Maybe you should get one of these Onelove?
(https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.cafepress.com%2Fproduct%2F9150677_480x480_f.jpg&hash=7663f08cc9dc2bd1ed4cc775c9452741a2b3c015)
-
Great idea bob& jayne, do you think we could get them with don't hassle me I'm skint for us visitors. It is annoying getting hassled, the problem is when we get stopped instead of politely walking away my OH ends up having a full blown conversation with the bloke, always begins with oh you're Welsh because my OH looks quite Turkish with his dark hair and tan and that's it then they're chatting for ever ::) mind you it still doesn't mean we'll eat there. It's the ones that get you on the way out and again on the way back rattle me. I also find after strolling the front my poor jaw aches like hell keeping up the polite smiling so find a generous reoiling with Efes is needed .
-
I don't remember any hassle at all from our first visit in 2007 - it's one of the reasons we came back to Kalkan - but it's changed a lot since then. Two years ago was definitely the worst year for hassle and there were several quite aggressive greeters including a couple who used to physically block our path whenever we tried to walk past. Most of the worst offenders seem to have moved on now (except one man near the harbour who shall remain nameless).
I'm never encouraged to eat somewhere because there's a greeter on the door - in fact it actually stops me eating somewhere I might have otherwise tried if they are particularly pushy. I'm much more likely to stop and look at a menu if there's no-one around or if there's a greeter hovering in the background who just lets you get on with it but can answer any questions without pushing you.
-
Maybe you should get one of these Onelove?
(https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.cafepress.com%2Fproduct%2F9150677_480x480_f.jpg&hash=7663f08cc9dc2bd1ed4cc775c9452741a2b3c015)
Love it B & J.......I WANT ONE >:D 8) >:D
-
I was hassled once last year by the same attack as Lizilu had, no doubt the same person. It really put me off going there and now I wouldn't go in if it was the last restaurant open in Kalkan. >:( >:( >:( What they don't seem to realise is that we are only there for a few weeks and therefore limited in the number of places we can try. It really is annoying. I usually say we are already booked and that shuts them up for long enough to get past!!!
-
Perhaps KTLN could bring this subject up at the next Belidiye meeting as I was under the impression that restaurants were told some time ago that they should not have greeters approach or intimidate people passing by and just let them look at the menu and if they wish to book a table then they can assist them. Do restaurants actually realise that they are doing themselves out of potential customers by having greeters? If you could browse the menu at leisure without someone breathing down your neck you may decide to eat there and then you will go into the restaurant and ask if they have a table free. Seems a great waste of money for restaurants to employ greeters when in fact they are actually making potential customers avoid them!
-
spent second/third week of May in Kalkan , had a lovely time as always, Agree with most comments about running the gauntlet down at the harbor. Most of the time we found a simple " we have just eaten sufficed", however on the odd occasion was not enough. Love a bit of people watching with a few bottles of wine down at Jimmy's so always a bit of hassle getting there without many "no thank you's" passing all the restaurants. Going back out is Sept/Oct , must admit at the end of the day, no amount of hassling will put us of going to Kalkan, but we did find ourselves eating more and more further up towards where all the banks are. had some lovely meals at Cafe ev and Omars , in fact had the best sea bass ever at Omars and went back to both establishment more than once for both lunches and evening meals. no hassle and great prices to boot so to speak further away from the Harbour . However always pay a visit or two to Akin's and Korsan fish Terrance
-
I totally agree re the "hassle", I count myself as an "old Kalkan hand", and now tend to eat at only certain restaurants, that I know, they know me and my colleague, we are welcomed as old friends and we love going to them. Last walk along "restaurant alley" by the harbour almost amounted to assault by the "greeters", we could not wait to get away, it was awful. Progress through an Egyptian Bazaar is easier :o :o :o :o :o
-
Also find the harbour restaurants the worse for hassle. In fact one of the guys last year was seriously started to p**s my husband off! I'm guessing it's the same one that Lizilu and Skunk had problems with. We were staying in the Pirat and our evening started with a walk along the harbour to Kleo bar for cocktails but we eventually started cutting along the actual harbour side were the boats are just to avoid this man.
-
I'm glad it isn't just me that feels this way, I thought I might have been being a bit of a moaning Minnie!! I do hope that someone with some clout is reading these posts and maybe has a word around town. Hopefully on our next visit we will be able to wander through the streets in peace, here's hoping! Another quick mention for Alternatif who did not hassle us but just gave useful advice when we asked questions, we actually approached them, likewise with Kaya and Ismail at Escudo was also not overly pushy just informative, we ate at all three restaurants and The Olive Garden that has also been mentioned in previous posts, the greeters are definitely having a negative effect in my opinion ^-^
-
Like maryjane we have our favourites and strangely enough they are not restaurants that have greeters (pushers!) they maybe have someone smiling by the door making you feel welcome. Would go as far as to say that with the choice of amazing restaurants in Kalkan that we would never go somewhere if there was someone being pushy.....quite the opposite. Its probably no great surprise that most of the very popular restaurants don't have a pushy greeter.....do the others not notice?? ???
-
We are also fed up with the greeters & their hassel & rudeness in some cases. We also spend many months in Kalkan & have known it for 20yrs so have seen the changes. We did last month speak to a nice young man who had just arrived in Kalkan to work. He had lived in the UK for 17yrs & was back to trace & look into his family history working to make some money to help in his venture, he isn't a local person. Asked how he found Kalkan he was unsure, he liked the town found it quiet & was finding the visitors quite nice but he had a problem with the bosses of the businesses, he was only being paid a percentage of the takings, he had been working for over 3 weeks & not had any payment at that time. The establishment he was in was one on the new ones just opened & to our knowledge in the first 2 weeks it had had a huge staff turn over. It was still quite quiet at the time re customers & he had been warned that most of the Kalkan bosses were gready. Although we hate all the hassel perhaps a lot of the greeters are in the same position & only being paid a percentage of the takings & that makes them more in your face, no excuse for being rude though.
-
Still can't see the point in having greeters and if they are relying on a percentage of the takings for wages then the more in your face they are the less they are going to earn. Less customers - less takings- it's a no brainer!
-
The nameless one at the harbour have been giving us and also our son and his partner hassle for the past two years, standing very close to us and blocking our way so we started to walk along by the boats and he has even leant over the wall and shouted at us he just doesn't get it we'll never eat at any restaurant he works at. That said we don't find other greeters intrusive.
-
Goodness me, I didn't realise that so many other people had also had hassle from the nameless one!! >:(
We need to do something about this. We should come up a phrase to use, and all say the same thing to unnerve him!! That would seve him right. I wonder if his manager knows that so many people have avoided this restaurant (us included), all because of him!!
-
I need a clue.....confused.com ???
-
Why are you confused onelove?
Too many Efes??
I can think of one phrase to say to him but unfortunately it's too rude to print and I am a lady!! I was thinking us secret agents should have some kind of a code word or phrase, maybe in turkish, that means leave us alone, or I will never grace your establishment until you learn some manners. :o
Just thought it'd be fun if we all said the same thing to him. Perhaps I need to get out more! ;D ;D
-
I guess that the restaurant owners/managers don't read this website so may be blissfully unaware of the loss of business due to their (over enthusiastic/downright rude) greeters. Perhaps someone who lives in Kalkan and speaks a bit of Turkish could make it known to restaurant owners that this is getting to be quite a serious issue and it is going to have an adverse effect on their business. Such a shame because the season is only short lived and these greeters are actually having the opposite effect of bringing in customers by driving them away instead!
-
Why are you confused onelove?
Too many Efes??
I can think of one phrase to say to him but unfortunately it's too rude to print and I am a lady!! I was thinking us secret agents should have some kind of a code word or phrase, maybe in turkish, that means leave us alone, or I will never grace your establishment until you learn some manners. :o
Just thought it'd be fun if we all said the same thing to him. Perhaps I need to get out more! ;D ;D
Drinking a nice cup of (PG Tips) as I write this ;). Still need a clue...is it one of the first restaurants as you walk along the harbour away from Marina ?
-
Well why doesn't someone on here name and shame the restaurant/offender then we could all avoid him, as i for one am not sure who you are all talking about. ???
-
Ok, I ll name the restaurant i'm on about and see if the same one that Lizilu means. It's one of the first restaurants on the harbour from the Pirat end and it's Iilyda. (think I've spelt it right).
-
Ah, I get why you were confused now one love, forgive me, it's been a long day! Just got in from work to continue the thread!
You've hit the nail on the head Nicky, it was indeed ilyada!! The greeter at trio can sometimes be a bit pushy too (depending if they are the same ones this year). We had a bit of hassle from trios greeter in April, but the one at ilyada last year won the award for most annoying!!
-
I find a polite no thanks and walk on by always work.... ;)
-
Yeah I know the guy your all talking about. We started to walk along by the boats up to fenner cafe to save getting asked. But the worst offender in our case is a guy up in the old town, gets very rude.
I think we should tell the owners that this just puts people off. Never been anywhere as bad for it, we even started to drive the car down so we would not have to deal with it witch is shame.
-
Misty that's difficult when he is standing nose to nose with you blocking your way - he was at Ilyada last year but has moved to a new restaurant nearly opposite Marina can't remember the name.
-
Ah, I get why you were confused now one love, forgive me, it's been a long day! Just got in from work to continue the thread!
You've hit the nail on the head Nicky, it was indeed ilyada!! The greeter at trio can sometimes be a bit pushy too (depending if they are the same ones this year). We had a bit of hassle from trios greeter in April, but the one at ilyada last year won the award for most annoying!!
It don't take a lot to confuse me Lizilu ;) 8) ;)
-
I've walked down the harbour restaurants a few times and not noticed this guy. It's quite easy to walk past anyone. Why not just state to him that you'll never eat there as long as he keeps pestering you. He might learn a lesson.
-
I kinda guessed it might have been that one thanks Nicky - we had a real run in with them couple of years ago so would never set foot in there out of principle and have told them so in the past. however I believe it has new owners this year so be interesting to see as we are at the Pirat so pass there constantly (still won't go in though). There are way too many nice restaurants with lovely staff to visit. ;)
-
Have to agree Chrissy.
-
hi guys this is new owner of the Ilyada,
before you write something please try it
if there is any problem with service, staff, price or food please let me know so i can fix it
-
Time to lock this one now, as Harry says if you have a problem let him know so that he can try and solve it.