Kalkan Turkey Forum - EnjoyKalkan.com
Travel and Accommodation => Accommodation and Hotels => Topic started by: claire on June 07, 2009, 05:29:53 PM
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Hi , just wanted to add a review of our experience at the Fidanka.
This place is wonderful. The manager and his staff work very hard to make you feel at home - but they do it in a really subtle way so it never feels overdone or smarmy.
Breakfast consists of cereal, yoghurt, honey, cheeses, bread, butter, boiled eggs cucumber and tomatoes and other bits and bobs that you help yourself to. There''s nice coffee and tea, and fruit juice. I did see people eating omlettes too but I am sure they were paid for seperately. That''s all served between 08.30 and 10.30 upstairs on the roof terrace
Lunch is eaten by the pool and is a very relaxed affair.
Dinner is served back up on the terrace They have a weekly barbeque which is delicious. Other than the barbeque they serve a reasonable selection of foods. My particular favourite was the chicken kebab (15 lira). Huge portions and lovely presentation. We thought the food overall was great value and very tasty. The views from the roof terrace are amazing day and night. You get to see Kalkan and the bay, and at night it''s an array of coloured lights - even the traffic lights look pretty!
The lounge is small and interesting - not like any I''ve seen before. The furniture is quite grand, with rugs and pictures and kilims and a huge framed tapestry. Very quirky but relaxing. There are a large selection of books for people to read too. The staff use the lounge on their breaks but they leave when guests go in (despite our reassurances for them to stay put).
The pool area is right next to the lounge and is so bright and colourful it''s hard to describe. I guess ''a riot of colour'' would be a good start. There are flowers literally everywhere in planters on top of planters, in bowls, metal buckets, vases, you name it, they use it to present or grow flowers. It''s fab. The loungers are predominantly wooden and all have coloured cushions. Very comfy! The pool itself isn''t huge but is more than adequate for an 11 bedroomed hotel. The swallows take flying sips as they fly over, and sparrows sit on the side cleaning themselves. It''s so sweet...
There is an ornately carved wooden pool side bar from where they sell the usual drinks and also freshly made fruit juices. My favourite was apple, lemon and carrot. Sounds vile, but is gorgeous!! There were probably about 6 apples and 6 carrots in each glass and you could smell the lemon from the other side of the pool. That was 5 lira which I thought was well worth it.
Our bedroom was on the first floor and was approached by a set of slightly wonky wooden steps right next to a lemon tree and yet more flowering bushes. The room itself was fantastic - like a plush treehouse! Even the shower was wooden, honestly! There was an array of shutters which covered the stained glass windows. The shutters did an excellent job of keeping out the heat. The view from the our room was great - overlooking Kisla and the bay. Once out on the balcony which had a table, two wooden seats with cusions and a large day bed, you could see Kalkan too. It really was absolutely gorgeous. There was aircon in the room which we used a bit, but as there were so many windows we were able to a get a good airflow going, which was fine. There was a small fridge and kettle, but we bought our own tea bags and milk. The only downside to the room was that once the sun had gone down it was a little dark - could have done with a main light (for putting on the slap/ removing contacts) rather than all the side lamps. The bed was comfy as was the sofa, and we found watching Turkish TV rather interesting, perplexing and amusing.
The location was for us totally fine. It costs us 10 lira each way to get to Kalkan, but we knew that would be the case so budgeted for it. It was easy walking distance to the Mahal beach cub (bit steep coming back). Very quiet at night apart from the 2 or 3 barking dogs, which were nothing to do with the hotel.
To summarise; Go, if you like unique, quirky, friendly, interesting, quiet, beautiful and different. Don''t go if you want minimal, modern, chic, bustling and corporate. You get the idea.
Cheers, Claire.
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Wow, great review, thanks very much Claire
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Thanks Claire, it sounds a beautiful, charming place , really quaint will have to have a nosy as it doesn''t sound like it''s too far from Patara Prince.
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More than welcome! Was a pleasure to write as it brought back so many wonderful memories! I''d go back in a heartbeat. ;D
Yes, it''s just down the road from the Patara - probably about 5 minutes there and 10 minutes back (to allow for any grub you eat at Fidanka and the uphill return journey). Worth the walk though, for sure!
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Thank you for your review Claire,
We''ve just booked to stay at The Fidanka in October and it sounds like we''ve picked the right place. Am really looking forward to it now :)
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Nice review Claire.
We have an apartmnent in Kisla and have seen Fidanka from outside and wondered about trying the restaurant. Is that alright would you say?
Phil
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Hi All,
Praised the food at the Fidanka on another thread. Can''t wait to go back in July! Excellent and very friendly!
Rx
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Roxie is right! Go for it, they don''t have a HUGE selection, but what they have is delicious and I think it''s very good value too. Have fun!!
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Great review Claire, thanks.
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Hi PhilB
We too have an apartment in Kisla and use the Fidanka quite often for lunch and dinner or just to pop in for a drink. It is really quaint with great ambience and friendly staff. Would definitely recommend it.
It''s great having somewhere local for those days or nights when you do not particularly want to go into town.
KislaBlue
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Have to agree with everything Claire said. I can''t add any more apart from we were chuffed to bits with it.
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Cool suelees! Glad you enjoyed it too.
I still think about it on an hourly basis even now!!!!