We asked three operators – Sunquest, Unijet and Simply Turkey – to give a recommendation and sample price for three clients who have special requests for a holiday in Turkey.
Request 1: Client A are young, free and single – two 19 year old women heading off for some fun in the sun. Sociable party-goers, they want plenty of nightlife, a good beach and a low-cost deal.
Simply Turkey
Area: Ortakent, near Bodrum.
Product: Simply Turkey tends to feature quieter resorts but try the Tamarisk Beach Hotel with a good water sports school and bustling Bodrum just 10mins drive away. There is a good beach and plenty of easily accessible nightlife.
Price: Tamarisk Beach Hotel is a three-star property and costs from £325 a week bed and breakfast in low season, and from £415 in peak season.
Sunquest
Area: Ortakent.
Product: stay at the Club Petunya – set on the beach with four swimming pools, two pool bars, indoor and outdoor restaurants. It is an easy taxi ride to Bodrum and Gumbet for serious nightlife.
Price: based on two adults sharing a twin room, the three-star Club Petunya costs £369 bed and breakfast per person per week for departures in June.
Unijet
Area: Altinkum.
Product: the resort boasts six discos, over 40 restaurants and more than 40 bars so it’s great for those looking for fun in the sun. Stay at the lively Anatolia Studios. The resort name means golden sands and the accommodation is 100 metres from the beach.
Price: The Anatolia Studios are priced from £255 per person for two weeks in May based on two sharing a self-catering studio.
Request 2: Client B is a discerning middle-aged traveller setting off to explore Turkey on his own. He is interested in a quiet and educational holiday. He is a sociable type and wants to meet others similarly inclined towards the culture of the country.
Simply Turkey
Area: Gocek or Kas.
Product: join the Hidden Turkey escorted tour and discover the botany, archaeology and local culture of the Gocek area with an experienced local guide. Or stay at the Korsan Kale in Kas and independently explore the sites of Kekova, Olympus and Kalkan with a combination of excursions and hire car.
Price: the week-long escorted tour is based on half-board accommodation at the Hotel Deniz and costs £685 with no single-room supplement. A week at the Korsan Kale is priced at £395 with hire car and tours extra.
Sunquest
Area: Gumulder.
Product: stay at the four-star Club Yali where there is a good choice of interesting excursions including visits to Troy, the ancient city of Pergamon and the stalactites and hot thermal waters of Pamukkale.
Price: based on a single person staying in a twin room for one week, half-board in mid June, the price is £467.
Unijet
Area: touring and Kusadasi.
Product: join a one-week coach tour which includes visits to Ephesus, Pamukkale and Istanbul and then spend a week in the ancient terraced town, and now stylish, bustling resort, of Kusadasi.
Price: the tour is based on three-star accommodation and costs from £399 in October. Stay at the Hotel Grand Blue Sky in Kusadasi where there are no single supplements in May or October and prices start at £299 per week bed and breakfast.
Request 3: Couple C have two children aged six and nine years old. Although they have a tight budget, they want a good beach and fuss-free catering – somewhere typically Turkish. They would prefer to travel in the school holidays.
Simply Turkey
Area: Yalikavak or Akyaka.
Product: stay at the Valonia Apartments with a huge pool and on-site restaurant. The restaurants of Yalikavak are nearby and the apartments are linked by complimentary minibus to the Tamarisk Beach Hotel for water sports and to busier Bodrum. Alternatively, the Akyaka area is typically Turkish, rather than touristy, and is within easy walking distance of the town and beach.
Price: Valonia Apartments from £365 per person per week in peak season. In Akyaka the Tomsan Villas or Okaliptus apartments – with two pools – are from £335 per person per week.
Sunquest
Area: Marmaris.
Product: stay at the Halici Apartments – part of a holiday village overlooking the resort. Facilities include four pools, mini-market, snack bars and tennis courts and the beach is just 600 metres away.
Price: at the time of going to press, free child places were still available and price per adult departing August is £409 for two weeks. The standard child price is £149.
Unijet
Area: Gumbet.
Product: this resort is a popular one with a gently shelving beach. Stay at the Hotel Simba (1hr transfer from the airport) where there are complimentary activities at the childrens’ club, a wide range of facilities and good beach just 110 metres away.
Price: Hotel Simba offers bed and breakfast or half-board at £495 per adult per week in August, £159 for the first child and £259 for the second child for two weeks.