Kimkim Trip Reviews for Turkey

Berat organised a wonderful holiday for my daughter and I in May 2024. The trip design was great capturing lots of major sites from the extraordinary landscape and cave dwellings in Cappadocia to Greco-Roman sites at Ephesus, Aphrodisias and Hieropolis to the thermal waters and travertine terraces at Pamukkale. We ended our trip in Istanbul exploring Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Cisterns, a boat tour of the Bosphorus and the Bazaar. The tour was exceptionally well designed with a full itinerary, great hotels ranging from 5 star to small characterful boutique hotels in lovely places. All transfers and travel arrangements were sorted for us so our trip was completely hassle free and seamless. But what made the trip was our wonderful guide Volkan who guided us every step of the way. He was a superb professional, immensely knowledgeable and helpful, thoughtfully managing every part of our tour. He filled us in on all of the amazing history of the region and made it all fascinatingly accessible to us. He finely balanced his guiding, warmth and support with giving us time to explore and spend time to ourselves. I’ve travelled extensively and this was my best holiday ever. We loved it and were very sad for it to end. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Excellent experience with Kim Kim. Our planner, Berat, was very helpful and responsive. All the transfers and bookings were planned without glitches. Our guides, Volkan and Hatice were most knowledgeable and accommodating. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with us while in Kapadokya and could not fly the balloons but nevertheless the visit to Türkiye was most interesting and enjoyable! Kudos to everyone!! Jose ( Tito)

Hotel Reviews

The Bank Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Millstone Cave Suites

Authenticity & Character

Very unique hotel. Really captures the character if Kapadokya.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

There was a little bit of mal odor coming from what I believe was the sanitary sewer vent. Also, for some reason, the last night there was a string smell of burning wood coming into the room. This was room 106.

Activity Reviews

Food Tour in Istanbul

İstanbul

Thought we would go on a “tour” but Volkan took us to just one place to try different dishes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

lo

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Do not schedule this activity on International Workers Day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Very nice boat! Excellent Service.

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Amazing historical place!

Wine Pairing Menu at Yedi Bilgeler Vineyard

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Şirince: A Guided Stroll in a beautiful Aegean Village

Şirince

Lovely little village.

Discover Priene: A beautiful ancient Ionian town

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Amazing place!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Workshop at Nisanyan Houses

Şirince

Lots of fun!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Such an extraordinary trip made possible by our local specialist, Berat - who was exceptionally flexible to our changing needs. Thank you Berat.

Our guides Betul, Ozan and Sumer were knowledgeable of the areas, with interesting suggestions and anecdote stories to delight. They ensured the trip was comfortable, exciting and catered to our needs. Thank you.

Dear Berat, Sumer Sumerli, Ozan, Betul, and the wonderful team of drivers!

I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the absolutely incredible trip my companions and I experienced under your guidance. Each of you played an integral role in making our journey through Turkey an unforgettable adventure filled with awe-inspiring sights, rich history, and cherished memories.

Sumer Sumerli, your expertise and passion for Cappadocia truly shone through as you led us through the enchanting valleys and museums. Your knowledge and enthusiasm illuminated every corner, allowing us to immerse ourselves fully in the beauty of the region.

Ozan, your dedication and warmth touched our hearts during our exploration of Sirince, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Hierapolis. Your meticulous planning and eagerness to share your wisdom enriched our experience beyond measure. Your efforts to arrange for a priest to bless our spring water reflected your exceptional care and attention to detail, for which we are profoundly grateful.

Betul, your impeccable organization and flexibility ensured that our time in Istanbul was both efficient and enjoyable. Your ability to keep us on track while accommodating our desire to savor every moment of the city's beauty and history was truly remarkable.

To all the drivers whose names I didn't capture, please accept my heartfelt thanks for your professionalism, accommodation, and, above all, your commitment to our safety throughout our journey. Your efforts did not go unnoticed, and we are deeply appreciative of the role you played in making our trip seamless and secure.

And finally, Berat, your patience, expertise, and unwavering dedication were instrumental in crafting the perfect itinerary for us. Your attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of our trip exceeded our expectations did not go unnoticed. We are endlessly grateful for your guidance and support throughout the planning process and during our travels.

In conclusion, I cannot thank each of you enough for your contributions to what was undoubtedly the most extraordinary trip of our lives. Your passion, professionalism, and kindness have left an indelible mark on our hearts, and we will forever cherish the memories we made under your care.

Thank you all so much!

Alicia Gonsalvez

We had a fantastic ten days in Turkey. All of the hotels and transfers that Berat organized for us were great, and she gave us excellent advice regarding where to go to maximize the time we had. Our guides (Betul in Istanbul, Ozan in Ephesus, and Hatice in Ushisar) were wonderful. The highlight of the trip was certainly Cappadocia, and Berat's suggestion to stay in Uchisar, not Goreme, was spot-on.

I would like to give 5 star + review for the KimKim agency for our recent nine day trip in Turkey. Prior to booking this trip I have engaged several travel agencies; the experience with Kim Kim was markedly different. I am particularly grateful to Berat, our local specialist. Before I booked this trip, Berat worked diligently and tirelessly with me to figure out our itinerary, lodging, excursions, flights, transfers etc. This is A LOT of work which differentiated Barat from other travel agents I was communicating with. The trip was absolutely fabulous. Everything went as planned, there were no any issues. We liked all the hotels; our guides were personally pleasant and very knowledgeable, all car transfers were on time, the were no issues whatsoever with any of the airline flights booked by Kim Kim. During the itinerary planning process, I had some ideas but Berat also had suggestions and I'm very happy that I took her suggestions because they were absolutely fabulous. She really knows what she is doing and can go out of her way to make things happen.
I can highly recommend Kim Kim and Berat in particular, it is a great value for money.

Hotel Reviews

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

Very good experience, nice room and outstanding service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Couldn't be better

Staff

The staff was very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was super clean, well updated every day, the breakfast is very good

Millstone Cave Suites

This is a highly recommended hotel. The location is absolutely perfect with amazing views on the valley and the hot air balloons. The hotel had one of the best breakfast I ever had

Authenticity & Character

Our room had a great character, was very comfortable and clean

Location

Very convenient location, amazing views from the hotel

Staff

The staff was attentive and accommodated all our requests

Cleanliness & Comfort

The place is spotless clean and extremely well maintained

The Bank Hotel

Istanbul

The hotel is very conveniently located, very close to restaurants and other attractions, the staff was very helpful and accommodating

Authenticity & Character

This is an old 19 century building, well updated and has a Victorian Era charm

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gullu Konaklari Sirince

Izmir

The hotel and the grounds looked very nice. Unfortunately, we had very limited time staying there. I wish we would spend more time and look around

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

This place is a must. It is an amazing experience and our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the region and was showing us things that we would otherwise miss

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ozan is absolutely amazing guide

Kaymaklı Underground City + Light Hiking at Ihlara Valley + Selime Monastery

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Avanos: Discovering the Ceramic Tradition and Light hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murat helped us plan an amazing trip to Turkey for our family. He was spot on with all of his recommendations and all of the accommodation, activities and transfers were perfect. Our guide Emre in Istanbul was so lovely and knowledgable. He was also really flexible and helpful given we were travelling with our 3 young sons. Next we went to Cappadocia and our guide Efe was just as wonderful. We loved the trip and enjoyed such a wide variety of different historical and cultural experiences. Would definitely recommend Murat, his team and this trip to anyone travelling to Turkey.

The itinerary was well thought out , allowed us to have diff experience and cuisine.

Traveling was painless and the guides were very helpful and attentive to our needs and requests .

Berat has done an amazing job !

We had a fantastic time in Turkey. Our guides, Sebnem and Burcu, were absolutely wonderful! They were very kind and caring AND they were incredibly knowledgable. They gave amazing tours of ancient ruins and modern parts of Turkey that were interesting for my teenage daughters. They were patient with all of our questions and they were extremely engaging. Additionally, they were able to cater to our changing plans - they added a haram experience and food tastings on a whim.

We had an amazing trip through Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale. Murat provided many great ideas to make our trip amazing and he was very responsive to our needs. Our trip to Sirince, a small town in Turkey, was a fantastic suggestion. Murat arranged a great boutique hotel with a incredible sight over the whole village. The balloon ride in Cappadoccia was very memorable. Given the unpredictable weather during winter, we could have missed this opportunity but we were fortunate to capture this and had a once in a lifetime view of this amazing out of the world landscape. Sebnem, our local guide in Istanbul, was fantastic as she really listen to our needs and went out of her way to make our trip fantastic as well as her recommended restaurants. We also liked to explore on our own as well as using local guides to complement our experience. Murat really helped in making this possible. Highly recommend using Kimkim and in Turkey, Murat's team is fantastic!

With limited time and intervention from our part, Berat created a private tour and executed seamless for us, she listened to our preferences and we had a 9 days terrific experience, with little to no concern at all. The guides across Turkey were knowledgeable and were able to put in context all the points of interest we visited or we asked about it. The transportation was better than expected, the hotels were of good value, but the tour guides were the ones tha made the difference, thanks Vulkan - Istanbul; Irfan - Capadoccia and Hita in Sirince & Pamukkale. This was my first experience with Kim Kim, for sure is just the beginning.

Hotel Reviews

Dosso Dossi Hotel Old City

Not a great value, is the only location that I would not repeat.

Authenticity & Character

Not impressed

Location

Location is the only good part of hotel

Staff

I mentioned a terrible noise in the room. From the moment we arrived and we had to have a bad night to make a room change.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There are better options in the surroundings

Kale Konak Hotel

Location, uniqueness of the hotel, breakfast quality and service staff, good value hotel

Authenticity & Character

What better than a hotel in caves.

Location

A few meters from the Palace.

Staff

Personable and help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Not easy to get in, but the hotel is a gem, the rooms, furniture and views makes this a very likable hotel, romantic with excellent food especially dinner and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just keep in mind no wheelchair or persons with limited mobility.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Signature Hotel & Spa

Nicely located, modern construction, nicely done. Rooms could be a bit noisy, food just average. Very good spa and massages.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ansen Suites

Istanbul

Location is great, room is ample and comfortable. The day left there was no electricity and elevator not working, had to bring down baggage’s on my own.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Not much contact with them or even necessary

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guides Volcan and Hattice were superb. History, culture, sightseeing, and cuisine were all very well explained and experienced.

We had a fantastic 10 day trip to Turkey seeing the highlights in Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus/Sirince. We loved our guide in Istanbul, Volkan, and the sights were amazing; Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, the Cistern, and the Bosphorous cruise. The hotel in Old Town was excellent! Cappadocia lived up to the hype with the amazing hot air balloon ride, cave frescoes, and exploring the valleys. Staying in a cave hotel was a unique experience! Our guide Hattice was excellent with our son! Ephesus was amazing and we enjoyed exploring the town of Sirince. The boutique hotel on the hillside over Sirince was so traditional and the restaurant was amazing. We enjoyed the cooking class we did with the chef!

Hotel Reviews

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

Absolutely beautiful, great location, fantastic breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Very unique boutique hotel obviously built with love and run by excellent staff. The terrace house was beautiful, and the tower house 3 room was fine, a little small for 3 people. There was a lot of work being done around the property given that it was the off season. Restaurant was amazing and the cooking class was a lot of fun! The hotel is not meant for people who don't like cobblestones or stairs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kale Konak Hotel

Such a unique experience, staff did an excellent job mitigating some cleanliness concerns in one of the rooms, rooms are dark but that is to be expected, hotel facilities are very nice (Turkish bath, terrace). Some minor flaws, nail in the wood on the bed sticking out, dogs were somewhat agressive coming in late at night, dirt from the cave ceiling falling down).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness issues caused by the cave environment

Activity Reviews

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

A must do in Istanbul.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Very authentic

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hattice was wonderful to keep Connor during the experience.

Transport

Avanos: Discovering the Ceramic Tradition and Light hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

We enjoyed the Ceramics experience; amazing work and it was fun that Connor got to try it. We did not do the hiking in the Love Valley due to timing and physical constraints.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Excellent overview of Istanbul and you hit the high points of the Old Town!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Volkan was an excellent guide!

Transport

Istanbul Archaeological Museum Tour

İstanbul

Surprisingly good for kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

Flawless - must do

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Sinasos: The Pearl of the East

Cappadocia

I didn't really find this worthwhile. We only visited the church and it didn't seem particularly special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Very interesting experience and the boat was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Ihlara Valley and Light Hiking Along the Melendiz River

Cappadocia

Beautiful and great speed for my in-laws. The stop for pancakes along the river was fun.

Quality of Experience

O

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour in Istanbul

İstanbul

Would recommend doing this earlier in the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Can't miss.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Amazing - recommend including visiting the Dark Church in the price

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Pairing Dinner at Revithia Cappadocia

Cappadocia

Very nice, only snafu was over who was paying for it, but it was worked out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Quality of Experience

O

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The time of year I chose to visit definitely made the trip more interesting - from rain to sun to snow, nothing was predictable which made every day fresh and new, not to mention the spectacular destinations. Of all the places I saw, I think Mardin was my favorite - I'd never been there, there seemed to be less tourists (might have been the time of year), the views from the old city were incredible, finally got some sunshine, and the side-trip to the amazing Dara was incredible. Yakup was an excellent driver/guide and added so very much to my knowledge and learning at every destination we visited.

Travel planning at its best!!

Very happy with Berat and his group. The guides; Volkan and Hatice were incredible!!!! The drivers very professional, courteous and safe driving.

We are extremely pleased with the itinerary, guides, places we visited, communication. If I was to do it all over again, I would not do it any other way!! Berat and her team did a marvelous job!!

Travel planning at its best!!

Very happy with Berat and his group. The guides; Volkan and Hatice were incredible!!!! The drivers very professional, courteous and safe driving.

We are extremely pleased with the itinerary, guides, places we visited, communication. If I was to do it all over again, I would not do it any other way!! Berat and her team did a marvelous job!!

Berat organised our trip at quite short notice and did an excellent job. Cappadocia was amazing and our visits to Ephesus and Pergamon were very interesting. Our guide Volkan was very well informed and driver Aly was good. And cats!

Hotel Reviews

Kale Konak Hotel

Very interesting rooms. The breakfast is amazing. And cats!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Charming character-filled hotel. Absolutely brilliant breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Goreme is an intriguing place. The natural formations are extraordinary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Wine + Romance in Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Very pleasant time. A nice way to watch the sunset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

It’s balloons. It’s Cappadocia!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Turkey was the first time we used KimKim and we were not disappointed by this experience.
Our contact was Berat and she was very helpful both during planning stage of our trip, as well as during the time we were traveling in Turkey, when she was always on top of communicating details of all our transfers and changes in itinerary. All logistics was taken care of and everything went very smoothly.
In Istanbul our guide Erdem was very friendly and knowledgeable, he was very attentive to our interests and was able to navigate through crowded places in the most efficient way. Despite the crowds in some most touristy sites he made it possible for us to visit all of them. He gave us many good suggestions for our last "free" day in Istanbul and recommended some wonderful restaurants to eat which we will never found on our own.
Irfan, our guide in Cappadocia, was also knowledgeable and gave us a lot of information. We realized that our planned itinerary included less hikes than we hoped to have in Cappadocia, so we asked to add visit and hike in Ihlara valley to our itinerary. This was done after coordination with Berat and that experience was one of the best in our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Recital Hotel

Istanbul

Recital hotel is conveniently located in the center of the historical part of Istanbul. Room was somewhat dated, but had very nice view from the balcony. There is also a rooftop terrace with nice view but no service there. There were big groups staying in the hotel and it was rather noisy in the evening. Good breakfast. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kale Konak Hotel

We really liked this small hotel. It has the best location in Uchishar and a lot of character. Wonderful breakfast and very friendly and helpful staff. Room was rather small, but there are many nice seating areas available in the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

It was interesting to see this busy place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

It was great to explore these amazing sites with our guide Erdem. He made it possible to see all the major places despite the crowds, he gave us a lot of historical facts and stories.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore the historical + modern hub: Pera, Karaköy and Beyond

İstanbul

Unfortunately several places we were supposed to visit were closed for different reasons. The views from Galata tour were worth standing in line.

Quality of Experience

as several places were closed for some unknown reason it would be nice to have some other activities planed for this day

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

it was interesting to experience tram and funicular rides

Crossing between Continents: Explore Kadıköy and Moda

İstanbul

It was beautiful day and crossing on a ferry boat was enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Erdem showed us small neighborhood streets where locals live and told us a lot about every day life in Turkey. He brought us to a nice open air cafe overlooking Bosphorus for turkish coffee.

Transport

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

This is an amazing experience. It was one of the reasons we wanted to go to Cappadoccia and it did not disappointed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

It is very crowded but our guide Irfun was able to navigate us around crowds, gave us a lot of hiostorical information but also time to explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Soğanlı Valley

Turkey

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we. had wonderful driver for 3 days.

Berat did an excellent job, listening to my values and crafting an itinerary and experience that was perfectly suited to my tastes-- even taking the time to go through several iterations before we finalized an itinerary. She took the time to meet me for tea while in Istanbul-- a lovely personal touch and memory to cherish.

The guide she selected for me, Hatice, was an absolute delight and now, a new friend. I have traveled extensively, and have often said, that if I can get everything I would get from a guide from a book-- then I don't need the guide. I want a personal viewpoint, personal engagement, and a relationship. Hatice offered that. She too was very intentional of observing me and assessing my values as the trip unfolded, fine tuning, rearranging and adjusting the timing and stops to optimize my experience according to my values. She would often offer-- "given the things you seem to like... I don't think you would enjoy this, but you would like this." I loved that she would often give me an overview of a sight, and then give me time to wander alone and take my photos... making it clear several times, that it is my trip and the timing and choices are mine. I love that she had a sense of humor. We shared many laughs. As a gay man, traveling alone, I also require someone who is open-minded, curious and progressively minded, particularly in a culture not know to be gay-friendly. I had expressed that concern early on in the planning stages, and Berat chose Hatice.

In recent years, as I've traveled alone to more non-Western destinations, including within the developing world, i have found that i don't want to read or know to much about where i'm going beforehand, and I definitely don't want to see photos. I want to be surprised each day-- "Oh! This is what we are doing! Look at that! I had no idea." Giving me a chance for a different kind of amazement every day. Turkey offered me that kind of wonder and amazement in spades.

Berat did an excellent job of creating an itinerary with a diversity of experiences-- there was never too much of the same thing, before we did something wildly different.

Hotel Reviews

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul

The hotel was perfectly located for me... in the center of the old city, within walking distance of everything. The concierge was very helpful. The room was simple and clean. Quiet. Very small but adequate bathroom. No view. Nothing fancy. My only complaint would be that the breakfast buffet offerings, the hot dishes were never kept hot... luke warm at best, even straight out of the kitchen. An easy fix, it would seem.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Antalya

Antalya

The hotel, while very nice, and I was put into an enormous suite, which felt uncomfortably large... just felt odd and not to my taste. It is a large, all-inclusive resort kind of hotel that's seemed tailored to what I perceive as Eastern European and Russian sensibilities. I prefer a more personal boutique hotel. I swim daily when at home-- lap swimming... the hotel did have a spectacular pool that was a godsend at that point of the trip. But weird rules about opening hours... and one had to go down two floors beneath the pool to the health club to get a towel to use the pool-- then go back up two floors. Why no towels at the pool? A rather anemic "nightclub" by the pool where no one was there. A grotesquely large, too brightly lit dining hall really-- not even a buffet. Just seemed to cater to a different kind of traveller. I was only there overnight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cappari Aqua Princess

Antalya

Perfect location, lovely sea view room... but no elevator. It was a good seven flights from the street to my room on the top floor. When I checked in, the manager asked if i would like to be on the top floor-- "It's the best room." "Well, you're the one who will have to carry my duffle bag up all those stairs!" As it was the top floor, it felt a little like an attic space that had a pitched roof. Some of the groins of the roof are very low, and I hit my head several times going to the toilet in the middle of the night. Very small bath. But kind staff and a sweet kind of charm about the place. The scale of the hotel, much more to my liking, and I loved swimming in the Mediterranean right outside my door.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doğa Thermal Hotel & Spa

Denizli

Not unlike the Ramada in Anatolia, but with more design sense and style. An all-inclusive resort type of hotel, not to my taste. Hatice explained there were no other options. The buffet dining experience was obnoxious. I felt like I did when traveling in the former Soviet Union-- they were simply not set-up to accommodate individual travellers. I did enjoy the hot mineral pool! But my experience of the place was disappointing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Konya

Konya

A stopover hotel. Stylish, smart, not overwhelming, but a business hotel-- no place to walk about for local culture. A commercial district. But absolutely fine for what it was , a stopover. Felt a bit like staying at a nice airport hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gül Konaklari Sinasos (Rose Mansions Sinasos)

Nevsehir

I will dream of this hotel forever. Perfection, top to bottom-- (well, near perfect-- I would've loved a fridge in the room There was cabinet for one but none there.) Staff was warm, kind, helpful, personable, even playful. The place is beyond charming. I could not get enough of the garden. Sat out there every chance I could. Would have preferred a hot dish for breakfast, but in that garden, I almost didn't care. Yet when i made that comment to Hatice, the next morning the very kind waiter, Recep, brought me a sizzling skillet of Turkish eggs! That's how to do it. HIGHLY recommend it! And a perfect way to close my trip. I hated to leave. The only hotel on the trip that felt like the experience of the hotel was part of the journey.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Esrefoglu: A Unique Wooden Mosque from the 13th Century

Konya

This was a surprise highlight of my trip. The mosque, although small and off the beaten path, provided a serene and intimate experience that was deeply moving. I relished the opportunity to meditate within its quiet confines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Eflatunpınar: A hidden gem from the 13th century BC

Konya

This was an unexpected joy. The Hittite monument, although remote and without the usual trappings of a tourist spot, offered a unique experience of discovery and intimacy. Engaging in conversation with local families added to the charm of this ancient site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Göreme-Uçhisar Hike

Cappadocia

This hike was an absolute delight. It was just me and my guide, which allowed for a personal and enriching experience. The conversations we shared were as memorable as the hike itself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

A deeply contemplative and serene experience. The ceremony was a perfect way to wind down after a long day, and I appreciated having the opportunity to be present and reflective during the ceremony.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Where do I begin to tell you about our amazing 10 days in Turkey?! My husband and I didn’t want to go on a « one size fits all » vacation. After a great deal of reading, I had pretty much decided where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. Can’t thank Berat enough for making it all happen for us. She listened carefully to what we wanted and then filled in the spaces with her expertise.
All three of our guides, Ibrahim, Hatice and Volkan were excellent . They were knowledgeable, had a good sense of humor and went above and beyond to help us with all of our needs and wants. Safety was never a concern and we enjoyed moments on our own to explore with confidence. Local people were always friendly and eager to help.
Our drivers spoiled us from the moment we were picked up. The spacious vehicles allowed us to stretch out our legs and enjoy the views along the way with fresh water and candies.
What was the best part of our trip?! It was ALL wonderful.
The ambiance and personnel at the Hürrem Sultan Hammam were exceptional. Have never been so wonderfully pampered. Was pleasantly surprised that my husband enjoyed the experience also.
Cappadocia was a fairyland. The predawn hot air balloon ride was magical and so serene. And what fun to stay in a cave hotel!
We were warmly welcomed into the private home
of Udo Hirsch, the owner of a small winery in Gelveri.
After narrating our tour of the cellars where we saw the grapes naturally fermenting in centuries old clay containers, we returned to his family table. We tasted several of his red and white wines accompanied by homemade goat cheese and olives and fresh bread. Unforgettable!
In Safranbolu we stayed two nights in a truly impressive centuries old mansion. Our breakfast was spread out for royalty as we sat beside the indoor pool listening to the water flow softly from the beautiful fountain.
The visit to the Bozdag Film Studio was a special treat after having watched several of the television series that were filmed there. Sets were impressive and it was exciting to meet Günkut, one of the alps that I remember from the Ertugrul series. My husband particularly enjoyed watching the live show that was performed at the end of the afternoon. Horsemanship, costuming and acting were all amazing.
We thoroughly enjoyed the food in Turkey everywhere we went. On our last day Berat joined us for a food tour. Was so nice to meet the lovely young woman who helped us plan our trip of a lifetime. Just when we thought we would explode from eating so much, she asked the waiter for a pumpkin dessert. Oh, my goodness! What a delicious way to end our trip!
My husband and I are retired educators. Worked for 40 yrs and raised 3 wonderful sons. I have traveled abroad and lived in different countries, but my husband has not. I wanted this to be a positive, adventurous and awesome experience for him.
And it was!
Thank you, Berat, all of your well chosen colleagues and KimKim for sharing your beautiful country, culture, history and people with us.
Could not have been a more amazing trip.

Hotel Review

Havuzlu Asmazlar Mansion

Safranbolu

So nice to be out of the big city and into a small town. The Havuzlu Asmazlar Mansion was beautiful and full of history.

Authenticity & Character

Can’t help but feel the history and want to learn more. The wood stairway, the bed, the design on the wood ceiling, the sofas on two sides of the room, the windows and cupboards - all so inspiring. The pool room was lovely. Perfect place to relax, read and have a royal breakfast.

Location

Short walking distance to a cute outdoor restaurant. Good food and a cute little cat to keep you company!

Staff

Staff staff was helpful and eager to please. Prepared a wonderful breakfast. Make sure you allow time to relax and enjoy it!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom was on the small size but not a problem as the bedroom was very large and I simply stored my extras in the lovely cupboard just outside the bathroom. It’s impossible to keep old wood spotlessly clean, but beyond that, yes, the room was clean. Nice to open windows during the night.

Activity Reviews

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

This was amazingly wonderful! The ambiance was heavenly, high domed ceilings, warm marble slabs, beautiful aromas. The attendant made me feel comfortable immediately with the whole experience. Didn’t take long to get past all shapes and sizes of nakedness. I simply relaxed and enjoyed the pampering. It’s definitely worth splurging to get the whole experience including clay body mask, bubble cleanse, body massage. The fruit drink was a refreshing new taste. And the olives and fruit were perfect. Can’t imagine a better experience than this historical Hammam of Hürrem Sultan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Avanos: Discovering the Ceramic Tradition and Light hiking in the Love Valley

Cappadocia

Was interesting to see the artisans at work, making and painting the ceramics . Their work was beautiful but well beyond our budget. Gave us an appreciation for the amazing quality of their work though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Kaymaklı Underground City

Cappadocia

Was a fascinating experience to wander through the caves and to imagine that people actually lived here. If your husband played college football and has broad shoulders and bad knees, you might want to rethink this one though!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit to Bozdag Film Studios

İstanbul

The Bozdag television series is the whole reason that I became interested in Turkey. Was fascinated by the history of the Ottoman Empire and wanted to visit all of the historical sites. I was elated to find out that the film studio had opened to the public. Was even happier to learn that some of the actors were there on the weekends. I was not disappointed. Got to take photos with Günkut Alp from Ertugrul! So magical ! The live show in the afternoon was great! Do NOT miss it! I’m back home now and watching the final season of OSMAN. So much fun to see some of the scenes that were filmed on the sets that I had just visited.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the town of Gelveri: A walk among the Ottoman-Greek heritage of Cappadocia

Cappadocia

We felt quite special being invited into the private home of Udo Hirsch. His passion for making wine was evident from the moment we began our tour. Was incredible to visit the cellars where his wine fermented naturally in containers that were centuries old. Then we were warmly welcomed to his table to taste several of his red and white selections. Friends and family were present. We were made to feel like family as we sipped wine and enjoyed homemade goat cheese, olives and fruit and bread.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Discover Safranbolu, a unique Ottoman town on UNESCO World Heritage List

Safranbolu

I chose to go to Safranbolu to stay in one of the centuries old houses. The Havuzlu Asmazlar Mansion was a lovely place. Our corner room at the top of the beautiful wooden stairway was very spacious. Bathroom was small, but I simply stored extra items in the little cupboard just outside the bathroom door. The cushioned sofas that filled the room were the perfect place to relax in the evening. The bed was large and comfortable. A short walk around the corner took us to a cute little outdoor restaurant. Food was good and we loved the companionship of one of the local kittens. Breakfast in the morning was a feast. It was served in the room containing a dipping pool. Soothing to listen to the softly flowing water from the fountains.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

Another can’t miss experience! Our pilot was amazing and there were only 16 of us in a basket that fit 20. Simply magical and serene to float above the spectacular scenery. Crew made us feel completely safe from take off to landing. Woke up early the following morning to watch more than one hundred balloons floating by our hotel. The Kelebek Special Cave Hotel was a magical place to stay. I won’t even try to describe it . Please see our photos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pilot was funny and crew very capable.

Transport