I am beginning to get suspicious
that Hotels4u – part of Thomas Cook and a company you would trust to play fair
– are not! If you read my blogs in the
winter you will know that we had a lot of trouble with this year’s
contract. Having spent a couple of hours
discussing and agreeing prices and other details, they then said they wouldn’t
honour the contract because they were working out more expensive than their
rival company (despite the fact that I had given them the same prices). We did agree a new contract but I still think
they are not happy with the price for peak season. Their solution – tell people Poppy is full
and flog them something else that is cheaper for them. I can’t prove this, but I have had several families
who have previously stayed with us pop in and say they tried to book for Poppy
but were told it was full. At first I
didn’t question it as since my return from the UK (mid July) we have been full
from 11th September for a few days. But
the latest group said they were trying to book back in MAY.
Having just done my accounts for
August it seems a bit surprising that Hotels4u made 17 reservations in June, 12 in July and for August –
just one booking. The other company we
work with – Low Cost Holidays – booked 12 rooms for July and 15 for August. It certainly makes me wonder….and gives people another reason to book direct!
I am trying to ignore the mess and
noise coming from outside the gate. I am
very happy that the electric company are putting our cables underground which
will make the supply a bit more reliable, not to mention getting rid of the
ugly telegraph pole next to our entrance.
I am not so happy that they felt a need to do it in the middle of the
season! I arrived at 8am the other morning to find a digger and lorry right
outside the gate – no chance for anyone in that side of the hotel to have a
lie-in. They also managed to hit a water
pipe – turning the trench into a moat (we already have the drawbridge to get
out – see picture) and have broken our telephone/internet line twice so far. I am gritting my teeth and thinking of the
end result.
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| work in progress! |
Actually on Tuesday I just went out
for the day with some friends who are staying.
A quick trip to the market, then up to Kaya village. We had a short walk around the deserted village
but spent more time just sitting in a ‘köşk’ (platform with cushions) with cold
drinks, enjoying the views and the lazy feel of the place. Even the camels were collapsed in the heat
(see photo)!
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| camel at Kaya |
Then we went down to Ölüdeniz – this
time to one of the small sandy beaches at the back of the lagoon which are a
great place for children to swim. Not that their kids – aged three and a half and not-quite-two are frightened of the water.
I have never seen any child throw themselves with such abandon into the pool – baby pool, big pool, shallow end, deep end – as Maddie, the younger one,
does.
Lots of lovely guests in - but we were especially happy to see Jan and Graham. Here they are with Rachel and her birthday cake.
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| Rachel's birthday |
And finally here is ME in the
water - when I went diving a few weeks
ago. I like this picture!
