The Rules of Bargaining in Turkey!!

A few simple bargaining or haggling tips will help you get the best price for whatever you buy in Turkey.

Bargaining or haggling is a tradition in Turkey as in many other countries. Shoppers in Europe and America bargain over price when they buy cars, houses and other expensive items. In Turkey, bargaining is extended to include many less valuable items, especially unique handmade goods such as carpets, crafts, artwork and antiques, items which do not have standardized markets.

Many people find bargaining tedious and distasteful. Get over it! Pazarlik (bargaining) is a social as well as a business practice in Turkey, and can be relatively pleasant when done properly.




Here are rules for getting a good price:




1. Know the Market. Browse, examine goods and ask prices in several shops (at least three) to get a sense of the market before bargaining. This is particularly important for carpet shops.

2. Don't show enthusiasm for the item you want. A poker face pays off, believe me. Look at several items. Don't ask prices for awhile, but when you do, ask the prices of several items, whether you're interested in them or not. Act as though the piece you really, really want is only so-so, not a big deal.

3. Decide what you think a piece is worth to you. Many people are distressed to find that someone else bought a similar item for less. Don't worry about it! Sometimes you'll be the one getting the best price. If you decide what an item is worth to you and pay no more than that, how can you go wrong? By definition, you've received value for your money. People who play the "I-got-it-cheaper" game need to get a life.
4. Let the shopkeeper quote the first price. If a shopkeeper asks "What will you pay?" you should ask again "What's the price?" The shopkeeper's price will be higher than what s/he expects you to pay. There's no fixed formula for making your counter-offer. It should be substantially less than you expect or want to pay, a half or even a quarter of the shopkeeper's price (depending on how inflated that is). If your counter-offer is way too low, however, the shopkeeper will know he's dealing with someone who doesn't know the market (see Rule No. 1, above), or doesn't get what bargaining is all about.

5. If you buy several items, get a discount. It's always easier to get a lower price if you buy several items, just like anywhere in the world.

6. Don't haggle over pennies. If you're close to agreement on price, don't let a few Turkish liras get in the way of your satisfaction.

7. Don't be afraid to walk away...(and perhaps come back). It's one of those philosophical conundrums: you get the best price on an item if you can convince yourself that you really don't need it. If you really can't bring yourself to pay the shopkeeper's final price, thank him or her and walk out of the shop. Seeing a potential sale walking away, the shopkeeper may meet your price (or at least offer a further discount). If not, then you've learned that the shopkeeper's price is firm, and you can return in an hour or a day and buy the item at that price, or you can look for it elsewhere, knowing the market better.

8. Don't feel obligated to buy unless you've agreed on a price. Shopping is a social custom in Turkey. You will be offered tea, coffee or soft drinks, and perhaps cigarettes, snacks, perhaps even a meal. The shopkeeper may wait on you for a considerable time, showing you dozens of items and explaining their qualities. Even so, you are not obligated to buy anything at all! Distrust any shopkeeper who tries to burden you with the feeling that you should buy "because s/he has spent a lot of time with you." Leave the shop and don't go back. You have no obligation whatsoever!

However, if you offer a price and the shopkeeper agrees to it, you've made a verbal contract and you have an obligation to buy the item at the price agreed upon. Don't offer a price unless you're ready to buy the item at that price.

9. Assume that any price agreed upon is for cash.Banks charge anywhere from 2% to 6% to clear a credit card transaction. Unless you have discussed the payment method, any price arrived at is presumed to be payable in cash. The shopkeeper may charge you thecredit card fee, or a fee for changing travelers checks. You should check to see if you can pay in any method other than Turkish lira cash, and what requirements there might be.

10. Take your purchases with you if possible. Many shops will ship your purchase home for you reliably, a few may not. There have been instances in which someone has purchased an expensive carpet but has had a cheap but similar carpet arrive at their home. In a few cases, the purchase is never shipped, or is "lost in shipment." If you must have the shop ship your purchase, find out as much as possible about the shipping process, and try to confirm all aspects of it.



Have a Nice Shopping :)

Internet Reviews Are Now Very Important.

Over the past few years, modern technology has helped endless amounts of guests in hotels all over the world share their opinion and knowledge of hotels and of the local area on online review websites, such as TripAdvisor, HolidayCheck etc. Not only does this help people to choose a hotel to book or even an area to visit, but also helps employees in the Sales and Marketing Department in hotels to make decisions in regards to any changes that the hotel needs, including any prices that need to be altered, to offer to agencies around the globe, and walk-in prices.

Internet Review sites must be used correctly. They offer the users and future holiday makers a chance to know everything about the hotel, including what to expect before they get there, any information in to what the hotel and the surrounding has to offer, and also a chance for the Executive board of the hotel to read any comments and suggestions for improvement of the hotel that is required, to be discussed and put into action if necessary.

The Executive board pays attention to any suggestions and comments that are made by guests very closely. A source of this is the internet, whether they are positive or negative comments. This is so they can shine a light in the right direction of any improvement or investment required within the hotel. However, when making these reviews, it is important for the reviewer not to make personal comments, and more pro-active ones. For instance. For someone to write a review with the heading: “Really bad hotel, don’t go!” is not productive for the reader, nor for the Executive Board of the Hotel. When someone writes this, they don’t include the important things, i.e.: what is the hotel missing? What was it that you found was not value for Money? Were the standards of service perfect? What would you improve if it was your Hotel? These are just an example of the sort of questions that the executive board still scratch their head on in the meetings when reading the reviews and discussing them with one another. The board would have a much easier time in to making sure you had a fantastic time at the hotel if their questions were answered, in order to give the highest Standard of service.

Below is described how nations all over the world make their comments on the internet.

The European Guest mostly takes note and reviews about Room cleanliness, variety of food, diet buffet, service quality, beverage quality, hygiene, A la Carte Restaurants, noise pollution, and the friendliness, cleanliness and productive service of the staff.

The Russian Guest does not really go too much in to depth of the hotel, but more basic lines which include variety of food, the amount of seasonal fruit available, comfortness of room, the quality of the drink (i.e. how many bottles of vodka is available!!) and the activities of the Animation/Entertainment team.

The Turkish Guest have a completely different expectation from others, and they show this by focusing mainly on the way a structure is built, the food quality and variety, the broadcasting and quality of music being live or recorded, the behaviour and attitude of the staff and examples of them being positive and negative.

Happy Reviewing!

We invite you to follow us on our facebook page www.facebook.com/hotellarabeachantalya where we publish photo's , video's and news about Hotel Lara Beach 

When Should One Make an Early Booking?, When Does It Start? When does It Finish?

These are the 3 questions that everybody is interested about in terms of early reservations. When do they start, when do they finish and when should one make an early reservation?.

What is an Early Reservation?

Being the Summer or Winter holiday season, everday more and more people are taking advantage of the campaigns produced by hotels and travel companies by making early reservations. This is a strategy favourably used by more luxurious / quality hotels. Turkey have evaluated this as an oppurtunity to offer cheap, discounted holidays, to bring more income in the countries economy, and realised that in actual fact, The Early Reservation system works in favour of everyone. Both Hoteliers and Holidaymakers have realised that this is the best chance of enjoying a summer/winter vacation.

When should you make an early reservation?

As with everything, we need to make sure that things are done in time. However soon you can make a reservation the better. The campaigns offered by hotels are reduced as rooms fill up. Because of this you should make holiday plans as early as possible.

When do early Reservations start, and when do they finish?

Early reservations campaigns can start up to a year before the required season for your holiday. The best months to book for summer holidays are December, January, February, March and April. However, this can change. For example, if the quota of rooms has not been reached, then the hotel may carry the campaign on in May, and even throughout the entire summer season. However you should never depend on this, as you may miss your chance to get an early reservation, and in the long run, a cheaper holiday. But in some cases you may find that you will see low cost campaigns instead of increased prices.

Our Advice: Book as soon as you have made your mind up about a holiday to avoid dissapointment.

We invite you to follow us on our facebook page www.facebook.com/hotellarabeachantalya where we publish photo's , video's and news about Hotel Lara Beach 

What Kind of Nourishment Should We Have Whilst on Holiday?

When the summer comes, a lot of people go to holiday destinations all around the world. They make use of the summer and its sidekicks, the sea, the beach and the sun, and even at the all inclusive hotels with their food buffets and unlimited alcohol. You find that you put on weight on top of what you already have, and then it takes an endless amount of time to get rid of it all, even though you just did not know how the time flew on that 1-2 week holiday, and where all that weight came from. So how can we have a healthier holiday but yet enjoy it?

You can find food and drink 24 hours a day in most hotels (see our blog on how hotels get their stars, and you will find that it is a Standard for having 24 hour food service in a hotel that is 3 stars and above.). Thinking like this also gives positive results, as you dont need to think about getting hungry. And once you know what is going on in the hotels, you can easily burn all the weight that you are gaining by taking full advantage of the facilities that are available to use everyday. For instance swimming in the pool or sea, even taking a leisurely stroll on the beach are very good ways of burning fat, and fun too!

Another important point to be considered within the all inclusive system is fluid consumption. Those who are thirsty, quench their thirst with alcohol at the best of times  because it is included in the all-inclusive system. However, due to the chemicals inside alcohol, the body needs to push it out of the blood, which turns it into fat. Whilst on holiday, a female needs to consume at least 2.7 liters, and a male at least 3.7 liters of water everyday. The amount is more for those who are over the height-weight ratio.

It is recommended that you make at least an hour of sports everyday whilst on holiday. The actions that we do at work in our lives could be measured up as the same as one hour of sport everyday. For this reason, there are plenty of things to do with the animation team during the day that are fun and energetic and fantastic in ways of exercise. For those of you who think leave me be, im on holiday i can eat and drink and do what i want and what i dont want or i’ll eat here, and then ill start exercising when i get back home.. DONT!! People are more at risk of having a heart whilst on holiday in hot countries with all the luxurious drinks than they are at home.

We wish you healthy and beautiful holidays!

We invite you to follow us on our facebook page www.facebook.com/hotellarabeachantalya where we publish photo's , video's and news about Hotel Lara Beach 

One Of The Most Important Element in any Hotel: " Cleanliness".

Ones wish is always to stay in a clean and hygienic room when on holiday.

The first thing one does after finishing all the necessary registration forms at reception would be to go straight to ones room to unpack their bags and freshen up. If ones wishes are not met and ends up in a room that is not cleaned then this would end up being a very bad start to the holiday and things could even get worse as all their expectations would of been shattered. This is where the roles of a housekeeper come in to place.

Housekeepers should clean and keep clean the rooms and complex area as if they were the Guest staying at the hotel. The procedure of this is quite easy to understand. A maid should go out of their way when doing their role, ie somebody who makes a bed up from the heart could quite possibly make decorations on the bed,  such as flower petals or even animals made out of towels, and make small gestures to their guests. When this is present, then you know that the person who is cleaning your room loves their job and cleans it dearly and leaves it how they would like to see it.

A maid’s job role:

• Cleans and organises rooms allocated to them
• Makes sure to make the bed up and change the sheets, clean the bathroom and around the washbasin, dust down all the furniture.
• To inform their supervisors of any faults in the area that they are in immediately for them to be repaired as quickly as possibly.
• To hand in any lost property found to their supervisor.
• To be able to use any equipment that they must use.
• To make sure to clean the equipment after use according to the manual, and to inform their supervisor of any faults that need repairing.
• To make up a report for their supervisor of what tasks have been completed during the day
• When possible, to take care of children and to be courteous at all times.

A Maid’s personal requirements:

• To be clean and tidy: pay attention to the uniform and personal hygiene of staff. There is a link to between those who are clean and tidy and the work that this person does. Those are clean and tidy usually do their work to the highest Standard.
• Trustworthy
• Healthy with a decent physique
• Loves the job they do, is able to do the job that they do, with good manners and know how to speak to one another including guests, and able to create good with relations with everyone
• To be responsible (towards work, guests and work colleagues).

P.S : Our suggestion to maids working in other hotels ; "When changing the sheets & quilts of the beds , it is advised NOT to tuck the sheets in too much , as the guests may have difficulty when getting into bed..

We invite you to follow us on our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/hotellarabeachantalya  where we publish photo's, video's and news about Hotel Lara Beach.

All inclusive hotel in Antalya, Turkey ... Hotel Lara Beach

Dear Visitors,

In our first article in our blog that's been created in the name of Hotel Lara Beach Lara/Antalya, we would like to give you some information about our hotel.

Location Of  Hotel Lara Beach

Lara Beach Hotel; situated at the new Tourism Centre Lara/Kundu which is along the shores of the Mediterranean part of Turkey that is 17 km away from the centre of Antalya, 12 km from its international airport.

Rooms Of Hotel Lara Beach

Total number of rooms is 311.Descriptions of our room types are below

• All Inclusive Honeymoon Room. In order to have unforgettable all inclusive honeymoon holiday , there are 5 honeymoon suite in our complex. Please click this link to see honeymoon room type
• All Inclusive Economic Room. To save more money after a all inclusive holiday, there are economic rooms which has no balcony to stay at Hotel Lara Beach.

• All Inclusive Standard Room. For couple or two adults plus one child , there are standard rooms. Please click this link to see Standard room type.
• All Inclusive Large Standard Room. For all inclusive family holidays, there are Large Standard rooms that are available for 4 pax.

• All Inclusive Family Rooms. For large families there are family rooms that have two separate rooms with a door between. Please click this link to see Family Room type.
• All Inclusive Duplex Room.2 floored and there is 1 bathroom and 1 bed at each floors in this room type,If you like  to have a special all inclusive family holiday. Please click this link to see Duplex Room type.

FOOD AND BEVERAGEALL-INCLUSIVE SYSTEM.

A variety of food carefully chosen from the Turkish and world cuisines which are suitable to all kinds of palatial tastes are prepared in our modern kitchen and served at our open-buffet and snack restaurants. Local drinks (free of charge) and imported drinks (charged for), pastry  are served at 5 different bars.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE SCHEDULE

FOOD UNITS

• Jasmine’s Main Restaurant (Open Buffet)
• Bellini Italian Restaurant 
• Tuğra Turkish Restaurant
• Marina Fish Restaurant
• Yorük Tent (for Pancake, Pizza)
• Sunset Snack
• Carmen Café Patisserie

BEVERAGE UNITS

• Elite Lobby bar 
• Sunset Snack Bar 
• Silence Pool Bar 
• Select Bar 
• Vitamin Bar 

FACILITIES

• Swimming pools 
• Children's paradise 
• Health club 
• Shopping Centre 
• Health services 
• Entertainment 
• Game land 

WATER SPORTS CENTRE

LAND SPORTS

PARTIES ON THE BIGGEST PIER AT LARA

And much more.                  

Hotel Lara Beach, with its own special atmosphere, offers you the mysterious beauties of the Mediterranean shores.

We invite you to follow us on on our Facebook page where we publish photo's, video's and news about Hotel Lara Beach.

Wish you have a nice Holiday!

Management of Hotel Lara Beach