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Akan Hotel | Aliağa | Turkey - room review
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Akan Hotel | Aliağa | Turkey - room review

On our trip across Turkey we had a few surprises when it came to hotels, good surprises and bad surprises. Akan Hotel was a good surprise, the rooms are big and spacious and the décor stylish. Although this is a "holiday/vacation" type town the hotel had a business feel to it. It was inexpensive and ticked almost every box. The room had a sofa and sitting area or "lounge" with a TV plus a bedroom with TV, wardrobe, desk and coffee/tea station. The only let down perhaps was that there was no mini fridge and that it was a bit noisy (traffic). For the price though we could live with it. One thing I have to mention that impressed us, was the fact that they catered for people with walking disabilities with a chair-lift at the stairs in lobby and outside. Breakfast was included in the room rate and was a standard traditional Turkish breakfast. We had better breakfasts in other hotels around Turkey. We were also surprised by the town of Aliağa. It is a smallish sea side town, but big enough for an active night life and enough restaurants and a very nice waterfront/harbor/promenade. For a middle class hotel we give the Akan Hotel 7/10
Sunsan Hotel | Canakkale | Turkey - room review
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Sunsan Hotel | Canakkale | Turkey - room review

The city of Canakkale on the west coast of Turkey was such a pleasant surprise, we loved it! It was mainly due to another great Hotel in the form of Sunsan Hotel. It is set in a small village next to Canakkale, about 5 min drive from the centre (no traffic). The Hotel is small but it has a "neighbourhoodly" feel to it and is laid back and definitively more a holiday hotel than business. The rooms are big enough for a stay of a week and have everything that you would need. The bathroom has good water pressure and the water temperature is good. The food was better than other hotels that we encountered in Turkey. The city of Canakkale is close to the ancient city of Troy and also features a replica Trojan horse at their waterfront/harbour. For a middle class holiday hotel we rate the Sunsan Hotel a good 8/10 Instagram: https://instagram.com/what_real_travel_looks_like?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Kavala Hotel | Bursa | Turkey - Room Review
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Kavala Hotel | Bursa | Turkey - Room Review

The Kavala Hotel in Bursa was one of our first stops on a long road trip through Turkey. We where very impressed with the price of the Hotel compared to the quality of the room and breakfast. The price for the room was 35 US Dollar including breakfast which is pretty amazing in my eyes, especially given the quality of the room and breakfast. We have stayed in a lot of hotels that was way more expensive than this and did not have the quality of the Kavala Hotel. We only stayed 1 night but the service was good and they offered everything that we could need. I would return if I'm ever in the area. For a middle class / business Hotel we rate the Kavala Hotel a solid 8/10
The Petros Hotel in Taksim, Istanbul - Review
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The Petros Hotel in Taksim, Istanbul - Review

The Petros Hotel is a very good place to make a hub if you want to explore Istanbul. It is close to Metro and bus stops as well as Taksim square and Istiklal. It is one of those places that is not too fussy, it is small, intimate and provide all of your needs without being extravagant. The room is small but well laid out and there is just enough space for 2 travellers. The rooms features a TV, small mini fridge, kettle with coffee/tea and a wardrobe. Unfortunately the area (Taksim) is a rowdy area, with a healthy night life. There is a couple of night clubs in the area, you might struggle to sleep as windows are not sound proof. This is far from a 5 star hotel, but this is a good option for the budget conscious traveller. Warm water, good water pressure and good clean toilet facilities is always a plus when traveling on a budget. For a budget hotel we give the Petros Hotel a solid 7/10 Music by Oleksandr Savochka from Pixabay
Dedeman Hotel | Zonguldak | Turkey
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Dedeman Hotel | Zonguldak | Turkey

Dedeman Hotel Zonguldak Review The Dedeman Hotels are some of our favorite hotel groups in Turkey. We like the "professional business" feel and slick décor. The rooms are a good size and the Dedeman in Zolguldak offers the perfect spot whether you are there on business or holiday. The food options are better than the average hotels in Turkey and they have a lot of "western" options available. The hotel also have a steam room/hamam, spa, full gym, swimming pool and table tennis. We felt the Dedeman group can compete with the Days Inn group - if that means anything to you. We rate the Dedeman Zonguldak a 7,5/10 for a higher middle class hotel.
Vinifera Ephesus Hotel | Selcuk | Turkey
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Vinifera Ephesus Hotel | Selcuk | Turkey

We travelled around Turkey for a month and this was our favorite hotel - not just the feel and price of the hotel, but also the staff. Firstly the rooms are in our opinion a bit more than you pay for compared to other hotels in the same price category and the décor and attention to detail is definitely much better - so is the breakfast that is also included. This hotel is the perfect fit for someone who is budget conscious but don't want to compromise class. The proximity to Kuşadası, ancient Ephesus and Şirince also make this hotel and town the perfect place to make a hub. For a Higher middle class Hotel we give it a 9/10
Aza Cave Hotel in Goreme, Cappadocia - Turkey
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Aza Cave Hotel in Goreme, Cappadocia - Turkey

Staying at The Aza Cave Hotel was one of those experiences that you are very glad you had. Staying in a room that is carved out of rock is something that you do not do every day. That in itself was already a bucket list item. Lets talk about the room - The room class we stayed in was the "suite" it was very nicely decorated and all the furniture fits in nicely with the whole "cave" theme. All through the property you also find unique and antique pieces that blends in with the rock surroundings. The room is bigger than most hotel rooms in Turkey and that says a lot, as around Turkey hotel rooms is pretty big (you will be able to see that in our other videos). You have a sitting area with fireplace, a closet and also a makeup table and coffee or tea station including a fridge. A double bed is set between to pillars carved out of stone, which adds to the dramatic cave look. The bathroom is also much bigger than others in Turkey and also features a beautiful clawfoot tub and a big walk in shower. A nice vanity and completes the bathroom. The Hotel as a whole is nice and private, set towards the back of Goreme, you can see the town and castle of Uçhisar not too far away, a beautiful view, especially at night. The architecture is stunning and the whole cave theme of the whole area really comes through. The breakfast was better than most breakfasts we had in Turkey. We toured Turkey for a month so that says a lot. It is definitively not the western continental breakfasts we are used to but was enjoyable enough. We would give The Aza Cave Hotel a good 8/10 in the upper middle class luxury hotel category.
Elegance East Hotel - Antalya, Turkey - Room review
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Elegance East Hotel - Antalya, Turkey - Room review

Elegance East Hotel is a budget hotel in Antalya, Turkey. In my opinion the room is overdone - especially because of the price, they cannot use quality furnishings and décor that looks ok from far away or on photos, but in reality, up close it looks a bit cheap and tacky. Although the room is very affordable it still feels small compared to similar priced hotels in Turkey. The fact that there is no coffee or tea facilities in the room is also a bit of a let down in this price bracket. 1 night is the max I could stay here and overall the staff and facilities was not great, but not bad enough to complain about. I must say their breakfast was a bit better than other hotels in same budget bracket. All and all I would rate this room 6/10 for a budget hotel option. Please like, subscribe and have a look at our Instagram accounts: @travelling_with_a_vegan @travel_Life_Unfiltered
The Peak Hotel in Istanbul, Taksim - room tour and review
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The Peak Hotel in Istanbul, Taksim - room tour and review

The Peak Hotel in Taksim, is very close to Istiklal caddesi or street which is one of the main shopping areas in Istanbul. There is a vibrant night life and loads of restaurants etc. So the location is prime. The Hotel is neat and tidy with all the amenities you would expect - like pool, bar, concierge etc. The room itself was "ok", in terms of esthetics we had no major complaint, but in terms of comfort I would have to say it changed everything. The bed was not plush and comfy but even worse than that is the noise level that penetrate your room. You can hear every little thing in rooms around you and especially what happens in the hall. It was so bad that we only stayed 1 night (we planned to stay 3) and looked for another hotel. Breakfast was a little bit above average in Turkey, but that does not say a lot. Once again if you like sleep - do not stay here, on the other hand if you came to stay out late and don't mind noises all hours of the morning etc. then this might be the perfect place for you. Overall 4/10 for a budget hotel Please like, subscribe and have a look at our Instagram accounts: @travelling_with_a_vegan

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Hotels

3 Night stay @TheGreenParkHotels | Kartepe | Turkey
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3 Night stay @TheGreenParkHotels | Kartepe | Turkey

Green Park Hotel | Kartepe | Turkey During our travels through Turkey, we were looking for a ski resort as the aim of the trip was to enjoy snow and the icy weather, as we come from a country that experience no snow at all. We struggled to find a hotel / resort as websites were basically only in Turkish or unavailable. At last we found a room in the Green Park Hotel (and ski resort) on top of Kartepe (the mountain). We drove from Zonguldak at the black sea to Kartepe in 3 hours which is on the way back to Istanbul, for our departure back home. Please comment down below if you have stayed there or are planning a trip to Turkey, we would love to hear from you and answer all your questions. Our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/what_real_travel_looks_like?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Please like, subscribe and share.
Private video
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Private video

This is our road trip from Izmir to Şirince, Selçuk and Ephesus in Turkey. It is part of our travel vlog. We really enjoyed our time in the region and would recommend it to anyone. The depth of the culture, the history and the people makes it a fascinating place to visit. Hope you enjoy this with us and please let us know in the comments if you have been here before and what you thought of the area. Full hotel walkthrough and review: https://youtu.be/_eFlrx5GBmw Please visit our Instagram: https://instagram.com/what_real_travel_looks_like?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Hiraeth by Scott Buckley | https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Izmir road trip to Şirince, Selçuk and Ephesus | Turkey
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Izmir road trip to Şirince, Selçuk and Ephesus | Turkey

Elgin Railway Market Review On our trip to South Africa, we visited the Elgin Railway Market in Grabouw on a Sunday Morning. It was during winter so the market was fairly quiet. The market is about an hour's drive from Cape Town and 30 minutes from Somerset West, in the Western Cape area. It is a fairly small market compared to the other markets around Cape Town, but definitely a new one and it has an awesome vibe. Converted within an old apple warehouse, this market is open on Wednesday evenings and over weekends. There is ample parking space as the market is located on the outskirts of the town in the old industrial area. The lower level has most of the stalls ranging from unique handmade toys, leather goods and crafts. There are a few great gift ideas. There are some fresh fruit and vegetable stalls and food stalls, although there are only a limited amount of food stalls, cuisines range from Indian, Tunisian, American to Asian and local food choices. Seeing there is a limited amount of food stalls, there are no competitive stalls or cuisines so prices are a bit more expensive. There are a few bar options for alcoholic beverages and one coffee shop. We were not too impressed with the coffee. In the middle of the warehouse there is a small stage where live music is performed and ampule seating in the middle of the warehouse. Upstairs are a few more stalls, a pizza stall with a pizza oven and more seating options. The third level is just a small outside balcony with a few tables with views over the mountains in the backdrop and other warehouses in the area. Outside is a small kids play area as well as seating options. There is a kids rock climbing wall as well, which is rather cool. It is a very nice market and has everything you need for a morning out, although it is not big enough to keep us busy for a few hours. We will be sure to visit it again on our next trip to South Africa and give it another review. We rate the market 7/10 Please like, subscribe and share. Link to market: https://www.elginrailwaymarket.co.za/
Elgin Railway Market | Grabouw | South Africa
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Elgin Railway Market | Grabouw | South Africa

This is truly a bucket list item that you should do if you ever have the opportunity. Going an a Hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia is incredible and the views are out of this world. The flight last an hour in the air, but the whole experience is around 2 hours. The company we used was excellent and we would recommend them. They picked us up from our hotel around 5:30 am. We were transported to the site where we got introduced to the pilot and crew. The crew was amazing. We got a quick safety briefing and before we knew it we were in the basket and ready for our flight. It is an extremely easy lift off and so smooth. We were an hour in the air and about 18 people in the basket. We did do our flight in the winter which made it a bit quieter. We prefer the winter as you see the snow on the mountains in the distance. This also makes it a bit easier to get a flight within a day or 2. In summer times it is rather difficult to get a flight if you do not book well in advance. Our pilot took us up very high to see the whole area and then dip into the valleys to see all the chimneys and rose desert formations up close. It is spectacular. Our balloon landed on a trailer pulled by a bakkie. We got a glass of non-alcoholic bubbly and a snack after the flight. You also get a certificate showing you flew over the area. You are then transported back to your hotel, just in time for breakfast at the Hotel. We stayed at the AZA Cave Hotel @azacavehotel. Prices vary depending on the season as well as the basket size. Starting price per person in winter will be around Turkish Lira - 1100. Send as a message and we will be happy to share our tour operator's details they were amazing! If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask in the comments section.
Hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia - Amazing views
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Hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia - Amazing views

This video is a quick look at our tour to Egypt We started of in Cairo and stayed there for 2 days and after that went to Hurghada for another 4 nights. These is the highlights of the tour. It is very difficult to show everything that we experienced so if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask. In Hurghada we stayed at the Grand Palace - we booked through Booking.com. Yes we are on level 3 so we do get some discounts and perks etc. But the cost of the Hotel was very affordable at $180 per night or about $700 OR R 12 000 South African rand for 4 nights (at that stage). It is an All-Inclusive resort so it is absolutely amazing value for money - especially if you enjoy food and drink... The staff was incredible and they try to remember your name and are very attentive and well trained. Comparing this resort to others in Hurghada we have been to I would give it an 9/10 in the higher middle class Hotel bracket. It is just not quite SUPREME 5 star Luxury, BUT for the price they sure make this resort feel like it is!!! Please like, subscribe and have a look at our Instagram accounts: @travelling_with_a_vegan @travel_Life_Unfiltered

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