6 Days Cappadocia - Mt Nemrut - Gobeklitepe - Mardin Tour from Istanbul

Customer Reviews

• JL

  Jenny

  · May 17th, 2025
  Turkey Escapades - Be Aware of Bait and Switch! The local tour guides assigned to me for the trip were great but Turkey Escapades and its manager Mehmet Darga was horrible, rude, uncaring, and basically ruined the last days of my long awaited vacation in Mardin. Tour Escapades provided me (via Tour Radar) with the following tour for which I was the only traveler: 6 Days Cappadocia - Mt Nemrut - Gobeklitepe - Mardin Tour from Istanbul. I paid thousands of dollars for this trip and was looking forward to be in and walk around the UNESCO historical old town of Mardin for my last evening and morning before I went back to Istanbul. The booking states that I would be staying in “Gazi Konagi Hotel or similar in Mardin”. Gazi Konagi Hotel, a nice old world hotel, is located on top of a hill and in the center of the historical old town of Mardin which would had allowed me to walk around the town both in the evening (enjoying the sunset) and early in the morning. This was important to me and one of the reasons I booked this tour over others. At no time prior to or at the time of booking that I was informed that I would not be staying at Gazi Konagi Hotel on May 2. I booked this tour on April 13 to leave on April 28. It was only a day before we got to Mardin that I was informed that I would be staying instead at a Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Mardin - an American styled modern hotel outside the historical old town and not within walking distance but only reachable to the old town by taxis. According to Google Maps, Ramada is a 30 minute taxi ride from Gazi Konagi - definitely not “something similar to Gazi Konagi”. As a non-Turkish speaking solo female traveler, I felt uncomfortable trying to get a taxis to return to a hotel in the evening and early morning. Under the circumstances, I immediately contacted Turkey Escapades and explained that I would like to stay at Gazi Konagi and if that is not available, then something similar in the historical town so I can walk around the town without needing to take a taxis. Mr. Darga was rude and said the hotel could not be changed because the company “already paid for it”. I said this was not what I booked and he informed me it was the same that I should just take a taxis. I informed him that I would provide a honest review about this horrible treatment and he said “U can write your comment for sure, we will be happy to answer.” The local guides assigned to me tried to help but were unable to get me a hotel stay in the historical old town and I appreciated their efforts. Accordingly, here is my honest review and advise everyone to be aware of bait and switch by Turkey Escapades which left me staying at Ramada and not in the historical old town of Mardin where I wanted to stay and walk around. There were no restaurants or shops near Ramada so I had to eat in Ramada. As an American looking for old world charm, this extremely disappointing.
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  Turkey Escapades commented on this review

  Hi That is great to hear that the guides and services were fine. We have clearly mentioned that we do provide similar basis hotels and all over the tour, we have changed one of the hotel to Ramada Hotel in MArdin which is 3 kms away from the castly... Show more
  Trip date: April 2025