Zi̇rve Dağ Evi̇

The owners are so friendly, and the place is amazing. I’d definitely recommend it.

The worst part was how cold the rooms were. We went for New Year’s, when there was snow, and the little heaters barely warmed themselves. We measured the room temperature with a professional device and got zero degrees. We just about made it through the night. Adding more heaters wasn’t an option either, the electrical system couldn’t cope, the fuses kept blowing, and even charging my phone was difficult. We left after one night, and they wouldn’t refund us. It felt like their intentions were different. This was our first big family trip, and we were shocked by what we found in a place like Iznik. Don’t pay in advance unless you’ve seen the place, don’t trust what you’re told on the phone, and don’t take the good reviews at face value. They reported our names to the gendarmerie when we arrived, so they can’t deny that we stayed there. There’s far more I could say, but those are the main points.

We spent New Year’s Eve here as a family, in a room that was at zero degrees Celsius. We slept in our coats and still couldn’t get warm. The toilet floor was frozen, and my wife fell twice. We felt less like customers than refugees, and that’s how they treated us. To those leaving positive reviews: if you’re doing it to support friends or acquaintances, you’re violating their rights.

Getting there was easy, and the scenery was lovely. We were planning a family New Year’s Eve and two days in the snow, and the first meeting and chat with the owners went well. Then the night turned into a nightmare. It was -15 degrees Celsius outside. The radiators in our rooms didn’t work, and although small electric heaters were running, it was still freezing indoors. I had a new laser thermometer with me and measured about 0 degrees. I’d never slept somewhere that cold. It was already very late, so we didn’t try to leave and find somewhere else. They brought plenty of blankets. Some of us shivered all night without sleeping, while others got a little rest. The pipes were frozen solid, so I couldn’t use the toilet and washed my hands with snow. My mother was alone in another room and couldn’t lock her door, so she had to sleep with it that way. I called her several times to check she was okay. She’s elderly, and I was worried she might get sick or develop pneumonia. I finally dozed off early in the morning. The air was so clean that I didn’t feel too tired when I woke up. The shower is right above the squat toilet in the bathroom, which is an unpleasant setup to see. Bear that in mind if you’re thinking of showering here. We had breakfast, though I didn’t like the food, then went for a walk. Afterward we packed up and left a day early. I politely asked the manager to refund the unused day, but he refused. That upset and angered me most. I felt cheated, and that’s why I’m sharing this.