Platinum Otel

We only went to the restaurant, not the hotel. The setting by the water was very pleasant and the food decent, so the visit was good overall. I did think the prices were quite high, though.

Check the bill carefully. We ordered a small beer and a large one. The menu said the large was 250 lira, but they told us the total for both was 600 lira. We refused, and they dropped it to 550 lira. After arguing a bit, we ended up paying 450 lira.

There are plenty of restaurants in this lovely setting, so I’d pick any of them except this one. “English John” stands outside to make the place look respectable, and the owner does a convincing job of seeming credible. We had an acceptable shared Ottoman Kebab and wine, but they tried to charge 3500tL for the kebab, about £70. We made the mistake of not checking the price, even after an incompetent waiter had confused us about the difference between two dishes. Lots of menu items have no price, just “Ask,” which lets them charge whatever they like. Reviews on Google and Trp adviser suggest this is their usual practice, and other restaurants apparently know about it too. Sometimes it’s the “Ask” price, sometimes a service charge, sometimes “premium fish” that isn’t farmed. It all feels like a scam. Later, while we were having a drink at a nearby restaurant, a Platinum waiter came over and was incredibly threatening and aggressive. The staff at that restaurant essentially had to eject him. We were grateful they stepped in. Incredible behaviour all round.

Be careful at the ice cream stand. They sell portions without telling you the price or displaying it anywhere. They put on a show with sample portions, then ask for 700 liras for a small serving, and it wasn’t even good. I’d avoid the place. They don’t give receipts either, so I’m going to report them to the tax office in Turkey for selling without tax.