9 independent reviews for Mosaic making vacation in Turkey
Reviews for Mosaic making vacation in Turkey
Kerry Snelgrove review 30 Sep 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The most memorable moment was inserting the very last piece of the complete mosaic.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Nothing more than what Ingi includes in her overview of the vacation. It was very hot when I was there so I stuck to the pool and house - so no opportunity for exploring the surroundings by foot - the walk into Gocek is easy and it’s a steep hill coming back.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think the fact that Ingi manages her home according to best envionmntal practice supports reduced environmental impact.I didn’t spend much locally but I’m sure even that would be a positive contribution to locals.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I rate my vacation as 5/5. Ingi goes “above and beyond” to ensure each guest has all that they want /require - from escorting us on excursions to separating smokers from non smokers - not to mention her mosaic skills and experience which she generously shares to achieve their personal mosaic creation.Sue Matthews review 20 Aug 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole package: Ingi herself who is a tremendous host, the mosaic-making activity through which I learnt a completely new skill and left with a great mosaic to admire and remind me of my stay. Also, Ingi’s expertise as a cook meaning I was served a wide range of delicious, nutritious meals, Ingi’s beautiful home that she shares openly with guests and her focus on ensuring I had a truly memorable stay.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Don’t hesitate. Go ahead and book!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. Ingi shops locally, with a focus on organic produce, and uses environmentally friendly products throughout the home.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
ExcellentMelody Manning review 5 Aug 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Everything was memorable and exciting however, I particularly enjoyed the Turkish baths and Dalyan’s Turtle beach, a UNESCO site. The boat trip getting there was very special and I even saw a turtle in the river popping its head up to take a breath.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Tips to others interested in mosaic - I would say this is the vacation for you. Ingi is a very inspirational lady. Her enthusiastic drive is very energising. Her local knowledge in respect of local venues is really helpful and cost effective as she will take you places that the normal vacationmaker would not have found and get a price that is often mind boggling.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Ingi is very committed to supporting local residents and businesses. Recycling is very important to her in respect to many aspects of the vacation.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I had a fantastic stay with Ingi returning home with many positive experiences that I had with her. If anybody is concerned about traveling alone, fear not as Ingi is there to host and guide you all through the week. Her cooking is first class and very healthy. Thank you Ingi very much.Emma Baldwin review 23 Jul 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The sense of achievement when my mosaic was finished was a highlight. This was probably equalled by the joy I experienced learning about such a wonderful unspoilt part of Turkey. Our host showed us how life is lived within the community including trips to the local market, a hammam, favourite beach for locals, authentic dining (council cafes and grill restaurants off the beaten track) and a UNESCO heritage site. The mixture of both the creative challenge and the local experiences was what made this vacation so memorable.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Don’t hesitate ! When word spreads about this vacation there won’t be much availability left.Ingi’s house is hotel standard - immaculate with quality bathrooms and fittings. It is spotlessly clean and she managed to produce endless tasty snacks and seasonal meals with no extra help in addition to teaching both of us. Ingi is flexible regarding activities - nothing was compulsory but she suggested ideas and then followed up with booking. She is clearly well known and loved in the neighbourhood - from the taxi drivers to the hammam owner and the fruit and vegetable stall in the market. Shopping with her is great fun because she knows the shop owners and will do a deal on her guest’s behalf. One evening she got the local curtain / cushion maker to sew a couple of curtains for one of us while we had dinner. Ingi is warm , kind and has a wicked sense of humour! We shared so many laughs during the week - our trio had never met before and we left as new friends. She is a calm and encouraging teacher but has exacting standards. She seemed to assess us accurately - both our ability level and personalities. As a result we each achieved a piece of work that we felt both proud of and reflected our original ideas. There was no expectation that we needed to conform or do similar projects. I had never seen (let alone use) a tile cutter before my trip. Ingi balanced the week so well with some longer days and others when we just worked in the morning.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes - Ingi shops at the market each Sunday and prefers to buy as much of her food there as she can. She also supports the local fish market and we had a tea while the locally caught fish was filleted. Ingi prefers to support a local taxi company rather than run a car and uses the local hammam which seems to be a vibrant part of the community. Minimal plastic use during the vacation and each guest has a personal coloured glass bottle to keep their water in the fridge. Visiting Dalyan and the protected area of coast via local water taxi both supports conservation and brings finance to the region. Ingi composts vegetable waste and used to eco / green cleaning products in the house.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was one of the most enjoyable and uplifting vacations that I have ever had.Franci Li review 23 Jul 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Ingi led us through the creative process of mosaic art making. Her passion for the art and her genuine care to provide the best teaching and the best overall cultural experience for her guest is heartfelt. I am very grateful for all her effort and the unforgettable art creation and cultural immersion experience. The food was amazing too!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The art making process is very well structured, and even if you have no prior experience and it might seem tough at the beginning, trust that you have a great teacher to lead you trough creating something you will love and be proud of in the end. The trip is about art, but also beyond art. Keep an open mind and go with the flow will allow you to appreciate more what your amazing host has to offer. Ingi is a real treasure!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes for sure. All the food and ingredients cooked at home are from the local farmer's market. Ingi has a real care for the local people and the environment. Through the one week experience into Ingi's Turkish life, i was able to understand more about the life experience and culture there, and interact with the local people. We learned about sea turtle conservation too.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Five star for sure! A great vacation, a wonderful life experience. And you meet great people and made friends too.Colleen Pilgrim review 21 Jun 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Discovering that I could (at 78!) enjoy a totally different experience from all my other travel, making something as beautiful and demanding as a mosaic, while enjoying the pool, a marina restaurant, and gulet cruising with friends......Ingi's sea bass meal!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
This is a week's workshop. You could look to combine it with a gulet cruise, or one of Responsible Travel's other Turkish adventure tours. I added an extra 2 days with Ingi, and it eased up the pressure to finish my mosaic.Don't weigh yourself down with toiletries of any kind, bath accessories or pool towels . Ingi has thought of every little detail! If your flight gets in late, make sure that you have Ingi's contact details on hand and let her know straight away, so that the taxi she provides for can be waiting for you on arrival. If booking from NZ or Australia, you might want to consider going via UK to get cheaper flights. And be aware that if you need to transfer between the two Istanbul airports in order to get the domestic flight south, it can take 90 minutes by bus (but costs only 110TL (about NZD11!)3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes! Ingi is fluent in Turkish and the first excursion was to the local market. She doesn't use a car, preferring local taxis and gulet operators. She composts and recycles, and is meticulous about environmentally friendly toiletries (all provided). I've come away from Turkey very impressed with a toilet system that avoids putting vast quanties of paper into the sewage system of this beautiful seaside town.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Ingi is a Superhost, who goes out of her way to make the week a total experience. She shares her expertise generously, and at the same time offers all the resort relaxation you need. The day on a gulet was idyllic. This is a fabulous vacation for someone who has traveled widely, and now wants to be be learning something, not just sightseeing...Carole Trenaman review 13 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The fantastic care and attention given by Ingi the host. Plus the wonderful 5* accommodation. Felt very well treated.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Just relax. Everything is provided for you. Leave your cares at home. A patient and welcoming host.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It certainly did. We shopped in the local open air market, run and staffed by local people. Minimised the food miles, supported local economy, and reduced food waste as the food purchased was specifically for me. All the toiletries were provided by the host and were green products. There was also composting of food waste, and we even ate from Ingis own produce, grown in her garden. The roof had solar panels and water tank reducing energy costs.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Five star. Excellent all round accommodation, service, and practical assistance. Plus I produced a very competent mosaic that will remind me of a great stay.Jade Biesinger review 10 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Having never done a mosaic before and coming away after a week of tuition and guidance from Ingi , I felt like I could easily start my own project and have all the information and tools I needed to be successful. It was exciting to see the mosaic come together over the week and it was even more satisfying to reveal the finished product after the grout work was done.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
It’s a good idea to research the design you want to do before going on vacation so you can get started straight away. I picked a complicated design for my first ever attempt but I like a challenge and am relatively artistic. However that said you really don’t need to be any good at drawing so long as you have the basic outlines and idea of colours you want to incorporate as Ingi can then get the tiles in if she currently is out of them. Ingi is a great help so you don’t need to worry about a thing and she will offer as much or as little help as you want3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We visited the market the first day to buy the fruit and vegetables for the week from local merchants and we also used local taxi cabs occasionally to get around. We supported the local Hammam and also a few restaurants during my stay. Ingi was also conscious of recycling waste, using less towels if possible ( however they were always plentiful if you need them) and making sure the tile cut offs could be used in smaller areas. Ingi integrates in to Turkish life seamlessly and is a part of the local community and likes to help local people wherever she can4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Ingi was a great hostess and made me feel very welcome. She catered to my gluten free / dairy free diet and supplied me with cardigans to keep me warm as I had not anticipated the may weather in Turkey. She was a great guide on our time off the mosaic making and we would go to the beach , swim, shop and relax by the pool and we got to know each other really well. I highly recommend this vacation and will definitely be telling all my friends about it.Asma Abu-Taleb review 19 Sep 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The making of a mosaic2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
It's a lot of fun but because working outside can be challenging in a hot and humid weather, also if you're sensitive to insect bites then better be prepared3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I enjoyed it but I would rather be doing the same activity in a better more comfortable environmentRead the operator's response here:
Hi Asma,
Thank you for your review. Unfortunately I have no influence on the weather… I am sorry that you suffered some insect bites due to the high humidity, which is unusual for our area. Thankfully it only lasted a few days. I am glad that in spite of this you created a beautiful mosaic and I much enjoyed our week together. Best wishes.
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