Testimonials and Travel Reviews

 


Kathleen Kinka (United States)
Dear Turgay Ozdemir,
A note to thank you and your staff for helping us have a wonderful introduction to Turkey. We loved the country & you guys too! We covered so much ground and all of it was so interesting. You did so many nice things for us and we really appreciate all of them.

We are all catching up, so no pic’s yet. We delivered Hilary to Barcelona, where she is adjusting to her new life there. I will have my first Skype event with her soon today. I plan to return at some point & will be in touch. All the best, Kathleen Kinka.


Emily Woods (United States)
What a wonderfull place with even more wonderfull people! Turkey has enceeded all our expectations & we only hope we can come back soon. Bulent Albayrak: you are the best kebab man ever ! Tesekkur Ederim...


Fumio & Cleuza Nishiyama (Brazil)
Dear Mr Bulent Albayrak
We are the couple from Sao Paulo (Brazil) Fumio and Cleuza Nishiyama you been in Turkey last April together with veronica (Bahia) Carlos (Rio de Janeiro). First of all we would like to thank you for welcome you gave us, for the dinner party and for the amazing place your travel company took us we are all amazing with Turkey is a beautiful country we like everything special the people they are like Brazilians, the food is fantastic and sweets are divine. We love so much that some friends of us are planning to go next year they will contact you on the come year for the booking. When you came to Brazil please let us knows our address and phone are above. We take this opportunity to thank you for the gifts you send us and wishing you and all your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year with joy and peace. Kinds regards. Fumio and Cleuza Nishiyama


Timothy & Karen Buford (United States)
Dear Bulent Albayrak,
Thank you for leading us on our adventure in Turkey. From the minute you met us at the airport I knew that we were in good hands. Your self-discipline, enthusiasm, love for the culture, organization and ability to meet us with firmness, insight, humor and goodwill, made the trip everything and more than we could have hoped for. For some it was tremendously enriching; for others, it was transformative. The group really became galvanized in the course of the 9 days. The trip itself was very well thought out, with the first part keeping us moving through all kinds of experiences. We are back in US now, and feel so sad to have had to leave Turkey. It was one of the most fantastic vacations we have ever been on. So much much better than doing a group type vacation. Everyone was so nice, cooperative, and proud of their country. And I see Why Now. I can honestly say, Turkey is on the top of our list of memorable destination's visited. Once again Bulent Albayrak, thank you and your wonderful support staff for making our visit unforgettable. We will always remember this trip and not fail to praise you to our friends and acquaintances. We hope we can send some business your way. By the way, good luck with your new baby. We will be partying here on the 7th December :))) Timothy, Karen, Marcus, Weston, Kristen, Lance, Sophia Buford.


Annalise and Mark Schrager (Canada)
Dear Emel Ernalbant,
Here, finally, is some feedback on our vacation in your beautiful country. We had an excellent trip and thank you and your staff again for your good services in making all the arrangements and for always being available for us, no matter where we were on our tour through Turkey. The guides you provided were knowledgeable, professional, punctual and pleasant to be with, and the drivers were competent and prudent. We enjoyed all the sites we visited. We were happy with most of the arrangements you made for us. We particularly enjoyed our stay at the ***** Hotel in Antalya, a truly lovely boutique hotel. The room was very nice and the food excellent. All the the arrangements were totally satisfactory (we were particularly impressed with the comfort of the inter-city buses). We hope to come back to Turkey to visit those regions that we did not have time to see on this trip, the east and north. When the time comes, be assured that we will call on you to make all the arrangements. As well, we will not hesitate to recommend you as and when the opportunity arises to do so. With best wishes and regards, Annalise and Mark Schrager.


Putri Shireen Syed Othman (Malaysia)
Dear Filiz Bingol,
I would like to personally thank you and your team in making my holiday in Turkey an excellent one. Me and my friends were very pleased with all the arrangements, the hotel and the tours that was prepared for us. We would like to thank you for the hotel recommendation in KUnited Statesdasi, the location was excellent, right next to the bazaar and we were facing the beautiful ocean view. Our driver that picked us up at Izmir airport - Omar was also an excellent driver and was in tune to our needs as tourist as he stopped along the way where there are an excellent scenic view to KUnited Statesdasi for us to take pictures. He even stopped at a fruit seller by the road side to buy us some oranges to taste out of his own pocket when we inquired about the fruits that was on sale. His hospitality really made us feel very welcome and at home. We also enjoyed our trip to PamEnglandkale and Ephesus and we find that the local tour guide, helpful and knowledgeable. We are all really happy with the services provided by your agency and we would not hesitate to recommend our friends and families from using your services in the future. Thanks and keep up the good work. Cheers, Shireen


Adriana Lezcano Huncal (Venezuella)
An amazing experience… it was absolutely wonderful. The tour operator provided an excellent service with professional guides and representatives. Someone was always there to greet us and assist us at each leg of the tour. We never had to worry about a thing. They were even flexible enough to adjust the tour to suit our needs, take advantage of the weather, and rearrange some site visits when our Nile cruise ship got behind schedule. The holiday exceeded our expectations in many ways. We highly recommend booking it through Ayala Travel if you are planning a holiday to Egypt. Adriana Lezcano Huncal.


Ekaterina & Brian Walter (United States)
Ayala Travel and its staff is absolutely fantastic. Very professional and great people as well. We were amazed at how organized the trip was and at the same time how flexible it was. The reps in all of the cities, as well as the tour guides, went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and at ease in Turkey & Egypt. We felt safe and watched over every step of the trip which made the trip so much more pleasant. We felt personal attention all the way and felt like VIPs. We were able to do/see a lot and at the same time get a chance at the relaxation time. Our requests/needs were addressed right away and we felt like we were among our friends and family. The sights were unbelievable, but so were the people - warm, caring, friendly. Our personal tour guides were knowledgeable, spoke great English and were just wonderful people! We would use Ayala Travel in a heartbeat again if we would plan another visit to Turkey & Egypt! And we truly hope to be able to do so again! We will also recommend it to our friends and family who are interested in the similar trip. The company definitely helped create an unforgettable and happy memory! THANK YOU, Ayala Travel!!! Ekaterina and Brian Walter


Jose and Luiza Brakarz (Brazil)
Dear Julian,
We had a great time in Turkey! The country is an exotic place, teeming with history. We not only visited the most interesting places but also learned a lot of history. In the end we felt that the time was short for so much yet to be seen. We plan to go back and of course use the services of your agency, which provided us with a perfect trip plan and tour service. Greetings, Jose and Luiza Brakarz.


Vickie Wood & Leanne Bourke (Australia)
Hi Bulent Albayrak
It's been over 2 months since our trip to Turkey and we're still smiling! It took both of us weeks to get our feet back on the ground again when we got home. We had the absolute best time and would have no hesitation in recommending you and your company to others interested in traveling to Turkey - in fact, we already have. Admittedly, we had our reservations when booking our trip over the net, especially being inexperienced travelers. However, we should have realized after the first few prompt and informative emails from you , that your company is the best and takes care of EVERYTHING! From the moment we landed in Turkey, until our departure, we were thoroughly taken care of - You filled our 10 day stay with everything that we could see or do in Turkey in that amount of time and more! No other company could do that for us. Bulent Albayrak, you are the most accommodating and knowledgeable travel agent, by more importantly you made us feel like your new friends. We look back on our holiday in Turkey knowing that we saw the most amazing sights, met some really lovely people, while at all times feeling safe in the care of a very professional company. Every day was a new adventure and a cultural feast, and as one day finished we slept soundly wondering what new exciting adventures would meet us tomorrow. Turkey as a destination, you as the travel agent. magnificent, superb, special! ''We came, we saw, we enjoyed''. Kindest regards, Vickie Wood (aka Fiona) and Leanne Bourke


Candy & Cliff Flower (England)
Hi Enis, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping us plan the most perfect trip we've ever taken. Everything went very smoothly and our mission was accomplished. Our hotel in Athens was great and yes, we did dine on the rooftop our first evening there. We did the Acropolis tour the next day plus enjoyed the shopping areas in the evening. Ferry trip went fine (wish we could have seen more of the sites during the day)! Our apartment in Santorini was absolutely perfect! Everything about Santorini was fabulous - food, wine, people, sites, etc. The weather was spectacular. We really relaxed and enjoyed each other. Thank you for all of your assistance. We are hoping to return to Greece in a few years, but have already passed your name on to a few friends who are interested in a vacation to Greece. Again, thanks for making our 25th wedding anniversary PERFECT! Candy & Cliff Flower, London, England


Wendy, Murray & Georgie Chambers (Canada)
Our long awaited trip to Egypt was far better than we ever could have hoped for. We travel frequently, and with a five year old (who had her 6th birthday in Egypt) in tow can find the run of the mill tours taxing to say the least. Gateway were one of the most professional agents we have ever used. 'tailor made' was just that, their staff know their stuff, and we could not fault a single part of the trip. From the initial planning to the royal treatment from the moment we stepped of the plane till getting back on again. Thanks to everyone, we hope to see you all again soon. Wendy, Murray & Georgie Chambers.


Jason Cuevas (United States)
Hi Sila,
My apologies for the delay in responding. We’ve both been busy trying to catch up with all that we missed at work while on the honeymoon. To answer your question, we had a great time. More important, the assistance you and your team provided in helping us re-schedule everything at the last minute due to my lost passport was exceptional. I’m not exaggerating when I say that you saved the day! If there is a testimonial section of the website or in your marketing materials let me know and I would be happy to include my thoughts. Thanks again, Jason Cuevas.


Juni Sjarif (UAE)
Hi Julian,
Just want to thanked you. We have a very good time in Istanbul and Izmir. Hopefully, will come back this November to visit Cappadocia & maybe Gallipoli. Wish you all the best. See you. Juni Sjarif


Tony Owen (London - England)
Hi Enis, I want to thank you a thoUnited Statesnd times for your help, for answering all my questions, taking care of all our needs, finding us such great prices, and for being the sort of person to work with that I'd be proud to tell anybody about. It's a pity we could not meet in Istanbul. You've been a great pleasure to work with, and I look forward to booking more trips with you in the future!


LP Louw (South Africa)
Hi Bulent Albayrak,
Name of your travel agency reflects what we experienced with our travel in Turkey. "We came we saw and we enjoyed". Thank you again for you hospitality. We will never forget this. Your attention to detail and quality has made this travel experience a very special experience. Please do not hesitate to refer prospective visitors from South Africa to me. I will gladly recommend your services. I have given your e-mail address to Vic Fitzmaurice. He is a friend of mine and has to go to Turkey for a business trip in the near future. Regards. Your friend LP Louw


Keith and Jenni Rodgers (Australia)
Hi Filiz Bingol,
Thanks for organizing our trip to Turkey- we had a great time and have been raving about Turkey and the service you provided. So many people have the opinion that Turkey isn't safe but we have been telling everyone that the people are great and it is as safe as anywhere we have traveled. Thanks again for your personal service, drinks and dinner- we will never forget Bulent Albayrak. Greece and Egypt look good next year or 2010. Thanks again- hope all is well with all your girls. Keith and Jenni.


Raj Patel (United States)
Bulent Albayrak,
Sonali and I wanted to extend our sincere thanks to you again for setting up a wonderful honeymoon for us in Turkey! Everything was great and worked out smoothly...the time in Oludeniz, the wonderful boat from Fethiye, the great tour of Istanbul, and most of all the personalized experience that you provided! It was great meeting you and Seda in Istanbul! We will send pictures to you soon. Regards, Raj


Pam Collins (United States)
Sila,
I just wanted to thank you again for such a fantastic tour and day in Istanbul. You made our intro to Istanbul fun, exciting and delicious!!! We sincerely extend an invitation to you when (not if) you visit Florida or Chicago…or both! Stay well and see you soon!!! You are a great ambassador for your country. It is most appreciated. Thanks again! Best Regards,


Josephine Huskey (United States)
Dear Bulent Albayrak,
First I apologize for not writing sooner. What a long trip I had from Istanbul to London to San Francisco-Seattle and home to Anchorage took me 32 hours with layovers to get home was very exhausting but it was all worth it. My daughters and i had a wonderful time, good hotels, very efficient in all the transportation, good tours, good people. We really had a marvelous time thanks to you, we had the right amount of tours, travel and free time. We want to come back and see Cappadocia, Troy, etc.. Also want to thank you for the wonderful wine. My knee was better but had a setback did too much exercise but am getting a little better now. Hope this letter will reach you and your family in good health. Again thank you for everything we have been telling our friends had a great time in your country, friendly people. We also tell acquaintances and friends if they ever go to Turkey will give them a name for a travel agent, who will really take care of you. Best Regards,


Mario Mark Anders (Australia)
Hi Filiz Bingol,
Just a quick note to say thanks, we have just got back and i cannot sleep (jet lag). We really enjoyed our time in Turkey and the trip you put together for us was terrific. We had a great time in Istanbul and also in Cappadocia, which is an amazing place. I could have spent a couple more days in Istanbul, i would like to see the new part, and so that might be enough for me to make the trip again ! Thanks again and we will certainly be recommending your company to anyone who asks. Regards.


Tami Crady (United States)
"All I wanted was a shower"
Dear Bulent Albayrak, You asked for my testimonial which I would gladly give 100 times over because you treated me so well ! Not only did I feel safe in Turkey, but you added a very personal touch by inviting me to watch football, calling me to make sure I was OK and helping me get a needed shower upon my arrival in Cappadocia when the hotel said it wasn't possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH for making things possible that any other agency may have dismissed as unimportant. You are the best ! I will, without hesitation, send travelers your way to experience the service I received from you. Traveling as a single American woman alone for the first time in Turkey, I was a bit nervous BUT having the mobile phone with me along with your caring spirit made my trip one of a lifetime ! My only issues are that I did not stay long enough in Turkey, and my feet hurt everyday from touring Turkey's endless wonderful sites. As far as Turkey overall, I found the culture and people to be passionate, safe and extrEmel Ernalbanty fascinating. Turkey is like an onion - when you start to peel it you discover more and more layers and with each layer it gets better. Just when I thought I could not see or experience any more mind boggling events, something else would come my way. Turkey as a country and Bulent Albayrak as a travel agent are my new favorite travel experiences - can't wait to return. I will keep in touch.


Jon & Sarah Smart (United Kingdom)
Dear Turgay Ozdemir,
We wanted to write and tell you how much we enjoyed our holiday. Thank you so much for organising such a great and efficient trip - it all went so smoothly and we enjoyed it very very much. Please pass on our thanks to all at the office of Ayala Travel, and all the staff in the XXXX Hotel, where we had a very happy stay. We will be recommending Turkey as a holiday destination, and your services to anyone we know who visits.


Julie Simonsen (United States)
Dear Emel Ernalbant,
Thank you for all of your help while we were in Istanbul. I arrived back in Rome yesterday morning and all went well. If I know of anyone who is in need of your services I will for sure refer them to you. Please thank Ceyhun and his staff at the XXXX Hotel for me, they were superb, as were the staff at the XXXX Cafe and Restaurant. One day while walking home from the Blue Mosque we were stopped by a television crew from Kanal A. They filmed us repeating things that they said in Turkish...I don't know what I said nor do I know if it was ever aired on tv, but it was an experience. Good luck with everything and thank you again, take care.


Anthony Law (Canada)
Dear Bulent Albayrak
On behalf of our fellow travelers, I want to thank you for making this such a memorable trip. Without your personal attention this would not be achievable. On a personal note; my wife and I are grateful for your help in getting us home in short notice. Unfortunately my mother in law passed away peacefully prior to our return. Arret ( our guide) has been invaluable. His knowledge of Turkish History ( ancient and modern ) is encyclopedic. Please convey my personal thanks for all he did to get us home.


Linda Coates (Texas - United States)
Dear Bulent Albayrak and staff, Just a quick note to let you know how much we appreciated your help while in Turkey. The mobile phone was indispensable and we really enjoyed our Turkish coffee and meeting you and staff. If you don't mind sending me the name of the nice lady who gave me her earrings as I would like to send her something in return, I would appreciate it. Thank you again Bulent Albayrak. Sincerely.


Suyon Kim (South Korea)
Heavy snow which cancelled our original flight to Capadoccia turned out to be good luck for us. It led us to Ayala Travel. When we travel we make it a rule that we move around without help from any travel agency or guide. It's the first time that we broke the rule. Good thing that we did it. The itinery was well planned to make the best use of our limited time. I was also impressed by well qualified tour guides. In short we enjoyed every minute of our trip. Thanks~!


Nancy Bradley (United States)
Bulent Albayrak, I just wanted you to know how thoroughly I enjoyed my travels with Linda Coates on the itinerary you planned for us! I have a group of friends to whom I will recommend your services with pleasure. Thank you for making us feel welcome in your office--with the tea and letting us use your computers! I am home, jetlagged, but so delighted with the wonders of your lovely homeland!! Thank you for everything.


Dr. Falih Hafuth Family (Canada)
Dear Bulent Albayrak, We had an amazing trip to Turkey this March Break. Everything was very well organized and set in place. We rarely had troubles and the tours were amazing. I personally liked going to the underground city in Cappadocia and loved seeing PamEnglandkale and it's mountains. Istanbul was full of heart and history, which we loved seeing. Did I mention the food? It was superb! My only regret of Turkey was that I gained a little weight. Don't think that will stop me from coming back, though. You have done a great job with this company and made this trip for us very worth-while. You and your company should be very proud of yourselves for coming up with these great tours and putting us in these great hotels. We felt very safe, comfortable and reassured that we were with a company that knows what they were doing. Thanks for everything.


Danielle Acuna (United States)
Julian, Thank you so much for planning our week for us. We had an absolutely amazing time and we couldn't believe how much we managed to cram in to one week. We couldn't have done it without you. many thanks.


Trudy Mason (Canada)
Dear Bulent Albayrak and Seda, I have been going to phone the last two days but have been busy in the morning and then it has been too late your time with the time change. I wanted to let you know that we received the credit to our mastercard when I checked a few days ago. Thank you very much. We are doing well. Robert is still working on our hardwood flooring. It is a big project and he is doing a wonderful job. It looks great. We hope all is well in Istanbul, and we will try to give you a call soon. I am teaching some art classes tomorrow, but maybe we will talk to you on the weekend. Take care, love.


Marco Van Zanten (Holland)
Hi Ahmet, The weekend was wonderful. The whole group fitted well together and we are looking back at a very nice trip in your city. We enjoyed the guiding by *******, what an enthusiastic man! The tour on the Bosporus was great and we were lucky with the weather. The tour in Dolmabahce, St Sofia and Topkapi was also good. ****** was great, the food was good and afterwards the live music were great. Lunch nearby the Bosporus was also good, what a good spot! Greetings.


Herbert and Madelaine (Calgary - Canada)
Dear Bulent Albayrak & Seda, A dear friend of ours here in Canada left for Istanbul two days ago. We asked her (her name is Maureen) to visit you at the Travel Office. She can give you firsthand information about us and pass on our warmest greetings to you and your family. This is Maureen’s first visit to Turkey and she is there with a group of Christians. Madelain and I will be leaving for South Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia) on March 23. We will be gone till the first week of May. Then back home for a month and then off to Kenya, South Africa in June. Unfortunately no Turkey visit this year! I will be only too happy to respond to your clients if they contact me. Blessings.


Nalin Trivedi (United States)
Dear Bulent Albayrak, I am now back in Houston. This e mail is to let you know the following. Consider this a feedback for your excellent services and planned trip, so well organised. Being a physician, I am very particular about service to patients. We both belong to the same category "Service to clients". Right from the day we landed at the airport in Istanbul, till we left after 8 days you had provided us with excellent transport, good hotels, hospitable drivers and knowledgeable guides. And this goes for all places Istanbul, Izmir, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Cappadocia. Also being a photographer, I was glad to get enough time to do my photography, and had no constrain on the time. All your people were helpful and bent backwards with a smile. If anyone in States want to contact me for information, you are most welcome to give my phone #s and my email address. Please extend my compliments to all your people, particularly the guides who instilled a lot of History in their talks. Regards to your family and staff. Needless to say we had a great time with the trip and more so with you. You have a warm heart and most important a genuine person. Affectionately Nalin (Grandpa)


Herbert & Madeline (Calgary-Canada) Second Trip to Turkey
Dear Bulent Albayrak and Seda,
Warm greetings from ice-cold Canada. I can assure you that at this moment we all wish we were lying on the beach in Fethiye. The country of Turkey and its people, and especially you and your family have now a special place in our heart. It was not easy getting back to work after the wonderful second vacation we had in Turkey and want to thank you again for making this possible. God willing, our next trip (when??) will be to the Black Sea area. I have attached a few photos that recall the wonderful evening we had with yourselves and your mother. Please give her our dearest greetings. Brigit is now engaged to be married next year, probably in April or May. They think of coming to Turkey on their honeymoon. In that case you will hear more from us as usual. We often think of you and remember you with great fondness.


Dallas Bishop & Geoffrey de Lisle (New Zealand)
Hi Bulent Albayrak
Thank you once again for the organisation of our brilliant holiday! Also thank you for the opportunity to meet your family during dinner. We do appreciate the opportunity to mix in your local environment. We still think Istanbul is one on the 7 wonders of the world - and yes we will more than likely be back! Reviewing the guide book showed us some more regions we would like to visit. Attached are 3 photos from dinner at Pasha's restaurant. Buse and Huri are lovely girls. All the very best to you and Seda and we look forward to hearing developing news. Geoff and I think we will probably take up watching Fenerbahce rather than the All Blacks. Your team came so close to taking out the Moscow game - the first Moscow goal shouldn't have happened. All the very best.


Hamidah Bohari Family (Singapore)
Dear Bulent Albayrak
Thank you for arranging the fantastic itinerary for our first trip to Turkey. The tours are well planned and customized to our needs and the hotels are located next to places of interests. The tour group is of a nice size (about 10 to 12) too. We enjoyed all the places of interest such as the visit to Aphrodisias, the adventure walks in Cappodocia and the mausoleums in Konya. The tour guides are very experienced and the tours start on time. We have great services with the inter-city buses, the transfer where done without any glitches. As the saying goes, "I came, I saw and I enjoyed". You are professional in your services and ensured that we have a great time in Turkey. We appreciate your services during the pre-tour as well as the confirmation of the tours during the Eid holidays when most of us are not working. You have assured us with a hand phone to keep in touch with you during our tours (which we did not use as we were having a great time). We will recommend you to relatives and friends about your services. Looking forward for future tours with you. Send regards to Sheda, Bushe and the new baby as well as staff at Ayala Travel. We always remember YOU guys.


Beth Atkins (Australia)
Dear Ahmet,
We are now back in Melbourne after a long flight. You have done an excellent job, all of the tour guides were fantastic. They were very professional and also very nice and friendly. I enjoyed the mix of having tour guides at times and being on our own at other times. Istanbul was truly an amazing city, we both loved it there. More than anything we very much enjoyed visiting your office for Turkish coffee (very strong :) . Cappadocia was unreal and we enjoyed the 2 tours a lot. I loved Kas what a cute little town. The sunken city boat tour was awesome there's history even under water in this country wooow. It was amazing that you were able to assemble such a great trip for us with such little notice. I will definitely keep your contact details for future trips and for reference to friends. Thanks so much for all your help!


Daniel Silverman (United States)
We would like to deeply thank-you for your exceptional service during our trip to Turkey. It was most enjoyable and carefree to travel with your company. We found your professional advice reference hotel recommendations, (both quality and location), as well as “must see” sights to be outstanding. We highly value this when traveling and only with your advice we could manage to get it all! In talking with other couples, we met on our journey, it was clear to us that you planned our trip very well and we were fortunate to experience many sights others did not. We feel that we really got to know Turkey even though we did not have so much time in the country and credit this to your organization and planning. The personal service was also exceptional, from the transportation service you provided in general around the country to the attention from your staff in Turkey. We really enjoyed our amazing trip and appreciate your service and support in this respect, and are looking forward to using your services again in the near future. Thanks again.


Kerrie Marshall (Sydney - Australia)
Hi Emel Ernalbant, I feel so bad as I haven't replied to your great news I have been so busy over the last few months...have no idea where time has gone. Firstly our sincere congratulations on becoming a father...by now your two little treasures would be home...hope they are well and you and your wife are enjoying every minute. What did you name them and are they very alike even though fraternal twins? Thank you so much for your great work in Turkey...we all had a fantastic time...you did a great job, We all would highly recommend you. We loved the tour guide at Troy... she was so entertaining. Our stay at ******* was great... the people so lovely to us. The driver to KUnited Statesdasi was excellent... we loved ****** hotel and wished we had stayed there another two days. The Gallipoli guide and tour was excellent. I got sick after the first night. Unfortunately for me that ruined my stay in KUnited Statesdasi...but I still managed to do a brief tour of Ephesus...so glad I pushed myself to go. We went on to have another great week in the Greek islands...our favourite was Mykonos. Once again our sincere thanks and best wishes with your new family, wishing you happiness, health and love. Kerrie, Paul, Michele, Greg, Ron, Melissa, Margo, Kevin, Kim and Marshall.


Judy Dai (Houston-United States)
Dear Filiz Bingol,
Greetings from Houston! We were so busy after returning to Houston. I like to thank you for planning the trip. As I have mentioned, we should spend more days at Istanbul as it is a beautiful city. We had a relaxing time on the Greek Isles. Santorini is wonderful-Menchilin (sorry about the spelling) made the arrangement of Neoclassical and Selene right next door. The view next to the cliff is breathtakingly beautiful, esp the sunset. Athens is also great. Overall we had a great time and we like to express our appreciation.


Josefine Durazo (United States)
Hi Bulent Albayrak!!!!! I didn't get to say goodbye before I left, but wanted to thank you again for the great time in the Black Sea. The wedding and family day afterwards were unforgettable, and the guide and countryside for the few days after were just great. That last night we didn't go to taxim until around 1am, and didn't get home until well after 7 am (it was a good night indeed). i would have really liked to see Ayca again, but i didn't wake up until arter 4 pm!! Please send her a hug for me and let her know i will send her picutes and a hello when i get back to the United States. I will also send you all the pictures i have for you then, too. and if you ever decide to come to the united states, you certainly have a friend to show you around!! take care and send a hug to Seda and Buse, too. All the best.


Charles Carlson (United States)
Hi Filiz Bingol, hope you are doing well! I just wanted to write to let you know that we had the absolute best time in Turkey! It was such a wonderful experience, you and your friends made this look trip look soo easy. Thanks for putting up with all my questions, if we ever hear of anyone going to Turkey most surely we will give your name. We are so sad to be back at normal working everyday life. It was great to know you! Thank you again for showing us your lovely country.


Dan Beaudry (United States)
Hi Sila, I just want to let you know that Elena and I had a great trip last month. Thanks for putting it together, and I hope that you will contact me if you ever come to Boston.


Alda Sabelli (Italy)
Dear Ahmet, We were very well treated in Turkey by your company & its local representatives, where we were always greeted with a smile & everyone knew when to pick us up & where to send us next. Transfers were always punctual with our schedule. Accommodations and food were excellent. The staff was very helpful (highly enjoyed our guide ******* in Cappadocia). The itinerary was well organized & the places we visited were so diverse. Thanks for your help in arranging a very memorable trip!


Ma. Antonia de Ospina (United States)
Just a quick note to let you know we are back home after long and boring flight. I want to thank you for all your work and patience on our/my behalf. Though we arrived very late into the ancient town of Ephesus, the guide and driver made a big effort to show us everything. I was surprised to see all the restoration and excavation that is going on since I was last there. Okan was also very helpful and pleasant. Be sure and give him our regards as well. Again thank you so much. I will be wondering what kind of dinner you have with the sailboat lady who wants a cooking lesson in your house!!!! Regards to wife Seda and baby Buse;


Denise Lemos (Brazil)
Dear Bulent Albayrak, Hello! I have been very unpolite with you, I didn't write to thank for everything you done for us, especially about the pasport. It would be almost impossible to get on and is fast impossible. I would like to tell how wonderful our travel was and I will recomend your travel agency to everyone interested in going to Turkey even my travel agent, I plan to go once more to Istanbul and go to places I didn't because of the Ankara travel. I would like to go to a city called Bursa and will ask you to plan everything for me. Hope your family is well and that you are doing well in the agency. Sincerely yours.


Chee Beng & Phaik Choo Chan (Malaysia)
Dear Mr Bulent Albayrak,
It has been more than a week since we returned to Malaysia. We are indeed very thankful and happy for your arrangements for our holiday in Turkey. Before we went to Turkey, we had never thought there is so much to see in Turkey but to our great astonishment Turkey has so much to offer! This holiday gave us a different outlook of Turkey altogether. The country is so full of history we think one will need at least 3 months to cover the history of various places in West Turkey. My children felt that there is so much to learn about the ancient civilisation in Turkey. It is like they are walking through the 10 civilisations that passed Turkey when we visited the ancient cities of Pergamum, Ephesus, Antaly, Aphrodisias and Konya. The agoras, libraries, stadium, theatres, hippodromes and baths and also the caravanseri gave us the feeling that this country was once the craddle of great civilisations. PamEnglandkale with its steps formation of calcium pools is simply amazing. We would not have thought it possible to touch the water in the open during winter until we dipped our feet into the thermal pool and found a sense of relief it gave us. The Pam Thermal Hotel served as a great experience for us. In the thermal pool we felt engulfed by the hot water and yet swimming in winter in the thermal pool is an experience of a lifetime. The great wonders of the landscape in the Province of Cappadocia is a totally different experience. Even in winter the Balloon Ride unveiled much beauty of the land in Cappadocia. It is so charming with the snow flakes in the sunlight, it is a ride of a lifetime for us. Yet after so much we have experienced in Turkey we still feel we have barely touched on what it can offer us. I would highly recommend our friends to visit Turkey with your company, if they are looking for a holiday of a lifetime! Once again thank you.Best wishes, Chee Beng, Phaik Choo Chan


Maria Benitez (Mexico)
Dear Filiz Bingol , just like you said; this trip had the perfect combination of history and relaxation, we had heard so much about Turkish hospitality but never thought it would go this far. The food, travel arrangements, the side trips, and the people were amazing. Both ****** and ******** were excellent tour guides, very knowledgeable, professional & fun. It was something we had planned for a long time & I can honestly say that I know someday we will be back. Thank you so much.


Adil Soni (Pakistan)
Hey Bulent Albayrak, you made an awsome tour for me. I acknowledge your experience and understanding of customer's needs and planing tour accordingly. No doubt you are the best tour planner in Turkey. I appreciate your deep concerns about my tour and make it happen within the time and budget, absolutely hassle free. Thanks a lot.


Sahdab Ahmad (United Kingdom)
Dear Turgay Ozdemir. Hope you and your family are keeping well and are in good health. We came back safely on the 18th April as originally planned. It was a great experience to visit Istanbul, this is the first time we have ever visited any Muslim country. People are so nice even though there was hardly any conversation due to the language but the whole demeanour reflects very much Islamic roots and its kind and humbleness that Turkish people have been carrying for generations. Meeting with you and your wife was an added bonus to visit to Istanbul, we would definitely come again. We very much appreciate your time, help and welcoming attitude that has made our journey even more easy and enjoyable. Zohaib has gone back to school yesterday and Faaizah has recovered from her illness. We both are now busy in our daily routines. Please convey our selam to your wife and lots of love and dua to your daughter. Hope to hear from you soon. Regards.


Juliette Oxford (United States)
Cappadocia...It´s the closest thing to space on earth..... especially blanketed in snow! I had my best time in Cappadocia while I was in Turkey...Ty all guys in Ayala Travel for making this trip unforgetable for me...


Daniel & Liliana Vanin (Toronto, Canada)
Dear Emel Ernalbant, Thank you so much for planning our wonderful 3 week trip to Turkey. It was a pleasure meeting you and being able to rely on your experience and knowledge in planning our trip. Most of all I was impressed by you willingness and ableness to solve any minor problem at any time of the day or night. You were always available with a smile and a solution. Thank you ever so much and until our next trekking trip to the east with you. Sincerely.


Barry Robinson (South Africa)
I walked into your shop last month to book some day trips around Istanbul when you talked me into a tour of Ephesus, PamEnglandkale and Cappadocia on the 5th-12th. I really just wanted to say thank you!! I had an unbelievable time and met so many nice people including a very beautiful one booked on the same route! Thank you again for your advise and steering me away from the tourist traps. I'm still on a high thinking about my trip and will never forget my time in Turkey. Allaha Ismarladik!


Adriana Ruiz (Mollorca - Spain)
Dear Filiz Bingol, I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful service of Ayala Travel during my holiday in Turkey. I really got a wonderful impression of your country and your people (extrEmel Ernalbanty friendly and cooperative). Before going there I must say I had a very different idea and as you'll probably remember I usually dont trust people, but your service has been really convincent and reliable and I will of course recommend it to anyone that travels to Turkey. If you happen to come to Mallorca some day do not hesisate to contact me. Thanks again!!! Best regards from lovely Spain and take care of selves.


John Koval (Ohio-United States)
I walked into Hayden's office in Istanbul at 5:30 on a Saturday night and told him I wanted to go somewhere, anywhere in Turkey. At 7:00 PM that same night, on his reccomendation, I was on my way to Cappadocia, an amazing region in Central Turkey full of beautiful, historic sites and friendly people. I stayed at a luxurious hotel where the rooms were cut into caves, and was treated like royalty during my time in Cappadocia. The tour was superbly arranged from start to finish, and all I had to do was sit back and enjoy the journey. Make sure you check out the travel packages if you're rolling through Istanbul.


Nigel & Heidi Peace. (United Kingdom)
Dear Bulent Albayrak Hi, just a quick message to say we have not forgotten you ! - we've both been very busy back at work since returning. We would both like to thank you all for a fantastic time in Turkey, especially in the Black Sea area. We (well Heidi) have tried to cook your famous cheese dish (do not know how to spell it) with mixed results - will need to keep practising! - Do you have a recipe? We don't know how much corn flour to use, if any, or how long it should be heated. As you can guess, food is very important to me. We will email again when we have more time, and as soon as we get the photo's developed we'll send you some of them. Thanks again.


Claudia Worms (Germany)
We really enjoyed to travel to Cappadoccia and the Boat Trip from Fethiye to Olympos that Ayala Travel had organized to us. We suppose to stay 7 days in Turkey and with Ayala Travel support we stayed almost 20 days!!! And the best thing is that we want to come back again to Turkey to visit other places. Thank you for every single memory.


Herbert & Madeline (Calgary-Canada)
Pegamum, Ephesus, Hierapolis, Leodacia, Cappadocia!! what lesson is there to learn? The cities of mankind, their descreated sanctuaries and demolished buildings, posthumously tell the tale of their humiliation at the hands of an enemy. These historic cities that once displayed great splendous, piles of subble continue to speak of the past. These stones continue to ccry out that the schemes of the human heart spell destruction. If the voice of God in unrecognized in its timely utterance, then timeless remindess carved in stone will remain, hounting generation to come. In stark compauison, how splendid to the eye and the touch, were the white enduring cliffs of PamEnglandkale, and its soft and healing pools of blue water to frolick in. But still thhe greatest-and lasting-memory in forever locked up in faces met, in kindess extended by ordinary people along the road, in hospitality extended; and in new friendships forged on account of a great tragedy that struck Turkey in 1999 and a meeting of hearts and minds reaching out together to help fellow man. Thank you Bulent Albayrak for making this possible. We are indebted to you. See you next year...


Trudy and Robert Mason (Canada)
Dear Bulent Albayrak,
We are home and we already miss you. Please give little Buse a big hug from both of us. I am not sure if she will remember us but we certainly remember her and her big smile. And please give each other big hugs, again from us, because we wish we could be there right now to give you both our love and hugs. We had a wonderful time in Turkey and Greece and will be recommending this to all our friends. Turkey (and your tour arrangements exceeded our expectations). Similarly, the tour arrangements in Greece were very well organized. Agent was prompt, helpful and had the full itinerary for us when we arrived. Everything went as planned. Thank you again for making us enjoy Turkish hospitality.


Gary & Judy Austin (United States)
Bulent Albayrak: I want to thank you again for making the Turkey and Greece portion of our Trip extra special. We will always remember the Joy's Birthday party, your staff and the extra effort you went through for us. Istanbul is one of our favorite cities and some day we will get back there. We will also recommend you and your agency to our friends and associates when they visit Turkey. I have attached 8 Pics to this e-mail. Most of them are of the party. I will send 8 more in a second e-mail (they will download better that way). If you want other Pics let me know. Thanks again.


Steve Cooper (New York - United States)
Dear Ayala Travel, I wish to praise your agent Mustafa for his fine work on our travel arrangements for our trip to Istanbul, Troy, Ephesus, Antalya and Cappadocia this July. I had planned to take this trip in 2002, but after 9/11 I decided to wait. Mustafa was so helpful with advice and ideas. My son and I had a great time. Oh also you have a beautiful country and I've never seen such friendly people in my life.


Alan Olman (Germany)
Thank you Ayala Travel for helping my wife and I plan a romantic getaway in Istanbul. We mentioned that the room at the hotel was very important. You listened, the room at the **** hotel was absolutely fabulous.


Paco Cantu (United States)
Had a great time during my two weeks in Turkey and a lot of it was due to the great travel services of Ayala Travel. I was skeptial after a tourBulent Albayrak tour of Istanbul but an amazing trip to Nemrut to watch the sunrise more than made up for that. Anyone reading this must make time to go to Eastern Turkey. Bulent Albayrak will help you out. I had a great tour guides in Cappadocia and Eastern Turkey. Thank you all for making my time worth...


Nigel & Andrea Roberts (New Zealand)
Fantastic trip, 20 days fantastic weather!! fantastic people!! fantastic scenery!! Thanks to Ayala Travel-made the journey exceptionally easy, fun and wow actuall history!! ( I didn't know people where even around bak then-2500 BC )crazy rrock formations, beautifull beaches, friendly people, crazy captains ( hehehe-personal joke-ask Kursat ) Hope you all enjoy your trip as much as we did...No doubt...


Priya Patel (Brazil)
We have only just settled back home after a perfect honeymoon and then visiting family for a few days. We are exhausted but sooooooo happy! I can't tell you how wonderful our holiday was, there is so much to say. Both Santorini and Paros were excellent offering us two very different, but equally brilliant stays. Santorini is truly magnificent and we took the opportunity to see it in as many ways as we could. We had a wonderful sunset boat trip, spent a fantastic evening in Oia and many drunken hours in Thira. We particularly enjoyed our trip to the Boutari winery. Paros was very different but we found a more real Greece there and spent many days and nights enjoying local food, wine and entertainment. We also had the chance to go scuba diving which was fantastic in the waters off the Santa Maria sands. The accommodation was exceptional. The Rocabella, as you said, is an unbelievable place and they were so welcoming, personal and could not have done more for us. Obviously the views from our balcony were amazing! The staff made this a very special start to our holiday. The hotel in Paros was also outstanding. It's location was perfect for strolling into the nightlife and the service, particularly the bar staff, was also brilliant. All transfers and tickets etc, got to us as you said and all staff who we met us along the way were lovely and very helpful. We felt like royalty most of the time when we traveled as we would watch other people struggling for taxis and we would be whisked off in our private car - excellent! Finally we would like to thank you for making this such a special time. We have some wonderful memories and we feel that without your recommendations, service and organisation we would not have had such a fantastic time. Thank you to you Bulent Albayrak and to all the staff who helped us. Priya Patel


Anice Johnson (Australia)
Levent you have been exceptional. Thanks a lot for the top rooms in the places we stayed, for the on time pick ups and transfers and who do I thank for the wonderful sites I dont know haha :) We are now planning a family trip for 2008 Anzac Day which is very important to my parents, as ive told you before my grandfather died in Gallipoli. I am so glad I have someone to contact with my travel questions and arrangements.


Brad Parrish (Australia)
An excellent tour. I know we were initially a little suspicious of a packaged holiday but Bulent Albayrak's advice turned out to be correct. we cant imagine trying to navigate through all of the sites we saw by ourselves. No ruin along the Ionian coast was missed-Priene, Miletus, Pergamum, Ephesus- we saw them all and stayed at some of the most unique hotels. PamEnglandkale was perhaps the least siteworthy due to the crowds and lack of the water in the pools, but heated swimming pool was great. Thanks again, we will certainly recomend your services...


Shalini and Mylene (Toronto - Canada)
Dear Turgay Ozdemir I'm just writing to say we had a pleasant time in Turkey and we liked all the things you suggested us to do. Also ***** place and the Hotel **** are very nice. We loved it. **** was the best hotel we stayed during our trip. Thank you very much for your help. After a short visit to Bombay we are now back home but it hasnt sinked in yet :) We have your card and we'll recommend you to our friends.