We drove up today to the gate house, as we had jus...

We drove up today to the gate house, as we had just purchased a second home in the area and been told this place was something special. I had actually been there 20 year ago or so when I was a graduate student on a symposium.

When we drove up a man akin to a carnival barker greeted us and upon us asking if we could speak to someone about the services as the spa or the menu at the restaurant we were told that we were not allowed onto the grounds, nor did he have any information about either the spa services, nor the menu.

We were told if we wanted to speak to someone about either of the above, we have to pay 50$ to enter the grounds.

Mind we, we can afford 50$, but the idea that to become a client of this resort we had to pay 50$ to even understand what they offered seemed a bit odd.

We promptly said, no thanks and were told to turn around and return home. Upon one more try, where I asked "is there no way to see the facilities?" we were told no. I then pulled up on the button to close the window in my, let's just say British made large sized sedan, the carnival barker put his hand in the window stopping it. We were alarmed and our dog started to bark at his aggression.

He then said, "The President of Turkey doesn't even get to take a look before staying here. He just accepts what we have."

So I see. A man who is a borderline dictator, who has killed his own citizens, and is barely considered legitimate by the EU and the US is now somehow being held up as a standard for this place which prevents it from having even the most civil conversation with a potential client.

Let's just say that we wont be spending any time there, and having it as a location for our wedding is out. Especially sketchy nearly illegitimate murderous dictators are the standard client. It is disturbing to think someone like this is in our neighborhood.

We then called their customer service to ask for more information, and the lady we spoke to, again referenced how they host dictators and potentates which prevents anyone from even discussing the facilities without paying the 50$ fee.

Too bad we can see their facility from our home, it now kind of spoils the view.