We met in Kütahya for the 4th of the “Media, Culture, Art and Tourism Meetings” organized by the Culture and Art Correspondents’ Association with the contributions of the Ministry of Culture. We spent three beautiful days in Kütahya as the guests of the Mayor of Kütahya Alim Işık, together with Sanem Arıkan, Head of the Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, İbrahim Gökdemir, the President of the Culture and Art Reporters Association, and nearly 50 journalist friends.
Kütahya Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Zekeriya Ünal and Kütahya Municipality Culture and Social Affairs Specialist Fatma Akcan Budak, who accompanied us throughout our trip, paid close attention to us.
The place where we stayed in Kütahya, where we spent two nights and three days, was Yoncalı Thermal Hotel and Spa in Yoncalı region. A sparkling space has been built away from the noise of the city. The thermal water at 38 degrees Celsius, which comes out of its natural source, is the kind that will cure many diseases, and the hotel staff is friendly. Even a bathrobe is left in your room for those who want to enter the thermal pool. This is why I say it, it was the eve of Eid al-Fitr when we went. While we were spending time in the lobby, we involuntarily overheard the conversations of the staff who answered the customers who called the hotel. In the answers given by the staff, we could understand that the customers first asked whether there was a place in the facility, then the room fees, and finally what they should bring with them when they came to the thermal hotel. Although the nightly accommodation fees of this 4-star hotel are slightly above the average, I think it is worth every penny.
“What should we bring with us?” is one of the most frequently asked questions by customers calling. To the question, the hotel employee always replied, “Towels, bathrobes, etc. everything is available here, you don’t need to bring anything extra” he replied. Of course, it would be best to take your swimsuit, swimming goggles and cap with you when you go.
As a first time visitor to a spa, I was quite excited. The thermal pool, which normally closes around 23.30 at night, has been extended until 00.00 and then 00.30 for the members of the culture and art correspondents association. Many of our friends took advantage of this opportunity. In the meantime, the female cleaner of the hotel cleaned the lockers, showers, poolside, whatever you can think of, and cleaned the end of the day and prepared the pool for the next day.
I put on my numbered swimming goggles and cap, which I bought from Ankara and will use for the first time, and immersed myself in the 38-degree thermal pool. Even though we were a little tired from the long journey between Ankara and Kütahya and visiting the cultural, historical and touristic places of Kütahya all day, as soon as I entered the pool, I felt like I was recharged and all my tiredness was gone. I got under one of the two huge taps that flowed like a waterfall on one side of the pool and took a video with my cell phone. I looked at the video I took when I swam out for a while. It would not be wrong to say that I was quite surprised when I first saw it. Because we were used to seeing such images in world and Olympic swimming championships. The first thing that came to my mind was the famous American swimmer Michael Phelps. I immediately shared the video on social media with the tag Michael Phelps vs and got positive feedback.
Many world-famous names who come to visit our country come to various Spa and spa centers for detox purposes. The last example I knew was that British model Kate Moss came to a facility in Marmaris for a health cure.
I hope that world-famous names and perhaps Michael Phelps will also visit the Yoncalı region, which has healing thermal springs/spring waters in Kütahya, whose 4 and 5 star facilities and bed capacity are increasing day by day, and I think it will make a positive contribution to the international promotion of the city.
