Hotel, Guesthouse and B&B Reviews

These are my personal notes on some of the places I have stayed on my travels. I have chosen to only comment on those places that I was generally satisfied with; I see no point on this website in describing accommodation that I would not recommend to anyone else. For the same reason, I have not attempted to rank or score the places. However, where I have particularly liked somewhere, I believe that the tone and content of my review will make that obvious. The opinions below are my own and are just that – opinions formed on the occasion of my visit. For this reason, I have given the date of my visit at the bottom of each comment; things may have changed since.

Turkey: Istanbul

Basileus Hotel, Istanbul. This small hotel is perfectly situated in a quiet spot in the old part of the city between the back of the Hippodrome and the mosque of Little Haghia Sophia. The reception staff were very friendly and enthusiastically knowledgeable about Istanbul and its sights. I felt I did not really need the advice they provided (I am an experienced traveller, already knew a lot of the relevant history, and had studied the Rough Guide) but I overheard a few conversations that made me smile – some tourists should really not be allowed out on their own! My room was a good size, ultra-clean and comfortable; it was in the basement but that was what I had signed up for (a budget room at a very good price). Breakfast was included and was excellent; plenty of choice and nice things to eat, both hot and cold. There were tea and coffee making facilities in my room and, just off reception, there were complimentary tea and cakes available in the afternoons – just what you need when you've finished a hard day's sightseeing.

Date of stay: 11-14 March 2015

Turkey: The Lycian Way

Our Place, Ovacik/Ölüdeniz. I stayed here for two nights at the start of my walk along the Lycian Way. I chose the property because it was inexpensive and because it had good reviews. My en-suite room was OK; comfortable and clean enough but not sufficiently sparkling to earn full marks. As with so many places in Turkey, it could be improved enormously if only the washbasin, etc., was cleaned properly and the light switches and door handles wiped over. The establishment was rather understaffed but the people were friendly and helpful and provided a reasonable breakfast. The pool was empty and not in use when I visited.

Date of stay: 12-13 April 2016

Montenegro Motel, Faralya. I stayed here for one night on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis after completing the first stage of the Lycian Way. I had pre-booked my en-suite room at the "motel" by emailing the establishment in advance. The word "motel" is very misleading; it is nothing of the sort. It simply consists of a number of cabins – part-brick, part-wood – around a nice central swimming pool. To one side there is a bar and restaurant area with a good view over the Butterfly Valley. My cabin was simple but very clean and comfortable. I was served some good food, with the breakfast being enormous. The people were friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed the peaceful, oasis-like ambience of the place

Date of stay: 14 April 2016

Manzara Pension, Alinca. There are several pensions in beautiful, isolated Alinca and I selected this one pretty much at random when I arrived in the village. My en-suite room was simple but clean; however, my shower was cold, despite there apparently being a solar water heater at the property. I was served a nice dinner and breakfast by the friendly lady proprietor. There was no Wifi, of course.

Date of stay: 15 April 2016

Kiliç Pension, Bel. My hostess at this pension selected me (!), virtually running towards me down the Lycian Way as I approached the isolated village of Bel. My room was clean and, although the bathroom facilities were shared, I had the place to myself. The building is not fully complete and one has to be a bit careful where one steps. I was served a nice (vegetarian) dinner and breakfast. There was no Wifi, of course. Just as I was going to bed at night, there was a knock at my door and the son of the family was offering me a plate of chicken! Clearly, they had had their dinner and felt sorry that their guest had only been offered vegetarian fare.

Date of stay: 16 April 2016

Özlen Pension and Restaurant, Pydnai. I stayed here for one night. The restaurant and pension are maybe 500 m from the Way itself, which runs through and around the old Hellenistic fortress of Pydnai/Pydna/Pydnee. Crossing the rickety footbridge over the beautiful Özlen River to get to the pension was an experience in itself! I had not booked in advance. My welcome was... more businesslike than friendly. My one-course dinner was OK but, with some beers, my total bill the next day was higher than I expected. My en-suite room was OK; a little scruffy but basically clean. There was no Wifi, of course. I was content enough for a single night's stay but the place could make more of itself in view of its lovely location.

Date of stay: 17 April 2016

Letoon Aparthotel, Kumluova. I stayed here for one night. The hotel is situated, rather oddly, about 500 m outside the village of Kumluova, next to a petrol station on a low col. The hotel and my room were very modern. My bathroom, as often found elsewhere in Turkey, could have been a bit cleaner. A good breakfast was included in the price I paid but I also had a pleasant dinner at the hotel, which I paid for separately. After several days out in the wilds, I was pleased that the hotel had Wifi and a sunny balcony where I could dry some clothes that I had hand washed.

Date of stay: 18 April 2016

Hidden Garden, Akbel. I stayed here for one night. I was tired when I arrived as I had hoped to stay in Üzümlü but had been forced (by lack of options) to continue for another 3 or 4 miles down the road to Akbel. I negotiated a good dinner, bed and breakfast deal on my arrival. My host cooked me an excellent dinner and, the following morning, breakfast. My wooden cabin was very simple but situated in a lovely peaceful setting. Once I had worked out how the shower worked (hint: it is NOT electric), I was 100% satisfied with my stay.

Date of stay: 19 April 2016

Zeybec 1 Pension, Gelemis/Patara. I stayed here for one night on my first visit. I had booked it in advance on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. I was delighted – astounded, in fact – at the cleanliness and quality of my en-suite room when I arrived. It could not have been better. I also had a very good breakfast the following morning. However, I did not get my dinner; but that did not worry me as there were many decent places to eat in the town. (This resulted in a minor, but not embarrassing, renegotiation of the price when I came to pay.) The people who ran the place seemed, as elsewhere in Turkey, to be very pleasant and good natured. Gelemis/Patara itself is nice enough, thanks to its proximity to the ruins of ancient Patara and its remarkable beach; let us hope that the town does not expand any further. On my second visit I stayed three nights and had a more basic room.

Date of stay: 20 April 2016 and 19-21 April 2017

Rhapsody Hotel & Spa, Kalkan. I stayed here for three nights roughly in the middle of my walking trip along the Lycian Way. I had booked the hotel in advance as a luxurious but inexpensive place to rest after 8 days of fairly hard walking. The building itself is wonderful, with huge modern rooms. My room had two double beds, a TV watching area, a desk area, a glass-walled bathroom with walk-in shower, and a nice balcony with a sea view. So I was very happy. But there were some oddities. The hotel was not really open. There was one employee present and he manned reception and provided the very basic breakfast in the morning. The pool had no water in it. There were few other guests. The hotel policy seemed to be to use up all the clean rooms for guests and only then bring in the cleaners to make them all up fresh again. So in my three nights there, my room was only cleaned once. Clearly, the problem is that, this early in the season (April) in a year when tourist numbers are very down for Turkey (2016), the hotel cannot afford to staff the place properly and to run things like the pool, the spa, and the restaurant. It is a great pity and I really do hope that the tourist economy picks up and the place can be fully opened soon, especially as the people were nice and the building itself is excellent.

Date of stay: 21-23 April 2016

Pause Pension, Saribelen. I stayed here for one night, which I had booked in advance. My en-suite room was clean but basic, with little space or few surfaces to unpack my rucksack for the night. I was amused by the bare wooden floorboards as I could imagine German visitors drooling over them (the owner, Janine, is German), while British visitors like myself would wonder why they were not at least varnished or polished. Janine made me a nice dinner in the evening and breakfast in the morning and was keen to chat with me. The ground floor seems to be a building site at the moment as they create more guest accommodation. There is a – potentially – lovely roof terrace but the owners seem to do very little with it, which seems a great shame (it needs more tables, comfy chairs, some shade, a bit of character!).

Date of stay: 24 April 2016

Yesil Pension, Gökçeören. As I was walking into the village of Gökçeören, I noticed a battered white Renault parked at the end of track. There was a solitary man inside. I decided to ignore him. But, as I approached, he opened the passenger door of the car and beckoned me inside. I quickened my step, doubly keen to ignore him! But he started talking to me in Turkish and I caught the words “Janine” (the name of my hostess from the previous evening) and (pointing to himself) “Huseyin”, which I had been told was the name of the man who ran the village pension. So I was expected! I got in the car and was driven to the pension. My en-suite room was simple but clean and perfectly adequate. There was no Wifi, of course. Mr Huseyin served me a decent dinner on the rather chilly terrace (it did not catch the evening sun) and, the next morning, because it was raining, breakfast in his lounge, with his wife sitting on the carpet shelling beans.

Date of stay: 25 April 2016

Café Dede Pension, Çukurbag. I came across this pension after descending from the hill-top ruins of ancient Phellos into the modern village of Çukurbag. I stayed one night. My room was clean, although a bit dark and rather cluttered inside. The bathroom facilities were shared but I was the only guest staying. I was served an adequate dinner and, the following morning, breakfast. There was no Wifi, of course. The pension is run by an elderly man but he is ably assisted by a younger woman, who prepares the food. Uniquely for the pensions I stayed in along the Lycian Way, the “cafe” does not serve beer owing, the proprietor told me, to its proximity to the village mosque and the strictness of the local imam.

Date of stay: 26 April 2016

Hotel Sonne, Kas. I stayed here for three nights at the end of my hiking trip from Fethiye to Kas along the Lycian Way. I had booked in advance. I thought the hotel was just perfect! The rooms are nice, modern, spotlessly clean, even if a little on the small side. The staff were lovely. The best bit was the breakfast – by far the best I have had in Turkey – and the utterly wonderful rooftop terrace it was served on. I would love to return to pretty Kas and, if I do, I will surely look no further for a place to stay than the Hotel Sonne. (Indeed, I did return the following year and stayed a further three nights.)

Date of stay: 27-29 April 2016 and 22-24 April 2017

Infinity Exclusive City Hotel, Fethiye. This is an inexpensive “city” style hotel in the waterfront area of Fethiye, about a 30 min walk from the bus station. I stayed here for just the one night after arriving late into Dalaman airport and before heading off by bus down to Patara. My room was clean and comfortable, although in truth I saw very little of it. I had a very good breakfast in the morning in the busy ground floor area. A perfect place for a one-night stopover.

Date of stay: 18 April 2017

Minu Hotel, Fethiye. This is a very smart, modern “city” style hotel in the seafront area of Fethiye. I stayed here for just the one night after arriving late into Dalaman airport and before heading off by bus down to Kas to continue my walk along the Lycian Way. The price I paid represented very good value for money. A very good breakfast was served in the morning on the first floor. The location of the hotel is very convenient, within a moderate walking distance (maybe 25 min) of the bus station, which is situated in not such a pleasant part of town.

Date of stay: 24 April 2018

Delos Beach Hotel, Liman Agizi. The term “hotel” is a little misleading here as this is essentially a waterfront bar with some wooden cabins and stone cottages in the garden area behind. It is in an absolutely lovely remote location, on a beach across the bay from Kas. Access to the hotel is therefore by boat or on foot (90 min from Kas and a delightful walk – but not easy!). The staff were super, all very friendly, and I had a good dinner in the evening. My room was basic but clean and there was WiFi and plenty of hot water.

Date of stay: 25 April 2018

Bogazcik camping, Bogazcik. This is the first establishment one comes to in Bogazcik when walking in from Kas. My two Turkish walking companions for the day were determined to camp here overnight and so I decided to join them. We were the only people staying. The camping area is really just the front garden of the house, although there is a small external toilet and shower block. We were served a good dinner and breakfast in the indoor cafe area on the first floor and this is where I decided to “camp” for the night, sleeping on some cushions and my foam mat on the floor. The young proprietor (I assume) spoke no English and so I was glad of the translation service offered by my companions.

Date of stay 26: April 2018

Cennet Pansiyon, Ucagiz. In view of the very good previous reviews I was expecting something marvellous from my stay here in the pretty seaside village of Ucagiz. But my room was just average; a typical, dark pension room with a windowless bathroom. The owner was a very friendly and nice man but also very keen to sell me a lot of “extras” to my stay. He did not approve of my plans for walking the Lycian Way (because it was not earning him any extra money?) but he had, I suspect, not walked any of it himself and so could not understand the psychology and motivation of someone who wanted to do so. There are plenty of good options for eating in the evening down on the waterfront and I would recommend these.

Date of stay: 27-28 April

Kiyak Hotel, Demre. The town is a drab place, mainly visited by Russian day-trippers coming to see the Church of St Nicholas and the ruins of nearby Myra. I suspect very few people stop in the town. The hotel owner was a very friendly and helpful man with a good command of English. My room and the property in general were rather “tired” but were averagely clean by Turkish standards. I expected no more from Demre. In the evening I ate in one of the many inexpensive bars and restaurants in the town.

Date of stay: 29 April

Artemis Hotel, Kas. This is a modern medium-sized hotel that is very well situated for the bus station in Kas. It has a very nice swimming pool and a restaurant and breakfast area on the roof terrace with excellent views. I obtained a good price by booking in advance, although on my second visit I did not get a room with a sea view, which was a little disappointing as the hotel was not full. My rooms were small but clean and well furnished. I particularly enjoyed my breakfasts on the roof terrace. Very tall people would be advised to stay out of the reception area!

Date of stay: 30 April - 1 May 2018 and 10-11 May 2018

Hotel Anadolu, Finike. A major surprise! This was one of the cheapest places I have booked in Turkey and yet I could not believe the quality and cleanliness of the very spacious apartment I was provided with. A breakfast was served in the mornings and this was also of very high quality. The only disadvantage of the accommodation is that it is 2 miles (3 km) away from the centre of Finike and in the evenings it is difficult to find anywhere closer to eat.

Date of stay: 2-3 May 2018

Karaoz Pansiyon, Karaoz. This appears to be a newly opened establishment and the friendly, non-English speaking owners still seemed to be learning their trade. I had booked a single room and a very small single-bedded room was what I got, despite me being the only person staying there. It was very sparsely furnished; for example, there was nowhere to sit except upon the bed; it had a small balcony but nowhere to sit there either. However, the breakfast was good. I imagine, as the owners get used to the requirements of hikers on the Lycian Way, especially Western European ones, that the “fit” between this establishment and its guests will improve.

Date of stay: 4 May 2018

Buhana Hotel, Adrasan. This is a large and modern hotel, set well back from the sea front. My room was spacious and pleasant, overlooking the swimming pool that was still being cleaned in preparation for the new season. I stayed for two nights but my room was not cleaned on the second day, despite my asking at reception for it to be done. There was no hot water for a shower on the final morning. For the price I paid I was expecting a good quality, professionally run hotel. The building was fine but there was only a skeleton staff present and they seemed to have only the vaguest idea about how to run a hotel. Perhaps it was too early in the season to judge this hotel fairly?

Date of stay: 5-6 May 2018

Hotel Olympos, Cirali. This small hotel or guesthouse is well situated between the beach and the main shopping street in very pleasant Cirali. The hotel is named after the wonderfully scenic ruins of the ancient city of Olympos, which are nearby. My room was pleasant and clean and a good breakfast was served outdoors in the morning. The staff were friendly and attentive.

Date of stay: 7 May 2018

Amore Hotel, Tekirova. I had booked this hotel only the day before, once I had decided which branch of the Lycian way I was following. I found the hotel extremely difficult to find when I walked into Tekirova from Cirali on account of 113 Sokak adjoining neither 112 nor 114 Sokak! However, once I had finally arrived then I was very happy with it. My room was small but the hotel is very modern and smart, with a nice swimming pool area. I was served breakfast by the pool in the morning.

Date of stay: 8 May 2018

Pasha Princess Hotel, Camyuva. This was my first and so far only experience of an all-inclusive hotel. I guess I had booked it on the previous day because it seemed inexpensive for a 4-star hotel and perhaps because I fancied a bit of luxury at the end of my long walk. I very much enjoyed my brief stay: it is a very nice hotel, although quite large and very busy, and the buffet dinner and breakfast were both excellent.

Date of stay: 9 May 2018

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