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Swaths of this coveted coast have long been dominated by large, identical resorts inhabited by European package tourists often more interested in the beaches than the country. The fancier resorts range from the eccentrically over-the-top (revolving bedrooms, hotels shaped like the Kremlin and Topkapi Palace, etc.) to the tranquilly luxurious. The best have excellent facilities, and you can often find good deals if you want to add a few relaxing sun-and-sand days to your itinerary. There’s also a tradition of simple family-run pansiyons; though basic in terms of amenities, these can provide a more personal experience, better value, and a pleasant refuge from mass tourism. In recent years, a number of stylish smaller hotels have also appeared. These century-old houses have been restored and converted into high-caliber boutique hotels that offer the ultimate in character and charm. Most are found in Antalya’s Kaleiçi neighborhood, where they come in a variety of sizes and prices; there are also several in Eski Datça and Alanya as well as farther east.
The first thing you notice here is the art, acquired by the owner on his off-season trips to Asia and South America: 250 pieces fill the lobby, expand up the stairs, and flow into the rooms, setting the tone for this stylish boutique hotel. Guest rooms are tastefully furnished, as are the bathrooms with their large cabinet showers.
This relaxed, friendly pansiyon is across from the water, about halfway along the beach road, and has a rather New Age vibe. The wooden cabins, each with a little porch, sit beside a central garden filled with fruit trees and medicinal plants. It's run by Istanbul escapees, Engin (who fills the hotel with his photography) and Pinar (who sometimes teaches the morning yoga classes). The food, incorporating products from the garden, is excellent, and vegetarian options are always available. Guests can access a swath of beach with deck chairs and umbrellas.
Perched on a terrace just down from the main road, this stupendously beautiful, family-run place has a smattering of cozy cabins set among the trees with paired back furnishings and private porches that overlook the valley and sea. Two deluxe rooms have in-room whirlpool tubs with sea views. When you're not in the mood to walk down to the beach, you can relax by the pool on the main terrace. The food is excellent (most ingredients come from the hotel's own garden), and the three-course dinner is reason alone to stay.
A delightful and stylish addition to the Datça lodging scene, this recently renovated boutique hotel has its own postcard-worthy dock with lounge chairs, a small Blue Flag beach with gorgeous views, and a midsize pool; its bright, stylish rooms are spread out among a few buildings, including stone towers inspired by local windmills, with round beds inside. Saunter from one of the best breakfasts in town down to the dock and its uninterrupted view of Greece and the uncrowded beach below. Inside, decor is modern, Mediterranean, and tastefully understated.
This well-run, midsize hotel isn't quite boutique, but it does a nice job of filling the gap between the city's two- and five-star accommodations. It has relatively large and tastefully decorated modern rooms and spacious bathrooms complete with tubs. Geared towards business travelers, it's in the north part of Adana, near trendy restaurants and cafés but only a 15-minute walk from the center.
This spot has some of the prettiest bungalows in the area. Accommodations are spacious and show attention to detail (special care has been taken with the woodwork, including the elaborate Ottoman-style wood ceilings). The restaurant-bar area overlooking the sea is lovely, and there are deck chairs and umbrellas on the beach itself. Take a moonlit stroll on the beach at night, and if you're very lucky and very quiet, you might glimpse a loggerhead turtle.
This sweet retreat in the heart of Kalkan is centered around a pleasant garden patio, with rooms split between a lovingly restored old home and a newer building. Rooms in the former vary in size and configuration, but all are attractively unfussy, with wooden floors, ceilings, and furniture accented with tasteful textiles and art. In the latter, rooms are simpler and cheaper but still tidy and comfortable, and some have sea views. Helpful British-Turkish owners Marion and Halil live on site and have clearly put their hearts into creating a home away from home for their guests.
This beautiful spot on a bend in the Dalyan River is a bit farther from the town center than most hotels but is also more sophisticated. The tidy, well-equipped guest rooms are spread across two adjacent properties, a resort and a spa hotel. The extensive shared grounds have a lush, tropical feel and include a large pool and a bright restaurant where the chefs use food grown in an on-site organic garden and the owner's organic citrus orchard in nearby Çandır.
On a small hill above the yacht harbor and Taşlık Beach, this contemporary hotel has clean-lined, well-equipped rooms—about half with sea views—to go with its very central location. The airy downstairs café, where an ample breakfast buffet is served, and rooftop cocktail bar give it a hip vibe, and the young, English-speaking staff are sharp and accommodating.
Situated between the sea and a mountain, on a prime spot at the southern end of the beach, this two-story hotel has decent-sized rooms that are sparsely furnished yet still comfortable; many have a balcony and sea view. The spacious terrace area includes a restaurant, bar, and pool.
For secluded, romantic tranquility with a knockout view, come to this beautifully designed waterfront hotel on the peninsula outside Kaş. All rooms have balconies with sea views, and there are plenty of on-site hideaways if you're seeking a few days of privacy. A platform on the rocks at shore gives access to the sea, and there is a generous-sized saltwater pool (a luxury in these parts). Reserve well in advance as it gets booked up quickly, and note that, due to its location, a rental car is needed for sightseeing.
Perched on 66 steel columns above the archaeological site uncovered during its construction, this hotel is an impressive engineering feat with a coldly industrial feel to its public spaces, in contrast to its warm-toned guest rooms. The star attractions are the Roman mosaics and other ancient remains visible from the walkways throughout the hotel, as well as 38 of its rooms and some of the tables in the high-end Ayanmeyan restaurant, which serves gourmet versions of local Antakya cuisine. Other amenities include a large spa and fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, a nightclub, and a sports bar-café.
Retreat to this green and tranquil farmhouse and its elegant, unpretentious rooms and cottage suites, many with their own garden patio. The lush grounds include a swimming pool, hammam, steam room, yoga room, and tennis courts. Be sure to experience the delicious food served in the on-site Olea restaurant, which highlights the farm's own produce. A shop in the main building sells products made from the farm's olive oil harvest. All guests must be 13 years of age or older.
This charming hotel, a short walk inland from the beach, has large, airy rooms featuring dark-wood furniture and tiled floors in a modern building with a pretty outdoor pool and garden.
This sleek hotel on the western edge of town has large, contemporary rooms, each with a balcony or a poolside seating area; and a serene, airy café-restaurant. A wide array of activities and group tours are available to book with the hotel, including ATV tours and horse riding. There's a deluxe penthouse with sea views available to book, too.
High enough above the beach to ensure lovely sea and valley views, Turan was the first accommodation in Kabak and retains a bucolic atmosphere with boho bungalows, each with a private bathroom and terrace. Breakfast and dinner are included in the room rates, with the vegetarian-friendly meals made from mostly local, organic ingredients, often from the on-site garden. There's a tiny pool and a resident yoga instructor. It's about a 10-minute walk from the nearest parking lot.
One of the classier options in Kaleiçi, this hotel is made up of four old houses and has comfortable lodgings, excellent service, and a wide range of facilities, including a large garden with a small pool. The style is a little more classic European than Turkish (though some rooms retain original features), and the food is phenomenal; the hotel houses the highly rated Seraser restaurant, and its complimentary Turkish breakfast is one of the most diverse in the old city.
In Anamur's beachfront suburb of İskele, this older hotel has spacious guest rooms, all with sea-view balconies and most decorated with excessive enthusiasm. Deck chairs and umbrellas are available for guests.
