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| via TurkeyHostels.com |
In Turkey, boutique hotels, inns and small establishments like the pansiyon are a popular choice for travellers. I prefer them over large, impersonal hotels because you get much better immersion in local culture. The majority are independently owned, so standard of service varies.
I've found a great resource on chosing a good, affordable option is The Little Hotel Book by Nisanyan. The writers are small hotel owners, and they actually stay in each hotel at some point, so you know the ratings are honest. If nothing else, this bible of Turkish small hotels is an amazing armchair retreat. I've spent many hours daydreaming about my perfect itinerary with it. Online, there are many sites with ratings and recommendations, such as Hidden-Turkey.com.
We've been following the Cilician Pirate thread to Olympos and I thought we'd explore the tree house hotels there. Next week, we'll try cave hotels of Capadoccia and then maybe an amazing place in Datça I've wanted to visit....we'll see where it goes from there.
While a tree house is not the choice for someone who likes plush slippers and towel origami, it has a certain Swiss Family Robinson appeal. Tree house hotels could be part of a really cool family trip, or a nice romantic getaway. (Follower Tracy Darchini says she spent part of her honeymoon in a treehouse hotel and loved it. She also says you can catch a free ride to the chimaera flames with some hotels.) If you're trekking, the Olympos tree house hotels are legendary. Many hikers enjoying the Olympos National Park stay here because it is ridiculously affordable - like 11 Euros ridiculous - and breakfast is often included.
Note: Make sure you book what you expect, especially if you want a room with air conditioning. Also, some of the treehouse hotels are a known for their "no curfew" approach to life, which is awesome, IF you don't need a full night of sleep. But if you're a pirate (from the manuscript in my head), this is a deal you can't refuse!
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