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"The surreal rock pools of Pamukkale in southwestern <anchor>Turkey</anchor> have long been on my bucket list. Translating to "White Castle", Pamukkale's famous hot springs release mineral-rich water onto the landscape, creating the incredible white travertine terraces. Even though I'm sure the photos of deserted aqua pools look a lot different to in tourist-season reality, to be able to take a dip in them would still be a bucket-list swim for me. Afterwards, I'd head to the coastal town of Fethiye, to stay at the dreamy looking Hillside Beach Club, one of the best family hotels in Europe. The location of this hotel, on the Aegean Sea, is another surreal sight – a turquoise water beach surrounded by a fragrant pine forest."
The best hotels in Turkey 2024 | CN Traveller
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The best hotels in Turkey

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# The best hotels in Turkey

From palatial stays in bustling cities to beachside hideouts on the turquoise coast, these are the best hotels in Turkey

20 August 2024

Amanruya Bodrum

Courtesy of Aman

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The best hotels in Turkey are as wildly diverse as the country itself. Chic coastal boltholes with views of the turquoise sea at every turn. Grand Ottoman palaces, revamped to new levels of luxury. Wellness resorts which harness ancient rituals switched up with cutting-edge spa technology. Places to party or to reset in serene, unspoiled surroundings, a world away from the quotidian concerns of the real world. Everywhere, food is a joyous affair – everyone comes home raving about it and Turkish hospitality, wide-armed and warm.

## What time of year is best to visit Turkey?

The season on the Turkish Coast runs from May to October. September and October are heavenly – it’s quieter, the sea is still warm, the days warm and evenings cooler. July and August can be crazy hot. Istanbul is a blast year-round, though it’s no winter-sun destination – sometimes it snows in January.

## Which part of Turkey should I visit?

For East-meets-West culture, history, Ottoman grandeur, a newly vibrant arts scene and, yes, for shopping, Istanbul is a whirl of wondrousness, with its wealth of ever-starrier palace hotels. Cappadocia, a region of otherworldly rock formations, is one of the most enchanting and romantic places in the world. For a seaside escape, the dreamy Turquoise Coast: Alacati is the bohemian hangout for chic Istanbulites, Bodrum has a lively social scene, Fethiye and Kalkan have sandy beaches, while the pine-forested Datça Peninsula is so isolated it feels like being castaway on an island.

## Which hotel in Turkey is best for families?

The Bodrum Peninsula and Alaçati are home to an huge array of smart family-friendly stays. The villas at Bodrum Loft are perfectly set up for a multigen stay. For innovative kids clubs, Hillside Beach Club in Fethiye has a whole roster of workshops and events for children and adults. For more, see our pick of the best family friendly hotels in Turkey.

- Amanruya's Main Swimming Pool

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Amanruya’s clay-pink pavilions dot the hills of Bodrum’s north coastline, shaded by the cypress trees and blessed with a gem-like view of the Aegean Sea. Winding walkways meander across the property, with guest pavilions peppered across the grounds. The sun-bleached stone pavilions complement the Mediterranean landscape effortlessly, with the option of a garden or sea room. Each has a secluded garden with a private pool, day bed and lounge chairs for laying the day away; interiors are airy, with marble finishes and sweeping concrete and terrazzo arches. White curtains drape across the four-posted bed, which I found cradled me for a perfect night’s sleep during my stay.

The elegant design extends to the beach club, where double day beds are scattered on the sea’s edge with a private pier for a dip. More often than not, my swims were followed by a glass of wine and a delicious array of pides (a Turkish take on pizza). The restaurant options vary, from the Beach Club and Sushi by Amanruya to the Anatolian and Poolside dining pavilions, each providing a unique offering for guests. This retreat’s pared-back luxury allows guests to unwind, creating a stay synonymous with Amanruya’s name, a ‘peaceful dream’.

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There are certain hotels that look like they have been lifted straight from a film set, and this one, with its vast, marble-floored lobby, regal palm trees and flawlessly uniformed bellhops, has a serious Wes Anderson feel. Originally built by a 17th-century sultan, the Çirağan Palace Kempinski is an Ottoman-era imperial palace overlooking the glistening Bosphorus. Weave through winding corridors to delve into rooms complete with four-poster beds, tulip-patterned headboards, velvet armchairs, marble bathrooms and red-and-cream-striped wallpaper. The palace’s other areas are similarly decadent: there’s riverside fine dining with magnificent Turkish dishes at Tuğra, a centuries-old Ottoman arch and the original palace hammam, tucked away behind a large wooden door with floor-to-ceiling marble and ornate carvings. As well as being an imperial residence, the hotel also hosted parliamentary procedures, royal courts and beauty pageants and even served as a playing field for the Beşiktaş football team. All in all, it’s a blissful, storied escape in the middle of one of the world’s most historical cities. Lale Arikoglu

Georg Roske

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That Bodrum is the location of Scorpios’ second outing speaks volumes. Whispers of the ‘ Bodrum boom’ have circulated for some time, but the arrival of Scorpios, the chic beach club on the glitzy Greek island of Mykonos, suggests this slice of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast is finally claiming its moment in the spotlight. Twelve bungalows sit atop the complex in a circular formation. These are a stone’s throw from the action but feel like secluded havens far from the buzz of the Turquoise Coast. Formidable stone walls envelop the open-plan bedroom and living space, while wildflowers surround private infinity pools if they don’t look directly out onto the glittering Aegean Sea. Our outdoor bathroom was a real highlight, with a bathtub for al-fresco soaks.

Breakfast is served in the bungalows – continental spreads of Turkish cheeses slithers of meat and well-stocked bread baskets are served alongside bubbling shakshouka and golden eggs. After mornings, room service is available beside the bungalows’ private pools, but most guests head to the beach club or out to explore the local towns. The main restaurant comes alive as the sun sets on another balmy Bodrum evening. Sun-kissed guests emerge from bungalows while glamorous foodies and socialites spill out of supercars and golf buggies by the main entrance. As delicious as the food is, the sharing plates that decorate tables provide sustenance ahead of long nights on the dancefloor further along the terrace. Connor Sturges

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Maldivian-style villas, three fine-dining restaurants, a pristine golden beach and personal touches create a feeling of exclusivity that sets BIJAL far apart from the typical Turkish resort. Opening in March 2024, this hotly anticipated address comes courtesy of Gürock, the group behind JOALI Maldives and JOALI Being – two of the gold standard hotels in the Maldives – and despite its location near Antalya, the ‘capital of tourism,’ suitably feels as though you have been whisked away to a remote island paradise. There are just 19 villas on the property, ranging from one to four bedrooms, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, lush walled gardens, Balinese-style private pools and ever-so-chic bathrooms, plus a personal butler to grant any additional needs. Mornings start with a kaleidoscopic spread of fresh fruit, salads, and charcuterie boards alongside a menu of classic hot dishes and Turkish delicacies before guests make a beeline for the lake-style pool, beachside cabanas, or fill days with water sports, pilates, padel tennis and pottery. Anna Gladwin

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This isn’t Maxx Royal’s first rodeo. Two other properties take up coveted stretches of Turkish coastline in Antalya – Maxx Royal Kemer and Maxx Royal Belek. This new address takes all its lauded elements and packages them into a bed-and-breakfast hideaway with an extravagant, all-inclusive feel. All suites and villas provide glimpses of the sea – but secure top-floor positions for uninterrupted Aegean vistas.

Among the eight restaurants and six bars on offer, Spago by Wolfgang Puck is the clear winner. The restaurant’s success has much to do with the dedication of an international team, with Wolfgang and his son Byron checking on minute details. Caviar Kaspia, tucked just beyond Spago, is officially one of Bodrum’s prettiest restaurants, the décor transporting caviar-slurping couples to the Côte d'Azur. Another highlight is the 5750 square-metre Maxx WellBeing Centre, where you'll find an Ayurvedic doctor on-site, Thai massage rooms, an Ozone therapy space and the list goes on. Guest also benefit from access to Scorpios Bodrum, the first Turkish outpost of the notorious beach club. Scoot around the bay and party into the evenings once families bed down for the night at Maxx Royal – or tag on a few days in one of the sleek villas. Connor Sturges

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Life in this city revolves around the Bosphorus, so naturally, the hotel scene does, too. Already, the Peninsula in the three-year-old mixed-use Galataport cruise terminal has become one of Istanbul’s hot spots, thanks to the rooftop restaurant Gallada, overseen by Fatih Tutak – Turkey’s only chef with two Michelin stars. Architect Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu has transformed four adjoining buildings into a sleek mash-up of past and present: the massive Bauhaus-era Lobby restaurant was once the port’s passenger terminal, while a newly constructed wing is home to large light-filled suites overlooking the river. Each of the 177 rooms is filled with the usual hallmarks and comforts of a Peninsula – monochrome palettes, thick Tai Ping carpets, and state-of-the-art technology – but it’s the spa where the brand’s ethos shines brightest. There’s an 82-foot-long indoor swimming pool as well as eight treatment rooms and a gorgeous sauna. This is Istanbul, however, which means the spa reaches its pinnacle with a purpose-built hammam – a shimmering, marble-lined space to rival the most established baths in the city. Lale Arikoglu

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Despite its compact size, Yazz Collective is, in many ways, a resort of two halves. Arriving by boat brings the sandy shore into focus, a polished beach club nestled between foresty rock formations that rise dramatically out of the azure Mediterranean. This is where long days are spent; fresh fruit platters fill breakfast tables pre-noon, pides are devoured between signature cocktails at lunch, and twinkling lights illuminate the turquoise depths as DJs set up for their weekend post-dinner parties. However, this is no Bodrum superclub – music finishes at a reasonable time, by which point sunkissed guests happily retreat to the rear of the complex. Here lie the 16 rooms, or ‘guest houses’; futuristic glass hideouts, incognito behind towering hedges that maintain in-room privacy but tend to tickle you after dark. Istanbul-based architecture agency FAAR Concept oversaw the design and stuck to the winning boho formula, so expect crashpads fitted with cosy rugs, outdoor showers, and bathroom doors made of bamboo. As charming as the rooms are, there’s little time to spend indoors – the seafront is the place to be as the superyachts pull up for a weekend of play. Connor Sturges

Tim Evan Cook

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In bohemian Beyoğlu, Soho House Istanbul is an artful makeover of an Italianate 19th-century palace. The group’s grown-up clubby aesthetic sits well with the masculine grandeur of the building (it was formerly the US Embassy, whose legacy survives in the late-night Embassy Club), its deep-hued velvets and mid-century-modern furniture at home amid the wood-panelled walls and tobacco-coloured marble, giving the palace’s intricate embellishment and painted ceilings space to shine. A plant-filled rooftop restaurant serves up mezze devised by a chef from Mykonos, bringing breezy Aegean flavours to a dynamic crowd of locals and international visitors.

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Maxx Royal Kemer feels like a family-run boutique guesthouse rather than the colossal resort it is. This is largely due to the attentiveness of the staff and the warm smiles that greet guests at every turn. So much as hint at a special occasion, and it’s more than likely a jumble of balloons will greet you after a long day on one of the two beaches. There’s ample room for everyone to breathe, and rooms are more akin to sprawling villas. Check into one of the two-bedroom swim-up rooms, and you’ll be forgiven for thinking that, eventually, there’s a check-out time. Premium rooms are paired with access to cabanas on the long beach and sleek chillout areas facing the sparkling Mediterranean. The beach is stony, but boardwalks lead into the water, so feet are unscarred, and this corner of the Med seems all the clearer for it. Cornflakes are as frequent a sight as caviar at breakfast, while lunchtimes can be a formal affair or consist of a pool-side toasty or an indulgent eclair from the patisserie. Suppertime is when the resort comes alive. Dancers and DJs take to the stage while dressed-up diners choose from a range of restaurants facing the heart of the resort. Discover Mediterranean cuisine at Medigusto, seafood favourites at Marsea, or Far Eastern flavours at Otaku; the possibilities are endless. Vanessa Kingori

## Argos in Cappadocia

There are plenty of hotels in Turkey’s otherworldly Cappadocia, but for a secluded getaway perched along the perimeter of Göreme National Park, bed down at serene Argos in Cappadocia. Cut into the cliffside overlooking the fairy chimneys and volcanic dovecotes of Pigeon Valley; the hotel encompasses a crop of honey-coloured buildings within sleepy Uçhisar, an ancient town that has played host to various civilisations across the centuries. Within its storied, stone-cut walls, you’ll find a former monastery and even a network of underground tunnels – all shaped from volcanic tuff – along with luxe bedrooms decked out with alpine accents and crackling fires (some even have their own jacuzzis). Wake up to view the sunrise, when hundreds of hot air balloons dance across the sky – or even better, float above the clouds yourself (the hotel can arrange hot air balloon rides) before lining your belly at the breakfast buffet, where you’ll find a dizzying array of colourful dips and freshly baked pastries. Both of the hotel’s restaurants serve Anatolian cuisine against a dramatic backdrop of spiky rocks and snowcapped mountains – and guests are encouraged to head into the gardens to forage for herbs and toast s’mores over the firepit between mealtimes. If that’s not enough, head down into the hotel’s wine cellars (home to 30,000 different bottles), or take a dip in the heated outdoor pool overlooking the lunar-like landscape. Gina Jackson

## Six Senses Kaplankaya

Kaplankaya is not just a hotel but an entire five-star coastal town created by barefoot millionaire Burak Oymen, the property developer with a hippie soul, who first came to this spot west of Bodrum when there was only a hut on the beach. Six Senses is the resort’s first hotel, a wellness resort which feels more Frank Lloyd Wright than the Turkish coast: long and low-slung, tiers like giant steps cut into the hillside. The beautiful spa is a vast 10,000 metres square; programmes range from serious (there’s a medical wing) to experimental (a watsu pool) and traditional (hammams). Standalone rooms, decorated in Six Senses' signature understated lux, are scattered along roads plied by golf buggies, like some utopian suburbia. More than half a dozen restaurants (including a family beach bar) serve bright and healthy dishes showcasing local produce – though it’s hard to beat Anhinga, the fine-dining beach club in the dreamiest setting, serving cocktails and exquisitely cooked seafood beneath a seagrass canopy that riffles in the sea breeze and turns gold in the setting sun.

## Hillside Beach Club, Fethiye

Spread over a tamed slice of steep, pine-forested coast, Hillside Beach Club is one of the best hotels in Turkey for a family-friendly escape, set its own private cove, Kalemya Bay. Rooms are terracotta-roofed casas shrouded by greenery, designed to be in keeping with the natural landscape – but beneath the discreet exterior, there’s lots going on: a pool, two spas, three beaches, half a dozen restaurants and bars (some adults-only), all scattered around the estate, indoors and out, tables in dappled light beneath lemon trees or on the beachfront. But perhaps the biggest draw of all is the innovative programme of goings-on for kids and adults, such as BFI screenings, drumming workshops, live music performances on a floating stage, along with activities like scuba diving and sailing lessons, e-biking and sunrise yoga.

Gaia Alacati

Gaia’s three hotels are right at home in the bohemian-chic seaside town of Alacati. They’re all earthy modern simplicity – raw oak and stone interiors softened with natural-toned textiles, woven tapestries and jute rugs, and seagrass lanterns hanging all over the place, inside and out. Of the three properties it’s the original, Gaia Alacati, that’s perhaps the loveliest, its restful courtyard at its heart green with potted plants, outdoor cane furniture, and tables for relaxed dining. A bolthole of affordable chic in this ever-groovier destination.

Villa Mahal, Kalkan

Low-key luxury is the secret of this intimate three-star hotel’s appeal, beloved by guests who return time and time again for a romantic escape. It’s stacked on a steep hillside across-bay from Kalkan, built from scratch by its welcoming owner, with stone staircases running between a series of terraces – a double-daybed here, a swimming pool there, a table set for two set right over the water and, at night, lit by candles. Patara Beach, that great stretch of wild sand beside ancient ruins, is a 20-minute drive away.

Axel Kull

## D Maris Bay, Datça

Now 10 years old, D Maris Bay is one of the best resorts not just in Turkey, but in all the Mediterranean, a hideaway sequestered between sea and forest. So untouched is this spot on the Datça Peninsula, a pine-forested finger stretching into the extraordinary blues of the Aegean Sea, that really the only way to arrive at D Maris Bay is by boat or air. This is what many of its starry guests do, alighting from gulets, seaplanes or helicopters for a five-star escape that’s all about the well-being of both body and soul. Wellness is the focus here, but not to the exclusion of fun – it’s about walking, waterskiing and rub-downs in the Mytha Spa hammam as much as workouts in the beachside gym or the Bodyism’s Clean and Lean programmes which draw supermodels and film stars. Mornings are for sunrise yoga on Silence Beach (what a blissful concept: phone-free, child-free, beat-free), and afternoons are for show-stopping lobster-and-Champagne lunches at Riviera-vibe La Guérite beach club. Families are welcome, too; there’s a kid’s club and a sailing school in calm waters as pale as the Indian Ocean.

Christopher Kennedy

## Macakizi, Bodrum

When Mick and Bianca Jagger came to Bodrum in the 1970s, they stayed at Macakizi. Back then, it was a pension with a simple sort of glamour to it, and though the spirit lives on, the hotel has blossomed into something more accomplished. The setting is low-key but beautiful: 64 rooms, though you wouldn’t know it, unobtrusive casitas with greenery growing up around them, tumbling down the hillside to the sea. Bowers of pink bougainvillea frame views of the coast, gulets moored out in the bay. The mornings are perfect peace, sunrise silvery on the water. Afternoons sway with beats and cocktails; long limbs stretched out on the waterside deck. By evening the indoor-outdoor terraces of the restaurants and bar thrum with a vibrant, all-ages crowd, eating seafood that’s pure joy, drinking too much Whispering Angel and making new friends for life. Sahir Erozan, son of the original owner, counts Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell among his; and it’s his passion for entertaining that gives Macakizi its enduring party spirit.

## Alavya, Alacati

Utterly adorable from top to toe, Alavya – even the name, which came from the owner’s daughter when she first learned to say “I love you”. Created out of six houses, the hotel feels like a dreamy home from home: patchwork rugs and curtains, antique furniture, a mix of old and contemporary art, oddities all over the place, all artfully thrown together, layered and interesting. At its heart, a garden with a parasol-shaded pool places, and places to sit, read, and think. It has 25 rooms, some with shuttered French windows opening onto wrought iron balconies or directly onto the garden, and some lofts, big and airy – though there’s something deeply appealing about the simple classic rooms, too.

ABDUSSELAM SANCAKLI

## Museum Hotel, Cappadocia

There’s a fantasy-world feel to Cappadocia, with its Tolkien-esque fairy chimneys and desert rock formations, a sense only amplified by a stay in one of its many cave hotels. These former troglodyte dwellings have been spiffed up to varying degrees of luxury, and the Museum Hotel is perhaps the spiffiest of the lot, while retaining a sense of enchantment and history thanks to the owner’s collection of antiques and artefacts. Some of the rooms are housed in the fairy chimneys themselves; while the outdoor pool and terrace overlook the stunning landscapes of this curious region, particularly spectacular at sunset and sunrise, as hundreds of hot air balloons float across the scene.

## D-Resort Göcek

The sleepy coves, calm waters and unspoiled coast of the Datça Peninsula offer a similar kind of nautical loveliness to Salcombe, only here, the blue-green sea is a good deal warmer, and summer stretches from April to October. On the edge of the cute fishing village of Göcek, the resort is the sister of D Maris Bay and a similarly glamorous (if a little more low-key and affordable) playground for the Istanbulite and international jetset who come to mess about on boats – or come ashore from their superyachts moored in the resort’s own marina. If you haven’t got your own, charter the hotel’s speedboat to explore the islets dotted offshore – though there’s plenty to do on land: a spa with a hammam, tennis and a gym, three restaurants, and – rare on this peninsular – a beach of fine white sand.

TUNCSEL ULKU

## Pera Palace Hotel

While Istanbul’s palace hotels become ever grander, its Belle Epoque Pera Palace – built beside the Golden Horn as the gilded final destination for travellers on the Orient-Express from Paris – remains as steadfast and stately as a dame. That’s what old romantics love about it: the red velvet and checkerboard marble, the evocative Jazz Age glamour, and the history of illustrious guests: old Hollywood, royalty, literary greats – most famously Agatha Christie, who wrote Murder on the Orient Express in Room 411.

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