Unique Places to Stay in Turkey

In Ürgüp you can stay in a restored cave hotel. Photo © LWYang, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.

From tree houses to Ottoman mansions to a cave complex that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site, Turkey offers unforgettable lodgings.

Northern Aegean Coast

• Hotel Armagrandi, Bozcaada: Abandoned after 100 years in operation as the Aral winery, this stone building was refurbished and reopened in 2006 as a boutique hotel with elegant touches reminding guests of the factory’s viticultural heritage.
• Bonjour Pansiyon, Ayvalık: Tucked away in cobbled lanes, this former French consulate preserves its European flair, albeit with a Turkish twist, with ornate antiques and century-old painted ceilings.

Turquoise Coast

• Kadir’s Treehouses, Olympos: The tree house phenomenon of Olympos started in the 1980s when Kadir Kaya built his original Robinson Crusoe home for himself and his friends. Kadir’s vision has since evolved into a fully functioning cedar-wood tree house resort in the lush forest and towering cliffs sheltering a secluded village near the Mediterranean.
• Aboard a Gület: Blue Cruises on gületler (motorized wooden sailboats) are the chance to fall asleep under the stars on a balmy Mediterranean summer night. Cabins are available below deck, but take the opportunity to sleep above deck and snuggle in a blanket by the still waters lit by the moon.
• Tuvana Hotel, Kaleici, Antalya: Four classic Ottoman mansions once belonging to the officer Abdi Effendi welcome guest in the old town of Antalya. Gold-leafed ceilings and plush opulent drapery are just a few of things to expect in these abodes that hosted lavish parties for visiting dignitaries in the 18th century.

Cappadocia

• Kayakapı Premium Caves, Ürgüp, Cappadocia: Check into the Mehmet Tokat Evi suite to have a plunge pool in the bedroom, in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in a complex of restored caves. Perhaps a former inhabitant of the area, Saint John the Russian, a saint of miracles, had a hand in creating this hotel.
• Divan Çukurhan, Ankara: Once on the “Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites of the World,” this restored han from the 16th and 17th centuries welcomed weary Ottoman traders descending on Ankara to flaunt their goods. It still retains its original charm.