Sinan A.
We’ve been meeting up with friends at Capraz Hotel for 6-7 years. It’s a small boutique place that feels like our own quiet corner of Bozcaada. I’ve stayed in luxury hotels around Turkey, but this is the place I keep to myself. Aslı Hanım has helped us with bookings and hotel requests for years. İslam has become a real friend, too. We happened to meet on the ferry this year. He’s hardworking and kind-hearted. Aslı Hanım, please do what you can to keep him at the hotel. We always book two rooms: one downstairs at entrance level with three beds for the boys, and one upstairs for us with a queen bed. The villa-style buildings are two stories and close together. Downstairs rooms have three beds, while upstairs ones have a double bed and a sofa-like seat for children. There’s a large pool that works well for kids, plus a smaller, quieter pool in front of reception, though that one is a bit far from the sea. The restaurant staff are attentive and efficient. The food is home-style, with especially tasty vegetables. There aren’t any standout flavors, but you won’t go hungry. If you’re happy with fish, salad and two or three olive oil dishes, you’ll be pleased. Don’t expect food on the level of Hillside Beach. A night here costs about what you’d pay for drinks there, so the variety is limited. Breakfast, on the other hand, is excellent, with plenty of cheeses, jams, eggs, fruit and meat products each day. Cenk Bey drives the hotel minibus and was always helping us get to the island center. Since cars aren’t allowed in the center, it’s handy for shopping and looking around town. The sea around Bozcaada is cold, so be ready for that. You don’t need to fill a bathtub with ice to cool down after exercise here. The breeze from the island’s bays keeps you from getting too hot. The rooms are spacious enough, the air conditioning is sufficient, and they’re cleaned every day. Fresh towels and the homemade red soaps smell wonderful. Take a couple of soaps with you, they smell amazing. This is where we gather with friends, sit by the seaside gazebo, laugh, have fun and drink into the early morning. It’s peaceful and trustworthy, like home. Come and stay, but let’s not talk about it too much. I like it staying a little hidden.
