Şafak Hostel

The food was amazing, and the place was warm and comfortable. We felt right at home in this really welcoming guest house. Best host ever. We’ll miss you, Hasan.

We had two lovely days hiking in the fabulous mountains, slept well, and enjoyed Hasan’s wife’s cooking. The balcony view is magnificent. But at checkout, Hasan asked us for an extra 150 € for driving us up and down the mountain on two hiking days. We hadn’t agreed on a price, and for some hikes we could have taken our own car. Given the fairly high cost for very basic accommodation and halboard, we’d assumed route advice and rides were included. It may have been an unfortunate misunderstanding, but we wouldn’t have agreed to that amount for a couple of short drives, since it didn’t seem in line with the distance or effort. We’d been ready to leave a 5-star review, but the surprise charge left us feeling betrayed.

A peaceful, scenic place to stay in the Aladağlar Mountains. The air is pure, and on our early morning hike we spotted Bearded Vultures and Chukar Partridges. It’s well located for trekking routes including Çimbar Canyon, Emli Valley, and Sokullupınar. A lovely option for nature lovers looking for quiet.

The view from this place is something else, and Hasan made the stay feel like a real taste of local Turkish culture. He cooked dinner for us every night, suggested nearby hikes, and took us in his 4x4 to an amazing valley. He’s a great host and guide, a good cook, and speaks pretty good English, along with some German and French. We paid 40eu per person per night for the room, including breakfast and dinner. A full-day trip with transport was 100eu for us. The room was basic but had what we needed. There was just one power outlet, at 1.50m high, which was a bit odd. The single-glazing meant it got quite cold at night, and even with the heater on 100%, the room didn’t get comfortable. Since the pension is near a road, we could hear cars and trucks fairly well through the windows. Those things didn’t change how much we enjoyed the stay, and we absolutely recommend Hasan.