Castle Apart

Already on my second visit, and I'll be back again. It's a family-run place with a friendly touch, and a lovely way to explore the old village. Oscar is always there to help with any questions. I consider him and his family friends.

My family and I stayed for 2 weeks in 08/2020, and this little family-run hotel in the old village of Icmeler was a wonderful base. Ozgur and his family go above and beyond to make your stay a pleasure. The rooms are clean and perfectly adequate, with a bedroom, living room, toilet and shower, plus a kettle, twin-ring tabletop hob and sink. There are two three-floor buildings, each with a medium-sized pool surrounded by sunbeds and umbrellas. The bar and kitchen beside the pool operate pretty much 24/4. Ozgur calls the fourth-floor place in one building “the house.” It's a huge apartment with two bedrooms, one with a double bed and the other with two singles. The living room has two double-bed settees, seating and a TV. There's also a separate kitchen with tabletop oven and hob, tall fridge, washing machine, dishwasher, sink and microwave, plus a small dining table and chairs. The shower room has a toilet and sink, and its own boiler, so you'll never run out of hot water. Two air conditioning units keep the apartment cool if you leave the internal doors open. It also has a large balcony with one of the best views in Icmeler. Shops and bars are a 5-10 minute walk away, the main town about 10-15 minutes and the beach roughly 20 minutes. Or just ask Ozgur to get you a taxi in 5 minutes, they're really cheap. Book directly through the hotel for the best possible rates. You can find them on Facebook.

We were very disappointed as soon as we reached Castle apartments. There are 18 steps up to reception, and the website didn't mention them. I have arthritis in most of my joints and am disabled. The apartment felt like it was from the 1940s and badly needed a facelift. We left the next day after finding a more up-to-date place with no steps. The owner was understanding, but that didn't reduce the extra cost we had to pay. I tried calling the company, but got no answer.

We loved our stay in these well-kept apartments. Mustafa, the father, and Oscar, the son, run a lovely family place and can't do enough for you. It was big enough for the two of us and had 3 balconies. The food is reasonably priced and good quality. The only downside is the elevated location, which could be tough for people who aren't good on their feet. A taxi back up the hill is only a couple of pounds. I'd give it 4 stars, with no complaints at all. Book with confidence. Regards, Ron Leek.