Villa Kızılbella

The owners were helpful and kept us updated on the way there, and the enclosed setting made it easy to relax with the family. There was plenty of parking, and a market was within 4-5 km, with the center nearby. The garden and barbecue area were nice, and the pool was a good size for the kids, who had lots of fun in it. Everything was very clean and tidy, so we were really pleased. We felt comfortable choosing this place.

The bees were the biggest problem for us. There were so many bees and flies around that we kept going in and out while trying to sunbathe or use the pool, and we couldn’t really enjoy either during the holiday. The pool was also too small for all of us to swim together, and the two villas sit side by side, so the opposite one is visible from the rooms and balconies and privacy is limited. The location is about a 25-minute drive from the center. On the good side, the owners were very helpful and gave us all the information before arrival. The villa was clean, comfortable, and cool enough at night that we didn’t need air conditioning. The service and cleanliness were very good, but because of the bees we wouldn’t choose it again.

We stayed in mid-July and never needed to use the air conditioning, day or night. It’s noticeably cooler here than in Fethiye, by about 10 degrees, and the dry air and nice breeze made it comfortable. The setting is peaceful and surrounded by nature, with birds and crickets; passing traffic was rare, maybe 3-4 cars an hour at most. As for flies and bees, I didn’t find their numbers excessive. You can’t expect to enjoy nature or barbecue outside in a world without them. Sinkof or a similar spray helps, and lighting coffee on a stone or plate is another simple solution.

That upstairs balcony is huge and lovely for the view and a cup of tea. In the evenings, I liked having coffee under the grapevine, then sleeping in the dry air without sweating or switching on the air conditioning. We came as a family from July 12-16, and the house easily fit six of us. It’s tucked into the forest, with a nice dry feel, great for unwinding. A101 and Carrefour are about five minutes away by car. The new house was spotless, the owners were attentive and helpful, and parking was easy. There are plum and apple trees and grapevines in the garden, and the pool is a reasonable size. I’ve been to Fethiye many times, but the only snag here was the internet sometimes not working.