Hotel Dorukhan

The price was so ridiculously cheap that I didn’t expect to get as much as we did. Our room was exceptionally clean, with fresh towels and bedding every day, and the Turkish breakfast had lots of choice and was included. The owner was a lovely man who couldn’t do enough to help. His beautiful golden retriever, Nissan, made the stay even nicer. It’s a two-minute walk from the centre. We stayed three nights and I can’t fault it. For cleanliness, friendliness and value, I’d highly recommend Hotel Dorukhan.

The breakfast was delicious, and the owner was polite and friendly. There’s a balcony where you can enjoy the evening with your beloved one. It’s easy to reach the hotel on foot from the bus terminal, about 15 minutes, so use google map. Minibuses nearby go to the national park soke and ladies beach. The big drawback is that there’s no aircondition.

The staff are lovely, and this is a good budget place if you’re backpacking in Turkey and stopping in Kuşadası. Don’t come expecting luxury, though. There’s no air conditioning, but our room stayed cool enough and the provided fan worked fine for sleeping. The included breakfast had an omelet or boiled egg, vegetables, cheese, butter, gem and other spreads, bread, juice, and tea or coffee. It was enough to set us up for exploring, and there’s no time limit, so you can even have breakfast at 6pm. The location is okay, near the bazaar and cruise ship dock, but a long way from the beaches. Mornings can be pretty noisy, especially with the windows open. Every Friday there’s a Friday Market right outside and on most nearby streets, which are closed to traffic and filled with stalls selling things like vegetables, fruit, meat and spices. It’s really nice. The otogari is around a 15-20 minute walk away, and a mini-bus station is about five minutes away on foot. Those buses go around town to places like the National Park, Ephesus, beaches and downtown. Wi-Fi is included and fine for checking mail or social media, but slow, so don’t expect media streaming to work.

The hotel is right across from a large BIM store, and we were pleased with our stay at Hotel Dorukhan. The rooms were very clean, and we enjoyed the breakfast, though it wasn’t self-service. The manager was a very kind man who explained how to take the bus to Sirince and Ephesus. The corridors are a little tight, especially between the first and second floors.