Villa Apart

The staff were friendly and polite, and they responded quickly when we gave feedback, but the place itself feels stuck in the 1980s. We stayed five nights in the boutique hotel section, where two people could barely move around the room together. The bed was tiny and extremely uncomfortable, the pillows were old-fashioned and stuffed with wool scraps, and the furniture was worn out and neglected. They supposedly checked whether the room was clean, but we found out otherwise when we used the toilet brush. The toilet had been left dirty, and the brush was so old and filthy that it sat in a brown puddle in its holder. For two days we tried to work out what was causing the foul smell from the toilet. It kept smelling afterward too, probably because of poor infrastructure. We ate the offered breakfast once and never went back. The quality is like the hostels and bungalows I stayed at as a student. Even though it’s right by the beach, I’d only stay here if there were no other choice. A double room with breakfast costs 5,000 TL a night, and it’s nowhere near worth that.

It’s about 300 meters from the beach and has a quiet, peaceful feel. Our 1+1 room slept four, with two firm sofa beds, WiFi, an air-conditioned bedroom, a kitchenette, mini TV, refrigerator, three-burner stove, a table with six chairs, enough kitchenware, a wardrobe, and an en-suite bathroom with toilet and 24-hour hot water. The sea entry is pebbly, but the 30 meters of sand is nice. There are waves and a breeze around 3 am. A peaceful holiday for a reasonable price.

We stayed on the ground floor of the apartment building over Eid al-Adha. The holiday websites, including ETS, listed air conditioning, so we arrived without checking. There wasn’t any on the ground floor. Ask before you come. Staff told us they hadn’t installed it because the weather was cool, but the apartment got incredibly hot in the midday sun, and it was hot outside too. It was hard to find anywhere to cool off. We were there during the hottest stretch, and from 12 noon to 5 pm it was unbearable. The refrigerator also broke down. It seemed to be running, but we only realized it wasn’t cooling after our food had spoiled the next day. The sea was clean and beautiful, with fish to swim alongside, and it was shallow enough for children. The apartment building didn’t feel like good value. People who know the area will find better options for this price.

There are great facilities nearby, and I’d definitely recommend the place. It’s right beside the beach, with a sea view, and the military camp, which is more like a holiday resort, is about a 5-minute drive or walk away. The room feels just like home, with a fridge, stove, and sink, so we can cook there.