Fi̇ Salda

The hosts, Mrs Sultan and Mr Sami, were kind and welcoming, and the handmade breakfast had lots of tasty things to try. The house is lovely inside, with beautiful decoration, and it's very close to lake Salda. Lovely place, lovely people. Thanks for a wonderful stay!

The quiet around here was such a relief. My husband and I spent hours watching the full moon over the lake, and the kids slept well on the sofa bed. We were comfortable too, in the queen bed beside them, and the whole area was peaceful. The room was carefully kept, from the decor to the cleanliness. You leave your shoes at the door and use the slippers they offer at reception, like in a Turkish home. The bathroom may be the cleanest I've seen at a hotel or Airbnb. I'm usually very particular and travel with sprays and wipes, but didn't feel I needed to clean anything. We ended up here by chance while driving toward Antalya. It was already late, and we needed a stop along the way. The photos suggested it would be cozy and clean, and it was. It's a serene place away from the city, good for a family break or a retreat. It's about a 6-7 hour drive from Istanbul, and a little far from the city, which suited us. If you're arriving late, bring snacks. Breakfast is available, but there's no restaurant open late, and the city's restaurants close early too. We happened to have some snacks but no proper food. The owner checked several times whether we needed anything, and offered to have his wife make something. We didn't want to trouble them so late, especially with the kids going to bed. He did take my husband to his own house to fill two large glass bottles for us. The family was so welcoming. They shared breakfast with us, and we got to know each other a little. The children were allowed to play in the garden, and the family even turned on the hose so they could splash around. Before we left, they let us sign the guestbook and gave us plenty of lavender from the garden to take home. It was a memorable visit, and we'd definitely come again.

The Kaval couple, both retired teachers, made us feel at home with their hospitality. You can get a full breakfast as part of your accommodation. With the lake in front and forest behind, it was a lovely escape from city life.

Sami and Sultan were the best part of our comfortable one-night stay by Lake Salda. Even with the language barrier, we shared plenty of laughs and had two delicious meals.