Where I Slept in Turkey

*As of 2018, this post has been reorganized to provide more information about each place I stayed. This post was from before I started taking room photos and includes affiliate links.*

I pride myself on being a budget traveler who is most comfortable in hostels, but I also got to stay at guesthouses and hotels. I can’t complain about a single place I stayed, which is truly unique. Remember what I said about how lovely the people of Turkey are?

That had a lot to do with it, but more than anything, you knew you were going to be taken care of. So here goes, my favorite budget accommodations from my trip from Istanbul down the Aegean, through the Mediterranean and back again. Note that outside of Istanbul, many of these hostels are open seasonally from March to October, so check before booking.

The Best Hotels and Hostels in Turkey

#bunk, Istanbul

Located in the Beyoglu side of Istanbul, #bunk is right outside of the Fish Market and Iskitlal Caddesi shopping district. It’s certainly one of the hipper places to stay in the city and feels more local. They offer free breakfast every morning and sell water, beer and sandwiches at the desk throughout the day.

They have computers for public use and free WiFi so that you can Instagram your stay. Rooms are on the smaller end but come in 32 dorm and private varieties, complete with reading lights and plugs. Bathrooms are down the hall. There is no elevator, but there are only four floors.

At the top, you’ll find a patio and a small kitchenette with a kettle and microwave. While it may be across the river from the tourist sights, the neighborhood itself is worth exploring and lucky for you, the hostel offers tours. They have a second location in Taksim Square. Beds start at $40 USD for a 4-bed dorm and go up from there for private rooms.

Crowded House, Eceabat

In essence, Crowded House is a hotel that just happens to have shared rooms in addition to private rooms. They’re known for their tours, which leave from the town of Eceabat to nearby Canakkale, Gallipoli, Troy, and Pergamum. You won’t find an empty bed in April when it’s packed to the rafters with Aussies and Kiwis honoring ANZAC Day.

The beds are soft with thick comforters and bathrooms are ensuite. Rooms also have televisions and free WiFi. Breakfast is free and for 10 lira you can get a full barbecue dinner, which includes mezze, bread, vegetables and your choice of meat with rice and fries as well as dessert and a drink. Rooms start at $30 for single rooms.

Atilla’s Getaway, Selcuk

Set in the mountains outside of Selcuk lies Atilla’s Getaway, a Turkey overland institution. Atilla, the Turkish-Aussie proprietor, has been running this property for years. They run shuttles into town, but most of what you need is right here. The pool is welcoming and the 10 lira dinners are delicious.

Breakfast is included and you have your choice, but I recommend the fruit salad. The property has over 80 beds, including private rooms, dorm rooms, and cabins. There’s even a bar that has beer, wine, and liquors. You can check out the volleyball court, play a game of pool or lounge about with a shisha pipe.

Bathrooms are ensuite and WiFi is available throughout the property. The getaway is open seasonally and caters to tour groups like the one I was on. Selcuk is a good location for day trips to Ephesus and Pamukkale. Rooms start at $24 for an 8-bed mixed dorm.

Saklikent Gorge Club, Saklikent Gorge

The Gorge Club in Saklikent Gorge, around an hour from Fethiye, is one of the most unique places I stayed in Turkey. Settled at the base of the deepest and longest gorge in the country, there’s no shortage of activities at the Gorge Club. Once you’ve had your night’s sleep in a treehouse (yes! a treehouse!), grab your free breakfast and explore the gorge.

Afterwards, go tubing down the river, which finishes with a mud bath. Treehouses have multiple beds and bathrooms are outside next to the restaurant. The restaurant is open daily, serving up Turkish and continental favorites. If you’re not up for getting wet, you can lounge in the area next to the river or cross the bridge to check out the shops. Rooms start at $40 for a double room, but camping is also available.

V-Go Hotel and Guesthouse, Fethiye

If you hear the name V-Go in Fethiye, you know you’re in good hands. They own this hotel and guesthouse, tour company, sailing excursions, and even a cafe. The facility has both dorm rooms, of which I stayed in an 8-bed ensuite on the last night of my Aegean tour, as well as private rooms with terraces.

The pool and terrace overlooking the harbor are always full of people soaking up the sun. V-Go has free WiFi and computers for you to use. In addition to the free breakfast, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily for reasonable prices, as does the bar in terms of drinks.

The staff is always ready to help you flag down a dolmus or print off your boarding pass. It may be a 15 minute walk from the rest of Fethiye, but that just makes you want to stay put. Rooms start at $13 for a dorm.

Ideal Pension, Fethiye

I completely left this place out of my original post for some reason and I can’t recall why. After a week of shared rooms on my first tour and before another week of a shared boat, I “splurged” on a private room at this basic guesthouse on a hill above the harbor. I say splurged lightly because the room was no more than $30 USD.

All I remember about Ideal Pension is that it was close to town, included breakfast, and had killer views from the restaurant. This is where I got those killer mosquito bites, but I don’t think there was any correlation.

Sailboat, Turquoise Coast

I spent a full week sleeping in a small room on a gulet, or traditional Turkish sailboat. The rooms were bigger than on my Croatia sailing trip and came with their own bathrooms, complete with basic showers. Most nights I slept fine as my roommate wasn’t there. There were mattresses set up on the top deck where you could sleep in the open air, but it was too cold for me most nights. Meals were eaten on the covered top deck and there was a covered bar area.

Bus, Transit

After returning to Fethiye in the afternoon, I caught an overnight bus from Fethiye to Cappadocia that didn’t arrive until 4:30 am. I would say this is a place I slept, although I doubt there was any real sleep happening. But the seats were separated by gender, included tea and coffee, and had screens showing Turkish television shows.

Taskonaklar Hotel, Cappadocia

I was thrilled by the chance to stay at Taskonaklar Hotel, a cave hotel on a hill in the valley. It was a wonderful respite after a week on board a boat, followed by an all-night bus ride. My room had its own living room, complete with a television, coffee maker and a real working fireplace.

The view from the windows overlooked the Pigeon Valley. And my room had a heated mattress pad, perfect for the unexpected cold front, while the bathroom had heated towel racks, slippers, and a rain shower head.

Cheers Lighthouse, Istanbul

Cheers Lighthouse is a hostel in the Cheers chain a short walk from the Blue Mosque. Its great location in Sultanahment makes it ideal for exploring the area’s attractions like Ayasofya and Tokapi Palace. The rooms are cleaned daily and have an ensuite bathroom, lockers and include linens and towels.

Both private and dorm rooms are available and while there are less beds here than in other hostels, it just means you get to know the other guests better. There’s free breakfast and the in house restaurant has cheap and delicious meals. WiFi is free and guests are welcome to use the facilities of the other Cheers hostel on the other side of Sultanahmet.

The helpful staff are what make the hostel so great, as they allowed me to stay all day after checking out when I had a late flight. Rooms start at $24 for a 6 bed mixed dorm.

Istanbul Airport

After a night at Cheers, I decided to hang out there for the day before leaving for the airport. I hopped on the tram to the airport where I was joined by a fellow German backpacker doing the same. My flight was leaving at 6:15 am, so I figured it made the most sense to get to the airport around 10 pm and try to catch some sleep.

I can’t say it was the most restful night ever, but not the least. There were plenty of people doing the same in the pre-security area and closed food court.

My stays in many of these hostels were organized through my tours with BusAbout while others were arranged through my partnership with Hostelworld and Taskonaklar Hotel, but all opinions are my own.