Turkey is not divided between Europe and Asia just geographically. The country also offers first-world quality accommodation at Asian prices. So much so that you don’t always have to stay in a shared room to spend little. Quite the opposite. Outside the high holiday season (June-August), it is even possible to find SPA’s with some stars where to stay in Turkey paying hostel rates. And no dirty places or far from tourist attractions. We are talking about establishments with a privileged location and great reviews on hosting sites.
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This is not just because the Turkish economy is not doing very well on its feet – nor is the local currency, the Turkish lira -, but mainly because the country has embraced tourism as a major source of income and has set up an infrastructure worthy of drawing praise from any traveler. . Although some things are still a bit rustic – such as having to buy bus tickets directly at the bus stations because they are not sold online – traveling in Turkey in general is simple, cheap and delicious! Not only in the main tourist cities, such as Istanbul, Goreme (Cappadocia) and Pamukkale, but also in those that are a bit off the beaten path, such as Selçuk, Bodrum and Oludeniz.
Find out where to stay in Turkey and pay less than US$ 50 for accommodation for two people, which is equivalent to spending US$ 25 for each guest:
Where to Stay in Turkey – Istanbul for $8
Turkey’s biggest city and tourist gem needs no introduction. Anyone who wants to stay in the tourist heart of Istanbul and be within walking distance – or a short tram + metro ride – of the best attractions MUST opt for the Sultanahmet district. That’s where they are, distributed around the square of the same name, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, the Topkapi Palace and an infinity of restaurants and shops with charm to give and sell! It is also there that the Avrasya Hostel is located , our suggestion of where to stay in Istanbul for a practically negligible price.
The hostel is – literally – a five-minute walk from Sultanahmet Square and right next to a delicious restaurant. It operates in a three-story building and has a small kitchen at the top, where you can prepare your own meals, as well as a delicious little terrace overlooking the Bosphorus Strait – which divides the European part of the country from the Asian part. Breakfast is served there and is simply sensational, although almost all of them are in Turkey. Coffee, the unfailing apple tea, bread, tomato, cucumber, eggs, olives with honey, bread… it makes your mouth water just thinking about it. The meal is included in the daily price, as well as WiFi internet access.
Avrasya Hostel has private rooms and also shared dorms spread over its three floors. Private accommodations accommodate from one to four people and cost from US$ 29. The collective accommodations accommodate up to six or even 12 people and cost from US$ 8 a bed. All rooms have their own bathroom, air conditioning and closets or lockers. Cleaning is done well, at least once a day. The space of the rooms is not very big, especially for 12 guests, but let’s face it, you won’t spend much time in them in a city as full of attractions as Istanbul, right?
Still in doubt about where to stay in Istanbul? Click here and search for other options through the Booking hotel website.
Where to Stay in Turkey – Cappadocia for $17
Cappadocia is the region of Turkey famous all over the world for its unique geography, its churches carved into the rocks and its scenic balloon flights. The city used as a base to make all these tours is the small Goreme, distant – and it puts distant in this – 700 kilometers from Istanbul towards the heart of the country. Many travelers to Cappadocia want to stay in the popular cave hotels, as this was how the local people lived until around World War II. But this tourist ‘treat’ has its cost. If you want to travel there and use your money on tours, not accommodation, it’s best to opt for a place that works in a common building.
Such is the case with Happydocia , a small and friendly guesthouse less than a 10-minute walk from the bus station and the center of Goreme. No caves, just traditional rooms spread over two floors and a large terrace at the top where coffee and apple tea are always available. This is where the inn’s delicious breakfast is served, in the best Turkish style – coffee, juice, eggs, bread, cheese, cucumber, tomato and sweetened olives. The meal is included in the daily price, as well as WiFi internet access. Another attraction of Happydocia is the service, very helpful from the moment of booking and always available to organize your tours for a friendly price.
All guest rooms are private, but some have shared bathrooms. Accommodations accommodate from one to four people and cost from US$ 17 for a single room and US$ 18 for a double room. Some rooms are quite small, but it is possible to choose ‘large’ version dorms when booking. All have heating and super comfortable beds covered in warm duvets – something essential in a place that is cold even in summer! Cleaning is good and done at least once a day. The decor is simple but friendly and themed around the region.
Did you like Happydocia? Click here and make your reservation! You do not pay any additional fees. Still in doubt about where to stay in Cappadocia? Click here and search for other options through the Booking hotel website.
Where to Stay in Turkey – Pamukkale for $14
Although it is home to one of Turkey’s greatest tourist treasures, the Pamukkale rock formation, few people stay more than a day in the city of the same name. This drives the prices of most hotels down and makes visiting the sensational white limestone terraces from which fountains of translucent water flow even more pleasurable. To shelter you in this surreal scenario, we recommend the simple and very cozy Bellamaritimo Hotel , which is about a five-minute walk from the Pamukkale bus station and 15 from the entrance to the ‘Cotton Castle’.
Guests arriving by plane at Denizli Airport can arrange transfers with the hotel at the time of booking. The Bellamaritimo is a new hotel, located in a low-rise building close to all the shops in the city, which is also tiny. For those who don’t even want to leave there, the establishment has a swimming pool and a restaurant that serves delicious typical Turkish food and for good prices. Needless to say, breakfast is delicious, right? The meal is included in the daily price, as well as WiFi internet access.
The hotel has private rooms and shared dormitories, all with a balcony, air conditioning and bathroom. Private accommodations receive one to three people per night from US$ 25 for a single room and US$ 37 for a double room. A bed in a dormitory for up to four guests costs US$ 14. Note that there are no mixed shared rooms – women and men sleep separately. The whole place is very clean and decorated in a cleaner and more modern feel than typically Turkish. The rooms are spacious and the beds, in addition to being super comfortable, are huge.
Did you like the Bellamaritimo Hotel? Click here and make your reservation! You do not pay any additional fees. Still in doubt about where to stay in Pamukkale? Click here and search for other options through the Booking hotel website.
Where to Stay in Turkey – Selçuk for $19
Selçuk is the destination for those who want to visit the fantastic ruins of Ephesus, one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities that can still be seen today. The archaeological site is four kilometers from the center of Selçuk, so it is best to find a place near the bus station to stay and, from there, take a taxi or van to Ephesus. Some hotels even offer transportation to the attraction, as is the case with Ali Baba’s House . This simple and super cozy guesthouse is a great find just a few blocks from the bus terminal and the perfect place to stay for a night or two, as there is nothing else to see in Selçuk other than the ruins.
Ali Baba’s House is a ‘bed and breakfast’ housed in a two-story Turkish-style house. The facilities are simple but clean and offer everything you would expect from an affordable stay. There is a small dining area where breakfast is served and also a terrace. The meal is not included in the daily price, but can be booked separately for US$ 5. Wi-Fi internet access is free. A few meters from the inn is the restaurant owned by the same owners, the Kebab House, which serves some of the best typical food that we had the privilege of tasting on our 20-day trip through Turkey – and we ate a lot. Also, the prices are great!
Rooms at Ali Baba’s are spacious and all have a private bathroom, air conditioning and a seating area. Some also have a fireplace, which should come in handy when traveling in the Turkish winter. Accommodations are for one to four people, with daily prices starting at US$ 19 for a single room and US$ 25 for a double room. The dorms are simply furnished – just a closet, table and chairs – but the beds are a good size and quite comfortable.
Did you like Ali Baba’s House? Click here and make your reservation! You do not pay any additional fees. Still in doubt about where to stay in Selçuk? Click here and search for other options through the Booking hotel website.
Where to Stay in Turkey – Bodrum for $20
Most tourists end their Turkey travel itinerary in Selçuk, despite being so close to the Aegean coast. That’s because the country isn’t known out here for its beaches, but it should be. Very close to Greece, the Turkish coast is very reminiscent of the famous islands of the neighboring nation, with small towns where the white of the buildings contrasts with waters whose color varies from emerald green to deep blue. One of these is the beach resort of Bodrum, a funky and charming place to stay in Turkey to start exploring its seaside wonders.
Bodrum is a fairly large city, and the closer to the beach, the more expensive the accommodation. But it is possible to find a place to stay less than a 10-minute walk from the seafront and also close to the bus station for very reasonable prices – especially if you are traveling outside the high summer season (June-August). When we were there, in May 2015, we paid the low of US$ 20 per night to stay at the excellent Delfi Hotel & Spa , a beautiful duplex complex surrounding a swimming pool and which also offered a typical Turkish sauna to travelers, as well as coffee hearty breakfast included in the rate and free WiFi internet.
But, unfortunately, Delfi seems to have closed its doors! We no longer find it on booking sites like ‘Booking’ or ‘TripAdvisor’. Let’s leave the tip here and hope it’s just undergoing a renovation and back in business soon. Anyway, it is worth mentioning that the hotel rooms are large, brand new, with modern decor and gigantic beds. All have a private bathroom, air conditioning and, on the upper floor of the duplex, a balcony overlooking the pool. If it reopens, it is certainly a worthwhile place to stay in Turkey!
Did you like Delfi Hotel & Spa? Click here and make your reservation! You do not pay any additional fees. Still in doubt about where to stay in Bodrum? Click here and search for other options through the Booking hotel website.
Where to Stay in Turkey – Oludeniz for $46
Following the beautiful Turkish coast, many tourists end up arriving at the stunning resorts of Oludeniz. Famous for its paragliding flights and the beautiful Blue Lagoon beach, it is a refuge for Europeans who seek the summer heat without the inflated prices of the Old Continent. For this very reason, it is one of the most expensive places to stay in Turkey, unfortunately. But, even the ‘expensive’ accommodation there is not enough to break any budget – especially, let’s emphasize again, if you are not traveling in the high holiday season (June-August).
As Oludeniz is small, you can choose almost any hotel in town and be at most a 10-minute walk from the main beach (and 15 or 20 from the Blue Lagoon). About five blocks from the sea is the Magic Tulip Hotel , our suggestion of where to stay in the resort. It is a large hotel, with a pool, bar, restaurant, games room and many floors of rooms. It’s not the kind of place we were drawn to stay, but it was the best value for money we found where to stay in Turkey for English speaking. In addition, breakfast and WiFi internet access are included in the daily price.
Rooms at Magic Tulip are small, but the space is more than enough for you and your bags, hehe. In addition, all have a balcony, private bathroom and air conditioning. Accommodation can accommodate two to three people, with rates starting at US$ 46 in double rooms and US$ 69 in triple rooms. It is also possible to make reservations on a half-board basis – which means that dinner is included in the daily price.
Did you like the Magic Tulip Hotel? Click here and make your reservation! You do not pay any additional fees. Still in doubt about where to stay in Oludeniz? Click here and search for other options through the Booking hotel website.
