I have just returned from 2 weeks at the Mehtap Hotel in Dalyan. We stayed there from Sunday 23rd Aug to Sunday 6th Sept.
As ever, I used Trip Advisor to choose my hotel. I’ve been recommend to visit Dalyan several times by friends of mine, and as this was the 3rd time I’ve visited Turkey, I decided to go to Dalyan, and from the reviews on Trip Advisor, chose the Mehtap.
I can honestly say, that we had a wonderful holiday, totally underpinned by the wonderful time we had at the Mehtap Hotel.
I was a little unsure about what we would actually get once we had arrived. The hotel is just SUCH amazing value for money – but once we arrived – I knew immediately – it would just be a wonderful experience.
There’s nothing flash, boutique modern-ish about this hotel – there’s no TV’s in the room, there’s no loud music, there’s no flashing lights! The rooms are small, but totally adequate - but what there is there, is just a haven of peace and quiet with lovely rooms, tastefully and traditionally decorated and COMFY BEDS! Also great air conditioning…
When we arrived at the airport, Umit had organised transfers from the airport to the hotel! These were INCLUDED in the price of the room – as we were staying for 2 weeks! AMAZING!
When we arrived, we were shown to our room, dumped the suitcases and then headed straight for the hotel bar!
Umit explained all about breakfasts and that the bar would just operate a TAB. He told us a little about the area, and how to get to the town centre – which takes you about 5/10 mins MAX.
We arrived about 9.30pm – the hotel is beautifully lit up at night time.
Over the next few days, we got to really know Umit, and the family. Umit and Serap, his wife, work from dusk till dawn! It really is amazing.
What makes this hotel SUCH a success is totally underpinned by the friendliness of Umit and Serap, yet enhanced by the wonderful mix of people who you meet there.
There are only 20 rooms in the hotel – I’m not sure if they were using all of them, but it’s not the sort of hotel where you can go and be inconspicuous. Therefore you get to know the other guest really well. You meet them at breakfast talk about what trips you’ve got planned, where you ate last night – swop recommendations on restaurants etc…
If you are the sort of person – who doesn’t like this – then I’d imagine you’d not choose to go to a small hotel like this. Some people DO just like to go to a hotel with 500 rooms and remain inconspicuous! So you tend to find that the sort of people who go to hotel such as the Mehtap are outgoing, dynamic and extroverted people!
We met some lovely people when we were there… and for me, that TOTALLY enhanced the experience of staying at the hotel and the holiday as a whole. I’m not so sure if you would get the same interaction with fellow guests that you do get at the Mehtap, if you were to stay at a hotel with say 500+ rooms?
The hotel has a pool (good sized) and about 20+ sun loungers around it. There are plenty of plants/ trees to make for lots of shade during the day. There is NEVER a run on the sun beds! You don’t have to get up at 5 in the morning to get a lounger!
On the weather front – we had 14 days wall to wall sunshine – NOT one cloud in the sky! Amazing!
The whole environment is just SO relaxing and laid back! After 2 days I thought I’d been there for weeks! It was wonderful.
The bar is just beside the pool – and you can get everything you need there. Water, soft drinks and beer! The bar prices are quite reasonable, as are the snack menu. Everything you needed – right on your doorstep. Just wonderful.
We ate at the hotel twice – and that was at the BBQ nights – which I’d read about in other reviews! These were great nights – with fantastic food and great conversation. A really brilliant way of meeting the new guests and yet again exchanging ideas of restaurants, trips, etc….
Rooms are cleaned every day – and your bed linen and towels are changed every 2 to 3 days!
The bathroom is a “wet room” with a shower attached to the wall. There’s PLENTY of hot water, and the showers are really good.
If there were ONE thing that I could say which could improve the hotel – and I’m being kind of picky here – is that the décor in the bathrooms is in need of updating and although wet rooms are wonderful – they’re not always practical when you have the loo in there too!! As I found out when you try to go to the loo after someone has had a shower!! But that really is the only thing – and it didn’t detract in anyway from the holiday or hotel!
On the subject of families with young children. Umit Serap and the family make EVERYONE welcome – and I honestly mean that! But I would say that the Mehtap is not really geared up for young kids. When we were there – there was a lovely family with 2 young kids – aged 18 months and maybe 3. They stayed for 2/3 days and then actually left and moved to another hotel. Not that there was anything wrong with the hotel – or that they were not made welcome – it was just that it’s a really QUIET hotel – and there isn’t anything much – well at all for kids to do. So they spoke to Umit – and they moved to a hotel – where there was a “Kids Club”.
If you’re heading out to the beach or on trips then possibly it would be fine, but staying by the pool day after day is no use for young kids.
Some days there were 2/3 folk by the pool – others there were 14/15 – but there were always spare loungers and when we were there – there was none of this “booking” loungers at 5am!!
Dalyan is a lovely small, very family friendly resort. There’s no loud music, mobs of teenagers and hosts a myriad of wonderful restaurants!
The eating in Dalyan is just WONDERFUL!
Some of our favourites were
• Beyas Gul – riverside restaurant
• Coretta Coretta – riverside restaurant
• Safron – riverside restaurant
• Sini – setting of a 99 year old rubber tree
• Saki – top of the river path - wonderful
• Chef’s Steak House – just on the way to the town from the hotel – great steaks
• Ramazan Han – great steaks
• Alton Taba – family run (great pancakes!)
• And of course the BBQ night at the hotel – which was just a fantastic night….
There are seemingly over 160 restaurants in Dalyan – and we tended to stick to the ones above, but the food WAS fantastic. We only got poor service in one restaurant – and it was really sad – as it was one of the restaurants where we had the BEST food! Needless to say – we didn’t go back!
On the subject of credit cards – UMIT DOES NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS – cash only – we paid with English notes for the hotel – and paid the bar bill in TL. We did see a guest trying to check out with a credit card!! Most of the restaurants take credit cards – just check when you go on – or when you order. The only 2 we found which didn’t were Beyas Gul and Saki. They were 2 of our favourite restaurants!!
So in Summary – this hotel is just wonderful. A quiet peaceful piece of heaven in Turkey. Umit and Serap are wonderful and friendly hosts – and after a while it does become like a home from home.
The last thing I want to say is that we fell in love with Mavis (“Mauvish”) the new white kitten – who was about 4/5 months when we were there. He must be the friendliest lovable adorable kitten I’ve ever come across – I wanted to bring him home! He was SO funny to watch and just loved all the guests in the hotel. One of my fondest memories of the holiday will be coming back to the hotel – after our night out, having a few beers, chatting with Umit, listening to Turkish music and Mavis purring like mad on my lap…… Oh happy days!
During our time at the Mehtap – we met lots of people who have been going there for years – year after year. One couple have been going there for 15 years! Unbelievable. So if that doesn’t say something to you!! Then nothing will!!
Will I go back? Most definitely. Not for my main summer holiday – as I like to go to a different place each year – but I would go back for a week in April/May or at the end of the season.
Umit and Serap, many thanks for giving us such a wonderful and relaxing holiday. You both work so hard, and thoroughly deserve the recognition you have received through this website. We hope to see you all soon. Best wishes from Fraser & Colin (Scotland)
I’ve included some pictures on here, which I hope you enjoy. Also, please feel free to email me with any questions.
