Review of Antik Zeytin Bio Hotel in Bodrum, Turkey

For contact details see greentraveller's full listing of Antik Zeytin Bio Hotel.

Review by Simon Wilson

The large, spotlessly clean swimming pool at Antik Zeytin

Rooms
Antik Zeytin translates as ‘Old Olive’ - there are ten individual stone cottages set on the hillside on the site of an old olive grove. Each is close to the pool and dining area, but are completely private – in keeping with the whole ‘private members’ club’ ultra-relaxed vibe. Each cottage has a large shaded veranda area with spectacular views down to the Aegean and considerable - yet understated - luxury: contemporary furnishings, wifi, large screen TV, aircon – all offset by traditional domed ceilings and individual frescoes by the Umit Suldur, the artist whose family owns and manages the hotel.

Delicious locally sourced and organic food served daily at Antik ZeytinThe Food
Expect high-quality traditional Turkish cookery, using fresh, organic, local ingredients, cooked superbly well. Some of the highlights – the fruit jams and olives, for example – are grown or produced on the premises. The hotel also produces its own olive oil. The rest is sourced from the local area. Breakfasts involve omelettes with spicy sausage, a spread of local cheeses, and breads and jams – all served in the shaded dining-area, with – of course – stunning views of the sea. For dinner, let Yanki (the owner’s son) and his small team know in the morning that you would like to eat in the evening: everything is freshly sourced daily. I sampled a range of meat dishes and Turkish salads – all of them utterly delicious. And there is also a good range of local organic wines available.

Complete and utter relaxation - nothing to do but enjoy the breathtaking views

The Activities
It is a great base to explore the Bodrum peninsula, but the main point of the Antik Zeytin is not activities so much as inactivity. It is a genuine oasis of calm, high up on the hill above Golturkbuku and the sea. If you want to go down to the beach, it is a few minutes’ drive. But most guests will be reluctant to leave the tranquillity and gentle mountain breeze of the olive grove. For swimmers and sun-worshippers, there is a large, spotlessly clean pool in a half-moon shape around an existing olive tree. With only ten cottages it was never remotely crowded.

Green Accommodation
The hotel styles itself as a ‘bio-hotel’ or ‘eco-hotel’, and strives to use only natural and organic produce and products. It sources its water from its own well in the forest above the hotel.  The most striking low-impact feature is the way in which the local stonemasons who designed and built it have succeeded in blending the stone cottages into the hillside: they are built around existing olive trees and look as if they have been there for generations. Ten cottages do of course draw on quite a lot of energy, but there are plans to install solar energy units next year.

The hotel's owner takes guests out on his traditional Turkish sailing boatTop Tip
If you do have a bit of energy after all the extraordinary food, the hotel’s owner can take you out on his traditional Turkish sailing boat, complete with more gastronomic wizardry, cooked on board. Sailing lessons are also available.

Getting there
It’s not easy to get to the Antik Zeytin by public transport, though there is an overnight train from Istanbul to Denizli with a connecting bus to Bodrum (about 5 hours). There are also international and domestic ferries to Bodrum Marina. Taxis from Bodrum cost around €25. If you are driving, it’s about 20 minutes drive from Bodrum: from Torba junction head in the direction of Gündoğan, after passing Göltürkbükü road sign, turn left after 500m.

Verdict
Yanki and his team are trying to offer a ‘private members club’ feel to a boutique family-run hotel, and they are succeeding superbly – and at a relatively reasonable price. This is the sort of place you immediately tell your friends about, but ask them not to tell too many others in case it gets too popular. A true sanctuary, highly recommended.

For contact details see greentraveller's full listing of Antik Zeytin Bio Hotel.

The exterior of one of the ten stone cottages at Antik Zeytin Hotel