Kalehan Hotel, Selçuk (Ephesus)

A quiet, cool, flower-filled refuge beneath the walls of a medieval fortress: that's the Hotel Kalehan in Selçuk, near Ephesus.

The name means "fortress (or castle) inn," and so it is, as you can see from the photo to the right: the medieval fortress atop Ayasoluk Hill, illuminated at night, is a constant presence, floating above the hotel's garden courtyard and swimming pool.

The Kalehan is run by the Ergir family, scions of the Ottoman mayor of the Cretan city of Rethimnion. Family heirlooms —hand-written documents in graceful Ottoman script, huge old keys, plates, etc.— figure prominently in the hotel's decoration, which is proudly old fashioned in a comfy, unpretentious way.

Rooms at the Kalehan come in a variety of styles and prices, from inexpensive lodgings in the main building to air-conditioned, individually-decorated rooms featuring tub-and-shower combinations (not just showers), small refrigerators and TVs (including CNN and BBC). One special four-bed room is really more like a cottage, perfect for a family.

Special discounted rates are offered to TTP users! (See below.)

There are nice little touches, like hair dryers and herbal soaps, and free Wifi Internet access in the lobby and by the pool.

I remember the first time I stayed at the Hotel Kalehan, dragging myself in from a long, hot drive to find smiling staff who soon installed me in an air-conditioned room overlooking the swimming pool, into which I dove within minutes.

That night, in the French-influenced dining room, I laughed out loud at the first course: a single tomato, whole, skinned, placed on a plain white plate and put in front of me.

What is this, a joke?

I sprinkled a bit of salt on it, sliced it, ate the best tomato of my life, and instantly understood that something of top quality needs no elaboration. The rest of dinner was similar: simple, but carefully chosen, and of the best quality.

No wonder: the hotel has its own organic vegetable garden next door where it raises the tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, watermelons, etc. served to you at mealtimes.

A good buffet Turkish breakfast, included in the rates, features those organic tomatoes and cucumbers, eggs, fresh breads, rolls and cakes, home-style fruit preserves, cereals, creamy home-made Turkish yogurt, the olives and sultanas (golden raisins) for which the Aegean region is famous, and other treats.

Textile decorations and handicrafts used at the hotel are made by local women, and many of these traditional products are for sale in the hotel's small "Local Shop."

It's a 6- to 8-minute walk south from the rose-and-oleander-filled gardens of the Kalehan to the center of Selçuk. If you're a walker, you can hike all the way to the ruins of Ephesus, (4 km, 2.5 mi), stopping at the Temple of Artemis along the way, in about 45 minutes. If not, there are frequent minibuses to take you there.

Staff at the Kalehan are happy to arrange private transfers (for a fee) between the hotel and Izmir's Adnan Menderes Airport, and from the cruise ship dock in Kusadasi. Just let them know, and they'll have you (and your luggage) met and escorted to the hotel. Their rates are a bit lower, and service is better, than a regular taxi.

If you like small, charming, comfortable family-run inns, the Kalehan is a great base for seeing Ephesus, Kusadasi, other nearby sights such as Priene, Miletus, Didyma, and even Izmir.

Be sure to mention TTP to benefit from the special discounted room rates available only to TTP users booking directly via the Hotel Kalehan website.

Hotel Kalehan
Atatürk Caddesi No. 49, Selçuk, Izmir, Turkey 35920
Tel +90 232 892 6154, Fax +90 232 892 2169
www.kalehan.com, kalehan@superonline.com

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Hotel Kalehan & Selcuk Castle, Ephesus, Turkey

Above, early morning view of the courtyard, with Ayasoluk Hill, crowned by its fortress, rising behind the Hotel Kalehan.

Below, a quiet reflection in the pool and a shady garden archway.

Swimming Pool, Hotel Kalehan, Selcuk (Ephesus), Turkey

Garden Gate, Hotel Kalehan, Selcuk (Ephesus), Aegean Turkey

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