For walkers, bird watchers and anyone who appreciates a back-to-nature experience wrapped up in full contemporary comfort, this charming hotel is a very special find. Set in a peaceful valley in the hills above Akyaka, Yenice Vadi is part boutique hotel, part organic farm - run with great warmth and commitment by co-owners Gordon, Merrill and Çağlar. This Anglo-Turkish partnership shares a vision to offer high-quality holidays that support, rather than detract from, the more traditional Turkish lifestyle - and we think they’re doing an outstanding job.

At the heart of the valley is the hotel itself, a collection of comfortable rooms, chalets and even a treehouse. All construction is from local materials and the restaurant uses farm-fresh ingredients, including free-range eggs from the chickens that roam happily in the grounds. To enrich your experience and further support the local community, Çağlar has created a ‘Natural Life Village’ behind the hotel, featuring farm shops, a rural life museum, a yoga platform and a barber shop for an old-fashioned wet shave, complete with cut-throat razor.

Nearby is the village of Yenice itself, a great spot for a typical local meal and a glimpse of Turkish rural culture. The county town of Muğla (25km) has more going on thanks to its highly-regarded university, though its inland position means it’s still far more Turkish than tourist-orientated, with a charming old town, busy weekly market, 13th century hamam and numerous tea gardens. For a full day out, the incredible Greco-Roman remains at Ephesus are a must for many, though the local tip is to head for Aphrodisias instead, where you’ll find similarly intact remains but a fraction of the visitors.

Yenice Vadi feels unique and refreshingly genuine, ideal for those in search of a more authentic holiday spot that still leaves you feeling pampered and relaxed. The tranquil location feels a million miles away from any kind of mass tourism, surrounded by pine forest, almond, olive and fruit trees, all of which attract native species including wild boar, hares, tortoises and many different birds. A trip to the coast is still an easy option however, with the beaches around Akyaka just a 30-minute drive away. A week at Yenice Vadi is likely to refresh both body and soul, but if you’d like to have more time at the coast, you may also combine a few nights here with a week at a villa or our beautiful hotel in Söğüt.

Explore our pre-bookable experiences in Akyaka.

Our choice of Turkey properties is diverse, ranging from simple charm to genuine luxury and style. Much of our portfolio is privately owned, and price alone is therefore not a universal guide. We contract all our accommodation in person, and each property has its individual appeal.

To help you make the right choice based on your own priorities, we have devised a simple grading guide to be considered in conjunction with each individual property description, awarding up to a maximum of five stars for the below categories.