Kalkan, Turkey's Hidden Gem

We decided to indulge ourselves a little for this trip by booking a meet and greet service to park our car. It was a fabulous service - you just drive up, hand over keys and stroll into the airport. On our return someone is waiting for you in the same spot so there is no waiting around or stress. We had also booked the VIP Lounge before we flew which was excellent – the perfect way to start our trip!

Although I had been to Turkey many years ago, I had not been very impressed. After being told by many colleagues that I should give it another go, I was actually quite excited about this trip which was an educational so we could visit a number of hotels.

We flew to Dalaman and headed to Kalkan where our first hotel was the Oasis. It’s a small and very friendly boutique 17 bedroom hotel which would definitely suit couples.

It is situated just a 5 min walk into the centre where there are many restaurants. The food was fantastic, especially when you bear in mind the size of the town. Two restaurants definitely worth a visit are the Aubergine and Kalamaki or if you really want to push the boat out, try Girondella where there are stunning views from the roof top terrace.

We visited the Asfiya Hotel, which is great for couples or in my opinion families with older children. It has a massive pool and a cool chill out area, Spa facilities – Sauna , steam room, and Turkish bath. It is on the edge of the town – only a 10 min walk.

I’d love to go into detail about every hotel we visited but the truth is that we went to so many! I do want to give a special mention to the truly amazing Lykia Residence and Spa. If Gastronomy is your thing you will not be disappointed here!

We did visit quite a number of villas which quite honestly blew me away not only the quality but the locations. A number of these were twinned so would be able to cater for a large group.

We took a trip 20km down the coast to a very charming village called Kas – out on the peninsula we got to visit the Kas Peninsula Gardens hotel & spa. It is simply a stunning location. The majority of the suites have plunge pools. In general I’d say this place is perfect for couples or honeymooners. It is quite secluded which is lovely and helps to make it feel very exclusive!

In general Kalkan really challenged my thoughts on Turkey and changed my mind completely. It is a wonderful resort, which is still a hidden gem so I will be returning without a doubt