Telmessos Hotel

The Telmessos Hotel is constructed in the typical local (villa) style, with three-story white stucco buildings and red-tiled roofs. The hotel complex has two sections divided by a road: On one side is where the activities take place, which can get loud, and across the road is a quiet pool, with similarly peaceful rooms. The property has beautifully maintained grounds, featuring palm trees, stone work, and bright bougainvillea. Inside, the decor is a bit disjointed, as evidenced by the lobby's floral-patterned chairs across the room from more contemporary gold-and-brown armchairs. However, the space is still pleasant, featuring marble floors, a wood-beam ceiling, and lots of artwork. There are also Greek touches, such as the columns that greet guests at the entrance, plus the nearby town of Fethiye was once a Greek city named Telmessos -- the hotel’s namesake. 

The hotel caters to both Turkish and European guests. Families are drawn here for the swimming pools, waterslides, and supervised activities, but couples and solo travelers also enjoy the resort’s all-inclusive packaging and convenient location close to nightlife. Note that the Telmessos Hotel is closed during the winter season -- from November to April -- and opens its doors to tourists again on May 1 of every year.  

The Telmessos is located in a forest, within five minutes’ walking distance of Hisaronu’s main strip -- filled with restaurants, bars, spas, and retail shops. Most guests will be able to manage the walk back up the hill to return to the hotel, though taxis are also readily available in the village. There's ample on-site parking for guests with cars.

The hotel provides a free shuttle to Paradise Beach, but many choose to walk further down to the others at Oludeniz, which are said to be less crowded and less expensive. It’s a five-minute drive or a 15-minute walk to Oludeniz Beach, a gorgeous blue lagoon with a pebble beach, surrounded by mountains on three sides and, as such, offering world-class paragliding. The town of Fethiye, with its pristine beach, castle, ruins, and amphitheater, is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. The nearest airport is Dalaman, which is slightly more than an hour by car. 

Telmessos offers 213 attractive rooms renovated in 2013 with two-tone contemporary furniture, tiled floors, and old-fashioned floral-patterned bedding. Artwork above the beds and brass curlicue accents in the bathrooms add a couple of unique touches. All rooms have balconies, which can be tiny, but they provide beautiful views of the garden, pool, and/or mountains. Some rooms have a glass window on the wall between the bedrooms and bathrooms, but they have shades for privacy. Bathrooms are small but sufficient, featuring walk-in showers, basin sinks, gilded mirrors, and mood lighting. There are wall-mounted hairdryers and bars of soap, but no shampoo.

Rooms come equipped with air-conditioning, mini-fridges, and 22-inch flat-screen TVs. Many guests report the rooms by the “quiet pool” are less noisy. Noise ranges from loud music coming from the pool area to guests in the hallways or other rooms since the walls are not well-insulated. Family rooms are available that have a queen-size bed and two twin beds. 

The three pools are the main feature of the resort. One provides poolside activities and a more lively atmosphere, while another is a designated quiet pool; both have small separate kids' pools. The third pool has waterslides, which are a big hit with children but have limited hours. Cushioned lounge chairs and umbrellas are readily available by all. For guests that would rather go to the beach, the hotel offers free shuttle service to Paradise Beach. 

There is a Turkish bath and spa on-site, providing steam, sauna, and salt rooms, and offering massages. For guests who need a work out, a small gym has a few pieces of equipment and free weights. A kids' club with playground equipment and supervised activities is available. Wi-Fi is free in public areas, with the strongest signal around the lobby.

Many guests choose to go the all-inclusive route, which includes three buffet-style meals served in a large restaurant with additional alfresco seating. It’s a casual environment with tables, wicker chairs, and views of the pool. The food variety and quality receives mixed reviews. A poolside snack bar is also available for burgers, fries, and pizza during the day. The bar offers unlimited domestic drinks until late, but guests on the all-inclusive plan are charged extra for imported drinks. Coffee is available from a machine throughout the day.