Everything about the hotel was perfect. The attention to detail was remarkable! All the rooms were beautifully & stylishly decorated using beautiful carpets & artisanal touches throughout the entire property. It was spotlessly clean as if we were the first guests ever to stay there. However, what really made the stay so wonderful was the kindness & friendliness of the staff. It felt like staying in someone’s home! On a side note-when they arranged our transport back to the airport, the manager even noticed that I had booked a 1:00AM flight instead of the intended 1:00PM flight. His help really saved the day!

Everything was perfect!

This hotel is an OASIS of calm and beauty located in or very near the old town area of Selcuk. From the strains of background music throughout the common areas, to the lovely breakfast, to the inviting seating both inside and at the outside pool area, to the thoughtfully appointed room and overall decor, to the helpful and friendly staff, we felt at home. We got great recommendations for evening meals and sightseeing. The owner/ architect of this gem of a property circulated among his guests on a regular basis to answer any questions or engage in friendly conversation. In the room we stayed in, we appreciated such small touches as hooks in the bathroom, lights at the bathroom mirror, and plug outlets in convenient room locations, amenities often missing in other lodgings. We took advantage of the hotel laundry service, getting our cleaned and folded laundry back on the same day! Last, we were able to leave a couple pieces of our luggage at the hotel while we left for one night to travel to Pamukkale, then we returned for one last night at Akanthus before continuing on our trip.

Nothing to mention!

We liked everything about this hotel - it was probably the best hotel we stayed in during our trip. We stayed 3 nights in mid May 2023. + Location: 5 min walk to the main part of town. Close to the basilica and Artemis Temple. Quiet area in a small cobbled lane. Street parking available, but, no real lots. Just have to pull up as close as you can to the side. Low traffic area. + Room: Great layout, lots of natural light. Good soundproofing. Good size bathroom. Aircon worked well. + Shower: lots of hot water, good water pressure. Hand shower was mounted at a good height and could be angled easily (for when you don't want to get your hair wet using the rain shower) + Bed: large double which was 2 separate mattresses that didn't split in the middle. Quite comfortable, not too hard - ok for a side sleeper like me. Comfy pillows. + Staff: Adar and his colleagues were very hospitable. They made us feel at home. + Breakfast: Simple but good quality breakfast spread. Eggs made to order. There was always complimentary cake, tea and coffee during the day.

Can't think of anything we didn't like.

This is a truly beautiful hotel. It’s superbly well designed, with impressive attention to detail. The staff are so good at making their guests feel welcome. It’s more like staying with friends at their holiday villa than at a hotel. The place is serenely quiet and peaceful, with a beautiful jasmine-scented garden and the sound of water gently falling from a wide spout into the lovely green swimming pool. The view from the garden over ancient roofs and palm trees out to the countryside reminded me of Tuscany. The room was beautiful and comfortable, “modern Ottoman”, with a stunning bathroom – the tiles, basin, small wall panel and the sink all in the traditional Turkish tulip-and-carnation ceramics. These come from a studio just five minutes away that I would highly recommend if you want to buy some good quality traditional Turkish ceramics. I can’t wait to come back.

I would be curious to know how anyone can find fault with this place.

We absolutely loved this hotel. One of the best memories of our holiday in Turkey was arriving up a rather unprepossessing street quite late at night after a long day of travelling - and opening the gate to find ourselves in another world! In front of us was a beautiful little courtyard with flowers and views over the balcony and an immaculately clean pool with swallows swooping down over the water. We were met immediately by the friendliest staff and throughout our stay they offered help and advice - and a fan for the hot weather! Our room (10) was wonderful: quiet and air-conditioned with lots of space and light. Whenever we went out sightseeing, it was the perfect place to come back to - incredibly well-situated, with chocolate cake and coffee served for free in the afternoons! Having walked around Selcuk, we passed various other little hotels, but were always so very glad we'd chosen Akanthus. We'd recommend it wholeheartedly - and really wished we were staying more than two nights.

The pictures of the property are exactly what you get, it's absolutely beautiful! We were greeted at the entrance by a very friendly worker. She showed us our room as well as the breakfast area which had free water and bread available at all times. Our room was spacious and clean. Even after checking out, they kept our bags while we saw some sites and let us relax a little in the wonderful pool area. The same woman walked us out when we left, and another worker gave us a final goodbye at the end of the street. I would gladly return to this property!

Breakfast is served at 8:00, but unfortunately I wanted to be at Ephesus right at opening, which is also 8:00. This meant we missed breakfast entirely, which I'm sure was spectacular. That being said, I would not be surprised if they would have tried to accommodate our needs.

This is a charming, lovely hotel with tremendously helpful staff. We had an airy, pleasant poolside room that was absolutely spotless. The hotel seems to be in a remote location at first glance, but it's actually in easy walking distance of numerous restaurants and other attractions.

Our only complaint is that we had two early morning activities scheduled during our stay, which meant we missed the excellent Akanthus breakfasts on those days, since it commences only at 8:00am. But this was our problem, not the hotel's -- it's a splendid property that I highly recommend.

Akanthus is like a boutique hotel with every detail receiving great care and attention. There is fresh cake, tea and coffee at all times. There are Turkish bath towels by the pool. Lovely tile throughout the premises and ancient artifacts unearthed feom the excavations during the original build are tastefully presented throughout the property. Breakfast has the loveliest presentation ever, with the added sustainability bonus of not letting food go to waste. Owner is on premises always… this is probably what makes the difference. We are going back for sure!

Only thing we would have liked is to have the option to have food prepared for dinner available, but Sofas nearby is a great option.

The Akanthus Ephesus is a small, personal boutique property that did a lovely job on an off-season stay. SERVICE: I didn't encounter bad service anywhere in Turkey. The staff here was friendly and helpful. ROOM: I was upgraded for my stay, which was appreciated. The room was spacious and decorated with handicrafts; and everything was kept up in good repair. Complimentary water was provided. The bathroom was decorated in painted tile of the region, the pool used some ancient stones from archaeological sites. FOOD: Breakfast was in a small building a few steps across a courtyard, that included pastries, simit, fruit and cheeses, along with your option for eggs in various styles. It was always good. WIFI: No issues LOCATION AND SIGHTS: The hotel is about 15 minute's walk from the Selçuk station. It was convenient to the Ephesus museum (a few minute's walk), the Basilica of Saint John (same), the temple of Artemis site (a few minutes more in the other direction) and the Ephesus archeological site (about 3 km) Besides the convenience of the location, the staff, from the owners to the front desk, were friendly and great to chat with, both for advice on Ephesus and about life in Turkey. It made the stay more memorable.

No issues

Location = perfect, breakfast = perfect, hotel = perfect, room = perfect, staff = perfect. This should be on the list of Best Small Boutique Hotels in the World. The Manager, Arda was fantastic - helped us with an awesome tour guide (Nizam), restaurant suggestions, sightseeing - everything he touched turned to gold for our stay in Selcuk. Walking distance to Temple of Artemis, Isa Bey Mosque, St John the Baptist Basilica, Ephesus Archaeological Museum and main restaurant area of Selcuk

Nothing at all