After all it is a hotel review right? In Mehmet Ali Ağa Mansion's case not really.... The mansion was the showcase of honorable works of restoration, a true love of history and tradition.....Amazingly quiet, private, almost like home... (Well if you are staying at the stone house rooms of course, the mansion rooms were more like a museum to me). The only moments I felt I was at a hotel were when I came across with the works of the ghostly turndown service... The hotel is in Datça, away from the crowds or the sea. Datça offers amazing bays at every step of the way, you can claim your own, so it didn't bother us a bit, that we were not at the seaside. If tranquility at such an amazing setting is what you are looking for this is the place to be.... Nice staff, attentive, informing.... Glad to be in the company/grounds of people who values history more than anything really....

We loved most of our stay here. The grounds and pool area were absolutely beautiful. The breakast was superb and the staff friendly and attentive. The location was perfect for taking day trips down the the Datca peninsula to Knidos, Palamutbuku and Aiutbuku. The ride into Datca was just 10 minutes. However, it is located in a rather unattractive, unadorned traditional village with no amenities. It was therefore necessary to drive to restaurants, shops, etc. We knew this ahead of time, so this was not an issue. My only complaint was that the hotel had a wedding on the grounds while we were there. This meant that we had no access to the pool or restaurant for the first day of our trip, and at night the music was so loud, we could not sleep. Quite an inconvenience, when you are spending $300 a night for a room. I was upest that we were not informed about the wedding ahead of time, because we would have stayed somewhere else. We got a free glass of wine for the inconvenience.

I and my fiance had our engagement ceremony here on the 27th of Aug and it was fantastic. The hotel staff did a great job with setting everything up; i.e the meal, drinks, service was all great. The scenery was very nice, and I can't think of one thing that I could critique. The manager Sibel did a wonderful job.

The hotel is set in the fabulous enclosed garden of a finely restored Ottoman mansion, first built in 1809. You can, if you choose, sleep in grand Ottoman style in the mansion itself, but most of the hotel’s accommodation is in stone buildings on the periphery of the garden. These rooms are beautifully designed, cool and airy, and there’s plenty of space.

The hotel's staff are extraordinarily solicitous and friendly. There’s a small swimming pool and plenty of other spaces in the stunning garden where you can relax and read, or even work.

Meals are served in the courtyard of the mansion (See Elaki Restaurant) and the hotel specializes in fine Turkish cuisine.

There’s plenty to do in Datca, and it’s an easy drive or taxi journey to Datca harbour. Uncrowded beaches and coves can be found further along the Datca peninsula, and on its southernmost promontory you can visit the ancient site of Knidos. My partner and I have twice visited the Mehmet Ali Aga hotel and intend to return.