Mary Hotels Alanya

I left for Turkey with the pragmatic feeling that the mother of all-inclusives always spares you from hesitating when it comes to choices. And the weather in the Alanya area at the end of April is hard to go wrong with. Choosing the hotel was, admittedly, a bit more complex, shaped mostly by the need to accommodate the personalities in our group. The favorable reviews were quickly confirmed at Mary Hotels. We arrived at 11:00 PM, but Hasan Çekirge, the operations manager, invited us to the restaurant, where we were treated to a full dinner. At the reception, another pleasant surprise: a free upgrade from a side sea view to a full frontal sea view. Simple gestures like these instantly put you in a positive vacation mood and make you feel the warmth of your hosts. Our first morning began with a ritual—finding the place that served the best coffee. I soon realized that the hotel, which hadn't looked particularly impressive from the street, actually had a stunning interior design. Toward the beach, every spot and every view was a blend of refinement, natural splendor, and stylistic creativity. The bay with its piers, jetties, boats, and exotic vegetation quickly lifted us from ordinary reality and connected us deeply to the local fairytale atmosphere into which the hotel is seamlessly integrated. The area itself offers plenty, even if we only mention the highlights: Kızıl Kule (Red Tower), Damlataş Cave, Cleopatra Beach, Alanya Castle, the Dimçay River, pirate legends (Redbeard/Kızıl Sakal), and the Seljuk naval arsenal ruins. Your senses are drawn toward markets bursting with pomegranates, smuggler coves, cable car views, and citrus-scented breezes flowing down from the Taurus Mountains. The mythical fabric weaves together echoes of Seljuk conquests with Mediterranean pirate tales and the decadence of Ottoman gardens. At Mary Hotels, they’ve created a place where you’ll find both the best coffee and a breeze filled with stories. The seaside terrace is the magic spot… Here, barista Mahmut crafts every specialty coffee, giving you the perfect excuse to quietly admire the view steeped in legends and wonder. The team, led—as I learned—by Esat, is impeccable at making you want to linger, as if you were aboard a ship. Nektel is the polyglot who constantly checks in on guests’ well-being, and Serap is a rare gem in the hospitality industry—attuned not only to professional standards or recommending a perfect kataif or baklava. I thank her for the support and advice she gave me, with genuine warmth, helping me creatively capture the spirit of the place. A team this dedicated can sometimes make you feel a bit guilty. Always warm and enthusiastic, setting aside their own concerns to ensure you enjoy yourself as their guest. The electro-house music event held on the pier was on par—both technically and in showmanship—with those at famous festivals. There’s little I would have wanted done differently. Perhaps just the à la carte experience at the Turkish restaurant could be better organized to truly highlight the local cuisine and culinary identity. Mary Hotels Alanya is not just a place you want to return to—it's one you already miss being a guest at.