Yaprak Hotel (Dalyan, Turkey)

Hotel Yaprak is located in the pretty riverbank town of Dalyan, 27 km (17 miles) west of Dalaman Airport is quite different from other resort towns on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. People come for its setting on the placid Dalyan Çayı (Dalyan Creek), for the dramatic Lycian tombs hewn into the rock-faces that dominate the town on the west bank of the river, for the ruins of ancient Roman city of Caunos, and for broad İztuzu Beach, a natural nesting-ground for carretta carretta (loggerhead turtles). Up steam, on the shore of placid Köyceğiz Lake, are the Sultaniye hot springs, with their therapeutic (or at least fun) mud baths. The smooth-flowing creek is often thronged with excursion boats both local and from as far away as Fethiye and Marmaris.