4 reasons hotel+bistro

A funky, friendly, Mediterranean-Zen chillout near Bodrum, with cool pool, bistro bar and family rooms too

The 4 they claim – serenity, design, quality, attitude – all apply, but there's one overriding reason to book here: it's our favourite hotel on the Bodrum peninsula (and we've checked out lots). So overlook the groany name and go for it. You'll find a cluster of bougainvillea-draped houses spilling down to the lush valley of Yalikavak, with the sea glimmering in the distance behind a sparkling pool. Each house has a handful of slick and stylish rooms, combining natural materials (strips of pebbles, driftwood sculptures) with modern comforts (huge showers, air-con) in an airy, all-white space.

Down by the pool, you can kick back on low white sofas to the gentle beat of chilled jazz, play pool or darts in the sociable living room, or order a cocktail from the chirpy lads at the reed-shaded bar. If you fancy staying in, they do a fantastic line in salads, wines and seafood; if not, bustling Bodrum is just a few bays away, with no shortage of boutiques, bars and nightlife. By day, you can hop on a gulet cruise, get a day pass to one of the beach clubs, go horse-riding or watersporting, or explore Bodrum castle.

Highs

• The funky pool with its chillout music and white cushions is a cool place to top up your tan by day
• After dark, with a ring of flickering torches and candlelit tables, it makes a magical spot for dinner or drinks
• Young, mostly male staff are always friendly without being smarmy
• This place welcomes children and pets: not just a love-in for couples
• Rates are refreshingly reasonable in an area which is pretending to be the Turkish St. Tropez
• There's lots to do, from birdwatching tours to ceramic lessons; and lots of spots to sit and do nothing
• Open all year: you could catch some winter sun for a song

Lows

• The only real fault we could find is with the area: the Bodrum peninsula has come out in a rash of boxy holiday villages, though most are mercifully hidden out of sight from here
• Occasionally the hotel is booked by a single holiday group but there are still rooms available for other guests
• Some pool-facing rooms may get wafts of ambient music (though it's turned off in the afternoon)
• Tap water is not drinkable. You get 2 free bottles of water per day in your minibar, but after that a small bottle costs 2.5 YTL