Hotel Gumbet Cove

The Gumbet Cove Hotel is located just over two miles from the centre of Bodrum and about 20 miles from the Milas-Bodrum international airport.

The hotel is open from May to October only and is available on a bed and breakfast or half board basis. The hotel has only two stars to its name yet it feels closer to a three star hotel.

Built in 1993 and last renovated in 2009, the Gumbet Cove Hotel features 32 rooms (of which 20 are standard) and 15 self catering apartments. From the lobby - where you'll be greeted by friendly staff - the rooms reach further back towards the beach in a cluster of separate buildings. These are a dazzling bright white, as is common in Bodrum, with each room possessing a small balcony. What we notice straight away is that there is ample space to roam around in, a not-so-common trait at most of the hotels in built-up Gumbet. The garden and lawns, lined with palm trees and bougainvillea, are peaceful even if in the middle of it all is the main restaurant, housed under a large gazebo overlooking the sea. Meanwhile the outdoor pool is quite large considering the hotel is a smallish property, with plenty of parasols and sun loungers available to guests.

All standard rooms have balconies but unfortunately this might be their redeeming feature for while the rooms are clean, the small beds are dressed in faded, garish bed linen. Tiled floors and pine wood furniture are seen throughout; however some rooms have a wet room only as opposed to a bathroom. Basic and a bit bare, the rooms are really just a clean place to lay your head for the night and nothing more. The superior rooms contain a few extra touches such as a gilt mirror hung above the mantelpiece and a four-poster bed.

Besides the open buffet services, meals are also available on an à la carte basis. Admittedly there is a large selection of dishes to please the Western palette but there are also quite a few Turkish specialties. The fresh products and ingredients used at the restaurant are bought direct from a local farm. There is also an indoor restaurant housed in the main building and a beach bar which is open from 10:00 am till late.

At the end of the hotel's pleasant garden is a 60 metre long private beach with a smattering of sun loungers on a thin strip of sand. Limited space means it gets crowded quickly but the area is still quieter than other parts of Gumbet. There is also a beach bar and a cosy shaded deck strewn with lounging cushions and deck chairs.