Mandarin & Mango Boutique Hotel

Faralya, a remote hamlet wrapped around the head of a sheer sea gorge, is the perfect setting for this romantic hideaway which will appeal especially to nature lovers and walkers.

The newly-built but traditionally-styled Villa Mango is a handsome country house, with enormous and meticulously appointed rooms, wonderful pool and dining terrace.

There are great poolside gardens, good food, and wonderful walking, but it’s also within easy reach of the famed beach at Oludeniz, the ghost village of Kaya and the bustling streets and gorgeous waterfront of nearby Fethiye. The hotel is perfectly located for starting to hike the Lycian Way, and its stand-out stretch.

It’s the base of lifelong Turkey hand Ghislain Sireilles, who has built a faithful clientele, especially of nature lovers and hikers. Ghislain knows the local paths, including the Lycian Way, as well as anybody and regularly leads walks.

This is a bolthole for those who want the stunning Turkish scenery without the crowds – but be aware, the road up to the village is something of a white-knuckle ride.

Faralya is a scattered agricultural village occupying steep wooded slopes a mile or so above the sea. Home to local families who farm smallholdings and offer simple budget accommodation, it retains authentic Turkish colour. The remote location does come with a somewhat white-knuckle drive in however.

Step out of the hotel straight onto herb-scented walking trails that thread down through pristine, pine-clad hillsides, often precipitous, to beautiful beaches like Kabak (though the trail to Butterfly Valley is dangerously sheer). A spectacular cliff road switch-backs down to Oludeniz some 20 minutes away.

If you’re keen to explore, the hotel can arrange private drivers for visiting the beach, as well as Kaya and other nearby classical sites.