Büyükada Loc'ada

Having walked all over the island, I reckon this is the best place to stay! One of the few places right next to the sea, with gorgeous views, a little pool and beautiful blue and white decor. In a much quieter part of the island away from all the crowds, but attached to a popular and buzzy restaurant which serves very nice food. The breakfasts included in the stay were PHENOMENAL!

Nothing much.

The swimming pool and private beach were great. Additionally there are very few hotel rooms so there are not many people sharing the facilities. The furniture around the pool and beach was high quality, stylish and very comfortable and the whole area was very clean. We had a lovely time relaxing beside the pool and beach. The flowers around the property added to the tranquil mood of the place. The restaurant is also beautiful and very popular and people can arrive there by boat, including the hotel’s water taxi which is available for the room too. The breakfast was more than plentiful with very relaxed times (9:30-12:30) so it really felt like a holiday without any rush to get up early. The room was clean, comfortable and stylish with very nice quality toiletries. I had hoped to find the brand to buy as a souvenir but didn’t see it anywhere. The sea view is great (as they don’t really show it on the booking pictures) and you can just walk out of the room directly to the pool/beach area. The hotel is out of the main town with no shops nearby so it was great that the mini bar with drinks and snacks was included. However, it was easy to get around the island via the bus stop close to the hotel so the hotel didn't feel far away from anything. The electric mini bus service was great and we never had to wait long for a bus. There was also a pool bar service during the day and the restaurant. It should be noted the island is easy to get to by public ferry included in the Istanbulkart and the short minibus journey to the hotel is also included in the card. It made it really easy to travel around.

The room seemed a little basic for the price with a mattress protector which didn’t quite fit the bed and a small cotton throw which was too short to cover you head to toe. A throw is all that is necessary to sleep under in July but it could have been a bit bigger and/or a cotton sheet also provided. The shower head was a bit leaky and the temperature and pressure was not stable. There were two coat hangers for the towel robes in the room on a rail but no other coat hangers for our clothes. We understood that hotel rooms are expensive on the island so it’s not necessarily equivalent to the mainland. Also the price is high as there are not many hotels with a pool and a beach and so few rooms, which we definitely appreciated. It felt very exclusive. However, our biggest problem was on our first night, a Saturday night. There is a sports club next to the hotel and they had a party with very loud music which went on past 2am ( I stopped looking at my clock). The bass from the music was very strong and it was impossible to sleep even with ear plugs. I can therefore confirm that there is no soundproofing the room even though it is stated in the description. (This was also confirmed by a baby waking us up early in the morning after the night of hardly sleeping). We wondered whether it was a one off party and wondered why the hotel has not warned us if they knew. When we complained about it, the receptionist said it happens every Saturday and did not seem sorry about it disturbing our night. She just agreed it was noisy. We told her that they should warn clients, especially those coming for a calm retreat worthy of such a nice hotel. The party music could also be heard in the hotel restaurant, but not as loud as in our room.

Great hotel, away from the crowds near the port. The restaurant was great, no reservations needed. The room was big, full of amenities including AC. Staff was nice and helpful.

It would have been helpful to know if there was transport available. I ended up walking 30 min from the ferry because I wasn't sure how else to get there. Breakfast didn't start at 9:30 as promised, so I wasn't able to eat it as I had to catch my ferry back to Istanbul.

Room very good and as expected. The setting is relaxing compared to the hustle and bustle of Istanbul (not bad for a break).

The photo of the pool is a little misleading (it is small) and the terrace did not overlook the sea but the pool (with a lot of vis-à-vis / the sea is behind the pool). The breakfast was copious but not great (it's the first time I've been served Chips for breakfast). The staff don't speak English (except for the lady at reception).