The Best Budget Hotels in Ankara, Turkey
If you want to enjoy Ottoman- and Byzantine-era architecture and history, Ankara, the Turkish capital, has plenty of sights worth visiting, not least the mausoleum of Atatürk. There are also some great accommodations options if you’re on a budget. Here’s our pick, bookable on Culture Trip.
Many travellers overlook Ankara, yet modern Turkey – shaped by founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the early 1900s – really began here and Anitkabir, his hilltop mausoleum, still feels like a place of pilgrimage. The city retains fragmentary Byzantine fortifications and atmospheric lanes lined with Ottoman-era houses, and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations is a cultural tour de force. Ankara’s hotels mainly cater to a business or diplomatic clientele, but there’s a vast array of options in all categories and you won’t need to slum it on a budget.
1. Otto Loft
Apartment
A few blocks west of Kizilay Square and its adjoining fountain-filled park, the Otto’s modern five-storey apartment block offers a range of suites and apartments catering to solo travellers and families. Most are fairly spacious and have balconies – or, in the case of the top-floor suite, a terrace – and all have modest, though fully equipped, kitchenettes and washing machines. It’s in a quiet neighbourhood, just a few minutes’ walk from the Anitkabir hilltop, Atatürk’s grand colonnaded tomb, and several government ministries.
2. My Home Anatolia Hotel
Hotel
Barely 100m from Ankara’s landmark Kocatepe Mosque, the Anatolia occupies a modest-looking building that could easily be taken for a small apartment block. It’s a quiet, friendly and unpretentious place; interiors are neat, modern and functional with a few eccentric touches in fabric-covered walls and faux-brickwork wallpaper. Most rooms have small fridges, some have balconies and there’s free on-street parking.
4. Aldino Residence
Hotel
Close to Tunali Hilmi, one of Ankara’s most popular and vibrant commercial streets, the Aldino resembles a modern mansion with large windows and wrought iron railings. Rooms are particularly large for this class of hotel and their herringbone parquet floors and mock brick walls have an almost boutique feel; suites have well-equipped kitchenettes and terraces. There’s a modest restaurant with a handful of outside tables in summer, and free on-site parking if you happen to be driving.
5. Ankara Atli Otel
Boutique Hotel
Out on the city’s southern fringes, the Atli stands out with vertical neon lighting framing its windows. You’re unlikely to miss its equine statue rearing outside; atli means equestrian, and such motifs grace the decor and artwork throughout. Twin-sink bathrooms give the classy rooms a decadent feel, and comprehensive spa facilities include a salt room and heated 25m indoor pool. Make sure to order the loaded raspberry cheesecake at dinner.
6. Grand Nora Hotel
Hotel
A few blocks east of Segmenler Park, the unassuming Grand Nora offers sleek, unfussy double rooms and suites. The quiet neighbourhood has several nearby cafes and restaurants but you may well end up lingering in the in-house eatery, housed in a street-side conservatory on the ground floor. In the evening, check out the nearby Nusr-Et restaurant, popular with the locals for its steaks and ribs.
7. Aden Apart
Apartment
Glass walls and spacious balconies distinguish this modern, low-rise block on Ankara’s southern edge. Its one and two-bedroom contemporary apartments feature parquet floors and fully equipped kitchens; while they are broadly aimed at longer-stay visitors, they do cater to shorter stays, too. There’s an endearing touch of kitsch in the common areas – take the embossed floral design on pewter-coloured wallpaper.
8. Hotel Cinnah
Hotel
Close to Kugulu Park and with easy access to commercial offices and shopping centres, the Cinnah’s unassuming facade masks a satisfyingly stylish property. There’s a subtly whimsical, almost Scandinavian, vibe to its interiors’ muted greys, sleek furniture and multitude of framed fine art prints and cartoons. The open lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows features a cool coffee shop and Nord Restaurant, both popular lunchtime spots.
9. New Park Hotel
Hotel
Overlooking Kurtuluş (Independence) Park in downtown Ankara, the New Park Hotel has swanky, chandelier-lit interiors; you’ll find air conditioning and a minibar in your room. There’s an excellent, conservatory-like cafe facing the street, and the Park restaurant mixes Turkish and Mediterranean staples, with a generous fruit spread served at breakfast. The Aria spa specialises in massage, from Swedish to reflexology.
10. Movenpick Hotel Ankara
Hotel
In Ankara’s Söğütözü business district, the Movenpick’s curved profile cuts a distinctive silhouette over a busy road junction. An oval-shaped lobby with bubble chandelier and flowing lines lends some drama, but rooms are mostly sober and serene. There’s a good restaurant – mainly Turkish cuisine with Mediterranean favourites – while the wellness centre offers saunas, Turkish baths and massages along with a small indoor pool.
11. Angora House Hotel
Boutique Hotel, Hotel
There’s plenty of traditional charm at Angora House Hotel, located within a restored Ottoman house in Ankara’s old city. The antique wooden furniture, colourful Turkish carpets and decorative imperial objects in the six rooms make you feel like you’re back in the 1920s. The walled courtyard is a great place to enjoy breakfast in the sun and, thanks to its location in the old city, you can easily wander around to see the renovated Ottoman houses and visit Ankara Castle. The hotel is also a five-minute drive from the city centre, so you’ll be close to other important sights and activities.
12. Hotel Mithat
Hotel
13. Doğa Residence
Budget Hotel, Hotel
14. Deeps Hostel
Hostel
This is an updated version of an article originally by Feride Yalav-Heckeroth.
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