The historic and cultural St. Peter's Castle draws a large share of the tourist market into the town of Bodrum, while creating a market for "cheap tourism" over at the charmless resort of Bardakçi Bay, or in a basic pension in the Outer Harbor. One such pension is Baç Pension (Cumhuriyet Cad. 14; tel. 0252/316-1602; fax 0252/316-7917), located smack dab in the thick of the all-night body crush. But it does front the sea, and the windows are double-glazed. (Note: Many of the hotels listed here are only open Apr-Oct or thereabouts, as well as Christmas and New Year's.)
Choosing to lodge in one of the inspiring hideaways along the outer edges of the peninsula will certainly rejuvenate the spirit (and perhaps one or two marriages), but will also tempt you from exploring the sights and sounds of Bodrum town. One new boutique hotel not included in the listings (it was too new to make the deadline for this guide) is the Atami Hotel (Cennet Koyu 48, Gölköy; tel. 0252/357-7416; www.atamihotel.com) in the Gölköy half of Göltürkbükü (formed by the union of two adjacent villages). The Japanese half of this joint venture has infused the hotel with delicious Far Eastern flavor and serenity.
