Hotels in Dalyan and Kaunos

The village of Dalyan started out as an environmentally conscious little haven that, once discovered, spawned the conversion of many local family houses into guest pensions. Newer hotels and guesthouses are slowly sprouting up on the fringes of the town center, in contrast to the less-than-ambitious pensions that have, to date, rested on the laurels of the riverfront and rock tombs. Yet Dalyan continues to retain its somewhat scrappy character, isolated as it is from the ills of mass tourism. For those hoping to stay close to the Dalyan Delta but not willing to forgo luxury, the new Hilton Dalaman Resort and Spa (Sarigerme Tourism Center, PO11 Ortaca; tel. 0252/286-8686; www.hilton.com; closed Nov-Mar) enjoys a sublime beachfront point ending at the mouth of the Dalaman River, just steps from the nearby Osmaniye village and a 10-minute drive to Dalyan.