Tulip Cottage was just the perfect escape for us after a busy year. We loved everyday we spent there. Rural, rustic and private we felt completely at peace. The Cottage itself is, without doubt, minimalist and rustic. Don't expect luxury and every modern convenience, this isn't what Tulip Cottage is about. Somewhat quirky with a steep staircase to the mezzanine bedroom, it might not be to everyone's taste. However for a rural retreat, Tulip Cottage had everything we needed. The bathroom was small but functional, the separate kitchen served us well with (mainly) decent appliances, including a washing machine which we found really useful. And everywhere was clean and in good order. But the biggest praise of this idyllic location is reserved for the outside where we spent the majority of our time. Sitting on the outside porch to read, do crosswords and eat our meals was just sublime with the most stunning of views over the hills and the Mediterranean Sea beyond. The private pool was brilliant, more than big enough for two and we swam several times a day, everyday, and then dried off whilst basking on the sunbeds. We deliberately didn't hire a car as we wanted enforced 'chill time' . The small town of Islamar was a 15 minute walk away for food shopping and very good local restaurants and we found getting a local taxi to Kalkan very easy (£20 return) . We made several visits, but found it wonderful to return to the cottage in the hills with its cooling breeze, a complete contrast to the crowds and heat of Kalkan. Overall a memorable holiday, one we will be very tempted to repeat one day.

In a word, Tulip cottage can be described simply as paradise. I was looking for a holiday home that was secluded, authentic, loved, discreet, beautiful but not 'styled', fragrant, set in nature with access to water or a pool, close to charming eateries and preferably near a beach with 20km of unspoilt perfectly preserved golden sands with more turtles than humans. Impossible, I thought. I found it. The house is approached up a winding drive through pines and rocky outcrops. On your way you pass through small roadside hamlets with chickens and occasional wild boars lazily crossing as well as the local Sunday 'farmer's market' which sells delicious produce, local honey, freshly pressed olive oil in reused water bottles, fresh bread, and creamy haloumi cheese. The locals are extremely friendly, little English is spoken, but you get by with gestures and smiles. You arrive at the house through vine groves and old stone buildings. The first thing that strikes you is the view - mountains and agricultural lands descending towards the coast and sea, little islands surrounded by blue waters. Locally and ten minute walk away, you can buy freshly farmed mountain trout for the grill, local eggs and bread, and 15 minutes is Kalkan with supermarkets. If you like to grill outside, as we did, the barbecue was miraculously arranged for us (by secret elves?) overnight. The kitchen is beautifully equipped and housed within an indoor-outdoor glass pavilion structure that was obviously partly hand made but lacked no charm and, yes, was absolutely functional (for the Germans among you). The cottage itself is quaint and cosy - the bathroom is small and basic, but again with DVD player, aircon and a good bed. I slept well. Our hosts were superlative - every question and wish we had was immediately answered and their presence a few hundred meters away was a warmly welcomed and never intrusive. We loved arriving to a fridge stocked with homemade treats, stuffed vines and pasta sauces - so thoughtful. Everything about Tulip Cottage is done with ease and the instinct of generosity and natural hospitality, from the way buildings are oriented in the shade of tall, bowing pines to the paintings by the artist couple who own it. This is how I imagine the Mediterranean used to be. It is certainly how it should be. The only downside is that you will want to tell your friends about it and then it will be booked out forever.

We have just returned from a fantastic week at Tulip Cottage. The owners, Turgut and Lale made us feel tremendously welcome. They provided an unexpected but fulsome pack of groceries on arrival including some excellent home made dolmade and olive oil. The cottage contained everything you could possibly need for a relaxing self catering holiday. Turgut was able to provide all the local information we needed about restaurants and places to visit. The cottage was originally built as Turgut and Lale's holiday home so has been designed and planned with much care and attention to detail. It has magnificent views across to Patara beach and Kalkan Bay and has plenty of grounds with trees, flowers and bushes to create a sense of seclusion and privacy, although there is one other property about 30 metres away. There are several different places to sit and have a meal around the grounds with different views to enjoy. The infinity pool was immaculate. There are several small village restaurants within 15 minutes walk and two small shops providing bread and basics, although for most fresh fruit and meat you will need to drive down the hill towards Kalkan. We wholeheartedly recommend Tulip to other couples seeking a quiet and relaxing holiday.