People | 9 |
Bedrooms | 5 |
Bathrooms | 3 |
Space | 2,368 sq. ft. |
Property type | house |
Minimum Stay | 3 nights |
Outstanding Villa With Private Pool, Turkish Bath And Sauna
Situated only 3 Minutes Walk From Centre Of Town, 10 Mins From Beach, Sleeps 9 comfortably.
St Johns House is a very beautiful, spacious, unique and comfortable property with 5 spacious bedrooms.
The master bedroom enjoys a private sitting room and air conditioning. A very spacious living come dining room with air conditioning, a beautiful veranda in front of the bedrooms with wonderful views of the Artemis Temple. 3 bathrooms, a sauna, Turkish Bath, private swimming pool and beautiful private garden.
St John's House is a totally private house, the garden and pool too.
Situated in the centre of one of the most culturally rich areas in Turkey, directly below the Basilica of St John and above the Isabey mosque in Selcuk, St John House is an unmatched property, designed perfectly with comfort in mind, using wood, brick and stone the house fits perfectly into the surrounding area.
I can't say enough good about this beautiful villa and its surroundings. The photos looked great but -- this is a first -- the reality was better. The house was airy, light, and outstandingly comfortable. I had been concerned about noise in the early morning from a close-by mosque but the bedrooms were quiet and cool.
The villa must have had an architect involved, as it's beautiful and its functionality has been well thought out. From the street, one sees only the top level, with a pretty flower garden screening it. One enters directly onto the second floor, which has bedrooms flanked by a long verandah that overlooks the old town. The master bedroom, at one end, opens onto its own small private sitting room that shares the verandah's view. (Great for the adults to have a quiet morning coffee.) Because the house is at the top of the town, nothing overlooks it, and the view is wonderful.
Downstairs is a decent kitchen (could use more counter space, but I quibble) and a huge sitting room that opens via large glass doors onto the lovely garden. At the other end of the downstairs, tucked away, are a sauna and a Turkish bath. I regret that we didn't use them, as we there in the heat of summer, but I can imagine that a winter stay would have its own rewards.
The jewel, though, is the garden, which is split into two levels. The main garden is a lawn flanked by flowering bushes, with a wood oven along the side. It is walled off from neighbouring houses, situated further down the hill. At one time there was a large tree in this part, as the stump is there, and it did rather lack shade but was very pleasant in the early morning and evening and has its own resident tortoise. Put some fruit out for him -- he'll be grateful. Down stone stairs is the lower garden, with a beautiful little pool surrounded by trees and comfortable lounge chairs. Just fantastic.
Manager Alison Morel is helpful, reliable, and knowledgeable. She is an arranger extraordinaire, laying on groceries in advance at my request (at cost, no fee), supplying airport transfers and very inexpensive rental car, replacing a broken coffee pot as quickly as possible. Couldn't ask for more.
Selcuk itself was a pleasant surprise. Evidence of tourism but not nearly the level of pestering to buy that we encountered in Istanbul. It had a human scale. Nice little restaurants, wonderfully courteous and charming people, and a market for fresh food. We really lacked for nothing.
Idyllic!
Izmir, Adnan Menderes international and domestic airport are approx 55 minutes by car.
Airport transfers and hire car/van can easily be arranged please ask if you would like a quote,
Ferries to Samos, Greek island, leave daily from Kusadasi. A good day trip to be able to enjoy the different cultures of 2 close neighbours.
Pamucak, a beautiful virtually unspoilt 14km sandy beach can be reached by car, it is 8 km from Selcuk.
There are many local mini buses running there and back from the local bus station, or if you feel like walking it will take 45 minutes along a very flat road half of which has been made into a special walkway road.
There are several other beaches that can be reached by local minibus or car along the coast and also some very beautiful bays.
Selcuk has all the necessary shopping facilities, banks, restaurants etc and there are some very good restaurants in town and some of the surrounding villages.
Every Saturday there is a beautiful local market selling fresh produce and anything that you could need during your stay.
There are many attractions, the historical sites locally at Ephesus, St John's basilica, Virgin Mary's House, Selcuk museum, Seven sleepers and Selcuk museum all only a few minutes walk or drive away.
Selcuk is an excellent base to visit some of the other major attractions in this part of Turkey including Aphrodisias, Miletus, Metropolis, Priene and Didyma. All within 1-2 hours drive.
Further afield, to Pamukkale and Hierapolis are well worth visiting, or boat trips from Kusadasi, Fethiye or Marmaris can be arranged.
Selcuk centre is only 3 mins walk into town past the St Johns Basilica and along the old Roman Aqueduct.
The pretty Greek village Sirince is 8km from Selcuk, minibuses run regularly Most of the attractions in Selcuk can be reached on foot or by local buses.
Guests will be met by Alison, the property manager, who is fluent in both English and Turkish, she will be available throughout your stay to help with any queries, provide information and if needed to make travel/trip arrangements.
Fees | No additional mandatory fees |
Weekly rental price for 1 - 8 guests = 1200 Sterling For up to 2 more guests the price is 20 Sterling per night per person.
Per night minimum 3 night rental = £250 per night 1 - 8 Guests For extra guests the price is an extra 25 sterling per night ( Maximum 10 Guests )
Changeover day:
Flexible depending on availability. Alison can arrange airport transfers and rental vehicles
I ask that a non refundable deposit = 25% of the total rental price is paid to secure your rental, the balance to be paid on arrival at St John's House