Stay
For those who wish to explore the geography of the Black Sea Region and experience every aspect of the local lifestyle from cuisine to music, it doesn’t get any cozier than staying in the bungalows, cabins and centuries-old wooden mansions nestled in the lush valleys and highlands. If you’re not the type to require a TV in the room, our tips are guaranteed to fit the bill.
TRABZON
Sürmene Memiş Ağa Konağı
Facing the Black Sea, with its back to the forest, this mansion resembling a small chateau is one of the finest examples of local architecture. The impeccable woodwork on the mansion’s doors and ceilings shouldn’t be missed, and it’s also worth visiting for a taste of local cuisine. While you’re there, be sure to grab one of Sürmene’s famous handmade pocketknives from the shop by the entrance.
Trabzon-Rize Sahil Yolu, Sürmene. (0462) 746 37 37.
RİZE
Ekodanitap Natural Life
One of the pioneers of highland tourism in Turkey, Mehmet Demirci runs Ekodanitap Natural Life, a series of wooden bungalows and tree houses in the Çamlıhemşin district of Rize. There’s a terrace restaurant that serves organic, farm-fresh ingredients across from panoramic views of the Fırtına Creek. Ekodanitap is also conveniently located only five minutes from the town’s center.
Aşağı Çamlıca Mahallesi, Çamlıhemşin. (0464) 651 77 87, ekodanitap.com
Goboca Dağ Evi
Situated in a wooden chalet with 10 rooms, Goboca is a cozy, family-run hotel that occasionally hosts yoga retreats. They also offer vegetarian and vegan menus for those who notify them in advance.
Fırtına Vadisi, Meydan Köyü, Çamlıhemşin. (0464) 654 40 37, gobocadagevi.com
Moyy Mini Otel
Upon returning to her hometown, fashion designer Özlem Erol rescued the only wooden building left standing in the district center from demolition and turned it into a boutique hotel with six rooms. The café on the ground floor serves regional dishes and sells specialty honeys and jams.
Merkez Mahallesi, İnönü Caddesi 35B, Çamlıhemşin. (0464) 651 74 97.
Plato’da Mola
Guests can stay at one of Plato’da Mola's two locations: a mansion in Çamlıhemşin’s Ortan village or a historic wooden home in the Pokut Highland that’s been passed down through generations. Both buildings feature terraces with highland views where you can enjoy sumptuous “garden to table” meals. Homemade pastries with herbs, oven-baked potatoes with clotted cream, blueberry and raspberry jams and mouthwatering desserts like cevizli çullama, kete and sütlü şehriye are only a few of the all-natural flavors you’ll find here.
Pokut Yaylası, Çamlıhemşin. (0532) 777 93 96, platodamola.com
Sisi Pansiyon
Opened by Savaş Güney in the 1970s, this campsite where the Kaçkar Mountains meet Çamlıhemşin is now run by his son Evrim Güney. Here Güney hosts guests in cozy bungalows by a creek and makes the most of what the earth has to offer in terms of nourishment: in addition to making his own milk, cheese and bread, he’s been known to bake a whole pumpkin stuffed with rice in a Dutch oven and create pastes, omelets and pizzas out of the shiitake and oyster mushrooms grown on the trunks of alder trees. It’s truly one of those places you have to see to believe.
Şenyuva Köyü, Dere Mahallesi 51, Çamlıhemşin. (0537) 243 38 07, sisipansiyon.com
ARTVİN
Bumbulay Pansiyon
This family-run guesthouse nestled amidst trees in the Maçahel region features five wooden homes and a series of seven granary-style rooms raised on poles (known hereabouts as serender). Bumbulay’s kitchen serves Georgian dishes and incredible breakfasts prepared with ingredients from their own farm. You can also enjoy highland safari tours in 4x4 vehicles or, depending on the season, you can watch honey being collected from Caucasian honeybees in the area.
Efeler Köyü, Camili, Borçka. (0532) 652 41 96, bumbulay.com
Ezmoce Köy Evi
Musician and tulum (bagpipe) virtuoso Birol Topaloğlu’s rustic house reflects the traditional architecture of the Hemşin region, as it was built out of the remnants of İbalişi Oxori (İbrahim’s House) transported from Hemşin to Arhavi. Ezmoce is a great option for those who wish to experience what it’s like to stay in a traditional village home.
Cumhuriyet Mahallesi, across from the drawbridge on Eski Kavak Yolu, Arhavi. (0466) 312 86 86.
