Lures Hotel, the Adults-Only Kalkan Hotel on Its Own Stretch of Bay

The first thing you notice in the morning is how close the sea is. Breakfast is set out on the terrace, the coffee arrives before you ask, and the bay below has not yet picked up its first boat. Nobody is in a hurry to be anywhere else.

Lures is the kind of hotel that makes this feel ordinary.

Outside the centre, on the water

Most Kalkan hotels climb the hill and look down on the bay. Lures sits on Kalamar Bay itself, just outside the town, so here the sea is a neighbour rather than a view. You reach Kalkan's harbour by a short taxi ride, and you come back to quiet.

The hotel takes adults only, guests of 16 and over. That settles the mood before you have unpacked. The pools are for swimming and reading, and nobody is building a sandcastle at the next lounger.

Three ways to have a room

The standard rooms are the superior rooms, each with a balcony and room to open the doors on the evening. They suit two people who plan to spend their days outside anyway.

The junior suites go further. Each has its own pool on the terrace and two bathrooms, which is a surprising luxury until you have shared one with someone who takes long showers. At the top, the penthouse suites have a terrace and an outdoor whirlpool. All rooms are air-conditioned and have Wi-Fi, a kettle and coffee, so the first cup of the day is yours to make.

Down to the beach club

The beach club is the second half of the hotel. You go down in the morning, swim before the sun is high, and take lunch at a table that still smells of salt. Above it, the infinity pool looks straight out to sea, and an indoor pool takes over when the weather turns.

There is no sand at the beach club. You step into the sea from a platform or a ladder, so bring water shoes.

Dinner without leaving the gate

Breakfast is a buffet, long enough to need two plates. In the evening there are à la carte restaurants on site, one international and one a steakhouse, plus bars at the beach, the lobby and the pool. A table on the terrace once the light has gone soft is the part most guests remember.

You can walk into town for dinner. Most nights people don't.

Editor's picks

• Take breakfast early.The terrace is at its best before the pools fill.
• Ask for a junior suite.A private pool on the terrace changes how you use the afternoon.
• Swim before lunch.The beach club is calm and nearly empty in the morning.
• Keep the infinity pool for the hour before dinner.The sea turns a different colour from up there.
• Try both restaurants.The steakhouse one night, the international table the next.
• Go into Kalkan once.The harbour has the town's best evening, and the hotel can call a taxi for the return.
• Drive 17 km to Patara.The ancient city and its long beach make an easy half day. Bring your Müze Kart.

Insider notes

The property has many steps. If mobility matters, tell the hotel when you book and ask which floor your room is on. A room with the best view and a room with the fewest steps are rarely the same room.

Children are not accepted, and that is part of the deal. It suits couples and friends better than families.

Pack water shoes. The entry is from the platform and the rocks, and they make it easier.

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How to get to Kalkan

Dalaman is the closest airport, about 1 hour 45 minutes by road. You can book a private VIP transfer or a seat on a shared shuttle minibus, hiring a car at the airport is easy, and dolmuş minibuses run between Kalkan and both Kaş and Fethiye. Ask the hotel where the car can stay once you arrive. Flights from Europe and Istanbul are covered in Getting there.

A hotel for people who would rather have the bay to themselves than the town.