The Golden Key at Bordubet - water features

This year we returned for a holiday to the Golden Key hotel at Bordubet, near Marmaris in Turkey. Our holiday was an exact clone of last year's - but it was exactly what we wanted, so that's good! This venue is a perfect haven of tranquillity, absolutely ideal for a stress-free and relaxing holiday well removed from the pressures of daily life. At this time of year the weather is predictably fine and sunny. The daytime temperatures are in the high 20s and low 30s Celsius, and the humidity is very low, which makes it very comfortable.

The hotel is very small (about 40 rooms, I think) and "personal", so you are always made to feel very special. The atmosphere of the place is probably dictated by its setting - on the banks of a small river. I find the presence and sound of water very relaxing. Furthermore, the presence of water attracts lots of birdlife. The name "Bordubet" itself means "birds' bed".



Wherever you look, there is water. This is the stream / river as it enters the property:

This is the river as it leaves the property, at the place where small boats shuttle guests down the last few hundred metres to the sea, and across a small bay to the hotel's private beach club.

This little bridge we nicknamed the Monet Bridge. If you have visited or seen pictures of Giverny, you will know why.

Here's an arty photo taken looking down into the water from the Monet Bridge:

This cascade appeared to be controlled by a sluice-gate, since it seemed to only operate some of the time. We think it may have been linked to the irrigation of a farm adjacent to the hotel.

This is an ancient trough carved from stone, perhaps formerly used for providing drinking-water for livestock. I love the old brass tap! (It looks like a golden key!)

Here's the Lily-pond, a feature much loved by the local wildlife. If you look closely you can see a couple of little turtles sunbathing on a corner of the grating at the right of the photo.

It's all too easy to write too much, and show too many photos of a place like Bordubet, so I'm going to stop here for today. I'll write more about the wildlife and plants over the next few days.

P.S. Our holiday was booked through Exclusive Escapes, a UK-based company specialising in Turkish venues. I have been very impressed with every aspect of their service with one exception: the travel arrangements this year were through a "budget" airline, and were not good - but I know that that is changing... My thanks to their Rep with special responsibility for Bordubet, Anne. Friendly, knowledgeable, efficient, charming: what more could you ask?