Problems with an accommodation before going to Ankara -

Even in my second time in Turkey everything went well, except for problems with an accommodation on the first night.

Between 2024 and 2025 some really curious situations have happened to me with hotel accommodations; in Romania and in Italy in Udine. Episodes that cannot be justified by the fact that I usually choose among the cheapest options.

It was a solo, 10-day trip in May/June 2025 and using public transportation. In my google maps the itinerary, which still included two final days in Istanbul, but mostly to visit the most renowned places in the Asian part of Turkey.

The trip to Turkey began with one of my problems with accommodation, while all the while I saw cats, here little ones who are suckled — The trip to Turkey began with problems with an accommodation and continued with cats

These are the main destinations:

Ankara
Cappadocia
Pamukkale
Ephesus
Izmir
Pergamum (where I eventually did not go)
Istanbul

I arrived at Istanbul’s minor airport, the one located on the Asian side, from where I would take a domestic flight to Ankara the next morning. Arriving in the evening, I opted for a hotel in the vicinity of the airport.

Mosque at night in Ankara, with illuminated minarets and dome — Mosque at night in Ankara

Talk about problems with an accommodation: it’s closed!

With the owner of the bnb I had contacted by text in the morning to confirm my supposed arrival time, I arrived there by cab.

After I buzzed the doorbell, no one opened. I followed a lady in and reached the floor by elevator. The first sign I ignored was that there were no signs or directions. In one wall it appeared that a sticker with the name of the facility had been peeled off. There were seals in the front door. No one answered at the further peal and I called the manager on my cell phone.

Curious cat looking inside a manhole cover in Istanbul — Curious cat

A cat emerges from a rose garden with pink flowers — I’ve also seen a lot of roses

She did not answer and called me back after 10 minutes to explain that just that day the authorities had closed and then sealed off his facility. I asked her when she planned to tell me, she ranted a bit to reassure me that she would give me my money back. Aside from pondering why they might have closed the facility to him, I also struggled to understand him because every three words he would throw in a bro, which I later realized was for brother.

As usual, I had booked from home with the booking platform, but that does not work in Turkey. Since it was already late, I thought I would walk into that modern area with various stores, banks and restaurants, convinced that I would find a hotel.

After a short while, I came across an almost luxurious one (by Turkish standards). I paid 50 euros, without breakfast. In the remaining facilities the average was around 25. The room confirmed a theory of mine, spending so much to sleep makes no sense. Certainly Turkish standards are very different from those in other countries, so much so that most of the outlets would not go; the switches were far from the bed (a constant even later) and the water dispenser worked only as it was pressed.

Two stray dogs play in the street in Turkey — Even stray dogs are seen a lot

Also in Ankara: see, see, win

The Turkish capital is not considered a tourist destination and most skip it, but in addition to being on the way and convenient to Cappadocia, I have wanted to see it for some time.

Mutton tied to a flower bed in a city market in Istanbul — Mutton tied in the street

During high school, there were many 4’s taken in a clumsy attempt to translate Latin versions recounting famous episodes from antiquity or legends set in Anatolia. But at least some of the stories I remember. In this central region of Turkey Julius Caesar uttered the phrase veni, vidi, vici. King Midas turned everything he touched into gold. Gordio realized an impossible-to-untie knot that Alexander the Great, impatient, thought of cutting with his sword (which brought him bad luck).

When in 1920 it was chosen as the capital of the new state that rose from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire and years of war, it was inhabited by just 30,000 people, a hundred years later by nearly 5 million. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk the founder of modern Turkey, in order to give importance to Ankara, in the first 8 years of his rule decided never to go to Istanbul. I walked a bunch of kilometers to visit Ataturk’s imposing mausoleum and then the Citadel, that is what was the core of the ancient city, which has a very ancient history.

Uphill street of Ankara's old town, full of stores — Historical center in Ankara, all uphill.

Also Ankara (can you tell I like puns?) I remember it mostly for the accommodation though not negatively. I was in a hostel, but I had the single, with bathroom, also quite large. So considering value for money, no worse than the night before.

On the other hand, the funniest aspect was the young receptionist who, when she heard my nationality, sang me a song in Italian by Maneskin, which I don’t know at all, and this made me feel old.