More about hotels in Ankara
Ankara is Turkey's capital, but it doesn't chase the tourist crowds the way Istanbul does, and that's part of its charm. This is a city of wide boulevards and quiet parks, with a hilltop citadel that has stood watch over the old town for more than a thousand years. Climb its stone ramparts near sunset and you get one of the best views in the country: red-tiled roofs tumbling down one side, glass towers rising on the other. Down in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, cases of Hittite and Phrygian artefacts trace the region's story back thousands of years before any of the buildings around them were built.
Because Ankara runs on business and university traffic rather than tourism alone, accommodation here tends to be better value than the coast, and there's a genuine spread to choose from, from glossy international chains to a boutique stay inside a restored old inn. Wherever you land, you're usually within an easy metro ride of the next.
Where to stay in Ankara
- Kızılay: the city's buzzing centre and the easiest base for first-timers. Every metro and bus line seems to run through here, and you're a short walk from shopping streets, kebap houses, and cafes that still brew Turkish coffee the old way, thick and unfiltered, with a glass of water on the side.
- Kavaklıdere: a leafy stretch between Kızılay and Çankaya, dotted with wine bars, meyhanes and some of Ankara's better restaurants. Quieter than Kızılay after dark, but still an easy metro ride from the centre.
- Çankaya: Ankara's polished end of town, all tree-lined streets, glossy cafes and some of the city's best restaurants. Good for a calmer stay, with several parks nearby for a morning walk before the day heats up.
- Ulus & Hamamönü: the old town, where the hilltop citadel and narrow lanes of restored Ottoman houses give Ankara its most atmospheric corner. Cafes spill out under wooden eaves and the colour-washed facades make it the best part of town for photos. It's a slower base, further from the nightlife, but the one with the most character.
How much is Ankara accommodation?
Ankara's average nightly rate sits around AU$130, and it swings with the conference and university calendar more than a beach-town high season, so a room can be noticeably pricier or cheaper depending on what's on in the city that week.
- Budget hotels & guesthouses: from AU$65 per night. Simple, clean rooms close to a metro stop, usually around Kızılay or Ulus.
- Mid-range hotels & apartments: from AU$115 per night. En-suite comfort, breakfast included, and a proper front desk if your flight lands at midnight.
- Boutique stays: from AU$160 per night. Ankara's small boutique scene runs through restored old buildings rather than design-magazine minimalism.
- Luxury hotels: from AU$220 per night, climbing well past AU$350 during major conferences or trade fairs. Full spa, pool and multiple restaurants come standard at this level.
Top-rated hotels in Ankara
- Divan Ankara (Çankaya): home to the city's largest hotel spa, a sprawling 3,000-square-metre retreat, plus a Japanese restaurant that's become one of Çankaya's go-to dinner spots.
- Sheraton Ankara Hotel & Convention Center (Kavaklıdere): a family-friendly five-star with its own kids' pool alongside the adult one, handy if you're travelling with the family and want everyone happy by mid-afternoon.
- JW Marriott Hotel Ankara (Söğütözü): built around the Karma Spa, with both indoor and outdoor pools and enough meeting space, 17 rooms worth, to double as a conference base.
- Radisson Blu Hotel Ankara Cankaya (Çukurambar): the Sky View restaurant up top serves dinner with a full panorama of the city, one of the best sunset views you'll get from a hotel room here.
- Gordion Hotel - Special Class (near Tunalı Hilmi): Ottoman-style rooms, a rooftop terrace and an indoor pool, just 45 metres from one of Ankara's best shopping streets.
Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Ankara
- Book around the conference calendar, not just the season. Ankara's price spikes tend to come from trade fairs and conferences more than tourist season, so if your dates land during a big event, book earlier than you would elsewhere in Turkey.
- Winters are properly cold. Ankara sits on a high plateau and gets genuine snow, unlike the Turkish coast, so pack for it and check a hotel has reliable heating if you're visiting between December and February.
- Esenboğa Airport is a fair way out. Budget 40 minutes or more into the centre, and factor that into how late a check-in you can manage.
- Wear proper shoes for the castle. The walk up to the citadel from Ulus metro station is steep and cobbled, so trainers beat sandals.
- Try the coffee where the locals do. Ankara takes its Turkish coffee seriously, and a cafe in Kızılay or Kavaklıdere will usually do it better, and cheaper, than a hotel lobby.
However long you're staying, Ankara rewards a bit of walking, so pick a base near a metro stop and let the rest of the city come to you.
