LİMAN HOTEL, KUŞADASI

"Come as a guest, leave as a friend" says the sign in front of the Liman Hotel in Kuşadası, and that was certainly my experience of this compact but surprisingly smart small hotel just across the road from the harbour and so perfect for those day trips to Samos. 

A small garden leads to the entrance of the Liman where the entire ground floor is given over to a reception-cum-lounge with everything from a bar to a book exchange and computers for common use. It's here that you'll probably meet owner, Hasan Değirmenci, your guide to everything that's anything about town. 

A big plus here is that there is not only a lift but one big enough to move about in which might make this a good choice for guests with mobility problems. 

Bedrooms are unexpectedly spacious and come with small balconies, great air-con, TVs with some English programming, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Despite the fact that the hotel is in the centre of Kuşadası I've never found noise to be a problem. 

The owner thinks the bathrooms need improvement but there's plenty of hot water and I had no complaints about mine.

Then comes the real winner - a roof terrace which looks over not just the busy harbour and the giant cruise ships that dock there but also Güvercin Adası, the tiny island that gave Kuşadası (Bird Island) its name and Yılan Adası (Snake Island) beyond it. Here you can tuck into an excellent and leisurely breakfast but also relax over a dinner which might be a barbecue - if there's a fish you'd especially like to try ask the owner and it can be arranged. There's a good choice of alcohol available too.

Finally, the hotel can sort out those tickets to Samos for you, as well as other adventures such as a horse safari.

Thumbs up: Great location, spacious rooms, wonderful roof terrace

Thumbs down: No overhead light in bedrooms (but good bedside lights)

Tel: 0256-614 7770, www.limanhotel.com