I wouldn't typically go through this much trouble to add a business to yelp, but this company gave…read moregreat customer service. Found this company through tripadvisor last minute the night before my cruise ship docked at Kusadasi. By last minute, I mean super last minute, I probably sent in a reservation request in at around midnight for a 9am tour. I half expected them to not even reply like some other private tour companies I had tried to contact. Unfortunately, the internet on the boat was inconsistent so I didn't get the message that the tour guide and driver had been waiting for us in the morning. By the time I emailed them they were back at the office and came back out to the port to pick us up and didn't charge a late fee. My original plan was to take a taxi or bus to Ephesus and try to DIY everything on our own since all the tour books highlighted the Terrace Houses as a "must see" but the cruise tours did not include them in any of their tour options and it has an extra admission fee. Then around 10pm the night before our day at port my brother asked me if it would be safe to travel on our own and I proceeded to spend an hour reading Istanbul taxi horror stories. Around 11pm I scrambled to find last minute tour options. Since we only had 4 people in our group, the price wasn't that much cheaper than the cruise tour BUT it was 100 times better. 1) You get your own private car. We had a large black Mercedes van instead of being packed like sardines in a bus with 50 other people. 2) You get your own private guide. Serkan was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with us. 3) Guide doubles as photographer. As an example of his patience, Serkan helped up take endless pictures for my Asian photo-happy family and suggested good photo spots. 4) You can ask questions. Licensed tour guides require a 4-year university degree and need to pass a license exam so they are incredibly knowledgeable. With a private tour you don't have to stand on your tiptoes or lean your ear over 10 people to hear what is going on nor wait in a line to ask a single question. 5) Tour is catered to you. We chose to see the Temple of Artemis and Ephesus, including the Terrace Houses. Apparently, going a little later was a good move because the place was practically empty. If you go on a large tour they tend to skip over this site since it is difficult to squeeze large groups into this smaller protected area with narrow staircases. It was definitely worth it. After Ephesus and the Temple (or single column plus rocks) of Artemis, our tour guide asked if we'd like to see some local crafts and try turkish coffee. This reminded me of some of the horror stories from the night before where patrons were taken to local vendors before their requested destination and required to buy things before they could continue on.... but someone in our group was interested in seeing a ceramics factory so we went and there was no pressure to buy anything. Our tour guide was present and made sure we did not feel pressured. I think this part is optional, whereas larger tours require you to stop at a rug shop for half an hour. You can pay cash or credit. If you pay credit, you need to stop by the office. They collect payment at the end of the trip. We had a great time. Thanks!

We planned a day trip to Ephesus during our weeklong trip to Istanbul. Ephesus Shuttle made what…read morecould have been a chaotic day relaxing and extremely enjoyable. Our guide Emray was waiting at the airport for us. He walked us out to meet our driver and we all got into a very nice Mercedes van. During the drive out to Ephesus, Emray explained the history of the area. When we arrived at Ephesus, he continued his interesting explanations. There is a lot to see over the 2 mile course of the excavation. He focused our visit on interesting aspects and kept us in the shade as much as possible. He was extremely knowledgable about the ancient history. My husband is a world history teacher who asked him many tricky questions; none of them made him bat an eye. I highly recommend taking a private tour as we were able to see much more than the large tours and spent a lot of time looking at interesting details. Also all three of us fit into small spots of shade that a 40 person group could not have. After we finished at Ephesus, we ate lunch together at an amazing restaurant. The owner cooks 30 or so different home style dishes each day and the restaurant works like a Thanksgiving dinner buffet (with Turkish food). It was one of the best restaurants we ate at our entire trip. Then we opted to head to Sirince village, which was lovely. Emray helped us get some great deals on gifts we wanted to buy and filled us in on the history of the picturesque area. By the time we were dropped back of at the airport, we felt like we had made a new friend. I highly recommend Ephesus Shuttle for anyone wanting to visit Ephesus.

The mission of ''Ephesus Tours by Locals'' is dedicated to the highest quality of Customer Service…read moredelivered with a sense of Warmth, Friendliness, Individual Pride, and Excellence. Service is what we offer. Our knowledge and ability to perform accurately, timely, professionally and courteously is what we promise to all our clients. Our commitment to great service is what drives our success. Our core values of integrity, client satisfaction, innovation and intellect differentiate us from our competitors. Our focus on developing and maintaining a measurable client satisfaction program has created a company culture where each of our associates delivers world class service every day. When you choose to travel with Ephesus Tours by Locals you are partnering with a company who cares. We are continually focused on finding ways to support our community and we participate in several philanthropic activities throughout the year. Our attitude toward great service and helping others makes our culture inviting and fun. We are always looking for the brightest and most talented people around to join us in servicing our clients and community! -Special tailored tours and discounts for you! -Freedom to decide when to start your tour! -Insured coach and professional tour guide with you all day long! -Sites explained by licensed tour guide! -No big group of people to wait! -Your very own pictures during the tour! -Private tours costing less than big bus tours of the cruise companies! -Chance to taste the best local Turkish dishes! -Complete local experience with a local guide! -You do not have to deal with pre-payment! -Chance to interact with your tour guide face to face!

About two weeks ago, a couple of friends and I decided to go to Kusadasi. We planned to visit…read moreEphesus and the Pigeon Island specifically. And we have booked a Fiat Linea on Rental Car Kusadasi's website. We were going to get to their office to get our rental car, but as soon as we arrived at Kusadasi, we got a phone call from the company. They asked our current location, so we told them that we were at the central bus station. And they told us on the phone that they would deliver the car to our location since it's our first visit to Kusadasi and we don't know the exact location of their office. And they did. You know, people charge for that service, and they just did it for free. It was a nice gesture, and that's why I decided to write a review for them. And we had a great day at Ephesus as well!

We visited Turkey in June with a friend and I fell in love with the country! The Ephesus Tour…read moreCompany team was great, super friendly and helpful and organized our itinerary based on my preferences and the result was an unforgettable trip! We first visited the beautiful Archeological site in the Ephesus area (which is the day tour I'm rating in here). Kusadasi is such a vibrant and colorful city and I wish I had more time to explore the small roads filled with little shops and stairs painted in different colors everywhere, but I'll be back for sure! The visit to the ruins was also magnificent, the guide was very helpful and knowleagable and give us the time to explore and take tons of pictures. We were very lucky with the weather as it was a sunny beautiful day but it can get very hot in June so don't forget a hat or an umbrella and bring plenty of water. Outside the attraction, there are a few bars and stands where you can buy souvenirs and I recommend you sit down in there and try the Turkish tea! I also recommend a visit to the Virgin mary's House. I'm not a religious person, but the place has a very special aura: the small church, the wall full of piece of paper with prayers, the candles.. they all gave such a serene vibe. Even more so if you are religious of course. The view from our Hotel balcony was spectacular, sunset over the sea, basically my idea of perfection! Ephesus tour company also organized the rest of our tour in Turkey and everything went smooth. From Kusadasi we went for a day trip to Pamukkale, the incredible natural pools and I asked if I could organized a very early trip (we woke up at 3 to be there very early in the morning before all the tourists arrived) and it was one of the best decisions of my life. The site was almost empty and I took beautiful pictures and footage with my GoPro, enjoying the surreal peace and the incredible turquoise (and very warm) waters of the pool. If you go to Turkey you can't miss this place but go there early in the morning, it's much better! Next stop: 2 incredible days in Cappadocia where I went for my first ride on a hot air Balloon! Again, I had to wake up at 4 but, oh my... the sunrise from the balloon was something out of this world! We also stayed in a super cool cave hotel and I recommend you take a walk to the sunset point, which is easily reachable (10 minutes walk). If you are into photography, make sure to bring your equipment with you at all times in Turkey! For the sunset in Cappadocia, I forgot my tripod and I'll regret it for the rest of my life. It looked like we were living in a fairy tale world! Last stop Istanbul, loved the Bosphorus cruise and the walk to the Gran Bazaar, too bad we only have 2 days left as Istanbul deserves at least 1 week of exploring. All in all I was amazed by how well the trip was organized, our guides were super friendly and explained to us the most interesting facts and replying to our questions. I'm still in contact with one of the guys at EphesusTourCompany and I can't recommend them enough! They welcomed us like we were part of the family and even helped me out when my memory card broke, borrowing me one of theirs so I didn't lose any precious moment of this fantastic trip. I would have loved to give them 6 stars If I could! :) Simply perfect!

We booked our ephesus shore excursion with ada vegas travel. There were 12 of us on a private tour…read moreof ephesus. I arranged everything online and reconfirmed 3 months before our cruise departed. We were greeted exactly like promised in a private A/C late model van. Our Tour guide Mr Metin was a fantastic guide, he is very easy to talk to. We visited St john's basilica, terrace house and Ephesus ruins We had a delicious Turkish lunch in a art tribal Center then return ride back to cruise port. We loved our Tour and We Will book with them again! The Best tour company in Turkey! Highly recommended

Bodrum's airport is super small. It is no hassle getting in or out, and security moves very…read morequickly. If you want to get to the city by bus, look for the large white buses with the word "Havas." This is only 10 lira, which is way cheaper than a cab, and probably just as quick. If you are departing from Bodrum, the central bus station runs Havas buses to the airport exactly 2 hours before the departure of Turkish airlines flights (can't speak for Pegasus flights, but it may be the case also). The airport has a few cafes, but it is really no frills.

Quite a long way from Bodrum, but far closer than the old airport at Dalaman, a four hour bus…read morejourney away. Built in the last few years, Milas is basically a big air-conditioned box. Arrivals downstairs. Come off the plane and walk for miles along the empty marble floored hall, which looks like rippling water. Perhaps the architect's intention. Big queue to get your visa checked and your passport stamped. If you get to the front of the queue and haven't got a visa already (online from the Turkish government website) then you have wasted half an hour of your time, and have to do the walk of shame to the separate visa counter, then back into the queue. Better hope that another plane hasn't come in behind you. Departures on the first floor. Big queue to get into the terminal as they x-ray the luggage before you can even nip in for a wee. Big queue to check in. Big queue to go through security. Big queue for the café. On a Sunday morning there is only one place open. And there is only one guy serving. Working like billy-o, with a couple of sidekicks helping, but still only one man, one till. Small queue to get your boarding pass checked. Some people get a security check as well. Then a lady checks your boarding pass against your passport. Then two guys check your boarding pass. Then a big queue to actually board the plane and guess what? Have your boarding pass ready.

When in Selcuk, there is only one and only place to stay: Livia Hotel. I stayed here for two days…read morein November. From the moment you arrive, you are greeted by the most hospitable hosts Erdem and Samira-the warmest and most gracious hosts. A Huge thank you to the most amazing family who run the lovely Livia Hotel: Erdem, Samira, and Ali. Erdem's passion, energy, and hospitality is immediately evident. The delightful Samira who made my stay so memorable. Your warmth, smile, kindness, and generosity will never be forgotten. Ali: thank you for the many laughs and for some very funny conversations. You immediately feel at home here, it's like visiting old friends and family. The hotel is very central, a very short walk to the main bus station, Ephesus Museum, Saint John's church, Seljuk castle, and Isa Bey mosque. Livia hotel is very cozy, clean, and absolutely lovely. The highlight (apart from the most amazing staff/hosts) is the incredible breakfast. It's truly epic with delicious homemade acuka, preserves, cheeses, honey, olives, bread, vegetables, muffins, and eggs cooked to your preference. The homemade acuka (tomatoes, peppers, and spices made into a thick paste) was to die for! It is very difficult to make and I can confidently say, it was the Best acuka I've ever had. The family takes great pride in the homemade foods they serve. I was utterly stuffed after breakfast. In all of my years of traveling and countless hotels that I've frequented, Livia is probably the most memorable. I was very sad when I left but the precious memories I've forged while here will stay with me forever. Thank you Livia hotel for your warm and generous hospitality: the biggest 5 stars.

This place is truly delightful. Our room was spacious, clean and well appointed. The grounds were…read morespa-like. The breakfast was superior in every way to the many other Turkish breakfasts that I have enjoyed across this amazing country. Also, the host is very welcoming and gave us good local travel advice.. I would happily return here. The location is ideal for visiting Ephesus and other sites.

This beautiful hotel would be well worth the money based on the location and facilities alone. But…read morethis place is a perfect example of how an excellent staff can make all the difference between good and unbeatable. The manager, Hussein, went above and beyond in helping us overcome all kinds of challenges. When we arrived in town late at night and couldn't get a taxi for the last stretch, Hussein came and retrieved us personally. When our previous guide for Ephesus fell through, Hussein arranged for us to have an excellent personal guide and taxi driver pretty much at the last minute. When we were having trouble booking a bus ticket to our next destination, again, Hussein stepped in and walked over to the bus station with us to help make sure everything went smoothly. Beyond all of this incredible service, the rooms were very comfortable, the pool was especially appreciated in the intense summer heat and the breakfast spread was quite varied and filling.

We stayed at this lovely and cozy boutique hotel for two nights. The hotel is beautifully…read moredecorated, so much attention to details. The staff was absolutely wonderful, very attentive, helpful and so nice. Our room was ready as soon as we arrived in the afternoon. We got a room facing the pool on the first floor so we had a door that opened right out to the pool and we literally felt right at home. The room was very clean and the shower was fantastic. The room had basic amenities like a fridge, safe, hair dryer and they provide water bottles and spa-type slippers. The bed was comfortable and they provided several pillows which is great for sleeping comfort. There's a lounging area with shade right by the pool and bar, perfect to have a drink and just hang out. The water in the pool was cold but it was perfect to cool off from the intense Selçuk heat. The ambiance was so chill and relaxing. The view off the pool and outside dining area was great to watch the sunset if the clouds allowed for a nice view. The breakfast was just ok, serving the usual cheese, cold cuts, veggies, sweets etc. I didn't see anywhere mentioned whether or not they would prepare fried eggs or omelets if requested. I wish they did but since I didn't ask I can't say for sure. We also had dinner at their restaurant one night since we had an early flight the following morning. The food was ok, the baba ghanoush was a bit bland. The lamb shank and grilled whole fish were definitely better dishes. The hotel is located right next to St. John's Basilica and the Selçuk castle which are two of the main attractions in this town. The town center is also a short walk away and close to the dolmuş station where you can catch the shared white mini buses that take you to nearby Şirince for a small fee of 4TL per person.

The Maçakizi Bodrum is absolutely perfect! My boyfriend and I are so impressed with every aspect of…read morethe Maçakizi from the aesthetics (architecture, layout, interiors, decor, etc) to the staff, food and overall relaxed environment. For starters, the creative detail in the aesthetics of the Maçakizi are en pointe (comparable to that of an Aman)--the minimalistic architecture, interior design and decor of the entire property including the rooms, beachfront, restaurant, gym, spa, etc. It is all so well done--built beautifully into the cliffside on the water of the Agean with unparalleled views of the Bodrum shoreline, surrounded by plant life. They have two dogs and a few kitties that live on site and come around from time to time. I'm a huge animal lover so this was a major bonus for me--but for those who don't care for the furry friends, they are not a bother in the least. The Maçakizi is family owned and operated, so it doesn't feel like a typical touristy type hotel/resort. It's very chill and uncomplicated--perfect for those looking for a relaxing environment (again, think Aman). My boyfriend and I are both fitness/health junkies, so the gym and the personal trainers were also a major bonus for us. I did both personal training with Isa and private Pilates with Lucy--both are GREAT and only available during the summer months. I will also note that the chef was very accommodating to both my boyfriend and I with all of our special health food requests. They have amazing kale salads, quinoa salads, homemade [yes, homemade] almond milk, oats, fresh fruit, granola, turkish yogurt, etc. I can go on and on about how much we love the Maçakizi--but I'll end it here in highly recommending a stay here (:

I had a Biblical tour and our tour guide was Hakan. He was fantastic! He has such a great…read morepersonality, professional yet easy to talk to, connect with and he adds in a bit of humor. His patriotism for Turkey made it all the more fun to connect with the places he has shown us and gives it deeper meaning. I have learned so much from this tour thanks to Hakan and his team, they have been very accommodating, on time, and thoroughly enjoyable!

From the owner: Private Istanbul Tours, Private Ephesus Tours, Biblical Tours, Pre and Post Cruise tours in…read moreIstanbul, Ferry to Greek Islands.