Which hotel for adults only will you choose: GREECE OR TURKEY?
Pick between romance or partying for your summer getaway without children.
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The Romantic One
Casa Cook, Samos
This picture-perfect Greek island was a spa paradise for Molly Reynolds, her boyfriend James and their friends. They also enjoyed great hikes and the beautiful scenery.
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Inspired by traditional Greek houses, the swim-up suites at Casa Cook are our faves – each has a rainfall shower, Olive Era toiletries (made with Greek olive oil), his-and-hers stone sinks, plus sleek double loungers with direct access to one of the five (yes, five!) pools.
You can enjoy a wide variety of breakfasts, such as local specialties like bougatsa or baklava. Later, try Greek-fusion dishes like kopanisti – a rich tomato and feta dip served with deep-fried flatbread, £5.20, and lamb with aubergine, garlic and sumak, £21.
Have an Aegean Rose on the side – a mix of Greek gin, cucumber juice, lemon and elderflower, £12. The spa offers a hot tub, hammam, and multi-shower experiences.
Book the amber healing head, scalp and back massage, £104 for 1 hour, for added bliss. The gym has Theragun massagers, Pilates reformer machines, and free outdoor yoga.
You can also explore
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Idyllic Pythagoreio town (birthplace of philosopher Pythagoras) is 20 minutes’ walk away. Take a photo with his huge harbour statue before exploring the streets and spotting the brightly painted murals on the stone.
Hire bikes from the hotel (£9 for 3 hours) for the 20-minute cycle to the ruins of Heraion temple – dating back to the 8th century BC, it was a shrine to Greek goddess Hera.
Entry costs from £2.60 per person. It is known also for the incredible hiking trails.
Beach holiday reading list
Put tranquil Potami Waterfalls top of your list and hire a car from the hotel (from £70 per day) to drive 40 minutes to the footpaths that lead you 4km through an enchanting plane-tree forest.
The waterfall is a stunning sight. It’s a quick wade across crystalline water.
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Grab an iced latte at cute Two Spoons cafe, nestled beneath olive trees and with views of Pythagoreio’s pretty harbour (Twospoons.gr).
At Storia Dolce, you’ll find freshly made gelato – the huge selection of flavours includes strawberry cheesecake and Kinder Bueno (Facebook.com/story dolcepythagoreio).
Come evening, soak up classy beach-bar vibes at Asterias, where you can tuck into diavola pizza with pepperoni, mozzarella and chilli oil, £10, teamed with a glass of crisp Greek Agiorgitiko Moschofilero Rosé for less than £5 (Doryssa.gr/restaurants/asterias-seaside-experience).
Don’t MISS
For a truly epic day, try sea kayaking through story-book-like caves and visiting two secluded beaches that are unreachable by car, all with views of the island’s stunning mountains.
Four-hour tours cost £48 per person, including a picnic lunch (Seakayaksamos.com).
Book it
Double rooms at Casa Cook cost from £156 B&B (Casacook.com/casa-cook-samos). Return flights from the UK to Samos cost from £275.
The Party One
Cooks Club Adakoy, Turkey
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Marmaris was a DJ’s paradise and a place to find souvenirs in abundance for Jess Evans.
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Cooks Club, nestled in the Adakoy Peninsula, is just 20 minutes away by boat from the party city of Marmaris. The interiors are stripped back, and the pool features a DJ spinning tunes.
There are also alfresco film nights and beachfront yoga at sunrise or sunset.
You can also explore
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Marmaris National Park offers hiking and cave exploration.
Or jump in the hotel’s water taxi, £3 each way, and get snap-happy from the watchtowers at medieval Marmaris Castle with its pretty harbour views and quaint museum, £3 entry.
Later, get your haggle on for Marmaris’ traditional Grand Bazaar, which is open until late and bursting with stalls of spices, the town’s famous pine honey, mosaics and fab leather bargains.
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The hotel’s seaside Cantina restaurant serves up everything from Thai noodles to quesadillas at live cooking stations, plus fresh sushi made right in front of you.
But forget queuing, as the waiters bring the dishes to you – result! The breakfast spread includes local breads, menemen (turkish scrambled egg with tomato) and brunch favorites like eggs Benedict.
Find pasta for less than five dollars and enjoy great DJ sets on Bono Good Times Beach in Marmaris.Bonogoodtimes.com).
Or order a burger, £5, and a Moscow mule, £10, at Felix Marina, while enjoying live gigs and super-yacht views from its sunny terrace.
Don’t Miss
The hotel’s romantic sunset boat trip is dreamy, with unlimited bubbles, wine or beer, plus fresh fruit and cheeses. Trips cost £39 per person.
Book it
Double rooms at Cooks Club cost from £117 per night on the Feel Free package, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus selected alcoholic and soft drinks (Cooksclub.com/en/cooks-club-adakoy-marmaris-turkey).
Return flights from the UK to Dalaman cost from £80.
- Getty images, Instagram/Two Spoons (Facebook), Shutterstock